SunnyDays Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I just bought the Rosemary Sutcliff books, Black Ships Before Troy & The Wanderings of Odysseus. We will start ancients in the fall and these would be part of our literature to correspond. However, I was on the Memoria Press site (always dangerous, I know!), and saw the Olivia Coolidge book, The Trojan War, with study guide. Wondering if this would be better. If you've looked at both these options, what's your preference? I am thinking maybe the MP kit since it's one longer reading and has a study guide, but wondered what everyone thought about the book since Sutcliff's versions are so well liked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I find the writing even, but for this age I prefer Sutcliff. My DS10 is highly visual, so he loved the story all the more for the wonderful illustrations in the Sutcliff books. At this age, I personally wouldn't analyze. We went for straight-up enjoyment. I've got a 10 year old who says he loves Homer, so I feel the approach was successful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleep-Deprived Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I highly recommend Roger Lancelyn Green's Tales of Ancient Egypt, Tales of the Greek Heroes, and The Tale of Troy. All are available on the Kindle. My son has read and reread them. He was a part of the Inkling's group with C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legomom Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I highly recommend Roger Lancelyn Green's Tales of Ancient Egypt, Tales of the Greek Heroes, and The Tale of Troy. All are available on the Kindle. My son has read and reread them. He was a part of the Inkling's group with C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien. That is fun! My kids are reading those books this year and will be interested to know that. We all love C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 We read the Sutcliff books as read aloud a when he was younger, and I'm reading it loud again to the younger ones, so fifth grader is reading the Coolidge book. We did get the guide but aren't using all of it. Ds did find it very useful to make a glossary of characters to help keep track of them, but mostly he narrates in place of all the comprehension questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Although it was too much to read aloud "in person," my 6 year old enjoyed listening to Padric Colum's "The Children's Homer" in the car after we had read "The Odyssey" by Gillian Cross, a wonderful picture book version. Depending on your 10 year old, reading the Colum book in person might be okay too. I just read the first half of The Children's Homer to my 10yo and then discovered it is on librivox.org (I can't get the site to come up right now though)! He relistened to the first part over about 3 days and really enjoyed it. I thinking having to wait for me to sound out Peisistratus every time took a bit of the joy out of listening to me. :toetap05: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 See, I must have gotten the wrong versions of the Sutcliff books... Mine have no illustrations so they look really dry. Maybe I need to look for a different version. Is the Coolidge book more difficult?? I wasn't planning on heavy analysis at this point, but for fifth grade, I do want to go a bit into it. It seems the study guide would be helpful in that regard. I was actually thinking of just getting the teacher guide and going over it orally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Oh, ouch. Black Ships Before Troy http://www.amazon.com/Black-Ships-Before-Troy-Story/dp/1845073592/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362893390&sr=1-1&keywords=black+ships+before+troy+alan+lee The Wanderings of Odysseus http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1845073606/ref=ox_ya_os_product I don't think Coolidge is necessarily more difficult. I do think it is more old-fashioned in tone. You can look inside each of the three books to see what style you and your son prefer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 Oh wow. Night and day difference. I got the mass market paperbacks. Highly NOT recommended!! I'll take a look at them all again. Thanks for the links! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anna~ Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 On advice from someone here, we are reading these books in this order: The Trojan War Black Ships Before Troy The Wanderings of Odysseus Theras and his Town In Search of a Homeland: the story of the Aeneid We are also reading D'Aulaires Greek Myths as we go. We just started The Trojan War and like it so far. I got the Mass Market for the Sutcliff books so I hope that wasn't a mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 DD loves the Sutcliff books with the Alan Lee illustrations. She also like the Geraldine McCaughrean retelling. Next year for ancients, I am using the MP study guide to the Coolidge book because I think she is ready to do a bit more in the way of formal lit study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I just bought the Rosemary Sutcliff books, Black Ships Before Troy & The Wanderings of Odysseus. My kids absolutely loved those books. We also have Lively's In Search of a Homeland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 On advice from someone here, we are reading these books in this order: The Trojan War Black Ships Before Troy The Wanderings of Odysseus Theras and his Town In Search of a Homeland: the story of the Aeneid We are also reading D'Aulaires Greek Myths as we go. We just started The Trojan War and like it so far. I got the Mass Market for the Sutcliff books so I hope that wasn't a mistake. My DS is newly 10. With your daughter being older, she may be fine with the MM editions. I just know they wouldn't hold attention here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanezomom Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 We read the Sutcliff books when ds was in 4th grade and we both loved them. They were the little paperback versions without pictures and I think it was better to form our own images in our minds. The language is very rich and provides vivid images for your mind's eye to feast on. Not that illustrated books aren't beautiful - we just happened to have ordered the mass market books and they worked fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling Again Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I feel that multiple versions and multiple retellings of this great epic is honestly one of the most necessary components of a classical education. All of these versions are great. My goal is that by the time DS is in high school he can read a full English translation (and then read it in Greek in college, of course! :)). A few years ago we read Black Ships of Troy and we've been picking up and putting down D'Laires Greek Myths since then too. Currently DS has been reading Coolidge's The Trojan War and using the guide from MP. He likes it (reading isn't his favorite subject, mind you). Sometimes I have him fill in the workbook pages, sometimes I ask him the questions and we do it together. I especially like the vocabulary words with dictionary look up. Working through the workbook together also allows us time to discuss the deeper issues, such as human character flaws, ideas about grief and loss as well as courage and duty, even literary style. At 10 he's at a great age for beginning to explore the nature of mankind and the MP guide does a terrific job of providing an opportunity to do so. I highly recommend this route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Has anyone suggested Alfred J. Church's, The Iliad for Boys and Girls? http://www.amazon.co... boys and girls (this particular link/book contains the Odyssey too) I thought it rivalled Colum's The Children's Homer. If you want to continue after that he has The Odyssey for Boys and Girls http://www.amazon.co... and girls��and The Aeneid for Boys and Girls http://www.amazon.co... girls.�� Church also has many other wonderful stories, all set in ancient or medieval times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I read Black Ships Before Troy (with the illustrations) to my dds when they were in 1st and 2nd grade. They loved it. However, I also agree that the reading levels are similar for Coolidge and Sutcliffe -- and either version would be fine for you to use. Do get the one with the illustrations, though -- they are fantastic. Check your library -- that's where we found the one we read. On the other hand, if you are looking for something with a lit guide for more discussion, you can't really go wrong with Coolidge and the MP guide. MP does a nice job with their guides, imo. Maybe have the illustrated Sutcliffe version on hand for your dc to read/browse leisurely while you go through Coolidge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I got the Sutcliff, Green, and Coolidge books. We read Sutcliff aloud, kids read last part of Green on their own and now the Coolidge book is on the shelf should anyone want to read another time lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 I think I'm leaning toward the "all of the above" option. ;) It would be nice to do the illustrated Sutcliff versions as read alouds or independent reading. And then also get the Coolidge set for more in depth study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted April 7, 2013 Author Share Posted April 7, 2013 I just wanted to update this... We decided to go ahead and get the illustrated versions of the two Sutcliff books, and added on an illustrated version of the Aeneid (same illustrator)... And wow, are they gorgeous! Very pleased with them and we look forward to reading them next year. Thanks, Kristina, for pointing out the vast difference. :) And thanks everyone for all the feedback.... I have plenty of ideas if we end up looking for more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I just wanted to update this... We decided to go ahead and get the illustrated versions of the two Sutcliff books, and added on an illustrated version of the Aeneid (same illustrator)... And wow, are they gorgeous! Very pleased with them and we look forward to reading them next year. Thanks, Kristina, for pointing out the vast difference. :) And thanks everyone for all the feedback.... I have plenty of ideas if we end up looking for more! I am so glad you like them! Those are books I am keeping for the grandkids. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 We have gone w/all of the above as well this year. DD10 has read a couple of the Tales.. books from Green, plus one of the Sutcliffe books this year. I think it was the Odyssey for that one. Plus we checked out D'Aulaires Greek Myths and read a few of the stories from it aloud to my dd8 to get her in on the fun. We own the Homer for Children, but nobody has used it yet except me.... They have all had a place here this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 On advice from someone here, we are reading these books in this order: The Trojan War Black Ships Before Troy The Wanderings of Odysseus Theras and his Town In Search of a Homeland: the story of the Aeneid We are also reading D'Aulaires Greek Myths as we go. We just started The Trojan War and like it so far. I got the Mass Market for the Sutcliff books so I hope that wasn't a mistake. My oldest read the same books, same order this year! She LOVED them all. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 My fifth grader read Coolidge, then Black Ships and The Wanderings of Odysseus, as well as D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths. We also read In Search of a Homeland as a family. The kids didn't love In Search of a Homeland, although they liked the pictures. She liked the Sutcliffe books pretty well, though. I had planned to do the Aeneid/Iliad/Odyssey For Boys and Girls but ended up not doing them, because everyone was kind of tired of the topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 On advice from someone here, we are reading these books in this order: The Trojan War Black Ships Before Troy The Wanderings of Odysseus Theras and his Town In Search of a Homeland: the story of the Aeneid We are also reading D'Aulaires Greek Myths as we go. We just started The Trojan War and like it so far. I got the Mass Market for the Sutcliff books so I hope that wasn't a mistake. This is exactly what we did. Olivia Coolidge is an excellent writer and The Trojan War will set the student up to understand the Sutcliff books that follow. Coolidge and Sutcliff are contemporaries give or take a decade. The Trojan War was a favorite with both of my boys and Sutcliff's retellings with Alan Lee's illustrations were a high point of the year. Theras and His Town highlights the contrasts between Spartan and Athenian lifestyles in a way your child is unlikely to forget. The Aeneid book was the only "okay' choice and I don't know if that was because of the Aeneid or Penelope Lively's writing or perhaps just the contrast with Sutcliff's works. Forget the Memoria Press "kit" for the Trojan War. Read and enjoy. You will have plenty to talk about as it is. D'Aulaires will fill in any gaps. Olivia Coolidge also has a book called The Tales of the Crusades. It is very well done and captures the zeal, the faith, the fears and the heart-breaking personal tragedies that make up the Crusades. I would use it with a 7th or 8th grader and do a lot of discussing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carolyn Atwood Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 The Iliad, The Odyssey and the Aeneid are all great starts as far as the topic of the Trojan War. If you go to Itunes or Google play, there is a site called gen4web that does both the Iliad and the Odyssey as a free ebook. Go the app store and type in gen4web. Nicely done and simplified so a nice overview before digging into the true text. They have a site called Eric's High School Experience that offers classes in Literature, as well as Math and Science, all for free. Good graphics and videos. Wanted to pass it along since it helped my kids as a supplement to their learning. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishMum Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Grade 4 and grade 6 sons read; D'Aulaires Greek Myths Tales from the Odyssey, Part 1 Tales from the Odyssey, Part 2 Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of 'The Iliad The Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey The Children's Homer (The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy) The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green The Trojan War, by Olivia Coolidge Greek Myths, Olivia Coolidge Oldest , grade 6 at the time also read Alfred J. Church's, Aeneid/Iliad/Odyssey For Boys and Girls Need I tell you that we love acient history, and we spent a lot longer than 1 year with SOTW 1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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