Product Description
"For any child fortunate enough to have this  generous book...the kings and heroes of ancient  legend will remain forever matter-of-fact; the  pictures interpret the text literally and are full of  detail and witty observation."--Horn  Book.

"The drawings...are excellent  and excitingly evocative."--The New  York Times.Amazon.com Review
No education is complete without a large slice of Greekmythology. And there's no better way of meeting that literary quotathan with the D'Aulaires' book. All the great gods and goddesses ofancient Greece are depicted in this big, beautiful classic, lovinglyillustrated and skillfully told. Young readers will be dazzled bymighty Zeus, lord of the universe; stirred by elegant Athena, goddessof wisdom; intimidated by powerful Hera, queen of Olympus; and chilledby moody Poseidon, ruler of the sea. These often impetuous immortalsflounce and frolic, get indiscreet, and get even. From petty squabblesto heroic deeds, their actions cover the range of godly--andmortal--personalities.

The D'Aulaires' illustrations have a memorable quality: once poredover, they will never leave the minds of the viewer. Decades later,the name Gaea will still evoke the soft green picture of lovely MotherEarth, her body hills and valleys and her eyes blue lakes reflectingthe stars of her husband, Uranus the sky. No child is too young toappreciate the myths that have built the foundation for much of theworld's art and literature over the centuries.This introduction tomythology is a treasure. (Ages 10 to adult) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (191)

Great short story book.
We are reading Greek Myths along side our Greek history lessons.My daughters, 9 and 11, love listening to me read 1 story and show off the picture per day.

Wonderful read
This book came highly recommended.I've enjoyed reading it and it will be kept as a reference book in my library.

Priceless and Timeless
Oversized with gorgeous and revealing illustrations, this amazing book will strike young children with awe about the mighty power of human imagination and - about Greek gods, goddesses both major and minor as well as the mortal descendants of Zeus. The masterfully retelling of Greek myths that flows in well-organized order brings to life such immortal tales of Persephone, Prometheus and the Nine Muses. I received formal training on Greek mythologies in college and though I loved these Olympian gods radiantly, it was not without pain just to figure who's whose son or daughter from Homer, Virgil and Ovid. Fortunately for my children (and I), we have D'AULAIRES' BOOK OF GREEK MYTHS that comes with helpful Zeus' family tree, index of gods' names and a constellations map. This is the definite volume on classical mythology that any family library cannot do without.

So good I refused to return it to the library. . .
This is the one and only book I ever refused to return to the library.I was about five when I first found it, and I was so enthralled by the pictures and the stories that I just could not bring myself to return it. Even at that tender age I already had a long history as a library scofflaw when it came to returning books, but I always gave in eventually.Finally my mom had to pay the library for it, and that book has a place of honor on my bookshelf today, thirty years later.With over twelve nieces and nephews, I make sure each one has their own copy.I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Interim judgement...
This is an interim judgment because the book was bought as a present for my grandson's 9th birthday and he hasn't seen it yet. He is becoming interested in Greek and Roman myths and I hope that the intended reading age of 9-12 will be appropriate. ... Read more

Product Description
Ready-to-color illustrations, each accompanied by a page of descriptive text, depict Atlas holding up the heavens; Hermes slaying the many-eyed Argus; Aphrodite weeping over the body of Adonis; and 19 other exciting illustrations. A great way to introduce youngsters to Greek mythology. 22 b/w illus.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An asset to any ancient history class for kids
I am a homeschool mother of 3 and we love this book.My children are following the classical model and we use the story of our world for our history with a little history odyssey thrown in.I really liked this book as it gives a one page summary of the god or goddess then a coloring page.Enough to give my kids an overview and knowledge of who the page is depicting, but not so much details that it gets to be more than a young mind will enjoy.I usually read the page and give it to the child to color and then frequently I read them a tale about that god or goddess from another book or the internet while they color.We often google the gods to see how others have "colored" them.We like the "coloring" of Michelangelo the best.This book is all a young child needs knowledge wise and is a great jumping off point for an older child.

Visual helps for classical education
This coloring book contains a short synopsis of each story represented in the accompanying coloring page. Though the book contains detailed images it was simple enough for my 4 yr old daughter to enjoy coloring. As my 7 yr old daughter is enthralled by coloring her own pages of Greek gods. I personally scan and copy the pictures so I may use them in the future. It is now an indispensible teaching aid. Heck, I wouldn't mind coloring the pages myself.
My only concern is that it could include more gods than are represented here. A few of these gods were not used in our study. But the enitre book would be quite useful again in a few years to review.

Grrek Gods
I teach Special Needs students at the HS level. This allowed easy understanding of the material with this book, thank you.

Greek Mythology (Not) For Dummies
This book is part of what I have elsewhere called a treasure trove of a coloring book series from Dover. I purchased it for my grandson, but I have many of the volumes in the series for myself. The illustrations are attractive and challenging. However, most important, the information conveyed about Greek mythology is more accurate than that found even in some of the most popular handbooks of Greek mythology (Edith Hamilton and her ilk). It is an admirable way to lead a child into the joys of the preeminent book of Greek mythology, Robert Graves, The Greek Myths.
--Dr. Robert Zaslavsky, author of the recently published "The First Latin Course" ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A bit wordy
I bought this for my ten year old daughter so she could have some extra reading to go along with what she is learning in her gifted class. It has some good stories, and the content is age appropriate, but the language is overly elegant. It is written very poetically and is far too wordy for a 10 year old. I enjoy reading and even I was bored and tired of reading by the end of the first tale.

A great book about greek mythology.
The book, A Wonder Book, is a good book about Greek mythology.This adventurous book includes Medusa, Perseus, Hercules, Pegasus and many more well known characters.The stories are told by a man named Eustace Bright.He is telling all the stories to a couple curious children.The children enjoy the stories a lot and always want to hear them.Each story is told in a different place and time. Each tale is different and interesting.I recommend this book to curious children and teens that are interested in Greek mythology. ... Read more

Product Description
Comedy / 3m, 2f, flexible casting, Actors will each play 18 to 32 charactersOn a simple stage, with the clock ticking in front of everyone’s eyes, the cast speeds through all of Greek Mythology. Its funny, updated and made easy to understand.The Gods walk the Red Carpet. The Creation of Mankind is a botched subcontractors job. Man and Pandora try settling down despite an ominous wedding gift. Love stories are a dating show and the Greek Tragedies are sports highlights! And don’t forget the two greatest stories ever told, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Kidnap Helen of Troy and you’ve got a 10 year slap-fight of epic proportions with pouty Achilles, war-hungry Agamemnon and clever Odysseus, destined to wander the seas for 10 more years fighting giants, seductresses and the Gods themselves.All the silly decisions, the absurd destinies, and the goofy characters are presented lightning-bolt fast with hysterical results as the clock is stopped with only seconds to spare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantastic Comedy
I had the pleasure of being in the audience for this production here in Southern California for a High School's fall production.I thought it was absolutely hilarious.There was easily 30 people in the cast which made for a rich scenery of players involved in the scene, background sight gags and physical comedy in and around the apron of the stage.

The text carries many jokes about the original pieces and while some are hackneyed, the way an actor brings new life to it will be key.Holding the audience's attention is easy but it is at the will of the director to fill in the blanks with rich subtext from the blocking, the costumes, and even some micro-directing on the line readings.

Perfect for all high school students (not just the drama crew) as the scenes keep moving and energy soars.

Not Funny Enough
As a director, I was excited about reading this script. I have directed "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged," and had a blast with it; I hoped for something similar here.

I'm sure that's what the authors were trying for, but this play is nowhere near as funny as "Complete Works." The humor is far less sophisticated -- in fact, a lot of it is downright dumb. It's all at about a fifth-grade level, like snickering at the name "Uranus" (actually, that was one of the funnier jokes in the script).

The first 10 or so pages are just rapid-fire introduction of the main Greek pantheon, and it's simply not funny enough to hold an audience's attention through all that exposition.

Sometimes comedies play funnier than they read. It's possible this is all hilarious on stage, but I doubt it. Yes, having five people running around in togas with silly props, racing on and off stage to play a multitude of characters would help. But if the script isn't funny, no amount of frenetic pacing is going to save it. ... Read more

Product Description
Greek and Roman myths retain an enduring fascination for children, who find these stories of super-powerful gods, flying horses, and mythic quests compelling. Using simple text and vibrant color illustrations, Greek and Roman Mythology, Vol. 3 makes these tales even more exciting. The book includes the timeless love affair of Eros and Psyche, mighty Zeus traveling incognito among humankind, the brilliant weaver Arachne transformed into a spider by a jealous Athena, King Midas whose greed for gold almost brings about his demise, and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Kids love this!
If you want to get kids excited about Mythology, this is the ticket. The format is prefect for the pre-teen group. My son had Vol. 1 - 3 of this series and reads them over and over again. His friends always want to borrow them and parents want to know where I got them. ... Read more

Product Description
"Learned, admirably documented, exhaustive."—The Times Literary Supplement."It most emphatically must be the book that many have long waited for."—Stephen Spender.Drawing on a wealth of sources, Professor Kerényi provides a clear and scholarly exposition of all the most important Greek myths. 26 black-and-white illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Wow
I wish I had read this book when I was in High School. It may not be ovid, or homer, but the book is great. Its simple to read and hard to put down. Praise the Muses for allowing this book to come to being.

Gods, Graves, Scholars...and Kerenyi...
I could not pass up the opportunity to pun seriously with the title of a book by C.W. Ceram about archaeology. For that title shows how much I value this work by C. Kerenyi, but also the work by Robert Graves entitled *The Greek Myths.*If these two works, along with Kerenyi's *The Heroes of the Greeks* are read in tandem with Nietzsche's *The Birth of Tragedy* (I prefer the Dover edition with translation by Clifton Fadiman)... then wondrous insights into the mind and soul (psyche) and the spirit (pneuma) begin to be possible.

Kerenyi's "Introduction" to this volume says it all...so I would like to quote the most eloquent and insightful part:

This book owes its origin to the conviction, sharedby the publishers and the author, that the time has come to write a Mythology of the Greeks for ADULTS: that is to say, not only for specialists concernedwith classical studies, with the history of religion, or with ethnology; still less for children, forwhom in the past the classical myths were either remodelled or, at least, carefully selected so as to accord with the viewpoints of a traditional education; but simply for adults whose primary interest -- which may entail an interest in any of the branches of learning mentioned above -- is in the study of human beings.

The contemporary form that this interest takes is, of course, an interest in psychology.And, as a great exponent of modern humanistic thought has admitted, it is precisely psychology that "contains within itself an interest in myth, just as all creative writing contains within itself an interest in psychology."

These words were spoken by in 1936 by Thomas Mann in his lecture on "Freud and the future."Whilst paying tribute to the services rendered by thepsychologist of the Unconscious, of the DEEPER LEVELS OF THE SOUL, the great writer did, in fact look beyond him into the future.He depicted with unsurpassable clarity the spiritual situation in which the author of this book, for his part, finds justification for his mythological work.Psychology's thrusting back into the childhood of the individual soul, is to quote his words, "at the same a thrusting back into the childhoodof mankind -- into the primitive and the mythical.Freud himself recognised that all natural science,medicine and psychotherapy had been for him alife-long and tortuous return to his primary youthful passion for the history of man, for theorigins of religion and morals.The association ofthe words 'psychology' and 'deeper levels' has alsoa chronological significance:the depths of thehuman soul are also 'Primordial Times', that deep'Well of Time' in which Myth has its home and fromwhich the original norms and forms of life arederived.For Myth is the foundation of life; itis the timeless pattern, the religious formula to which life shapes itself, inasmuch as its charac-teristics are a reproduction of the Unconscious.There is no doubt about it, the moment when thestory-teller acquires the mythical way of looking at things, the gift of seeing the typical featuresof characteristics and events" --

so revealingly, states the author of *Joseph and his Brethren* --

"that moment marks a beginning in his life.It means a peculiar intensification of his artistic mood, a new serenity in his powers of perception and creation. This is usually reserved for the later years of life; for whereas in the life of mankind the mythical represents an early and primitive sate, in the life of the individual, it represents a late and mature one."* * * If the entire mythological legacy of the Greeks is freed from the superficial psychology of previous presentations, and is revealed in its original context as material *sui generis* and having its own laws, then, as an inevitable result, this mythology will itself have the same effect as the most direct psychology -- the effect, indeed, of an activity of the psyche, externalised in images.A similar direct externalisation of the psyche isto be found, of course, IN DREAMS.The degree ofdirectness of the images presented in dreams andin mythology is, to say the least, very much thesame.In this respect, dreams and mythology arenearer to one another than dreams and poetry [readNietzsche...and also Henry David Thoreau, in *A Weekon the Concord and Merrimack Rivers* for furtherinsightful correlation of the interfacing betweenmythology and dream seeing].For this reason theauthor [Kerenyi], in his *Introduction to a Scienceof Mythology (London, 1951, p. 32), written incollaboration with Professor[C.G.] Jung, consideredhimself justified in speaking of the "individualmythology" of modern men and women as a synonym fortheir psychology.With equal justification any greatmythology might -- if one chose to ignore its artisticaspects -- be styled a "collective psychology."--"Introduction." by C. Kerenyi; *The Gods of the Greeks."

This wondrous presentation of the myths concerning the gods and divine spirits of the Greeks, along with a companion volume dealing with *The Heroes of the Greeks,* represent --with Robert Graves' *The Greek Myths* invaluable sources of insight and wonder, as well as scholarly source materials for anyone who has ever been inspired -- or has desired to be inspired -- by the profound psychological, metaphysical and aesthetic insights which powered the creative minds and spirits of the ancient Hellenic dramatists, artists, and thinkers. Dig deeply...breathe deeply...take in the breath from the spirits of the ancient gods...and "Know thyself."

Exceptional Mythology book!
This may be the most thorough and most readable book I've read on mythology, and I've read dozens. Currently, I'm using it as the primary source for the myth course I teach.It provides information about gods that most other basic myths neglect, often fascinating as well as significant. Get it now - it's been remaindered late in 2000 and will soon be out of print.

The Greek Gods in their shining glory, and darkest gloom.
Never have I read a book quite like this one. This is not a book full of retelling of myths, but a book full of detailed info on the relevance of these gods to the ancient Greeks. Information on their worship, their origins prior to Olympian times, and many of the contradicting stories of their births, and how these stories relate to the times from which they came. If you love mythology, but are curious as to the more down to earth aspects of these gods, read this, and you will find yourself seeing the gods as more than just the vulgar fictions of a primitive society. Perhaps you will even begin to see them as they should be seen, as Gods. ... Read more

Product Description
Gods! Heroes! Monsters! Explore the amazing myths of ancient Greece with this fun, interactive workbook — an essential companion to Mythology.

Which god never leaves Olympus without his winged sandals? How do you stop a hydra from growing more heads? Who was Nike before she inspired running shoes? Can you fi nd your way out of the Underworld? Sure to fascinate both avid mythologists and new fans alike, this lavish, highly informative handbook is brimming with facts and special features, including:
. flaps
. maps
. stickers
. eight hero and monster cards
. fact files on beasts and heroes
. many heroic and monstrous activities ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Excellent Mythology Primer
Maybe you've heard of Zeus and Hera, or perhaps you know them by their Roman names, Jupiter and Juno. But did you know that the king and queen of the gods were not the first beings, at least according to the ancient Greeks? First came the Titans...or was it that Time laid an egg that became the earth? There are actually a few common myths the Greeks told that explained creation. This guidebook, written by a 19th-century explorer for her children, will tell you both of those stories.

THE MYTHOLOGY HANDBOOK is divided into three sections. The first, "The Immortals," details the most important figures in ancient Greek mythology. There were, of course, the gods that lived on Mount Olympus. These gods, which included Zeus, Hera and Hermes, pretty much took care of everything for the people living on earth. Ancient Greeks could pray or sacrifice to a certain god that was especially adept at dealing with certain things, from weather to farming.

The first section of the handbook also gives quick, useful summaries of some of the most important non-gods and the stories about them. There's the story of Persephone, who accidentally became the Queen of the Dead. Her mother, Demeter, was so sad that Persephone had to live in the Underworld that she went to Zeus for help. Zeus decided that Persephone had to live there only four months out of the year, and the rest of the time she could leave. This is why there are four sad, harsh winter months in which Demeter mourns her daughter's absence, and earth becomes cold and unwelcoming to plants and flowers.

The next section, "Gods and Men," describes more essential stories of Greek mythology. If you ever thought you might want your own winged horse, think again --- there was only one man who was able to tame and ride Pegasus. There are also Greek myths that teach lessons, like the story of Daedalus and Icarus, who wore wings stuck to their bodies with wax. Icarus enjoyed flying so much that he flew too close to the sun and the wax melted. And you can familiarize yourself with the story of King Midas, who can teach better than anyone the lesson of "be careful what you wish for!"

"A Time of Heroes," the final section, defines what the word "hero" originally meant. Only the bravest, best warriors, both men and women, could be considered heroes by Greek standards.

THE MYTHOLOGY HANDBOOK is an excellent mythology primer, and it would serve as a good reference for anyone who needs a quick peek at a certain god, goddess or story. Easy to read, it is filled with wonderful illustrations and anecdotes to make the stories even more interesting. It even comes complete with activities, quizzes and appendices with extra information so that readers can do even more research if they find themselves particularly interested. And as if the book wasn't good enough, there are also stickers and a Greek alphabet included, perfect for sending secret messages about myths or anything else.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gómez ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

fantastic supplement
since we have only a mediocre mythology book for the course i teach, this workbook has become indispensable for supplementing lessons. some of the worksheets are a little "young" for my high school students, but they still like doing them and find them useful. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Jam-packed with Hundreds of Classic Art Illustrations
When you first pick up this little book, you will more than likely be shocked at how heavy it feels. But, a quick glance through the book will show you why. Jam-packed with hundreds of beautiful images and a small story accompanying each, this book tracks the mythology starting from the Earth's creation all the way to the legendary Trojan War. From ancient murals, classic sculptures, and works from some greatest Western artists - like Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, and Gustav Klimt - accompanied by great literature works, such as the Odyssey and the Aeneid, Impelluso does a wonderful job at bringing all of the classic stories of monsters, gods, and heroes together in a vibrant and rich book.

Reviewed by James Rojek ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Must for Myth Lovers
Any person who loves myths and legends should get this book. It contains wonderful pictures and stories. I've read them over and over. The pictures are one of my favorite things in the book. My younger sister just sitsthere and looks at them forever. It tells about how the Greeks and Norsebelieved there was a bunch of different worlds and maps them out for you. ... Read more

Product Description
Exciting collection invites youngsters to relive the adventures, calamities and conquests of fascinating characters created by Homer, Hesiod, Sophocles and other ancient storytellers. Includes imaginative tales of Pandora’s box, King Midas and his golden touch, the dreaded Cyclops, Hades and Persephone, Narcissus and Echo, and many more.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Pretty Good
I read this book and I am a 6th grader. I read it be because it was a book that the whole class had to read. I will tell you I get straight a's and even though I get a's it seriously was a very hard book. I mean there is all these names like Prometheus, Odysseus, Eurytheus, Medusa, Jason, Polydectes, Zeus, Hercules, and many, many more characters than that. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who gets stressed on things when you don't get something or somebody who is younger.

Great bargain
Wow[...] a nice little (87 pages) book that covers Gods & Titans, Hercules, Heroes and Monsters, the Argonauts, the Trojan War and the Odyssey.Only six line drawings illustrate the text, but still this is a very good introduction at a truly affordable price.Readable by a 4th grader with good reading skills or an older student or adult, but with some difficult names.

I have learned a lot about Greek mythology from this book.
Whenever my mom asks me a question about Greek mythology,the answer comes pouring out of my mouth,like Odysseus and his men came pouring out of the Trojan horse. This book is great for someone who has never read Greek mythsbefore. I have enjoyed it and learned a lot. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Idea-Terrible Execution
Having recently finished Mary Pope Osbourne subperb five volume retelling of the Odyssey, I wanted to reinforce some of the best stories for my five year old son.I thought this book in the "Grpahic Green Myths and Legends" series would be the best way to do this.Unfortunately, the quality of the illustrations in this volume are so amateur as to border on the laughable.This is a really ugly book.Avoid it at all costs. ... Read more

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Product Description
A unique resource, 'The Cambridge Companion to Greek Mythology' is essentialreading for understanding not only Greek myth, but also its enormous impacton art, architecture, literature, politics and philosophy across the ages.More than a compendium of isolated facts, 'The Cambridge Companion to GreekMythology' is thoughtfully composed by a team of international experts whohighlight important themes in three sections.The first part examines oraland written Greek mythology and the uses of these myths from the epicpoetry of the eighth century BC to the mythographic catalogs ofthe earlycenturies AD.The second section looks at the relationship between ancientGreek myth and Greek culture and investigates the Roman appropriation ofthe Greek mythic tradition. Section three follows the reception of Greekmyth from the Middle Ages to modernity, taking in such factors as feministscholarship, cinema and literature.Important for its reach and breadth,its integrated approach and its up-to-date treatment, 'The CambridgeCompanion to Greek Mythology' is fundamental for anyone seeking a broaderunderstanding of the myths and their influence on western tradition. ... Read more

Product Description
Meet the most impressive of the gods and goddesses of Olympus--and even a few monsters--and see them revealed for what they really were: ancient superheroes with the power to shift shape, move mountains, and change fate. In this innovative introduction to Greek mythology, energetic poems and dynamic, comics-style illustrations create a seamless blend of the ancient and contemporary that depicts the gods in all their glory. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Greek Myths Revitalized
This book was the hottest book in my classroom!It is totally accessible to the pre-teen early teen set!When I took them to The Getty Villa, my students could identify the gods and goddesses without reading the labels.A true delight!

Somewhat disappointing mix
The gods and goddesses of Greek mythology and the legends that surround them are the stuff of superheroes. Arrow-and-lightning-bolt-slinging good guys and bad guys with super powers. They are helpful and vindictive, jealous and generous. Their stories are fascinating.

The Mighty 12: Superheroes of Greek Myth tells the stories of twelve of the gods and goddesses and some of the other major players in Greek mythology. Illustrated in almost a comic book style (it isn't boxed out, but the drawing style is similar), you really get the superhero feel of these legends. You see the light versus the darkness and the clash of personalities.

I have to say that the poetic style of the stories didn't work well for me. While the stories are interesting, they would have been more effectively told in straight prose. I could never zero in on the meter to make the read just flow naturally, so I found myself trying to make the cadence work rather than understanding the story. Also, the illustrations are masterful, but many are disturbing. Granted, the subject matter is creepy-Mothers become vampires and eat their children, Medusa seduces sailors to their deaths, Hades and his dog Cerberus. Bloody weapons and "evil" eyes. Ick.

So, though it is a well-made book, and I can appreciate the creativity of both the author and illustrator, I'm not a big fan of the final product.

Armchair Interviews says: Scary subjects in a picture book and geared to ages 9-12 seem like a genre mix-up. ... Read more

Product Description
T HERE is a charm in the name of ancient Greece j there
is glory in every page of her history; there is ;t fascination
in the remains of her literature, and a sense of unapproachable
beauty in her \;orks of art; there is a spcll in
her climate still, and a strange attraction in her ruins. Ve
are familiar with the praises of her beautiful.islands; our poets
sing of her lovely genial sky. There is not in aU the bnd a
mountain, plain, or river, nor a fountain, grove, or wood, that
is not hallowed by some legend or poetic tale. The names of
her artists, Pheidius, Praxiteles, ApcHes, and Zeuxis; of her
pocts, Homer, Pindar, LEschylus, Sophocles, Euripides; of her
philosophers, Socrates, 1'lato, Epicurus; the names of her statesmen
and orators, Pericles :lnd Dernosthencs; of her historians,
Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon ; of her mathematicians,
Archimedes and Euclid, are familiar to 1S as household words.
V e look uack over a period of more than t"."O thousan

Table of Contents

ODt:CTIO~; CREEK A!'D RO!lIA~ MY:rHOLOGYThe; Creation of the 'Vorld; Deities of the Highest Order; Inferior Deities; Demigods or Heroes; XORSE At-:D OLD GERMAN MYTHOLOGY; MYTHOLOGY AND RELJGIO~ OF THE HINDOOSThe; Vedic Gods ; The Brahmanic Gods ; ~IYTHOLOGY AND RELICIO~ OF EGYPT; IXD£x; PAG~; 22; 26; I29; 200; 328; 337; 341; 353

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.

Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention ... Read more

Product Description
The most complete collection of Greek and Roman myths specially arranged to be read aloud to children aged five to twelve. "Every child deserves this book. Those who do the reading aloud will be enlightened and rewarded, too."--Edwin Newman Line drawings.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Excellent read!
Our 8 year old daughter delights in these read aloud tales and I love how each story is structured. Each myth has three parts; 1. "About the story" which gives you a brief summary and then a list of the characters and help for pronouncing names. This part also lets you know how long the story will take to read aloud which is quite helpful when "Oh pleeeese, just one more!" arrives. 2. "The Myth" - these just roll off the tongue and are so enjoyable and easy to read. Having just read Tom Sawyer aloud, this was just a pleasure. 3. "A few more words" At the end of each myth there's a brief section which talks about the history of certain words used in the story and how they have evolved to current usage. We always read this section and either have an "Aha!" moment or marvel at how interesting it is. We are about half way through and are LOVING this book. It's like a warm glass of milk before bed...

Great Gift
I gave this book as a gift to a family that reads books aloud every night. The children are ages 8 and 10. The parents are educators. The family went through the book in 2 weeks and the parents have reported the book is "fantastic" The 8 year old has been retelling the myths to me daily!I highly recommend this book.

A book for grandparents and grandchildren
This is a marvelous book! I wanted my granddaughters to learn Greek and Roman myths since there are so many references to the stories and the characters in day-to-day media. If they knew more about the tales, I thought they could appreciate the references to them.

I first looked at the book to find out if the girls would like it and get anything out of it. As it turned out, I read it from cover to cover, and couldn't put it down. I had never had school or college classes in these subjects and I was mesmerized.

The plots are summarized at the beginning, which makes the stories easier to understand for people who have no knowledge at all of them. Also at the beginning of each myth is the amount of time it will take to read it -- making bedtime story reading more predictable. And, there is also a pronunciation guide for the names and some of the words, with brief explanations or definitions.

The stories themselves are fascinating, easy to read aloud, print on the pages is clear and not too small, and chapters are of reasonable length to tell a tale and maintain interest. After the end of each, there are short descriptions of words we use in modern times which originated from these myths and the language and culture of ancient times. These can be eye-openers, and have given my granddaughters and I opportunities for many discussions!

This was planned as a learning book. And, it's been a great teacher -- for the reader as well as the listeners!

Classics for kids and parents alike
I have a 4 and 7 yr. old.The stories are above the 4 yr. old's head (though he does play mostly quietly and seem to somewhat listen, which can't be bad...I'd probably be surprised at how much he is learning from his seeming inattentiveness), but have been WONDERFUL for reading to my 7 yr. old.We started out with some other Mythology books from the library (including The McElderry Book of Greek Myths, which I highly reccomend for the illustrations), and we had also just been listening on a car trip to "The Story of the World: History For the Classical Child Volume 1" on CD (also highly reccomend...not as boring as it may sound) which on discs 3 & 4 recounted some Greek history and stories, at an age appropriate level.This was a wonderful precurser to our nightly readings from this book.That said, I am homeschooling my son, and all that is not necessary to enjoy this book on its own as simply some great stories to read.The stories are easier to get through than even some illustrated versions, as they are well written and broken into managably short chunks. My son looks forward to the stories, and is always begging me to read one more.At the beginning of each story, context is given, approximate reading times (most about 10 minutes), helpful pronunciation guides (that also remind you who the primary characters in the story are), and then at the end of each story "A few words more" that tells about words and idioms in our language that came from something related to the story (my son loves the connections he discovers...a great way to begin an awareness of roots of words.) Children can understand and relate to the emotion that is portrayed in the stories, while picking up new vocabulary and elegant speech painlessly from the context.This book does an excellent job of presenting the stories in a compelling, easy to understand, but not dumbed-down manner, that maintains the richness of the stories and enhances them with added context.I found the author's ability to illuminate the human emotion in the stories, highlighted when I read his version of Pygmalion and Galatea, which we had read other versions of.In other versions, Pygmalion came across far-fetched in his love for his statue creation, a seemingly silly fable, but in this version you feel the depths of Pygmalion's emotions, and come away feeling that there is much in the common human condition expressed in this story... the themes are brought out and the story becomes more meaningful.
This is a book I plan to purchase, as it is not one we will outgrow and likely return to and enjoy often.We are on our third time checking it out from the library...and I really don't want to give it back.There are many books I love, that I am just fine borrowing from the library, but this one I really feel is worth the investment to have around as a staple in our home.

Wonderful family reading
I purchased this book for our family to read together.The stories are interesting and not too time consuming.The commentary at the end of the stories are informative, along with the definitions in the beginning of the story.I can't say enough positive things about how this book is organized and written.It has gotten by 7 and 9 year old daughters VERY interested in mythology.I also learn something from every story! ... Read more

Product Description
These lavishly illustrated stories of gods such as Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Athena, and their Roman counterparts will spark any imagination and encourage a deeper interest in mythology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Helpful in basic research endeavors
Having had ocassion to research and write several papers dealing with mythology, I have often turned to Stapleton's book to acquire at least a basic familiarity with a myth or legend.While his dictionary does not include many of the more obscure tales, the listed entries do provide in-depth, helpful information on the "classic" myths. ... Read more