introduction to greek mythology

[babygemma]

hi, i would love to get suggestions for intro to greek mythology books for my 8.5 yo ds, who's an advanced reader but quite sensitive. he's easily spooked by images he creates in his head and just recently had the courage to read the first book of the Harry Potter series, though skipped some of the pages that anything to do with spirits or ghosts.

 

what would be a good precursor to iliad or odyssey. we tried getting picture books on greek mythology when he was younger but the pictures spooked him. thank you so much in advance for your suggestions.

[Daisy]

What about Mary Pope Osborne's Tales of the Odyssey books?

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mary+pope+osborne+tales+from+the+odyssey&x=0&y=0&sprefix=Mary+Pope+Os&ih=9_1_1_0_0_0_0_0_0_1.37_336&fsc=-1

[Veritaserum]

What about Mary Pope Osborne's Tales of the Odyssey books?

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mary+pope+osborne+tales+from+the+odyssey&x=0&y=0&sprefix=Mary+Pope+Os&ih=9_1_1_0_0_0_0_0_0_1.37_336&fsc=-1

 

I really like these a lot, but they do have spirits and monsters and such. Nothing was particularly bloody, but you can only tame the tales so much, kwim?

[mrs.m]

Why not wait until he is a bit older and less sensitive? There's plenty of time! My DD is 10 and just recently really got into Greek Mythology. She would not have been ready earlier because she is very sensitive and doesn't like to be scared.

[abbeyej]

The gentlest illustrations I can think of are in The Greek Gods and Goddesses of Olympus by Aliki. Perhaps you could get it from the library and see how he does. If it's fine, you could try some of the other books out there (I like to start with D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, and I consider the pictures fairly gentle there as well, but even though they're basically very soft colored pencil drawings, they may still be disturbing to a particularly sensitive child). If it's too much for him, you'll know it's time to follow Jannylynn's advice and *wait*.

[Lovedtodeath]

The gentlest illustrations I can think of are in The Greek Gods and Goddesses of Olympus by Aliki. Perhaps you could get it from the library and see how he does. If it's fine, you could try some of the other books out there (I like to start with D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, and I consider the pictures fairly gentle there as well, but even though they're basically very soft colored pencil drawings, they may still be disturbing to a particularly sensitive child). If it's too much for him, you'll know it's time to follow Jannylynn's advice and *wait*.

:iagree:We used that one for Greek Mythology. We read The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War for the Iliad and The Adventures of Odysseus for the Odyssey after some other versions were unacceptable. I also pulled some stories out of Tales of Troy: Ulysses the Sacker of Cities by Andrew Lang to fill in some of the more important Iliad stories that were missing from the reader. You can find them in Stories for Ancient Explorations

 

The Usborne Book of Myths and Legends is a bit more tame than some other myth books. You might want to have a look at it as well.

Edited August 26, 2010 by Lovedtodeath

[Guest]

I have most of the recommendations here but knew nothing about Osborne's, The Tales of the Odyssey...

 

What about Mary Pope Osborne's Tales of the Odyssey books?

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mary+pope+osborne+tales+from+the+odyssey&x=0&y=0&sprefix=Mary+Pope+Os&ih=9_1_1_0_0_0_0_0_0_1.37_336&fsc=-1

 

and The Adventures of Odysseus (love the illustrations by the way :)) by Hugh Lupton.

 

:iagree:We used that one for Greek Mythology. We read The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War for the Iliad and The Adventures of Odysseus for the Odyssey after some other versions were unacceptable. I also pulled some stories out of Tales of Troy: Ulysses the Sacker of Cities by Andrew Lang to fill in some of the more important Iliad stories that were missing from the reader. You can find them in Stories for Ancient Explorations

 

The Usborne Book of Myths and Legends is a bit more tame than some other myth books. You might want to have a look at it as well.

 

Thank you for sharing these resources. Oh and the free download that Lovedtodeath linked ;).

[JudoMom]

My guys find Amazing Greek Myths of Wonders and Blunders to be hysterical. I haven't read it myself, but I bought it after it was constantly not in the book basket for the 9 weeks we had it from the library.

[EmilyK]

My guys find Amazing Greek Myths of Wonders and Blunders to be hysterical. I haven't read it myself, but I bought it after it was constantly not in the book basket for the 9 weeks we had it from the library.

 

My younger son loves that book too.

 

The 3 Jim Weiss tapes that deal with Greek mythology are pretty gentle.

 

http://www.greathall.com/timeline.html

 

As are the Atticus the Storyteller audiobooks.

[Ester Maria]

Get him Schwab, he's a classic in schools of German-speaking Europe (and the rest, where translated), suitable for young children, and often published without illustrations whatsoever, written wonderfully easy.