Handmaiden Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Which versions of the Iliad and Odyssey are the most engaging for reading aloud? The Trojan War, Olivia Coolidge (Sonlight) Children's Homer, Padraic Colum (MFW) The Trojan War: How the Greeks Won the War, Emily Little (MFW) Iliad, Nick McCarty (Winter Promise) Odyssey, Robin Lister (Winter Promise) Black Ships Before Troy, Rosemary Sutcliff (Veritas) Wanderings of Odysseus, Rosemary Sutcliff (Veritas) Choices, choices! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 but I read Rosemary's Sutcliff's books to ds 8 last year and we loved them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 My vote is Sutcliff b/c they are picture books- the only other title I've seen is Colum's and that is for logic stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dani n Monies Mom Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 The Sutcliff books were a big hit with my dd12. The illustrations are captivating, but the perfect level of reading for a 6th grader. She didn't feel like she was reading a 'baby' book. :0) We have the two versions from Winter Promise, and dd enjoyed a read-aloud of those in addition to reading the Sutcliff books on her own. It made for nice discussion of writing styles. The WP versions, especially Illiad, are much more graphic in its depiction of the fighting. Dd said she could have done without some of it. Ava Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Which versions of the Iliad and Odyssey are the most engaging for reading aloud? The Trojan War, Olivia Coolidge (Sonlight) Children's Homer, Padraic Colum (MFW) The Trojan War: How the Greeks Won the War, Emily Little (MFW) Iliad, Nick McCarty (Winter Promise) Odyssey, Robin Lister (Winter Promise) Black Ships Before Troy, Rosemary Sutcliff (Veritas) Wanderings of Odysseus, Rosemary Sutcliff (Veritas) Choices, choices! I really liked the Olivia Coolidge version. The Colum version is told in flashbacks and it totally confused my children! The Emily Little title is an easy I-Can-Read book - you can it in an afternoon! I have not seen the McCarty or Lister versions. The Sutcliff versions were great to read aloud because of the pictures, like Jessica mentioned. Another good version is by Roger L. Green - similar to the Coolidge version, I think. But my favorite version to read aloud was the Alfred Church version, probably because it was the first one we ever read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Great question! I've been wondering the same thing, for read-alouds in grammar stage. There are so many interesting options out there, but limited budget! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 We read The Odyssey retold by Geraldine McCaughrean. I like her work in general. Kids were 7, 6, and 3. The chapters/episodes are a reasonable length and the kids were engaged by the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karensk Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Which versions of the Iliad and Odyssey are the most engaging for reading aloud? The Trojan War, Olivia Coolidge (Sonlight) Children's Homer, Padraic Colum (MFW) The Trojan War: How the Greeks Won the War, Emily Little (MFW) Iliad, Nick McCarty (Winter Promise) Odyssey, Robin Lister (Winter Promise) Black Ships Before Troy, Rosemary Sutcliff (Veritas) Wanderings of Odysseus, Rosemary Sutcliff (Veritas) For your kids' ages, I recommend Sutcliff's versions. My son really enjoyed reading them independently this year (5th gr.), even without the illustrations. These retellings are pretty straightforward. My personal favorite is Colum's version, but it's harder to follow, as it has the story within a story thing, and maybe another story within that, including flashbacks. The Sutcliff version of the Iliad pretty much follows the order of events, making it a lot easier to keep up with the details and the plot line. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 We love anything by Geraldine McCaughrean here too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jubilee Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Mary Pope Osborne's" Tales from the Odyssey The above is linked to the audiobook on Amazon. This is a six book series. We have used these as read-alouds as well as independent reading. Enjoyed by all in our home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 We're partial to Colum, but we're always partial to Colum. Even then, I'd go with Sutcliff as a first exposure to Homer. The two volumes are nicely illustrated and the language is a bit more accessible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handmaiden Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 Thanks, everyone! I am leaning toward Sutcliff but will also check out the other versions mentioned. (Hey, you were supposed to narrow the field, not expand it, LOL!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kortney in AL Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 We loved Black Ships Before Troy and the Wanderings of Odysseus. Beautiful artwork, although I did put a sticky note on top of a couple of the pictures for modesty's sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill in Maine Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 We have been reading Black Ships Before Troy everyday at the lunch table. All three of my children beg for one more chapter!!! :001_smile: Jill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dominion Heather Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Another vote for Sutcliff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handmaiden Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 I did put a sticky note on top of a couple of the pictures for modesty's sake. Thanks for the heads up! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 :iagree: Sutcliff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magistramom Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Chiming in - we loved Geraldine McCaughrean's Odysseus too! Seconding in on Padraic Colum's Children's Homer as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in MD Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Another good version is by Roger L. Green - similar to the Coolidge version, I think. My dss enjoyed the Greene version also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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