Best version of Iliad and Odyssey for 6th grade?

[kentuckymom]

As part of my quest to add more literature to history survey, I'm looking for a version of the Iliad and the Odyssey (either combined or separate) to use are our readaloud once we finish The Golden Goblet. 

 

It will be a readaloud, so reading level doesn't matter, but what does matter is interest level to a 6th grade boy. I've found several versions on Amazon that might be good and I could just pick one, but first I'd love to know what your favorite version is and why.

[cintinative]

I am planning on using Rosemary Sutcliff's versions (Black Ships before Troy and The Wanderings of Odysseus) of those as our read aloud this year (mine are 5th and 4th) but I have heard good thing about Colum's version (The Children's Homer) as well. There is also The Illiad for Boys and Girls by Alfred Church.  Note that the newer versions of Sutcliff's books are called The Odyssey and The Illiad but as I understand it only the titles have changed.

 

These threads might be helpful. I think there is a more recent one but Google isn't being helpful today.  =)

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/272299-which-iliad-and-odyssey/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/154447-does-it-matter-which-version-of-the-iliad-and-odyssey-we-get/

[Starr]

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Ships-Before-Troy-Story/dp/055349483X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TSHMTGW1WNEHNECXB42G

 

https://www.amazon.com/Wanderings-Odysseus-Story-Odyssey/dp/0553494821/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YYP056FXTFT5JTA3X0QZ

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/DAulaires-Greek-Myths-Ingri-dAulaire/dp/0440406943/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472744669&sr=1-1&keywords=d%27laures+book+of+greek+myths

 

We started with the Greek Myths. We all enjoyed the other books more and the humor in them once we knew the personality and background of the gods. Enjoy, fun times!

[prairiewindmomma]

The Sutcliff books mentioned above!

[cintinative]

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Ships-Before-Troy-Story/dp/055349483X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TSHMTGW1WNEHNECXB42G

 

https://www.amazon.com/Wanderings-Odysseus-Story-Odyssey/dp/0553494821/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YYP056FXTFT5JTA3X0QZ

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/DAulaires-Greek-Myths-Ingri-dAulaire/dp/0440406943/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472744669&sr=1-1&keywords=d%27laures+book+of+greek+myths

 

We started with the Greek Myths. We all enjoyed the other books more and the humor in them once we knew the personality and background of the gods. Enjoy, fun times!

 

Thanks for mentioning that. I would not have thought to read the myths first for a bit of background.

[Lori D.]

Agreeing with previous posters about the Greek myths, and also adding that first getting a handle on the Greek gods/goddesses (and some of the human characters) can really help you keep all of the characters straight as you are reading. ?

You can also make a chart for yourselves as you are reading. For example, for The Iliad, you can list gods/goddesses and humans on the Troy side of the war, and then all the gods/goddesses and humans on the Greek side of the war. For The Odyssey, you could list each of major adventure as it happens and who the key players were in that adventure. Then you have something to refer back to if it starts to be too many characters to keep track of. ?

You might also try watching a film or animated version first to help have an idea of the characters and storyline going into a book version to help keep it all straight. While there are several versions of The Odyssey, the only film version of The Iliad is the film Troy, which deviates in numerous places from the book. I did find the book-by-book summary of The Iliad below, so that might substitute...

Animated Odyssey (47 min)

The first 4 minutes actually recaps The Iliad and the a small part of The Aeneid (which covers the Trojan Horse incident and fall of Troy), and then goes into the adventures of The Odyssey in a chronological fashion -- the actual epic of The Odyssey spends the first 8-9 chapters jumping around and then settles down into a chronological telling as backstory of all Odysseus' adventures to lead up to the climax of finally getting home and rousting the suitors who have been hanging out at his house eating up all his food and trying to marry his patiently waiting wife Penelope.

The Odyssey (3 hours) (1997 mini-series)

 

(11 min)

A fast-talking book-by-book summary of the 24 books (chapters) of The Iliad.

As far as books for read-aloud, the versions that most people seem to enjoy for late elementary/early middle school are:

The Iliad
- Black Ships Before Troy (Sutcliff)
- The Iliad for Boys & Girls (Church)
- The Trojan War (Coolidge)

The Odyssey
- The Odyssey (McCaughrean)
- The Wanderings of Odysseus (Sutcliff)
- The Odyssey for Boys & Girls (Church)

both in one volume
- The Children's Homer (Colum)

While too young for what you're looking for (as a 6th grade read-aloud), if someone needs a solid mid-elementary solo reader (not a read aloud), Gillian Cross has a highly illustrated, abridged/gentle text version of each of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

While we did not care for The Luck of Troy, Roger Lancelyn Green's version of The Iliad, but it could be used as a read-aloud for middle school.

A few past threads with comments on various versions:
Does it matter which version of the Iliad and Odyssey we get?
The Odyssey for age 10?

Edited November 17, 2018 by Lori D.

[Dmmetler]

If you're interested in the National Mythology Exam classical subtests, make sure you use that version for the sections on the test. My DD missed gold her first year due to differences between versions on the Iliad-she finally got the gold for the classical subtests last year after spending time with the Fitsgerald and Lattimore versions.

[Heather in VA]

I like Children's Homer