Sue G in PA Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 We're getting to the Greeks (slowly but surely) and I've seen these books at our library (well, some of them) and just wondered about the quality/retelling of the storyline? Have you or your dc read this series? If so, do you know the order of the titles in the series and how many there are? I just can't seem to find that info anywhere. TIA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Yes. My 8yo dd read them this year. She enjoyed them a great deal. There are 6 and they are numbered at Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina in WA Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 We listened to them on cd and my kids LOVED them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Better written and better illustrated. I think the Osborne ones are pitched a little younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Agreed. My daughter read the Sutcliffe books also and liked them. I liked them more than she did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Tales From the Odyssey series: The One-Eyed Giant The Land of the Dead Sirens and Sea Monsters The Gray-Eyed Goddess Return to Ithaca The Final Battle The reading level is approx. 3rd grade. I don't think it's fair to compare this series to the Sutcliff's Wanderings of Odysseus because they're written for a different audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 My 11 year old also enjoyed them. We now have the set on audio cd for the car and thoroughly enjoy it. We are now reading the Sutcliffe's aloud. The Alan Lee illustrated versions are the way to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I bought the books as a supplement to our ancient greece studies, thinking he would read one a week and he flew through one a night. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 We read through some of them but my dc just didn't like the Odyssey. We tried the versions in Usbornes Greek Myths for Young Children and the one in Story of the World too. They liked the book by Aliki on the Gods and Goddess of Greece and the one on Hercules and a few other Heroes but we got a great big snore for Odysseus.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share Posted March 2, 2008 I have dd11, ds9, ds8 (11yr.old reads extrememly well, 9yr.old pretty much on target and the 8yo is a bit advanced). Thanks! Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I vote for the Rosemary Sutcliff books as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennefer@SSA Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 the Mary Pope Osborne series here for ds6! He was completely captivated by the story of Odysseus and still talks about his adventures regularly. He wants the Playmobil Warrior Ship for his birthday just so he can act out the stories. I had never heard of the Rosemary Sutcliff series until this thread but I am bookmarking them for another time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 We are re-reading these now--DD7 loves them. They are nifty little hardbacks, and we were lucky enough to check them out of the library. Odysseus' story in the original starts in the middle, but MPO has written these to be chronological, so they are easier for elementary kids to understand. I will say, however, that they are pretty violent and descriptive (as is the original, of course). We read them last year for the first time, and picked them up again last week--I'd forgotten how bloody they are! We keep turning to each other and saying, "Eeeewww!" lol I am going to have dd read Sutcliff's books in the logic stage. I know those are better written. We do enjoy these immensely for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I see you've been given the titles. I picked these up cheap at a bookstore sale as my son asked for them. He was in third grade at the time and he read them on his own. I think they are fine for that. We also read versions of the story by other authors, which I think are even better, but these are fine as read-alones. Regena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susie in tx Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I had these in our book basket and my 9 yo picked them up to read. She ran through them quite quickly, and seemed to enjoy them. Well, she asked for more, so I figure she liked them. I read the first chapter of Coolidge's book and the first chapter of Sutcliff's book to my girls and they picked the Coolidge book. So, I read that one aloud to them. *I* preferred the Sutcliff book. If you get the hard-backed version, the pictures are amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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