Country: United Kingdom | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

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Showing 195 entries for country: United Kingdom

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Stanley Kubrick

2001: A Space Odyssey

“2001: A Space Odyssey” is an epic sci-fi film produced by Stanley Kubrick in 1968, which became a milestone in the development of fiction movies and world cinematography. The producer, inspired by the Homer’s epic “The Odyssey”, gave the film its name. Kubrick said: “It occurred to us that for the Greeks the vast stretches of the sea must have had the same sort of mystery and remoteness that space has for our generation”. The plot of the film concerns f(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Charybdis Greek mythology Homer Jupiter Odysseus/ Ulysses Odyssey Polyphemus Scylla Sirens Telemachus

David Almond

A Song for Ella Grey

A Song For Ella Grey is a non-linear retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice set in contemporary Newcastle, from the point of view of Claire, Ella’s best friend and lover. Claire disapproves of Ella’s relationship with Orpheus, and is gradually left behind by Ella to witness their love and subsequent deaths. Claire and Ella are seventeen, and Orpheus is described as looking in his early twenties, though it is hinted that he may be much older.Part 1 – Present DayClaire is in love with(...)

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Death Eurydice Maenads Marriage Music Orpheus Snakes Underworld

Juliet Rix, Juliet Snape

A-Maze-Ing Minotaur

This picture book retells the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. Its retelling is unusual in that the text is framed on each left page, with a split-level illustration spreading across each pair of pages. In the top illustration (usually taking up two-thirds of the image) is the story of King Minos and his action; the lower illustration (one-third) reveals the Minotaur, lurking below. The style of the illustration is influenced by Minoan art, with bright colours, clothing, and wall-decorations, (...)

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ariadne Crete Knossos Labyrinth Minoans Minos Minotaur Theseus

Talleen Hacikyan, Michael Rosen

Aesop [an introduction to Aesop by Dr J.R.C. Cousland, Univ. British Columbia]Dog and WolfFox and GrapesCrow and FoxLion, Fox and WolfWolf and LambMouse and LionFrog and BullCockerel, Dog and FoxMosquito, Lion and SpiderFir Tree and ThornbushThe Axe and the TreesPartridge and the Fighting CocksTown Mouse and Country MouseEach story is laid out with one page for the tale and a full page illustration on the facing page. The myths are told in simple, direct language (note the minimal use of article(...)

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Greek mythology

Lou Kuenzler , Jill Newton

Aesop’s Awesome Rhymes (Series, Book 7): The Grasshopper and the Ants

This story for young readers uses rhyme, illustration, and inset speeches to deliver a comic version of Aesop’s fable, The Grasshopper and the Ants. It is told in iambic tetrameter, and opens with a brief explanation of who Aesop was, showing an image of him sitting on a log talking to a group of girls and boys, then explaining: ‘This fable warns you not to shirk/ while other people do the work!’(5)The fable begins, setting the scene, showing the ants working, and Jim, the gras(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop’s Fables Ant and Grasshopper

Vivian French , Korky Paul

Aesop’s Funky Fables

The work is a selection of Aesop’s Fables, retold for children in verse and prose, using rap and humorous techniques. All retellings have humorous illustrations, in a mixture of watercolours and line drawings. The Fox and the Crow (8-13) is told in verse, using rap techniques of repetition and other poetic techniques: e.g. ‘Brother CrowPuffed up his feathers with pridePuffed up his feathersPuffed upPuffedAnd opened his beak wide. “CAW!” said the crow&ldqu(...)

YEAR: 1997

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop’s Fables

Chris Capstick , Monika Filipina

Alexander the Great Dane

This light-hearted story is set in an ancient Egypt ruled by giant cats. The giant cats unfairly favour the normal-sized cats, leaving dogs to do all the work. This injustice has persisted for generations, until "a young pup called Alexander" left his care-free youth behind him to enter a world of toil and decided to lead the dogs in throwing off the shackles of their oppressors. True to the genre of books for young children, Alexander asks dogs of various occupations for their views o(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alexander the Great Architecture Bible Egypt Slavery

Jamila Gavin, David Parkins

Alexander the Great. Man, Myth, or Monster?

Alexander the Great. Man, Myth, or Monster? introduces young readers to ancient history via biography. The birth to death format follows the traditions of biography, while the narrative also moves forward and backwards in parts, with the narrator recalling previous events or anticipating events that will occur later. The story is punctuated by mythic tales which are introduced as if being told to soldiers in the story. These embedded myths are well chosen to reflect what is happening in the main(...)

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Agamemnon Alexander the Great Architecture Artemis Athens Bible Daedalus Dionysus Divination Egypt Gilgamesh Gods Graeco-Persian wars Greek history Greek mythology Greek philosophy Heracles / Herakles Hercules Homer Horus Icarus Iliad Immortality Julius Caesar Midas Mythology Oracles Patroclus Reception of classical antiquity Slavery Trojan War Troy Zeus

Jane Bingham , Robin Lawrie, Anne Millard

Alexander the Great. Usborne Young Reading Series 3

This title introduces young readers to biography and history, with elements of geography and politics, in a title that also encourages developing literacy through the use of fairly complex vocabulary and delivery in a relatively lengthy volume. The format is birth to death, following the traditions of biography. A map of Alexander's empire opens the work and orientates the reader, and this is followed by ten chapters on Alexander's life, in which text and image are interspersed; most pag(...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alexander the Great Architecture Egypt Gods Graeco-Persian wars Greek history Greek philosophy Reception of classical antiquity

Michael Townsend

Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder and Blunders: Welcome to the Wonderful World of Greek Mythology

This book contains nine mythological tales written in comic form. First there is a brief introduction of various creatures of Greek mythology, such as the Cyclops, centaurs, Satyrs, Nymphs Pegasus but also made-for laugh ones such as a fairy goat or Mer-Donkey. There is an emphasis on the natural world of ancient Greece, where there was no technology, and on monsters, heroes and gods. The Olympian gods are mentioned, with the exclusion of Hephaestus and Ares, although Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo,(...)

YEAR: 2010

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Arachne Daedalus Dionysus Hades Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Icarus Medusa Midas Olympian gods Pandora Persephone Perseus Pygmalion Pyramus Thisbe Zeus

Joe Lillington, Iris Volant

Ancient Warriors

Ancient Warriors is divided as follows: overview of specific armies; short biographies of military leaders; overviews of battles throughout history. The book covers the Bronze Age until the 14th Century CE and features armies such as the Mayans (p. 12-13), the Romans (p. 24-28), the Huns (p. 34-35), the Vikings (p. 42-43), and the Samurai (p. 50-51). These armies are arranged chronologically and are described along with their respective military leaders such as Ramesses II (p.16-17), Alexander t(...)

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alexander the Great Civilization Egypt Graeco-Persian wars Greek history Greeks Legionaries Maya civilization Persian Empire Punic Wars Roman Empire Roman history Roman weapons Sea battles Warfare Weapons

Andrew Matthews, Tony Ross

Antony and Cleopatra

The book belongs to the series by Andrew Matthews, where classic plays of William Shakespeare are retold. The story about Antony and Cleopatra is told in a form of recollections of Servius, one of Antony’s loyal soldiers. Servius goes back to recall memories from the day when he was listening to Antony giving a speech over Caesar's body. Shortly afterward, Servius was appointed to be Antony’s Centurion. Since that moment, the soldier’s memories overlap with the events known(...)

YEAR: 2001

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Egypt Hellenism Hellenistic Egypt History Julius Caesar Mark Anthony Octavian Ptolemaic Egypt Rome Rome (ancient)

Imogen Greenberg , Isabel Greenberg

Athena: The Story of a Goddess

This a humorous, illustrated, modern re-telling of the myths of Athena for a younger audience using elements of graphic novel storytelling. Some of the myths told are directly connected to Athena, but this expands into a re-telling of the myths around the Trojan War. This is preceded by a short introduction of each of the main characters of the book, both gods and heroes. The individual myths are not separated by headings, but flow into each other, almost like a biography of Athena. The myths co(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Aphrodite Arachne Athena/ Athene Hephaestus Hera Medusa Odysseus/ Ulysses Paris Perseus Poseidon Zeus

Brett Bean , Lucy Coats

Beasts of Olympus (Series): Beasts Keeper; Hound of Hades / Steeds of the Gods / Dragon Healer / Centaur School; Zeus’s Eagle / Gods of the North / The Unicorn Emergency

Beast of Olympus (series). The most recent installment published November 22, 2017:Part 1, Beasts Keeper, 2015.Part 2, Hound of Hades, 2015. Part 3, Steeds of the Gods, 2015. Part 4, Dragon Healer, 2015.Part 5, Centaur School, 2016. Part 6, Zeus’s Eagle, 2016. Part 7, Gods of the North, 2017. Part 8, The Unicorn Emergency, 2018 (not yet published).A young boy called Demon (his full name is Pandemonius) who was taken from his mother by the god Pan (his father) (...)

YEAR: 2015-2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Mythical creatures Mythical names Mythical places Mythology

In Caesar III, users play as a Roman governor, sent by Caesar to rule new provinces across the world. To complete each scenario, and rise in rank, they must build cities that meet the required levels of Population, Culture, Peace, Prosperity and Favour. With each success, the player is given the choice of governing either a peaceful or militaristic Province, meaning they direct whether they want to focus on cultural marvels and luxuries, or battling Rome’s enemies.Starting with nothing but(...)

YEAR: 1998

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aedile Amphitheatre Aqueducts Cursus honorum Gladiators Hannibal Julius Caesar Legionaries Procurator Punic Wars Quaestor Roman Empire Roman history Roman religion

Philip Reeve, Margaret Simpson

Cleopatra and Her Asp

The book is an unusual form of Cleopatra’s biography, a fictional diary of the Queen that uses elements of comic books. The playful form reflects its target audience of children and teenagers. It includes an introduction about the Ptolemaic dynasty and the situation in ancient Egypt at the beginning of Cleopatra’s reign. All the events in the book are in chronological order – we learn what happens from the moment Cleopatra becomes queen until her death. The author uses diary en(...)

YEAR: 1999

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alexander Helios Caesarion Charmion (handmaid) Cleopatra Selene II Cleopatra VII Egypt Iras (handmaid) Julius Caesar Mark Anthony Octavian Roman history Rome

Adèle Geras , Mark P. Robertson

Cleopatra: Discover the World of Cleopatra through the Diary of Her Handmaiden, Nefret

Cleopatra VII, one of the greatest queens in history, lived in Greco-Roman times in Egypt. At the beginning of the book, when the queen is described, the reader can recognise an almost direct quotation from Plutarch of Chaeronea*. The narrator is a ten-year old girl named Nefret. She goes to the queen’s palace to work as her handmaiden. This gives the reader the opportunity to learn about the customs and everyday life in Hellenistic Alexandria. Nefret meets Cleopatra when she is mourning&n(...)

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alexander Helios Caesarion Cleopatra Selene II Cleopatra VII Egypt Iras (handmaid) Julius Caesar Mark Anthony Octavian Rome

Clint Twist

Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh

A heavily illustrated biography of Cleopatra. The introduction shows Cleopatra as a popular icon through the ages. Chronological description of events opens with background information about Alexander the Great, Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt and ends with Cleopatra’s death. The inclusion of a fictional diary enables the reader to imagine how Cleopatra felt. Numerous illustrations (paintings, engravings, sculptures etc.) enrich the reader’s experience and provide additional information. (...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alexander Helios Caesarion Cleopatra Selene II Cleopatra VII Egypt Iras (handmaid) Julius Caesar Mark Anthony Octavian Rome

Gerry Bailey , Karen Foster

Cleopatra’s Coin

The book is part of the series Stories of Great People. The narration starts when Digby Platt and her sister Hannah Platt approach Mr. Rummage’s stand. They find an old coin in a pile of old items. Mr. Rummage asks the children if they know whose face is on the coin. The children don't know so Mr. Rummage begins to tell them the story of Cleopatra VII. He talks about the origins of the coin, where the queen's dynasty came from and how big her family was. In addition, the shopkeeper(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cleopatra VII Egypt Hellenistic Egypt Julius Caesar Mark Anthony Octavian Rome Rome (ancient)

Gerald Vinestock, G. William

Crib and the Labours of Hercules

Crib (short for Christabel) is a 10 year old clever and tomboyish girl, who has gone with her parents to visit relatives in Greece. While she stays with her uncle and aunt and looks after their horses, she hears on the news that strange phenomena are occurring: all the fierce monsters whom the legendary Hercules had vanquished eons ago, have suddenly returned to life and are hurting the local people. The government is desperate for a new Hercules to save the day. Crib’s uncle, Jonathan, a (...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Augean Stables Cerberus Ceryneian hind Cretan Bull Erymanthian Boar Geryon's Cattle Golden Apples Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hesperides Hippolyta's Belt Hydra Nemean lion Stymphalian Birds Twelve Labours of Heracles

Margaret Mahy

Dangerous Spaces

In Dangerous Spaces, set on the Banks Peninsula near Christchurch, New Zealand, Margaret Mahy explores the myth of Demeter and Persephone through a story about two cousins, Flora and Anthea, who travel by means of a magical stereoscope machine to a mythical realm, called Viridian. Anthea’s parents have died in a sailing accident, and she has come to live with Flora’s family, in the old house her parents are slowly renovating. This house was built by the cousins’ grandfathe(...)

YEAR: 1986

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Amazons Anthea Demeter Eurydice Flora Hades Orpheus Persephone Philoctetes

Russell T. Davies, Brian Minchin, James Moran, Colin Teague

Doctor Who (Series, S04E02): The Fires of Pompeii

‘The Fires of Pompeii’ was typical of the revived, 21st-century series of Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present) with its abandonment of educational themes for ‘pure’ science-fiction, and pseudo-historical storytelling. Filmed using the same sets as the 2005-7 HBO/BBC Two series Rome, the episode attempted to present the same level of historical accuracy of costuming and set-design, while taking liberties with scripting. Aspects of Roman religion and myth – (...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Eruption of Vesuvius Pompeii Roman history Roman religion Spartacus

Lindsey Alford , Toby Haynes, Steven Moffat

Doctor Who (Series, S05E12-13): The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang

‘The Pandorica Opens’ and ‘The Big Bang’ contain numerous mash-ups of Classical myth and history. The two-part story opens with the Doctor (in his Eleventh incarnation, played by Matt Smith) and his companion, Amy Pond, arriving in Roman Britain in AD 102, where they find the Doctor’s past and future wife, River Song, impersonating the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra VII. The ‘Pandorica’ of the title is a direct reference to Pandora’s Box: an advanced pr(...)

YEAR: 2010

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Classical myth Roman Britain Roman history

Bob Baker, Dave Martin , Anthony Read , Norman Stewart

Doctor Who (Series, Season 15): Underworld

‘Underworld’ was typical of mid-1970s Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present), in what is still regarded as its most successful period. Scripts in the era of the Fourth Doctor (played by Tom Baker) – with his enormous, multi-coloured scarf, and the ability to switch between high comedy and serious drama – delved regularly into mythological, historical, and literary themes that were already well-known to the family audiences. These were often transposed from their original, E(...)

YEAR: 1978

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Argonauts Heracles / Herakles Hercules Jason Labyrinth Minoan civilization Oracles Orpheus Persephone Slavery Underworld

Christopher Barry, Dennis Spooner

Doctor Who (Series, Season 2): The Romans (The Slave Traders / All Roads Lead to Rome / Conspiracy / Inferno)

‘The Romans’ is a key example of the early format of Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present), which sought to mix science-fiction adventures with historically-themed storylines (as an extension of its intended educational role). A playful comedy, the story sees the crew of the TARDIS (the time/space machine) materialise in the countryside outside Ancient Rome, and take a well-earned holiday at an abandoned Roman villa. Their rest is soon disturbed, however, when Barbara Wright and (...)

YEAR: 1965

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Great Fire of Rome Nero Roman history

Donald Cotton, Michael Leeston-Smith, Donald Tosh

Doctor Who (Series, Season 3): The Myth Makers

‘The Myth Makers’ continued the early tendency of Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present) to mix science-fiction adventures with historically-themed storylines (as an extension of its intended educational role). The story sees the crew of the TARDIS (the time/space machine) materialise in Bronze-Age Asia Minor, just outside the walls of Troy (at the very moment when Achilles slays the Trojan champion Hector; indeed causing the death of the Trojan prince). The Doctor (an alien &lsqu(...)

YEAR: 1965

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Greek mythology Homer Odysseus/ Ulysses Trojan War Virgil

Gerry Davis, Geoffrey Orme, Julia Smith

Doctor Who (Series, Season 4): The Underwater Menace

‘The Underwater Menace’ was typical of mid-1960s Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present) and its turn away from the strictly historical, and educational, storylines of the early ‘60s, towards purely science-fiction and adventure stories. The story sees the crew of the TARDIS (the time/space machine) materialise on an island inhabited by the survivors of the lost city of Atlantis. The Doctor (an alien ‘Time Lord’ from the Planet Gallifrey) and his companions (Ben, Polly(...)

YEAR: 1967

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Atlantis Classical myth

Paul Bernard, Terrance Dicks, Barry Letts, Robert Sloman

Doctor Who (Series, Season 9): The Time Monster

‘The Time Monster’ was typical of early-1970s Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present) and its focus on a large regular supporting cast (the United Nations Intelligence Task Force – UNIT), Earth-bound alien invasions, and espionage themes. The story sees the Doctor (an alien ‘Time Lord’ from the Planet Gallifrey, in exile on ‘present-day’ Earth) and his companions (Jo Grant and the officers and men of UNIT) investigating strange time-travel experiments (...)

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Atlantis Classical myth

Douglas Adams, Bob Baker, Nick Hurran , Peter Ling, David Maloney, Dave Martin , Kenny McBain, Steven Moffat, Anthony Read , Derrick Sherwin, Norman Stewart , Toby Whithouse

Doctor Who's Labyrinth Themed Episodes (Series, Seasons 6,15,17): The Mind Robber / Underworld / The Horns of Nimon / The God Complex

The myth of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur has been a fixture of the children’s TV sci-fi/drama series Doctor Who since the 1960s. The familiarity of school-aged children with this myth was doubly-ensured by the persistent emphasis on the Classics in British education (particularly in the middle-class context) well into the last decades of the 20th century. As well as featuring in ‘The Time Monster’ (1972) – starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor – the theme (...)

YEAR: 1968

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Argonauts Golden Fleece Heracles / Herakles Hercules Idas Idmon Jason Labyrinth Minoan civilization Minotaur Orpheus Persephone Talaus Theseus

Ingri and Edggar, Per Ola and Nils M. P. D’Aulaires

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths

This is a revised edition of a 1962 book. The writing and illustrations appear to be the same as in the original. The book covers mainly the genealogy and myths related to the Olympian gods, adapted for children (Gaia “falls in love with Uranus”, Zeus “marries” mortals etc.). It is a very detailed book that covers a large and varied range of stories, relating to the gods and mortals. It gives a description of the different traits of the gods as well as individual myths ab(...)

YEAR: 1962

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Argonauts Heracles / Herakles Hercules Olympias Titans Trojan War

Simon Spence

Early Greek Myths (Series): Atalanta

Atalanta offers a retelling of the myths of Atalanta the huntress for a young audience. The retelling takes a biographical form, opening with Atalanta's early childhood and ending with her living out 'the rest of [her] days'. This retelling might be considered a feminist retelling of the myths, as the narrator encourages the reader to approve of Atalanta's skills and independence of mind and to disagree with those who wish to limit her actions because she is female. This has the (...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Architecture Argonauts Argos Centaurs Classical studies Divination Golden Fleece Greek art Greek history Greek mythology Homer Jason Mycenae Mythology Ovid Metamorphoses Peleus Reception

Simon Spence

Early Greek Myths (Series): Odysseus

This is a retelling of Homer's Odyssey with myths based on the Epic Cycle used for additional material. The narrative order of the Odyssey is rejected in favour of a chronological approach. Most of the gods are helpful in this retelling. The 'sea-god' alone persecutes Odysseus, and as Odysseus is not shown to be responsible for what incurred the sea-god's wrath, Odysseus appears a highly sympathetic figure. The story includes violence, but extreme violence and sex are avoided to (...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Afterlife Architecture Athena/ Athene Charybdis Classical studies Cyclops / Cyclopes Gods Greek mythology Hades Helen Hermes Hermes' winged boots Homer Iliad Ithaca Katabasis Minerva Mythology Odysseus/ Ulysses Penelope Polyphemus Reception Scylla Sirens Telemachus Trojan War Troy Underworld Zeus

Colm Lawton , Simon Spence

Early Greek Myths (Series): Theseus

Theseus is part of a series of storybook myths aimed at very young readers. Each two-page spread combines a full-page illustration and a page of text. The text is presented in an informal style, in a Comic Sans-like font, while the illustrations present the characters as wide-eyed and childlike. The story begins with an introduction to Theseus, including the information that ion that he grew up without his father. We learn that Theseus eventually became strong enough to lift the rock that covere(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Architecture Ariadne Athena/ Athene Athens Cerberus Crete Fate Gods Greek art Greek mythology Hades Heracles / Herakles Hercules Katabasis Labyrinth Laurel wreath Minerva Minos Minotaur Persephone Reception of classical antiquity Theseus Twelve Labours of Heracles Underworld

Ollie Cuthbertson, Gary Smailes

EDGE: Battle Books (Series): Marathon

This is a choose-your-own-adventure story in which the basic premise is established and the reader then makes choices that determine the development and out-come of the story. In Marathon the reader plays as Miltiades the general. Based on the choices made, the reader will then receive a ranking on their performance as general, poor, ok, good, or great, and the outcome of the battle will be either death, partial victory, or complete victory. The reader will be prompted to consider many aspects o(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ares Athens Divination Gods Graeco-Persian wars Greek history Reception of classical antiquity

Steve Barlow, Steve Skidmore, Andrew Tunney

EDGE: I HERO: Legends (Series, Book 3): Hercules

In this choose-your-own-path book, the reader is Hercules. Hercules joins the voyage of the Argo and needs to help Jason makes decision and later find his lost friend, Hylas while facing various adventures and overcoming obstacles.(...)

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Arachne Argonauts Centaurs Chiron Harpies Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hylas Jason Keto / Ceto Poseidon

Steve Barlow, Steve Skidmore, Andrew Tunney

EDGE: I HERO: Legends (Series, Book 5): Athena

In this choose-your-own-path, the reader is Athena. Athena is punished by the gods because she helped Odysseus evade Hera’s traps. Hera and Poseidon would like to avenge these acts by punishing Athena and stripping her of her divine powers. Athena now becomes a mortal and must face challenges before she can confront Zeus and plead for her innocence. On her way to Mt. Olympus, Athena encounters mysterious creatures and faces real danger. She is chased by the fierce hunter Orion and his hunt(...)

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Ares Athena/ Athene Centaur Centaurs Chiron Cyclops / Cyclopes Delphi Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Oracles Orion Pegasus Poseidon Zeus

Efua Theodora Sutherland

In her three-act play, Efua Sutherland, depicts the life of a traditional and influential Ghanaian man, Edufa, whose pride and stubbornness results to the death of his wife, Ampoma. Set in a little Ghanaian community, the story begins with a prologue that introduces characters and the dramatic events that will ensue. In the prologue, Edufa’s sister, Abena, patiently sits in the courtyard, gathering dew in a black pot. As the prologue reveals, the dew she collects, along the water that she (...)

YEAR: 1967

COUNTRY: Ghana United Kingdom

TAGS: Mythology

Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

In this book, the author plays with the tradition of bestiaries and introduces the audience to ‘Wizard–Magical Creatures Studies’. Her name does not appear on the cover of the book and the work is credited to ‘Newt Scamander’ who in the Harry Potter universe wrote this textbook – we see it on Harry’s supply list for his first year. It contains the history of Magizoology and describes 85 magical species from all around the world. In the edition from 2017 (...)

YEAR: 2001

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Animals in antiquity Bestiary Centaurs Cerberus Merpeople Mythical creatures Phoenix Sirens

Joanne Kathleen Rowling, David Yates

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Although the movie has the same title as the book [see the entry] written in 2001, it is a completely separate “prequel” story about the fictional author of the said text, Newt Scamander. The story starts in 1926, when the not-yet-famous magizoologist comes to New York with a mysterious suitcase which, as we learn later, contains various magical creatures. The main purpose is to release one of them to its natural habitat in Arizona, however along the way things get complicated. (...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Concept of a mythical creature Isolating the mythical creature from humans Keeping the mythical beasts hidden Way of protecting mythical beasts

Jan Lewis, Saviour Pirotta

First Greek Myths (Series): Pegasus the Flying Horse

This book is part of an Easy-to Read series accompanied by colorful illustrations (Orchard Colour Crunchies). It is part of a ten-book series on Greek myths.This story narrates the fight of Bellerophon and Pegasus against the Chimera. The story begins with a description of the monstrous Chimera and the king’s request to Bellerophon to neutralize it. Bellerophon consults a magician who advises him to catch the flying horse, Pegasus, in order to vanquish the Chimera. Bellerophon waits for Pe(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Bellerophon Chimera Pegasus

Stella Caldwell

Gods, Heroes and Monsters: Discover the Wonders of the Ancient Greek Myths (by Selene Nicolaides)

This book explains the core Greek myths. Its cover features a sepia-toned image of the Minotaur and Theseus. It has a frame narrative, in which "Selene Nicolaides," the daughter of a museum director, explains that she found a mysterious box belonging to her father, one which held objects of value from the Ancient Greeks, objects that had been smuggled out of Ancient Greece. Knowing they must be returned, she arranged for them to be sent to the Athens Museum; they appear in the pages of(...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Creation myths Gods Heroes Mythical creatures Pantheon Titans

Charles Front , James Mason

Greek Heroes and Monsters

The book starts off with an introduction to ‘the Greeks’ which explains why people now visit Greece, namely because they are drawn to its holiday places. This leads into a discussion of a key aspect of life in ancient Greece: storytelling. Among the illustrations in this section is an ancient Greek vase-painting showing a storyteller saying words that translate as ‘once upon a time…’ (p. 3). These words become the opening of the first of two stories narrated in the(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aegeus Ariadne Crete Cyclops / Cyclopes Medusa Minoan Minos Minotaur Odysseus/ Ulysses Penelope Perseus Sirens Theseus

Cari Meister, Nadine Takvorian

Greek Myths (Series): Odysseus and the Cyclops

This book illustrates the encounter between Odysseus and his crew and the Cyclops Polyphemus. The book briefly introduces Odysseus and his return from Troy, prior to his meeting with the Cyclops. In the end, due to Odysseus’ ingenuity, the Greeks manage to escape the cave and the Cyclops is shunned by his peers.(...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cyclops / Cyclopes Odysseus/ Ulysses

Heather Amery, Linda Edwards

Greek Myths for Young Children

This is a highly illustrated volume of myths retold for children. Contents:1. About the Greek Myths2. The Gift of Fire3. Pandora's Box4. Persephone and the Seasons5. The Story of Arachne6. The Many Tasks of Heracles (Intro, plus 12 Labours)7. Echo and Narcissus8. Daedalus and Icarus9. Bellerophon and the Flying Horse10. Jason and the Golden Fleece (Intro, Argo Sets Sail, The Harpies, The Clashing Rocks, Fire-Breathing Bulls and Dragon(...)

YEAR: 2000

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Andromeda Aphrodite Apollo Arachne Ariadne Artemis Atalanta Athena/ Athene Atlas Bellerophon Centaurs Cerberus Charon Chimaera Chiron Circe Cupid Cyclops / Cyclopes Daedalus Demeter Dionysus Echo Eros Greek art Greek mythology Hades Harpies Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Icarus Jason Medea Medusa Midas Minos Minotaur Mount Olympus Narcissus Odysseus/ Ulysses Pandora Pandora’s Box Pegasus Penelope Persephone Perseus Phaethon Polyphemus Poseidon Prometheus Psyche Pygmalion Telemachus Theseus Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Twelve Labours of Heracles Witches Zeus

Carole Hénaff, Hugh Lupton, Daniel Morden

Greek Myths: Three Heroic Tales

Greek Myths: Three Heroic Tales is a highly illustrated retelling of the myths of Demeter and Persephone, Theseus and the Minotaur, and Orpheus and Eurydice. There is at least one illustration on almost every facing pair of pages with the illustrations setting the events in antiquity. Each myth is divided into chapters in the manner of a novel.Demeter and Persephone begins by prompting the reader to imagine a tri-part world, Olympus above, the world of mortals, and the realm of the dead below. P(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Afterlife Architecture Ariadne Athena/ Athene Athens Classical studies Crete Daedalus Demeter Dionysus Eleusinian Mysteries Fate Gods Greek music Greek mythology Hades Hades' Throne Hermes Icarus Immortality Katabasis Labyrinth Maze Minos Minotaur Mythology Nymphs Olympus Orpheus Pasiphae Persephone Pluto Proserpina Reception of classical antiquity Theseus Underworld Zeus Zeus' Throne

Alison Murray

Hare and Tortoise. The Favourite Aesop's Fable

This is a retelling of the traditional myth of the Hare and the Tortoise, accompanied by lavish, charming, full-page illustrations. When the characters are introduced, the narrative pauses for two pages of semi-humorous pseudo-scientific / betting form style profiles of Hare then Tortoise. This includes one page of labelled diagram (e.g. Head – perhaps a little bit big... Whiskers – extra twitchy), and one page listing key attributes (e.g. Hare can't stay still, but can run throu(...)

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Greek mythology Reception of classical antiquity

Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Harry Potter, the main character of the series, is an orphan living with his uncle and aunt, who treat him like, to put it delicately, a spare wheel. One day, on his 11th birthday, he gets an extraordinary letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (delivered by Hagrid, half-giant, later, one of his best friends), with an invitation to start his year as a student wizard. He also learns (mainly from Hagrid) about his past and his greatest enemy – Lord Voldemort, dark and evil wi(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Centaur Cerberus Giants

Tony Ross , Francesca Simon

Helping Hercules

Helping Hercules tells the story of a young girl named Susan who does not want to help or do chores at home. She finds a magic coin that takes her back to Ancient Greece where she becomes entangled in scenarios from Greek mythology - she has to help Hercules clean out Augeuean stables, help Orpheus get Eurydice back from Hades, help Paris choose between the goddesses, help Bellerophon capture Pegasus to find the chimera, fight Medusa, deal with Midas, and help Hercules get the apples from the Ga(...)

YEAR: 1999

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alpheus Andromeda Aphrodite Apollo Aristaeus Athena/ Athene Atlas Augeas Bellerophon Cassiopeia Cepheus Cerberus Chimaera Eris Erymanthian Boar Eurydice Eurystheus Furies Golden Apples Gorgons Greece Greek mythology Hades Helen Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hesperides Ladon Medusa Menelaus Midas Mount Ida Nymphs Orpheus Pan Paris Pegasus Peleus Peneus Perseus Polydectes Poseidon Satyr Styx Taenarum Tantalus Thetis Tmolus Troy

Geraldine McCaughrean

The book narrates the life of Hercules, from his early youth to his tragic death and following deification (or rather becoming a constellation). Due to the subject matter and the mentions of murder and tragic deaths the book is more suitable for older children. (...)

YEAR: 2003

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Admete Alcmene Amphitryon Apollo Artemis Athena/ Athene Atlas Cerberus Chiron Deianeira Eurystheus Hebe Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Hippolyta Hydra Iole Linus Megara Minos (King) Nemean lion Nessus Pluto Poseidon Prometheus Stymphalian Birds Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

Tony Bradman , Steve May

Hercules the Hero

In five illustrated chapters, Bradman tells the story of Hercules the Hero. In Chapter One, Trouble with a goddess, we learn of Hercules’ unusual powers and Hera’s enmity towards him. In Chapter Two, Some interesting little jobs, Hercules tackles the Nemean Lion and the Hydra. In Chapter Three, A few busy weeks, Hercules captures the Deer With The Golden Horns and the Brutal Board and cleanses the Augean stables. He shoots down the Bronze Birds of Stymphalos, wrestles with the Great (...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Amazons Atlas Cerberus Charon Classical myth Eurystheus Geryon Greece Hades Hera Heracles / Herakles Heracles’ life Hercules Mythology Thebes Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S00E02): Hercules and the Lost Kingdom

This film’s narrative finds little direct precedent within ancient mythology but draws upon several identifiable themes/tropes for inspiration. After successfully saving a village from a giant, Hercules is approached by a messenger who asks for the hero’s help: his people have been forced out of their home-town, the “lost kingdom” of Troy. Zeus reveals that Hera caused the disappearance of Troy and, in order to find it, Hercules requires the “true compass”. &n(...)

COUNTRY: New Zealand United Kingdom

TAGS: Deianeira Hera Hercules Lydia Omphale Sacrifice Sea-Serpent Troy Zeus

Linda Cavallini, Alex Frith

Hercules: The World's Strongest Man

This is a retelling of the story of Hercules aimed to encourage reading; the story was developed at the University of Roehampton with consultation with Alison Kelly, Senior Lecturer. The story follows Hercules after he kills his family and on his 12 labors, until he is forgiven by the gods. At the end we have a short summary of how Hera tried to kill Hercules as an infant and how he joined the Argonauts.(...)

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Atlas Augean Stables Cerberus Ceryneian hind Chiron Cretan Bull Diomedes’ mares Erymanthian Boar Eurystheus Geryon Hades Helios Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hesperides Hippolyta Hydra Iolaos Nemean lion Persephone Prometheus Stymphalian Birds Zeus

James Reeves, Sara Silcock

Heroes and Monsters: Legends of Ancient Greece

This is an anthology book for children which presents the key figures and stories from classical mythology. The chapters are lightly illustrated, with one or two line drawings per chapter. Introduction.Pronunciation Guide (and map of Ancient Greece).The Beginning of Man: Prometheus and Pandora. Winter and Summer: Demeter and Persephone. Daedalus and Icarus.Phaeton’s Journey.King Midas (divided into ‘The Golden Touch’ and ‘A Pair of Ass’s Ears&rsq(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Andromeda Apollo Ariadne Daedalus Eros Hades Heracles / Herakles Jason Medea Medusa Midas Odysseus/ Ulysses Pandora Persephone Perseus Prometheus Psyche Theseus Zeus

Tom Kindley

Heroes of the Night Sky. The Greek Myths Behind the Constellations

This is a collection of myths told for teenagers, with emphasis on stylised illustration, constellation name aetiologies, and some moral lessons. The myths included are:Ursa Major (The Great Bear)PegasusAndromedaHerculesLyre (The Lyre)Corona Borealis (Northern Crown)Orion and ScorpiusCorvus (The Crow)Centaurus (The Centaur)Ophiucus (The Serpent Bearer)(...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aetiology Afterlife Andromeda Aphrodite Apollo Architecture Ariadne Artemis Asclepius / Asklepios Bellerophon Callisto Centaurs Cerberus Charon Chimaera Chiron Classical studies Dionysus Gods Greek mythology Hades Hades' Throne Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Hermes' winged boots Immortality Katabasis Labyrinth Lernaean Hydra Maze Medusa Minotaur Mythology Orion Orpheus Pegasus Perseus Poseidon Prometheus Reception of classical antiquity Stymphalian Birds Theseus Twelve Labours of Heracles Underworld Zeus

Nick Roberts, Stella Tarakson

Hopeless Heroes (Series, Book 1): Here Comes Hercules!

This is book 1 in the Hopeless Heroes series. This is series of portal-fantasy adventures in which a timid boy travels to the world of ancient myth by means of a magic vase, and learns to be brave through adventures with classical heroes. In this book we meet our protagonist, Tim Baker. We are initially informed that Tim’s mother works long hours to provide for her family, so he needs to help with the housework. While cleaning, Tim accidentally breaks a large Greek vase, decorated with a s(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cerberus Hera Hercules Hermes Zeus

Nick Roberts, Stella Tarakson

Hopeless Heroes (Series, Book 2): Hera’s Terrible Trap!

This is book 2 in the Hopeless Heroes series. This is series of portal-fantasy adventures in which a timid boy travels to the world of ancient myth by means of a magic vase, and learns to be brave through adventures with classical heroes. In the first book of the series, Tim Baker, our hero, discovered the mythological Hercules was trapped in an old vase Tim had at home. He also discovered that it was Hera, who locked Hercules there since she was jealous of his beautiful mother. In this book, Ti(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Medusa Perseus Stheno Theseus

Nick Roberts, Stella Tarakson

Hopeless Heroes (Series, Book 3): Arachne Golden Gloves

This is book 3 in the Hopeless Heroes series. This is a series of portal-fantasy adventures in which a timid boy travels to the world of ancient myth by means of a magic vase, and learns to be brave through adventures with classical heroes. Tim Baker, the school-child hero of the book is doing the housework since his mother is busy with her jobs. He catches a spider, and is very interested in it. Yet his mother is afraid of it. Tim decides not to kill the animal but rather set it free outside. H(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Arachne Athena/ Athene Hera Hercules Hermes Jason Perseus

Nick Roberts, Stella Tarakson

Hopeless Heroes (Series, Book 4): Problem with Pythagoras

This is book 4 in the Hopeless Heroes series. This is a series of portal-fantasy adventures in which a timid boy travels to the world of ancient myth by means of a magic vase, and learns to be brave through adventures with classical heroes. Our hero, Tim Baker, faces two difficult problems. The first- a failing math test. The other- his mother's new boyfriend who happens to be a teacher from his school, Larry Green. Tim is dumbfounded and is not sure how to react to this awkward situation. H(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Hera Hercules Pythagoras Socrates Theseus

Nick Roberts, Stella Tarakson

Hopeless Heroes (Series, Book 5): Apollo's Mystic Message

This is book 5 in the Hopeless Heroes series. This is series of portal-fantasy adventures in which a timid boy travels to the world of ancient myth by means of a magic vase, and learns to be brave through adventures with classical heroes At the end of the previous book, Tim Baker was told by his mother's boyfriend (and his school teacher), Larry Green, that there is a vase at the British Museum which depicts an image of a modern boy holding a vase. At first, Tim is reluctant to believe it is(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Athena/ Athene Epimetheus Hera Hercules Hermes Prometheus Pythia

Okot P’Bitek

Horn of My Love

Work in progress(...)

YEAR: 1974

COUNTRY: Uganda United Kingdom

TAGS: Mythology

Martin Brown , William Terence Deary

Horrible Histories (Series): The Groovy Greeks

A humorous overview of the mythology and history of Ancient Greece. After an introduction to Greek ‘gruesome gods’ and ‘petrifying plays and electrifying epics’, Deary zooms in on the ‘savage Spartans’ and the ‘odd Athenians’. He then summarises the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, before giving an entertaining account of the life and deeds of ‘Alexander the Great-er’. The following chapters describe how Ancient Greeks thought, lived, an(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alexander the Great Archimedes Charidemus Clytemnestra Greek history Greek medicine Greek mythology Pericles Themistocles Xerxes

David Lopez, Barrie Wade

Icarus, the Boy Who Flew

This simple illustrated text for beginning readers, with copious illustrations and short sentences, retells the myth of Icarus, showing Icarus living with his father, Daedalus, a "great inventor." (p. 5) After the king asks Daedalus to build a maze to hide a "terrible secret," (p. 7) he imprisons Daedalus and Icarus in a high tower. "They knew the king’s secret, so they could never leave." (p. 8) They collect the feathers left by the birds who come to pick up (...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Daedalus Labyrinth

Simona Bursi, Linda Cavallini, Susanna Davidson, Alex Frith , Anne Millard, Matteo Pincelli, Russell Punter, Lesley Sims , Louie Stowell

Illustrated Stories From the Greek Myths

Illustrated Stories From the Greek Myths is a highly illustrated collection of short stories for children or young teens.Contents:The Wooden Horse: Russell Punter (Author) and Matteo Pincelli (Illustrator),The Minotaur: Russell Punter (Author) and Linda Cavallini (Illustrator),Bellerophon and Pegasus: Susanna Davidson (Author) and Simona Bursi (Illustrator),The Twelve Tasks of Heracles: Alex Frith (Author) and Matteo Pincelli (Illustrator),Perseus and the Gorgon: Lesley Sims (Author) a(...)

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Aetiology Afterlife Andromeda Aphrodite Apples of the Hesperides Architecture Argo Argonauts Ariadne Athena/ Athene Atlas Bellerophon Cerberus Charon Chimaera Circe Crete Cyclops / Cyclopes Daedalus Demeter Dionysus Graeae Sisters Greek mythology Hades Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Hermes' winged boots Icarus Jason Labyrinth Medusa Metamorphosis Minos Mount Olympus Odysseus/ Ulysses Pandora Pandora’s Box Pegasus Penelope Persephone Perseus Polyphemus Poseidon Prometheus Sirens Telemachus Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Twelve Labours of Heracles Witches Zeus

Ian Andrews, Penelope Lively

In Search of a Homeland

This is a retelling of the post-homeric story of the Aeneid and of the origins of Rome.(...)

YEAR: 2001

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Carthage Charybdis Crete Cyclops / Cyclopes Greek history Greek mythology Harpies Juno Jupiter Mercury Neptune Odysseus/ Ulysses Oracles Polyphemus Roman history Roman mythology Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Troy Venus Vulcan

Adèle Geras

Just as her novel Troy imagines new stories playing out within the final days of the Trojan War, in this text Geras locates her tale on Ithaca during the long years of Odysseus’ absence. The story centres on the teenager Klymene, granddaughter of the old nurse Eurycleia. Orphaned as a baby, she and her twin brother Ikarios have grown up in the royal palace alongside Telemachus. The trio have always been friends, but Klymene is beginning to have other feelings for the Prince. Tel(...)

YEAR: 2005

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Amphimedon Antinous Argos Athena/ Athene Eurycleia Homer Ithaca Melantho Odysseus/ Ulysses Odyssey Penelope Poseidon Suitors Telemachus Trojan War

David Antram, John Malam, David Salariya

Jason and the Argonauts

In this straight-forward retelling of the myth of the Argonauts, the story begins with the prophecy by the oracle who proclaims that Pelias, king of the city-state of Iolcus, should pay attention to his family, because they will deprive him of power. So Pelias decides to kill everyone, showing mercy only to his brother Aeson, whom he throws into the dungeon. When he arrives to kill Jason, his brother's son, he is tricked by Alcimede the boy's mother, into believing that the young man had(...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aeëtes Aeson Alcimede Argo Argonauts Argus (son of Arestor) Athena/ Athene Centaurs Chiron Colchis Corfu Golden Fleece Harpies Hera Jason Medea Oracles Orpheus Pelias Poseidon Sirens

Alex Frith , Simona Sanfilippo

King Midas and the Gold (Usborne First Reading series. Level 1)

King Midas and the Gold is a children's storybook written with deliberately simple language for those learning to read. It is part of a series that contains many examples of traditional myths and simplified versions of classical literature.The Midas myth is told in an extremely simplified form as the paramount focus is telling a story with very basic vocabulary. There is more emphasis on Midas' kindness than his foolishness or greed. The text states 'he was kind', accompanying a (...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Architecture Classical studies Dionysus Gods Greek mythology Laurel wreath Midas Mythology Ovid Ovid Metamorphoses Reception of classical antiquity

Cath Senker

Ladybird Histories (Series): Ancient Greeks

Ancient Greeks is an educational, introduction to ancient Greek culture aimed at children aged 7+. This title is one of several titles in the Ladybird Histories series, including Kings and Queens, Tudor and Stuarts, Ancient Egyptians, The Vikings, Romans, and Anglo-Saxons. Each is written in a similarly serious tone. Through the combination of titles, the series presents the Ancient Greeks as an important non-British historical society. Ancient Greeks focuses on the Classical period, w(...)

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Architecture Ares Athena/ Athene Athens Comedy Dionysus Divination Graeco-Persian wars Greek art Greek history Greek music Greek mythology Greek theatre Hades Heracles / Herakles Hercules Homer Minotaur Odysseus/ Ulysses Olympic Games Oracles Poseidon Roman Empire Theatre Theseus Tragedy Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Troy Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

Simon Adams

Ladybird Histories (Series): Romans

This work is a non-humorous introduction to ancient Roman society aimed at children aged 7+.Table of Contents:Who were the Romans?The Founding of RomeThe Roman RepublicFighting CarthageThe Roman ArmyRoman RoadsJulius CaesarCreating the EmpireConquering BritainFortificationsImperial RomeThe ColosseumA Day at the RacesLife in the CityWonderful WaterLife in the CountryThe Roman FamilyRoman ChildrenFood and LifestyleRoman ReligionPompeiiUp in ArmsDecline and FallWhat the Romans Did for UsFamous Roma(...)

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aeneas Architecture Cleopatra VII Colosseum Comedy Gladiator games Julius Caesar Juno Jupiter Latin Mark Anthony Mars Minerva Octavian Punic Wars Remus Roman Empire Roman history Roman mythology Roman republic Roman theatre Rome Rome (ancient) Romulus Slavery

The LEGO Company

Lego Minifigures (Series)

LEGO’s permeation into popular culture is evident through its release of thematic sets to coincide with the release of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in 1999, and through its collaboration with Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and The Simpsons. As of 2010, LEGO began to release themed collectible minifigures that were based on fantasy, sports, history, and popular culture. A minifigure is defined as a small posable person with ‘rotating arms, legs, hands, and heads… (with) connectors (...)

YEAR: 2010

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Amazons Athena/ Athene Cyclops / Cyclopes Emperor Faun Gladiators Imperium / Empire Julius Caesar Medusa Minotaur Neptune Odyssey Pan Perseus Poseidon Roman Soldiers Spartans Theseus

Katie Daynes, Marie-Eve Tremblay

Lift-the-Flap Questions and Answers (Series): Lift-the-Flap Questions and Answers about Art

This beautifully-illustrated book immerses young people in the world of art. It belongs to an extensive series which introduces children to a variety of subjects. Young people are introduced to art via a question and answer format focused on the sorts of questions that people might have about art and the sorts of questions that can be asked to explore art beyond the surface – in that sense the book is about helping young people to engage with art rather than simply presenting them with art(...)

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Classical studies Egypt Gods Greek art Olympic Games Reception of classical antiquity Venus

Katie Daynes, Peter Donnelly

Lift-the-Flap Questions and Answers (Series): Lift-the-Flap Questions and Answers about Long Ago

This beautifully-illustrated book offers young readers an interactive immersion in history. The histories of many periods and peoples are covered, with the book divided into sections based on the sorts of questions that people might ask about the past: Where? Who? Why? What? How? When? and Which? There is an illustrated “What happened when?” timeline at the end of the book which places items from throughout the book in chronological order. The ancient world plays an important role th(...)

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Architecture Cleopatra VII Colosseum Egypt Gladiator games Reception of classical antiquity Roman Empire Roman history Roman religion Roman republic Rome Rome (ancient) Slavery Sphinx

Athina Bali

Match and Learn the Greek Gods

The book contains colourful stickers and illustrations. Each page shows a description of the god and the child needs to put the right sticker. Furthermore there are several stories in the book containing moral lessons on team work, wining and losing, respecting nature etc.(...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena/ Athene Demeter Hephaestus Hera Hermes Hestia Poseidon Zeus

Margaret Mahy

In Memory, nineteen-year old Jonny Dart is a dancer suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Some years before, his sister Janine, also a dancer, had fallen from a cliff while playing a game with Jonny and their friend, Bonny Benedicta, in which Jonny was the ‘wolfman,’ and Bonny the ‘pythoness,’ or the ‘oracle’. Jonny, who resented his family’s favouritism towards his sister, is haunted by the thought that he might have pushed Janine, and develops(...)

YEAR: 1987

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Dionysus Oracles Pythoness Sibyl Sophia

Marcia Dorothy Williams

Mini Greek Myths (Series): Daedalus and Icarus & Orpheus and Eurydice

This short book contains two stories previously published in a longer collection by the same author. Like other books in the same series, the main body of the book is taken up with one story, while around a third of the book comprises a shorter retelling. The first story, Daedalus and Icarus, is told in a series of short chapters. Daedalus is presented as a craftsman renowned for his skills who boasts about his achievements. When his nephew, Talos, turns out to be a craftsman whose skills e(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athena/ Athene Athens Crete Daedalus Eurydice Hades Icarus Metamorphosis Minos Minotaur Orpheus Persephone Talos Theseus

Marcia Dorothy Williams

Mini Greek Myths (Series): The Twelve Tasks of Heracles & Arion and the Dolphins

The main body of this short book is taken up with the labours of Heracles. Williams starts off with his origins as the child of Alcmene and Zeus, and the jealousy of Zeus’s wife, Hera, at her husband’s infidelity. Williams tells how, having failed to kill the baby Heracles by sending snakes to his cot, she turns the adult Heracles mad so that he kills his many children by an unnamed wife. After his wife sends him away due to his actions, he consults with a priestess who tells him tha(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Arion Cerberus Corinth Crete’ Dolphins Erymanthean Boar Eurystheus Hera Heracles / Herakles Hydra Mycenae Nemean lion Periander Snakes Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

Marcia Dorothy Williams

Mini Greek Myths (Series): Theseus and the Minotaur & Arachne versus Athene

Like other books in the set of retellings of ancient Greek myths taken from Marcia William’s 1991 collection Greek Myths for Young Children, the current volume is divided into two sections. The first contains Williams’ retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur. The second, shorter, section, derails with Arachne’s’ contest at spinning with Athene. In the first section, divided into short chapters, Theseus sails from Athens to Crete as one of the set of young men and women(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aegeus Arachne Ariadne Athena/ Athene Athens Crete Metamorphosis Minos Minotaur Naxos Theseus

Russ Daff

Mini Myth (Series, Book 1): Perseus and Medusa

The story begins with King Acrisius locking his daughter Danae in a tower to prevent the fulfillment of a prophecy that she will conceive a child who will kill him. Meanwhile Zeus decides to teach him a lesson. He sends her energy (which appears like bright light) and she conceives a baby. As a result, she is cast away on the sea by her father, but Poseidon helps them arrive safely at the shore of Seriphos. When Perseus grows up, the King of Seriphos grows jealous of the brave Perseus and become(...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athena/ Athene Danae Medusa Mythology Pegasus Perseus Zeus

Russ Daff

Mini Myth (Series, Book 2): Perseus and Andromeda

This is the second book in Russ Daff’s Mini Myth series, which retells myths in comic form for children. The first book introduced Perseus and his quest to slay Medusa. This book continues the adventures of Perseus. At the end of the previous book, Perseus was rewarded by Zeus with Pegasus, the flying horse. In this book, Perseus arrives at Joppa and saves Princess Andromeda. Andromeda’s mother vainly boasts that her daughter is more beautiful than the sea nymphs. The nymphs are angr(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Andromeda Aphrodite Athena/ Athene Cassiopeia Danae Hera Mythology Pegasus Perseus Poseidon Zeus

Russ Daff

Mini Myth (Series, Book 3): Theseus and the Minotaur

This is the third book in Russ Daff’s Mini Myth series, which retells myths in comic form for children. In this book, Theseus is leading a group of young men who fight bandits and monsters. When they return to Athens, he hears about the horrible tribute Athens must pay to Crete. Theseus volunteers to go to Crete and save his kingdom. Ariadne, who is under Aphrodite’s love spell, helps Theseus to find his way in the labyrinth. Theseus then kills the Minotaur and the group escape to Cr(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Ariadne Athena/ Athene Minos Minotaur Mythology Poseidon Theseus Zeus

Yaël Farber

Klytemnestra appears before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and admits murdering her husband. She considers the murder as an act of bravery, and her husband’s destiny. Her daughter, Elektra, then takes the floor and expresses her displeasure and indignation at her mother’s deeds. Both mother and daughter are now committed to the process of unearthing the past. They take us to a period when Elektra was seven years old. The murder is re-enacted. Because of the brutal kill(...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aegisthus Aeschylus Agamemnon Clytemnestra Electra Orestes Sophocles

Shoo Rayner

Monster Boy (Series, Book 8): Minotaur Maze

Monster Boy: Minotaur Maze is the 8th in a series of chapter books for early readers, in which the protagonist, Connor, is the Ministry of Monster’s number one secret agent, helping keep peace in the forest where they all live. Connor’s mother is a gargoyle, and his father is a human. In Minotaur Maze, while Connor’s parents talk with farmer Maisie whose produce shop lacks customers, Connor is called to his latest Monster Mission when Mino the Minotaur goes missing in the Tangl(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Labyrinth Minotaur

Philip Reeve

SETTINGThree thousand years after Sixty Minute War, a short yet disastrous conflict that caused mass extinction of humans and major geological shifts, a part of the surviving civilization lives in the so-called traction cities, following the laws of Municipal Darwinism. These monstrous tank-like cities roam the arid lands of Europe, called the Great Hunting Ground, ravishing soil by gathering whatever they deem necessary not only for survival, but also for prosperity. There is a saying – &(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gorgon’s Gaze Medusa Medusa’s Gaze Pandora Pandora’s Box

Saviour Pirotta

My Cousin the Minotaur: A Greek Myth Retold

This book was originally an interactive e-book, written for Fiction Express website, which allows readers to determine the plot of a story.The story follows princess Chloe who discovers that her cousin, Alexander from Axos, was cursed by the gods (as a punishment for his father’s offence to them) and turned into a hideous Minotaur. In order to save him, Chloe must travel to Mount Olympus and gather the necessary ingredients for an antidote. In the end, she succeeds, together with a servant(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Minotaur Theseus

Thiago de Moraes

Myth Atlas: maps and monsters, heroes and gods from twelve mythological worlds

With its high quality production values, including lavish, detailed illustrations, a hardback cover and generous 33 cm tall pages, de Moraes’ Myth Atlas has the dimensions and desirability of a coffee table book. The title page ‘The Worlds of Myth’ uses a map of the world to introduce and geographically locate the twelve cultures which are showcased in the text: the Native North Americans, the Aztecs, the Irish, the South American Yanomami, the Yoruba of Western Africa, th(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gods Golden Fleece Hades Heracles / Herakles Heroes Jason Monsters Mythology Odysseus/ Ulysses Olympians Olympus Oracles Pegasus Theogony Titans Underworld Zeus

Kate McMullan , Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 10): Get Lost, Odysseus!

This is the tenth book in the Myth-O-Mania series. In this series, Hades is the narrator who promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. In this book, Hades narrates Odysseus’ voyage. Hades clams that Zeus wrote down that it was he who helped Odysseus get home after the Trojan War. Hades (...)

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athena/ Athene Calypso Cerberus Circe Hades Hermes Odysseus/ Ulysses Penelope Persephone Polyphemus Poseidon Telemachus Zeus

Kate McMullan , Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 2): Phone Home Persephone!

This is the second book in the Myth-O-Mania series, which offer alternative versions of the Greek myths, narrated by Hades. Hades, who is a self-professed shy and serious god, promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. Hades’ versions offer the ‘true’ story of the myths.This book (...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cerberus Charon Demeter Furies Hades Hera Hypnos Minos Persephone Zeus

Kate McMullan , Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 3): Say Cheese Medusa!

This is the third book in the Myth-O-Mania series, which offer alternative versions of the Greek myths, narrated by Hades. Hades, who is a self-professed shy and serious god, promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. Hades’ versions offer the ‘true’ story of the myths.In his book(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athena/ Athene Charon Danae Furies Hades Medusa Persephone Perseus Phorcys Poseidon Zeus

Kate McMullan , Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 4): Nice Shot, Cupid!

This is the fourth book in the Myth-O-Mania series, which offer alternative versions of the Greek myths, narrated by Hades. Hades, who is a self-professed shy and serious god, promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. Hades’ versions offer the ‘true’ story of the myths.In this bo(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Cupid Furies Hades Persephone Psyche Zephyr Zeus

Kate McMullan , Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 5): Stop that Bull, Theseus!

This is the fifth book in the Myth-O-Mania series. In this series, Hades is the narrator who promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. In this book, Hades reveals the truth behind the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Hades claims that the Minotaur was actually Zeus’ grandson (Pasiphae (...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aegeus Aethra Ariadne Cupid Daedalus Dionysus Furies Hades Icarus Labyrinth Medea Minos Minotaur Poseidon Procrustes Sciron Sinis Zephyr Zeus

Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 7): Get to Work, Hercules!

This is the seventh book in the Myth-O-Mania series, which offer alternative versions of the Greek myths, narrated by Hades. Hades, who is a self-professed shy and serious god, promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. Hades’ versions offer the ‘true’ story of the myths.In this b(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alcmene Artemis Athena/ Athene Augean Stables Hades Hera Hercules Hippolyta Hydra Persephone Stymphalian Birds Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

Kate McMullan , Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 8): Go for the Gold, Atalanta!

This is the eights book in the Myth-O-Mania series, which offer alternative versions of the Greek myths, narrated by Hades. Hades, who is a self-professed shy and serious god, promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. Hades’ versions offer the ‘true’ story of the myths.In this bo(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Artemis Atalanta Atropos Calydonian Boar Castor Clotho Hades Hera Hercules Lachesis Melanion Meleager Peleus Persephone Polydeuces Theseus

Kate McMullan , Denis Zilber

Myth-O-Mania (Series, Book 9): Hit the Road, Helen!

This is the ninth book in the Myth-O-Mania series. In this series, Hades is the narrator who promises to tell the whole truth about the Greek myth; he claims that his brother, Zeus, is a myth-o-maniac (that is, a liar) and that he fabricated the myths and wrote his version so that he and his children will appear noble and praiseworthy. In this book, Hades tells the story of Helen of Troy. Hades claims that in his version, Zeus put the blame for the Trojan War on Helen. Yet Hades claims, tha(...)

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Agamemnon Aphrodite Apollo Athena/ Athene Cassandra Cupid Hades Hector Helen Hephaestus Hera Paris Poseidon Priam Trojan War Zeus

Nick Harris, Nicki Palin, David Wyatt

Mythology Code Writing Kit (Ology Stationary Kit)

This is an attractive set. The purpose is for the players to create their own secret messages using the different codes. On the inside cover there is a note from John, who hopes that whoever finds this kit writes down their own adventures, and not succumb to greed as he did. The players are encouraged to use various forms of expressions for their secret messages. For example, the use of vase painting to convey ideas (there are stickers of such vases), or writing their names in the Greek alphabet(...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Argonauts Constellations Harpies Heracles / Herakles Hercules Medusa Minotaur Olympians Theseus Trojan Horse (wooden)

Sandra Lawrence , Emma Trithart

Myths and Legends

Sandra Lawrence's Myths and Legends is relatively unusual amongst children's myth books in that it places more emphasis on comparative mythology than on story-telling. The book's five sections are arranged to stress features shared in common across myths, such as journeys, creation, trees, tricksters, and solar chariots. Some myths are told in summary form to demonstrate the story types that are being introduced (King Arthur: The Once and Future King and Theseus: The Highly-Strung He(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alcmene Apples of the Hesperides Argo Argonauts Ariadne Athena/ Athene Atlantis Bellerophon Chimera Creation myths Crete Cupid Demeter Egypt Eurystheus Golden Fleece Gorgon Greek mythology Hades Harpies Helios Hera Heracles / Herakles Hermes Heroes Hestia Jason Labyrinth Lernaean Hydra Lightening Medusa Mercury Minos Minotaur Mount Olympus Pandora Pandora’s Box Pegasus Persephone Poseidon Psyche Ra Stymphalian Birds Theseus Twelve Labours of Heracles Venus Zeus

Sally Grindley, Nilesh Mistry

Myths and Legends (Series): Myths, Pandora and The Mystery Box

This is a retelling of the myth of Pandora’s box. The story briefly narrates the creation of the primordial world, then the emergence of the Titans and their war with the gods. Men are then created by Prometheus and Athena. Next, after Epimetheus gives all of Mother Earth’s gifts to the animals, Prometheus sets out to steal the fire for mankind. Zeus is angry with mankind for their use of fire and decides to punish them. Zeus creates the female Pandora and the other gods grant her gi(...)

YEAR: 2000

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athena/ Athene Epimetheus Pandora Prometheus Zeus

Geraldine McCaughrean, Bee Willey

Myths and Legends of the World: The Bronze Cauldron

The book is offers a Retelling of myths from around the world, suitable for children of all ages. (Among the myth we have stories from Mayan culture, Papua New Guinea, Inuit tale, Japanese and more).(...)

YEAR: 1997

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cupid Greek mythology Hades Jupiter Psyche Roman mythology Sisyphus Typhon Venus Zephyr Zeus

José Daniel Cabrera Peña, Neil Smith

Myths and Legends: Jason and the Argonauts

The book details with the quest of Jason and the Argonauts in great detail, accompanied by original paintings by the illustrator as well as maps and photos from other sources. The main story is narrated in the middle, yet there are excerpts in several chapters which illuminate other key points of the story, such as the Golden Fleece, the list of Argonauts, Jason in movies etc. This is not a fiction but rather a narration of the myth aimed at older readership. The book includes an introduction on(...)

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Aphrodite Ares Argonauts Athena/ Athene Circe Golden Fleece Harpies Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Jason Medea Pelias Talos

Neil Gaiman

Richard Mayhew is a young businessman recently moved to London where his job is almost as dull as his fiancé, a demanding and over-bearing social climber. One night he stumbles over a girl lying injured on the sidewalk. When he stops to help her, he inadvertently opens himself up to a second fantastical world – London Below, an underworld city that shadows the real London. Neverwhere involves a character descending into the Underworld, Odysseus-like, to see what lies beyond the ever(...)

YEAR: 1996

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cerberus Labyrinth Lamia Minotaur Mithras Odyssey Satan Succubus Underworld

Alexandra Sheppard

Oh My Gods is set in a fictional modern day in which the Greek Gods continue to exist although they are no longer worshipped. Zeus, and a host of other deities including Eros, Aphrodite and Apollo, have chosen to abandon the tedium of with Mount Olympus in favour of living a near-mortal life on Earth, incognito. In the spirit of mythological tradition Zeus has continued to procreate with mortal women into the 21st century. In this novel we follow his 14 years old, half-mortal daughter Helen whos(...)

YEAR: 2019

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Apollo Athena/ Athene Eros Hades Half-mortals Hermes Mount Olympus Zeus

Shoo Rayner

Olympia (Series, Book 1): Run Like the Wind

Run Like the Wind is the first in author-illustrator Shoo Rayner’s Olympia series of chapter books, which show what life was like for ordinary children in Ancient Greece. It features Olly, whose father runs the gymnasium where the great athletes train, and who dreams of being an Olympic champion, if only he can beat his arch-enemy, Spiro. The story opens with Olly being chased through the streets of Athens by Spiro’s dog, Kerberos, who hates Olly even more than his own(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Hermes Kerberos Olympia Olympic Games

Shoo Rayner

Olympia (Series, Book 2): Wrestle to Victory

Wrestle to Victory is the second in author-illustrator Shoo Rayner’s Olympia series of chapter books, which show what life was like for ordinary children in Ancient Greece. It features Olly, whose father runs the gymnasium where the great athletes train, and who dreams of being an Olympic champion, if only he can beat his arch-enemy, Spiro. Olly has to give in to Spiro this time, and promises to do his errands for a week. The first errand involves taking a parcel to Simonede(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Archimedes Heracles / Herakles Olympia Olympic Games

Shoo Rayner

Olympia (Series, Book 3): Jump for Glory

Jump for Glory is the third in author-illustrator Shoo Rayner’s Olympia series of chapter books, which show what life was like for ordinary children in Ancient Greece. It features a boy named Olly, whose father runs the gymnasium where the great athletes train, and who dreams of being an Olympic champion. In Jump for Glory, Olly and Spiro (his ‘arch-enemy’) watch the athlete Makedon practising the long-jump: he runs, holding a large stone in each hand, then as he(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Olympia Pityocamptes Sinis Theseus

Shoo Rayner

Olympia (Series, Book 5): Swim for your Life

Swim for Your Life is the fifth in author-illustrator Shoo Rayner’s Olympia series of chapter books, which show what life was like for ordinary children in Ancient Greece. It features a boy named Olly, whose father runs the gymnasium where the great athletes train, and who dreams of being an Olympic champion. In Swim for Your Life, the athletes are preparing for a swimming race, and making sacrifices to the river god, Alfeios (Alpheus). Olly and Spiro, his rival, have the mo(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Alfeios Alpheus Artemis Cerberus Olympia Olympic Games Orion Sacrifice

Shoo Rayner

Olympia (Series, Book 6): Race for the Stars

Race for the Stars is the sixth in author-illustrator Shoo Rayner’s Olympia series of chapter books which show what life was like for ordinary children in Ancient Greece. It features Olly, whose father runs the gymnasium where the great athletes train, and who dreams of being an Olympic champion. In Race for the Stars, Olly’s sister Chloe, who has an affinity with animals, wants to enter the Junior chariot race. Though women and girls are not allowed to race, horse and(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Artemis Cerberus Chariot Racing Olympia Olympic Games Orion

Shoo Rayner

Olympia (Series, Book 7): On the Ball

On the Ball is the seventh in author-illustrator Shoo Rayner’s Olympia series of chapter books, which show what life was like for ordinary children in Ancient Greece. It features Olly, whose father runs the gymnasium where the great athletes train, and who dreams of being an Olympic champion. In On the Ball, the athletes are having a break from their training, and playing a Spartan ball game called episkyros, for a bit of fun. Olly watches excitedly as they play, and the rul(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Episkyros Eurydice Olympia Olympic Games Orpheus Sacrifice

Shoo Rayner

Olympia (Series, Book 8): Deadly Target

Deadly Target is the eighth in author-illustrator Shoo Rayner’s Olympia series of chapter books, which show what life was like for ordinary children in Ancient Greece. It features Olly, whose father runs the gymnasium where the great athletes train, and who dreams of being an Olympic champion, if only he can beat his arch-enemy, Spiro. The story opens with ‘Eggy,’ the Olympic champion training Olly and Spiro to throw spears and javelins. They have to throw t(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Artemis Cephalus Kerberus Olympia Olympic Games Procris Zeus

Nick Willing

In a strange world where gods have been banished and jailed in the Underworld and their gigantic statues lie shattered on the ground in the realm of the living, a young man tries to find his destiny with the help of, or in spite of hindrance, deception and manipulation by, people he meets who try to use him for their own purposes. Against all odds he manages to conquer even the inexorable Time and unexpectedly frees Zeus from captivity in the depths of Hades: Zeus who has the young man’s f(...)

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: Canada United Kingdom

TAGS: Aegeus Anagnorisis Ariadne Chronos Circe Cyclops / Cyclopes Daedalus Dionysus Gaia / Gaea Hades Hero Medea Minos Mythical creatures Nymphs Olympian gods Oracle of Gaia Oracles Pandora Pandora’s Tomb Ring of the Magi Zeus

Caroline Bruce Cooney

On the Seas to Troy / Goddess of Yesterday: A Tale of Troy

Six-year-old Anaxandra is abducted from her family’s humble island by a pirate king named Nicander. After inadvertently revealing the location of her father’s hidden treasure hoard, she loses all value as a hostage, but remains in the household of Nicander, who turns out to be a kind man.Anaxandra grows up as a playmate for his sickly daughter Callisto. But when she is twelve, another band of pirates attacks Siphnos, slaughter Nicander and lay waste to his kingdom. Miraculously, Anax(...)

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Euneus Hector Helen Hermione Medusa Menelaus Paris Trojan War Troy

Emma Chichester Clark, Geraldine McCaughrean

Orchard Book of Roman Myths

This is a retelling of Roman myths, meant for ages 9-12, that takes the readers through a fantastic journey of cultural transition, from Troy to Rome. It combines some tales of Greek mythology with Roman myths (Romulus and Remus, The Sibylline prophecies, Tages, Camillus, Lara, the Sabine Women, Aeneas). The chapters of the book are as follows:Introduction: explains how the Romans translated the Greek gods, creating their own mythology where the main concept was ‘duty’. 1) The O(...)

YEAR: 1999

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aeneas Apollo Baucis Camillus Carthage Ceres Cupbearer Diana Dido Endymion Erisychthon Falernus Ganymede of Troy Gaul Greek mythology Italy Juno Jupiter King of the Gods Lara Lares Liber Mars Mercury Nymphs Olympians Orion Philemon Pleiades Remus Rhea Silvia Roman mythology Rome Romulus Sabine She-wolf Sibylline Books Sirius Tages Tarchon Tarquin the Proud Tiber Troy Veii Venus Vesta Vulcan

John Pepper Clark

In Ozidi, J. P. Clark depicts a series of crises in the state of Orua. The play begins with the Story-Teller, who reminiscences the death of six kings in four years in the state of Orua. The Story-Teller also relates the need for a new king on the vacant throne. The council of elders of the land (Ofe, The Short, Azezabife, The Skeleton, Agbogidi, The Nude and Oguaran, The Giant) do not listen to the elders’ plea that time be taken to select a new king. On their own decision, they proceed w(...)

YEAR: 1966

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Mythology

Victoria Turnbull

Pandora is a story of a lonely she-fox living in complete isolation in the land of broken things. As she has no one to talk to or spend time with, she keeps busy gathering and fixing all broken things that she finds outside (we see a broken bicycle, a tv set, furniture, etc.). For example she tries to bring a teddy bear “back to life”, by mending his ripped back. But even the coziest home that Pandora managed to make for herself does not bring life to the land of broken things.&(...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Greek mythology Pandora

Carla Faraldo, Diana Nemesu

Pandora and Earl: A Christmas Tale

It’s Christmastime and there’s a box with Pandora’s name on it waiting under the tree. Earl, Pandora’s stuffed owl, wonders what’s in the box. Pandora shakes it, trying to figure out what’s inside. Earl convinces Pandora to open it before Christmas. There’s a note inside telling Pandora to put the box back or she would get nothing. The next morning, on Christmas day, Pandora opens her gift, assuming it would actually be empty because she had peeked, but (...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Greek mythology Pandora

Marcia Dorothy Williams

Pandora’s Box & Perseus and the Gorgon’s Head

This book offers an adapted retelling of myths for children. The stories included are the creation of humanity by Prometheus, Prometheus and the sacrifice to Zeus, Prometheus and the gift of fire, Pandora’s box, Perseus and the slaying of Medusa. There are little illustrations (cartoonish in style) which accompany the short stories (about 4 pages per story). The illustrations appear on almost every page.(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Danae Epimetheus Medusa Pandora Perseus Prometheus Zeus

Gary Renison

Pandora’s Socks

Pandora Johnson receives a new chest of drawers with a secret locked inside. She and her friend, Lucy, learn that sometimes it’s better to leave things alone after they open the drawer and enchanted socks escape, wreaking havoc all around.(...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Greek mythology Pandora

Mclean Kendree, Cari Meister

Pandora’s Vase

A retelling of the story of Pandora’s vase accompanied by illustrations. It includes a cast of characters and glossary page of important words. It begins with a bit of background about the Olympians fighting the Titans and winning, continuing with how, after the war, Zeus had Prometheus and Epimetheus create animals and men to populate earth. Prometheus then stole fire from Olympus to keep the men warm. Zeus, in response, said that Prometheus and mankind would suffer. He then bound Prometh(...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Epimetheus Hephaestus Olympians Pandora Prometheus Titans Zeus

Kate O’Hearn

Pegasus (Series, Book 1): Pegasus and the Flame

This is the first installment in the Pegasus series. While the main protagonist, Emily Jacobs, is not a descendant of the gods, she is nonetheless a special Olympian deity, called “the daughter of Vesta” and “the flame of Olympus”.The main characters are Emily, a thirteen years old girl who recently lost her mother and whose police officer father works long hours; the class bully, Joel, who is interested in myths; and an Olympian thief named Paelen, who tried to ste(...)

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Diana Heracles / Herakles Hercules Juno Jupiter Mars Mercury Pegasus

Kate O’Hearn

Pegasus (Series, Book 2): Pegasus and the Fight for Olympus

This is the second installment in the Pegasus series. For more on this series, see the entry on Pegasus and the Flame.After saving Olympus, our heroes, Emily, Paelen and Joel, together with Pegasus, are still nonetheless facing constant threats from the Nirads. They need to return to earth to save Emily’s father, who is being held by CRU. They are also being assisted by the charming Cupid, who causes some tension within the group. Cupid relies on his charm, yet he is an aloof Olympian(...)

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Cupid Diana Euryale Gorgon Heracles / Herakles Hercules Jupiter Medusa Neptune Pegasus Perseus Stheno Venus Vesta

Kate O’Hearn

Pegasus (Series, Book 3): Pegasus and the New Olympians

The story begins with an Olympian football match, suggested by the mortal Joel. During the game, when Joel is kissed by the mischievous Sphinx, Emily realizes she is jealous yet is reluctant to acknowledge her growing affection for Joel. Meanwhile Emily continues her struggle with her power. She discovers that besides the power of the flame, she might possess more mysterious powers which could make objects disappear. That is why she is afraid she might hurt her friends. Meanwhile her father acts(...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Diana Hercules Jupiter Neptune Pegasus Pluto Sphinx Vesta

Kate O’Hearn

Pegasus (Series, Book 4): Pegasus and the Origins of Olympus

This is the fourth book in the Pegasus series, which follows the adventures of Emily, a mortal girl from New York who one day discovers wounded Pegasus on her rooftop. Via various adventures, Emily travels from Earth to Olympus and discovers that she is not mortal, but a divinity known as the flame of Olympus. With the help of her mortal and Olympian friends, Emily tries to maintain peace in both worlds.In the last book, while threatened by government secret agents named CRU (Central Research Un(...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Chiron Diana Jupiter Kastallia Spring Mars Neptune Pegasus Pluto Prometheus Saturn Venus Vesta Vulcan

Kate O’Hearn

Pegasus (Series, Book 5): The Rise of the Titans

This is the fifth book in the Pegasus series, which follows the adventures of Emily, a mortal girl from New York who one day discovers wounded Pegasus on her rooftop. Via various adventures, Emily travels from Earth to Olympus and discovers that she is not mortal, but a divinity known as the flame of Olympus. With the help of her mortal and Olympian friends, Emily tries to maintain peace in both worlds. In the last book, Emily discovered she is actually a remnant of an ancient and wise race name(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Chiron Diana Hyperion Jupiter Neptune Pegasus Pluto Saturn Venus Vesta

Kate O’Hearn

Pegasus (Series, Book 6): The End of Olympus

This is the sixth and final book in the Pegasus series, which follows the adventures of Emily, a mortal girl from New York who one day discovers a wounded Pegasus on her rooftop. In the previous book, Emily and her friends went to Hawaii and later Emily and the Xan Riza who lived inside of her were separated into two different bodies. Lorin, the Titan who also inherited part of Riza’s Xan powers returned to Olympus with them and Emily must teach her how to control her powers with compassio(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cupid Diana Hyperion Jupiter Pegasus Saturn Urania Vulcan

Terence (Terry) David John Pratchett

Pyramids is set in the fictional Djelibeybi (or the Djel), the tiny, powerless remains of an empire whose only importance is as a strategic block between its neighbours, Tsort and Ephebe. Pteppic/Teppic, the crown prince, has been training at the Assassin’s Guild in Ankh-Morpork. Returning to the kingdom following his father’s death, Teppic discovers that he has no real power, and the real ruler is Dios, the ancient high priest. After an unfortunate series of misunderstandings in whi(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Ancient Religious Practices Aristophanes Aristotle Athens Cleopatra Democracy Egypt Egyptian mythology Founding Legends Greek mythology Greek philosophy Homer Plato Ptolemaic Egypt Pythagoras Roman mythology Sacrifice Sparta Sphinx Symposium Thermopylae Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Warfare Xeno

Joseph Rudyard Kipling

An introductory note preceding the story explains that the Roman general Regulus, about whom Horace wrote the Ode 3, 5, was captured by Carthaginians and then sent to Rome to negotiate on their behalf. Regulus convinced the Senate not to negotiate with his captors, knowing well that in retaliation, they would torture and kill him. At United Services College in Westward Ho!, the Latin teacher Mr. King asks Fifth Form students preparing for the entry exam to military colleges to translate the(...)

YEAR: 1917

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Classics vs. Modern in education Common points between Rome and British Empire Horace Importance of classics for education Patriotic virtues Regulus Roman virtues Teaching Latin

Steve Cole

Secret Agent Mummy (Series, Book 3): Hieroglyphs of Horror

The Secret Agent Mummy texts are based on the premise that the gods of ancient Egypt are in fact aliens from the planet KaBa. Along with a retinue of other creatures, both good and evil, they came to Earth to be worshipped, and some are still around today. The mummified Sam (an acronym of Secret Agent Mummy) protected the Pharaohs in antiquity, and has remained on Earth to combat the monsters from KaBa, who seek world domination. He is assisted by his unique pets, Mumbum, a mummified dog eq(...)

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Artefacts Cats Crocodiles Egypt Hieroglyphs Mummies Ra Sobek

Giles Andreae, Korky Paul

Sir Scallywag (Series): Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants / Sir Scallywag and the Deadly Dragon Poo / Sir Scallywag and the Battle of Stinky Bottom

The Sir Scallywag series is set in a Northern European fantasy medieval environment, focused on the inept King Colin and his best knight, six-year old Sir Scallywag. In Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants, Scallywag ventures to retrieve the king's underwear from a thieving giant. In Sir Scallywag and the Deadly Dragon Poo, Scallywag leads the defence of the kingdom when it is attacked by Baron Greedyguts. In Sir Scallywag and the Battle of Stinky Bottom, the king discovers a book which p(...)

YEAR: 2012 / 2014 / 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Architecture Greek language

Anthony ("Tony") Robinson, Del Thorpe

Sir Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders (Series): Greeks

This work is a humorous introduction to the history and culture of ancient Greece. There is significant focus on classical Greece, although there is also some material on the career of Alexander the Great, followed by brief sections on the Hellenistic world and the coming of Rome. In keeping with book's title and the rest of the series of which it is a part, the representation of ancient culture focuses on things that appear eccentric, funny, cruel, or disgusting by modern Western standards.(...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Apples of the Hesperides Architecture Athena/ Athene Athens Centaurs Comedy Cyclops / Cyclopes Graeco-Persian wars Greek history Greek music Greek mythology Greek theatre Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Homer Laurel wreath Minos Minotaur Odysseus/ Ulysses Olympic Games Pandora Pandora’s Box Polyphemus Poseidon Slavery Tragedy Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

Peter Bull Art Studio , Sarah Kahn

Spot the... (Series): Spot the Mummy in the Museum

Each volume in the Spot the... series presents children with an environment to explore. Greco-Roman culture forms a prominent part of the environment in this edition, which is set in a museum. Each double-page spread in the books in this series depicts a scene from the specified environment which children search to find the themed object; in this case they search for the mummy in each room of the museum. Each double-page also picks out approximately five objects that are specific to that scene f(...)

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Architecture Artemis Asclepius / Asklepios Comedy Egypt Gladiator games Gods Greek art Greek history Greek language Greek music Greek mythology Greek philosophy Greek theatre Greek tragedy Laurel wreath Mycenae Pegasus Roman history

Lisa Jane Gillespie , Emi Ordas

Sticker Greek Myths

Each 1 or 2-page section of Sticker Greek Myths presents a scene of figures within an ancient environment, accompanied by approximately fifty words of explanatory text. The child reader/viewer is invited to use stickers that are specific to that section to build-up the scene. The stickers typically feature clothing and accessories such as weapons and ropes, and scene-specific items such as Heracles' lion-skin cloak and the Chimera's heads.1 Mount Olympus: This section introduces the(...)

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Afterlife Apollo Architecture Argo Argonauts Ariadne Artemis Atalanta Athena/ Athene Athens Bellerophon Chimaera Chimera Classical studies Crete Cyclops / Cyclopes Daedalus Demeter Diana Dionysus Gods Golden Fleece Greek mythology Hades Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Hermes' winged boots Hippolyta Icarus Jason Juno Jupiter Katabasis Labyrinth Laurel wreath Maze Medusa Mercury Midas Minerva Minos Minotaur Mythology Neptune Odysseus/ Ulysses Odyssey Olympus Orpheus Pegasus Persephone Perseus Pluto Polyphemus Poseidon Proserpina Reception of classical antiquity Sirens Theseus Twelve Labours of Heracles Underworld Zeus

Jean-Sébastien Deheeger , Louie Stowell

Sticker Romans is part of the Dress-up Sticker Books for the Usborne Activities Series. Similar to the Sticker Greek Myths book, also catalogued in this database, the book features a number of inhabitants of Ancient Rome in their underwear who can be dressed in clothing facilitated by the single purpose stickers located in the last ten pages of the book. Each double-page represents a particular scene from Rome, like the forum or a villa, so that a variety of characters––from gladiato(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gladiators Heroism Roman clothing Roman Daily Life Roman weapons Romans Rome (ancient) Senators Slaves

Shahrukh Husain , Bee Willey

Stories from Ancient Civilisations (Series): Stories from Ancient Civilisations: Greece

This retelling of a selection of classical myths begins with a section on the importance of myth for ancient peoples, including as a means to explain aspects of the world and to explain concepts such as deities, who, Husain writes, were taken as ‘seriously’ (p. 4) in antiquity as they are by religious people today. The author states that these stories were transmitted orally until they came to be written down, notably by Hesiod (dated here to c. 700 BCE), Homer (dated to 750-25 BCE),(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Athena/ Athene Bellerophon Demeter Eurynome/Eurynomes Gaia / Gaea Hades Hercules Judgement of Paris Persephone Poseidon Theseus Zeus

Enid Blyton, Anne Johnstone, Janet Johnstone

Tales of Long Ago

This is a collection of short stories "retold by Enid Blyton" for children. Half are drawn from Greek mythology, half from Arabian Nights.Tales from Ancient Greece:Pandora and the Whispering BoxPhaeton and the Sun-HorsesProserpina and the King of the UnderworldThe Maiden and the Laurel TreeThe Watchman with a Hundred EyesThe Story of Echo and NarcissusThe King with the Golden TouchThe Story of Orpheus and EurydiceClytie, the Sunflower MaidenThe Story of Baucis and PhilemonThe Statue th(...)

YEAR: 1965

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aetiology Aphrodite Apollo Arachne Athena/ Athene Cupid Daedalus Daphne Demeter Echo Eros Greek mythology Hades Hera Hermes Hyacinthus Icarus Juno Laurel wreath Mercury Metamorphosis Midas Narcissus Orpheus Pandora Pandora’s Box Persephone Phaethon Pluto Proserpina Psyche Pygmalion

William Terence Deary, Dave Smith, Michael Tickner

Terry Deary's Best Ever Greek Legends (1st published as: Top Ten Greek Legends)

This is a collection of humorous retellings of myths for children designed to introduce them to Greek mythology and to ancient culture more broadly. Many of the stories are told from unusual perspectives and they are delivered in a variety of literary forms and fonts.Contents:Introduction.Legend 1: Zeus. Hera's Tale. The myth of Io told with Hera narrating events from her perspective.Fantastic Facts 1: 10 Best Victims. Summaries of myths of: Semele, Aphrodite, Echo, Nemesis, Europa, Danae, T(...)

YEAR: 2014 / 1998

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Aetiology Agamemnon Andromeda Aphrodite Apollo Apples of the Hesperides Arachne Ares Ariadne Artemis Athena/ Athene Athens Atlas Centaurs Cerberus Chiron Cyclops / Cyclopes Daedalus Demeter Diomedes Dionysus Erinyes Eurydice Furies Golden Fleece Greek mythology Greek tragedy Hades Harpies Hector Hephaestus Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Hermes' winged boots Icarus Jason Katabasis Medea Medusa Midas Minos Minotaur Narcissus Odysseus/ Ulysses Orpheus Pandora Pandora’s Box Perseus Phaethon Polyphemus Poseidon Prometheus Sirens Slavery Sphinx Telemachus Theatre Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Twelve Labours of Heracles Witches Zeus

Mark Bergin, Peter Hepplewhite, David Salariya

The Adventures of Perseus

The story begins from the birth of Perseus, from the prophecy of the death of King Acrisius of Argos by the hand of his daughter Danae’s son. Zeus falls on Danae in the form of a golden shower and their son Perseus is born. Acrisius puts his daughter and grandson into a wooden chest and throws them to the sea. The unfortunate pair are rescued by Zeus, Poseidon, and the fisherman Dictys. The King of Seriphos, Polydectes, brother of Dictys, falls in love with Perseus's mother. He asks Pe(...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Acrisius Agenor Apollo Athena/ Athene Atlas Danae Delphic Oracle Gorgons Graeae Sisters Hermes Medusa Perseus Polydectes Poseidon Titans Zeus

Stephen Cartwright, Claudia Zeff

The Amazing Adventures of Hercules (Usborne Young Reading Series. Series 2)

This illustrated storybook is written with deliberately simple language for those learning to read. It belongs to a series that contains many examples of traditional myths and simplified versions of classic literature. The books tells the story of Hercules' youth and the famous Twelve Labours, divided into chapters as follows:Chapter 1. The Jealous Goddess. Chapter 2. The Tasks Begin. Chapter 3. A Stag and a Boar. Chapter 4. Rivers and Birds. Chapter 5. Bulls and Hor(...)

YEAR: 1982

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apples of the Hesperides Architecture Artemis Athena/ Athene Atlas Centaurs Cerberus Charon Crete Diana Gods Greek mythology Hades Hades' Throne Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Hermes' winged boots Juno Katabasis Laurel wreath Lernaean Hydra Minerva Minos Persephone Proserpina Twelve Labours of Heracles Underworld Zeus

John Connolly

The Book of Lost Things

The protagonist, twelve-year-old David, lives in London. Shortly before the start of World War II, his mother dies. The boy is charged with taking care of her books: folk and fairy tales or narratives about knights, dragons, etc. He tries to avoid thinking about these stories, but the books do not allow him to do that, as he begins to hear them talking – the more time passes, the louder they become. When David’s father meets his new partner, Rose, the boy starts to faint and to have (...)

YEAR: 2006

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Harpies Manius Aquillius Mithridates VI Roman Empire Scylla

Carl Gordon, Mike Gordon, Mairi Mackinnon

The Boy Who Cried Wolf (Usborne First Reading Series, Level 3)

This retelling of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a traditional Aesop's Fable, is written in deliberately simple language for those learning to read. The series contains many examples of myths from around the world and simplified versions of classic literature, including those which suggest moral lessons for children to consider.The "boy"' protagonist is called "Sam". He survives the final wolf attack. The story is told through a combination of main narrative and direct speec(...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Greek mythology

Margaret Mahy

The Catalogue of the Universe

In The Catalogue of the Universe, eighteen-year old Christchurch teenagers Angela May and Tycho Potter have finished high school and are considering their futures. Angela lives in an isolated cottage on the hills near the city, with her single mother, Dido. Believing the stories Dido had told her about a doomed romance, Angela tracks down her absent father, Roland Chase, and confronts him, hoping to reunite them. She finds him to be a self-absorbed businessman, for whom his youthful affair with (...)

YEAR: 1985

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Anaxagoras Anaximander Aristarchus of Samos Dido Heraclitus Parmenides Virgil

Margaret Mahy

In The Changeover, 14-year old Laura Chant is the child of divorced parents who are finding new partners. Babysitting her 3-year old brother, Jacko, she goes into the shop of Carmody Braque, an antique dealer who is a lemure, an Ancient Roman vampire. The lemure stamps his image on Jacko’s hand, and takes possession of him, draining him of his life-blood. To defeat the lemure and save her brother, Laura seeks the help of a boy at school whom she knows is interested in her, 17 year old Sore(...)

YEAR: 1984

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Charon Eleusinian Mysteries Katabasis Lemure Orpheus Persephone Underworld

Julia Golding

The Companions Quartet (Series, Book One): Secret of the Sirens

An 11-year-old girl, Connie, is considered a freak because of a strong mutual attraction and affinity she feels for various animals and birds. She has to change schools often and is finally sent to stay with her aunt and continue her education in the small seaside village of Hescombe, in south-west England. It is progressively revealed that creatures we know from mythology are real and live still today but hidden from the majority of people; there is a millennium-old society protecting mythologi(...)

YEAR: 2006

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Child-hero Origins of myth Pegasus See monsters Sirens Unicorn

Eva Ibbotson

The Dragonfly Pool

Motherless Talitha (Tally) is raised by her overworked doctor father and his adoring sisters in London, when she is offered a place at Delderton Hall School, a free-thinking school in Devon (and a version of her own school, Dartington Hall). There, she makes friends with the other students (such as Julia who pines for her absent film-star mother, and who hides her own acting talent), and teachers (Clemmy who poses for Modernist painters; Matteo a naturalist with a hidden past). When Tally goes w(...)

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ancient Greek Demeter Persephone

Ben Okri

The Famished Road

The Famished Road is about the life of an abiku (spirit child), Azaro, in the ghetto of an unnamed city. At the beginning of the novel, Azaro is a spirit child who lives in the spirit world also called the land of the beginning. It is a land of happiness and joy, where all unborn spirits live before they are incarnated into human bodies. In this land, exists a group called the spirit companions (Abikus), who, in order to enjoy the privileges of the spirit world forever, make a pact never to live(...)

YEAR: 1991

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Afterlife Mythology

Diana Wynne Jones

Orphan Hayley Foss lives with her grandparents on the outskirts of London. Homeschooled under the strict control of her grandmother, she lives a lonely and isolated existence. She is not allowed to play with other children, and is only permitted to leave the house to accompany the maid on errands. When he is at home, her grandfather shows her amazing things in his study; from computers and televisions that monitor the daily news, to maps of the world and the solar system. He tells her about the (...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Atlas Golden Apples Harmonia Hermes Jupiter Maenads Merope Pleiades Sisyphus Titans Trojan War Troy

Ola Rotimi

The Gods Are Not to Blame

A first baby, male, is born to king Adetusa and Queen Ojuola of Kutuje. As tradition demands, they take him to the shrine of Ogun for blessings and for the divination of his future. Baba Fakunle, a purblind great seer who is called in for the divination pronounces: “This boy, he will kill his father and then marry his mother”. To avoid these evil events in the land, and with the consent of the parents, the priest of Ogun ties the boy’s legs with a string of cowries and hands hi(...)

YEAR: 1971

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Incest Oedipus Sophocles

Philippe Béha, Glen Huser

The Golden Touch. A Retelling of the Legend of King Midas

The Golden Touch. A Retelling of the Legend of King Midas is a book and CD version of an opera staged in Canada in which over 200 school children performed alongside a Chroma Musika cast accompanied by The Orchestre Symphonique Pop Montréal, with narration from UK comedian Terry Jones. The opera was composed by Greek national Giannis Georgantelis, and was run as a community project under the auspices of the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, and the city of Laval. This w(...)

COUNTRY: Canada United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Architecture Bible Charybdis Classical studies Cyclops / Cyclopes Dionysus Faun Gods Greek music Greek mythology Helen of Troy Midas Mythology Ovid Ovid Metamorphoses Pan Reception of classical antiquity

Gillian Cross, Neil Packer

Gillian Cross' The Iliad opens with events prior to the Trojan War, starting with the three goddesses arguing over the apple. The text then moves on to a retelling of Homer's Iliad itself, before concluding with an "Afterwards" chapter relating Achilles' death, the quarrel over his armour, the wooden horse, Cassandra's insight (Virgil, Aeneid, 2.246), the fall of Troy, Diomedes' and Odysseus' post-Troy journeys, and Agamemnon's murder (see esp. Aeschylus, Ag(...)

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Aeneas Agamemnon Aphrodite Apollo Architecture Ares Artemis Asclepius / Asklepios Athena/ Athene Cassandra Classical studies Eris Gods Greek history Greek language Greek mythology Hector Helen Hera Hermes Homer Iliad Juno Katabasis Menelaus Minerva Odysseus/ Ulysses Odyssey Paris Penelope Reception Thetis Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Troy Underworld Zeus

Alan Gibbons

The Legendeer Trilogy (Series, Book 1): Shadow of the Minotaur

Fourteen year old Phoenix is the only son of John and Christina Graves. His father is a talented computer programmer, and has been headhunted by a shadowy company to be involved in the development of a radical new computer game. The Legendeer game features state of the art virtual reality technology that provides a fully immersive sensory experience, enabling players to smell, eat and drink and feel pain. John has drawn upon the legends told to him by his wife and son, who are passion(...)

YEAR: 2000

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ariadne Daedalus Labyrinth Medea Medusa Minotaur Pan Perseus Theseus

Margaret McAlister

The Lion Classic Aesop's Fables

Fables attributed to Aesop were collated in antiquity by Demetrius of Phaleron, c.300BCE (Diogenes Laertius, 5.80), and passed on through various retellings in antiquity and the medieval, early modern, and modern periods. In this collection of retellings by Margaret McAllister, it is explicitly stated in the inside cover that the stories 'provide a cautionary moral to help young listeners grow clever and wise.' This emphasis on morality and personal development is in-keeping with the pub(...)

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Greek history Greek mythology

Rachel Bright, Jim Field

The Lion Inside

The Lion Inside is a reworked retelling of the Aesop's Fable, The Lion and the Mouse. It is a highly illustrated work in rhyming couplets. The tale opens by introducing both characters; the Lion lives atop a large rock formation, the Mouse in a "tinyful house" underneath. Mouse is small; other animals barely notice that he is there, which makes him sad. Lion, on the other hand, is very loud and ensures that all the animals know how loudly he can roar, how tough he is, how strong he(...)

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Fable Phaedrus

Russell Punter

The Minotaur (Part of the Usborne Young Reading series. Series One - Upper Intermediate)

This book is a retelling of the traditional myth of Theseus and the Minotaur (for which see e.g. Diodorus of Sicily, Library, book 4; Plutarch, Theseus; Apollodorus, Epitome, 1.7; Apollodorus, Library, 3; Ovid, Metamorphoses, 8.155-182). It opens with Aegeus receiving a letter from Minos, and closes with Theseus back in Athens having completed his mission but having lost his father in the process. The primary function of this retelling of ancient myth. is to provide children with reading ma(...)

YEAR: 2009

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Architecture Ariadne Athens Classical studies Crete Dionysus Gods Greek mythology Labyrinth Maze Minos Minotaur Pasiphae Reception Theseus

Theresa Tomlinson

The Moon Riders

This novel follows over a decade in the life of the Moon Riders, a group of warrior priestesses from various tribes who serve the moon goddess Maa and travel across Asia Minor. They are called ‘Amazons’ by outsiders. In particular, the novel focuses on a young Mazagardi Moon Rider named Myrina, and her friendship with the Trojan princess Cassandra. Tomlinson looks at gender politics and freedom from the point of view of a protagonist from an egalitarian society. Told in third person,(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Aethra Amazons Cassandra Chryseis Clytemnestra Hecuba Helen Iphigenia / Iphigeneia Odysseus/ Ulysses Paris Penthesilea Priam Theseus

Neil Gaiman

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Ocean at the End of a Lane is narrated in first person by an unnamed protagonist who, as an adult, comes back to his hometown to attend a funeral. Initially unable to find anything which would bring back his memories about childhood, he involuntarily visits the Hempstock farm, where three women lived in the past: a little girl who used to be his friend, her mother and grandmother. There, he meets one of them – here the readers may be confused, for the woman might be Ginnie (the mother)(...)

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Atropos Clotho Egyptian mythology Fates Greek mythology Hathor Lachesis Moirai Narcissus Norse mythology Parcae Ra Skuld Triple Goddess Urðr Verðandi

Gillian Cross, Neil Packer

Gillian Cross' Odyssey is an abridged retelling of Homer's Odyssey, set in Greek antiquity. It is a retelling of ancient myth with emphasis on striking visualisation. Chapter headings:The WarTravelling into DisasterThe Giant in the CaveAeolus and CirceGhosts and MonstersStranded on Calypso's IslandNausicaaOdysseus the BeggarA Husband for PenelopeHomer's Odyssey is retold, rearranged into a more chronological order. The introduction explains the Trojan War briefly by way of e(...)

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Afterlife Agamemnon Aphrodite Apollo Architecture Ares Artemis Asclepius / Asklepios Athena/ Athene Charybdis Circe Classical studies Cyclops / Cyclopes Gods Greek history Greek language Greek mythology Hades Hermes Homer Iliad Ithaca Katabasis Menelaus Odyssey Penelope Polyphemus Poseidon Reception Scylla Sirens Telemachus Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Troy Underworld Zeus

Emma Chichester Clark, Michael Morpurgo

The Orchard Book of Aesop's Fables

Fables attributed to Aesop were collated in antiquity by Demetrius of Phaleron, c.300 BCE (Diogenes Laertius, 5.80), and passed on through various retellings in antiquity and the medieval, early modern, and modern periods. This highly illustrated story-book contains retellings of a selection of Aesop's Fables for a young audience. Contents:For Mr Aesop from Mr Morpurgo, a Thank-You (An introduction to the collection).The Lion and the MouseThe Hare and the TortoiseThe Dog and his BoneThe Crow(...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Animals and historical persons as characters Greek mythology

Jan Lewis, Saviour Pirotta

The Orchard Book of First Greek Myths

This is a very popular collection of ten retellings of ancient myths, attractively laid-out and well-written for a young audience. There is an illustrated Table of Contents at the start, which enables pre-literate children to participate in choosing the story that will be read, as well as teaching them how to use a ToC.Each story begins with an elaborate fronts-piece full of details from the story, and each story concludes with a small image that contains a key element of the myth. Both elements(...)

YEAR: 2003

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Arachne Architecture Argo Argonauts Ariadne Athena/ Athene Athens Bellerophon Chimaera Chimera Crete Daedalus Dionysus Epimetheus Gods Golden Fleece Graeae Sisters Greek mythology Helen of Troy Homer Icarus Jason Labyrinth Maze Medea Medusa Menelaus Midas Minerva Minos Minotaur Mythology Odysseus/ Ulysses Odyssey Ovid Ovid Metamorphoses Pan Pandora Pandora’s Box Paris Pegasus Perseus Reception of classical antiquity Theseus Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Troy Witches

Tony Bradman , Tony Ross

The Orchard Book of Swords Sorcerers and Superheroes

Chapter 1. Voyage to the Edge of the World. The Story of Jason and the Golden Fleece.Chapter 2. The Magical Sword. The Story of King Arthur.Chapter 3. The Fabulous Genie. The Story of Aladdin and his Magical Lamp.Chapter 4. An Apple for Freedom. The Story of William Tell.Chapter 5. Superhero. The Story of Hercules and the Monstrous Cacus.Chapter 6. The Fantastic Voyage of Sinbad. The Story of Sinbad the Sailor and The Roc.Chapter 7. The Fearsome Dragon from the Lake. The Story of George and the (...)

YEAR: 2003

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Architecture Argo Argonauts Ariadne Athena/ Athene Athens Classical reception Classical studies Crete Eurystheus Golden Fleece Graeae Sisters Greek mythology Harpies Heracles / Herakles Jason Labyrinth Maze Medea Minos Minotaur Mythology Roman history Roman mythology Roman religion Rome Slavery Theseus Twelve Labours of Heracles Witches

Margaret Mahy

The Other Side of Silence

Twelve-year old Hero is an elective mute. She is the third child (of four) in a talkative family of high-achievers. At the point where the story starts, Ginevra, the eldest daughter of the family has just returned home after she fell out with their mother four years ago, throwing the family into further turmoil. She is pregnant and has the teenager Sammy in tow. In order to have some power in her family, Hero has stopped speaking, except sometimes to her older brother Athol. She thinks of her or(...)

YEAR: 1995

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Bird metamorphosis Clemence Credence Hero

Margaret Atwood

The Penelopiad is part of the Canongate Myths Series, which ‘brings together some of the world’s finest writers, each of whom have retold a myth in a contemporary and memorable way.’ Though marketed for adults, the text is accessible to mature teenage readers, and features on secondary school reading lists.Atwood allows Penelope to tell her own story, drawing upon Homer’s Odyssey but also on material from beyond this dominant source. Penelope, who has been in Ha(...)

YEAR: 2005

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Helen Homer Ithaca Maids Melantho Odysseus/ Ulysses Odyssey Penelope Telemachus Trojan War Underworld

Paul Shipton

The Pig Who Saved the World

This comic adventure novel is a sequel to The Pig Scrolls, starring a pig named Gryllus. Gryllus was one of Odysseus’ crewmen who was transformed into a pig by Circe. When the rest of the sailors were returned to their human form, he hid in the bushes, and after being found by Sibyl, a courageous prophetess, and Homer, an awkward teenage poet, goes on to (unwittingly and unwillingly) save the world.In the sequel, The Pig Who Saved the World, Gryllus and his friends go back to the isla(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Circe Homer Labyrinth Midas Odysseus/ Ulysses Odyssey Orpheus Polyphemus Proteus Sibyl Sirens Sisyphus Thanatos Tithonus Underworld

Caroline Lawrence

The Roman Mysteries (Series, Book 1): The Thieves of Ostia

In this, the first book in Lawrence’s Roman Mysteries series we meet Flavia Gemini, the central character of the series. She is the daughter of a merchant sailor whose mother died in childbirth. Flavia has discovered that someone is killing the dogs in Ostia, and she is determined to find out who is responsible. We are soon introduced to the three other important characters in the Roman Mysteries series, Lupus, Nubia and Jonathan. Jonathan lives next door with his father, who is a doc(...)

YEAR: 2001

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cerberus Pliny Roman Empire Roman mythology Slavery

Caroline Lawrence

The Roman Mysteries (Series, Book 2): The Secrets of Vesuvius

In this second volume in the Roman Mysteries Series, after the danger experienced by the children in The Thieves of Ostia, Flavius father decides to send Flavia and Nubia to his brother’s farm near Pompeii. He invites Lupus and Jonathan as well as Jonathan’s sister and father to join them. Whilst swimming one day, the children save the life of Pliny, and in thanks he gives them a riddle and sends them looking for a blacksmith named Vulcan. By solving the riddle the four friends disco(...)

YEAR: 2001

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cerberus Pliny Pompeii Roman Empire Roman mythology Slavery Vulcan

Caroline Lawrence

The Roman Mysteries (Series, Book 3): The Pirates of Pompeii

After the events of The Secrets of Vesuvius, and the eruption of the volcano, the children are staying in a refugee camp. Jonathan, one of the main characters of the series - a Jewish child who is part of the new Christian faith - is in a coma from his asthma and his father is treating the sick and injured in the spa to which the camp is adjacent. Soon the children discover that children are being stolen from the refugee camp. They discover that it is probably the man known as the Spider of Patr(...)

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cerberus Dionysus Roman Empire Roman mythology Slavery

Phil Ford

The Sarah Jane Adventures (Series): Eye of the Gorgon

[See episodes summary]A primary difference from the episodes is how information about the Gorgon is introduced. In the episode,s Sarah Jane and Maria read a book about Greek mythology from Sarah Jane’s bookshelf, but in the novelization they first discuss this in the car (without the aid of a book) and then Sarah Jane reads from "an elaborate volume on Greek Mythology" which she finds when she is locked in in the Abbey library by the nuns. This allows more information to be provi(...)

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gorgons Greek mythology Medusa Perseus

Russell T. Davies, Phil Ford, Alice Troughton

The Sarah Jane Adventures (Series, S01E03 - 04): The Eye of the Gorgon

Part OneThe adult protagonist of the series, and previous companion of Doctor Who, the journalist Sarah Jane Smith, is investigating the story that a ghostly nun has been sighted at an old people’s home. Accompanied by her adopted son Luke and his friend Clyde, she interviews residents and staff about the sighting. Bea, an elderly resident and Alzheimer sufferer, gives Luke a piece of jewellery she calls a ‘talisman’ and asks him to keep it safe. This is found to be an alien ar(...)

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gorgons Greek mythology Medusa Perseus

Victoria Turnbull

One of the two main characters, and also the narrator of the story is the Sea Tiger. Even though he is drawn by Turnbull as a ‘real’ tiger that normally would not live in the sea, he does not seem to have any problems with breathing under water (real tigers are very good swimmers, but they would not survive under water for long). Sea Tiger is best friends with Oscar – a child merman. Oscar is depicted as a sensitive boy who loves to daydream and explore beautiful things hidden (...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Mermaids Sirens

Rachel Bright, Jim Field

The Squirrels who Squabbled

The Squirrels who Squabbled is a reworked retelling of the Aesop's Fable, The Ants and the Grasshopper. It is a highly illustrated work in rhyming couplets. The tale opens with the arrival of Autumn and news that all the animals are getting ready "for bed", i.e. for hibernation and Winter. The only exception, pictured blithely playing on a swing, is "Spontaneous Cyril", the squirrel. The reader learns that all the other animals have been busy gathering supplies to see the(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Fable Phaedrus

Jim Henson’s Creature Shop , Jim Henson , Duncan Kenworthy, OBE, Anthony Minghella, Nigel Williams

The Storyteller (Series): Greek Myths

Hiding in Minos’ labyrinth, the Storyteller and his dog come across four different objects that inspire him to relate their myths. First, he recounts the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur, recalling the beast once housed in the very maze they’re hiding in.Upon learning that his father is Aegeus, King of Athens, Theseus hurries to that city, slaying many bandits on the way. The king’s wife Medea, fearful of what threat this stranger poses to her own sons, attempts to poison him, (...)

YEAR: 1991

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ariadne Daedalus Eurydice Graeae Sisters Greek mythology Hades Icarus Labyrinth Medusa Minos Minos (King) Minotaur Orpheus Persephone Perseus Talos Theseus

Wole Soyinka

The Strong Breed

Attention:+18 yearsThe play dramatizes an end of year festival, based on the belief that a scapegoat of the village cleanses the community from all impurities. Divided in two parts, it centres on its protagonist, Eman, who is a member of The Strong Breed in the village. He is the one to facilitate the tradition of Egugun, a festival in the Delta region of Nigeria, by offering himself as a sacrificial lamb for the clan. Set in two villages, The Strong Breed begins in the evening before the p(...)

YEAR: 1964

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Apollo Phoenix Thargelia festival

Margaret Mahy

In The Tricksters, 17 year old Ariadne (‘Harry’) Hamilton’s family makes their Christmas annual visit to ‘Carnival’s Hide,’ their family holiday house, on the Banks Peninsula, formed by the eruption of an ancient volcano, near Christchurch. The house is comparatively old for New Zealand, being built in the nineteenth century, and it is haunted by Teddy Carnival, who was accidentally killed by his father, the builder of the house. While she is swimming in the b(...)

YEAR: 1986

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ariadne Athena/ Athene Labyrinth Minerva Minotaur Oceanus Ovid Ovid Metamorphoses Theseus

Christina Balit, James Riordan

The Twelve Labours of Hercules

A picture book retelling of the story of Hercules’ life and the twelve labors he performed, aimed at younger readers and readers interested in visual storytelling. Text is accompanied by opulent pictures.(...)

YEAR: 1997

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Admete Alcmene Alpheus Amazons Argonauts Artemis Athena/ Athene Atlas Augean Stables Augeas Cacus Castor Celadon Centaurs Cerberus Ceryneian hind Charon Chiron Colchis Deianeira Diomedes’ mares Dionysus Erymanthian Boar Eurystheus Eurytos Geryon Geryon's Cattle Golden Apples Golden Fleece Greek mythology Hades Hebe Hera Heracles / Herakles Herculean Hercules Hind Hippolyta's Belt Hyllus Iolaos Iole Iphitos Jason Ladon Lernaean Hydra Linus Minos Minos (King) Minotaur Mycenae Nemean lion Nereid Nereus Nessus Nymphs Olympus Omphale Oracle of Delphi Peneus Perseus Pollux Poseidon Roman mythology Stymphalian Birds Styx Titans Twelve Labours of Heracles Underworld White Bull Zeus

Mark Bergin, Sue Reid, David Salariya

The Voyages of Odysseus

Odysseus' travels and his various adventures: meeting with Polyphemus, the Cyclops; visit at the court of King Aeolus and on the island of Circe; Odysseus' descent to the Underworld; meeting dangerous sirens, escaping Scylla and Charybdis. When after all the adventures, Odysseus comes home to Ithaca, there is danger there as well - the palace is occupied by suitors who try to marry Odysseus’ wife, Penelope. Odysseus defeats the suitors.In this picture book the illustrations and wor(...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Athena/ Athene Calypso Circe Eolus Hermes Ithaca Odysseus/ Ulysses Penelope Polyphemus Poseidon Scylla Sirens Telemachus Trojan War Troy Underworld Zeus

John Malam, Peter Rutherford , David Salariya

The Wooden Horse of Troy

The book presents a variant of the myth of Troy. The story of the building of the city walls by Poseidon, Apollo, and Aeacus is followed by the story of the judgement of Paris and its consequences, direct: the reward for giving the first place to Aphrodite, and indirect: the Trojan War. The author describes the fight between the Trojans and the Greeks, the secret help of the gods, the disputes between the warriors in each of the camps (e. g. Agamemnon's quarrel with Achilles, Ajax vs. Hector(...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Achilles’s Heel Aeacus Aeneas Agamemnon Aphrodite Apollo Apple of Discord Athena/ Athene Briseis Chryseis Hector Hecuba Helen Hera Heracles / Herakles Horses of Laomedon Judgement of Paris Laomedon Menelaus Odysseus/ Ulysses Paris Patroclus Philoctetes Priam Rome Sparta Tenedos Thersites Trojan Horse (wooden) Trojan War Troy Zeus

Ross Collins, Tanya Landman

The World’s Bellybutton: The Greek Gods Need a New Hero

This is the story of William Popidopolos, an English boy, about 10 years old. William travels with his mother, Kate, to Greece, to the island of Spitflos, in order to meet his father Nikos, whom he never met. In his father’s tavern, William is approached by a large swan, who confides in him that he is Zeus and in need of his help. William must tie the knot at the center of the universe, the omphalos, since it is starting to break apart. While William’s parents are under Zeus’ s(...)

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Charon Gorgons Pegasus Zeus

Gary Andrews, James Evelyn Ford , David Salariya

Theseus and the Minotaur

The author tells the myth about Theseus and the Minotaur. At the beginning, readers learn how the half bull half man was born. Later on, the story is told of the murder of Androgeos, son of Minos and Pasiphae: his death was the reason why Minos declared war on Athens. Subsequently, the reader learns about Poseidon’s revenge – the birth of the Minotaur. Minos asked Daedalus to build a maze under his castle, where he wanted to imprison the monster. Minos demanded that the Athenians in (...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ariadne Crete Daedalus Icarus Labyrinth Medea Minos Minotaur Pasiphae Poseidon Punishment for acting against the will of gods Theseus

Marcia Dorothy Williams

Three Cheers for Women

This book presents biographies of a series of notable women through the ages, arranged chronologically, with a double spread devoted to each subject. The first subject, Cleopatra VII, is followed by another ancient woman: Boudicca. After this, the book moves to the fifteenth century with Joan of Arc; it continues with Elizabeth I, Mary Wollstonecraft, Jane Austen, Florence Nightingale, Marie Curie, Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo, Anne Frank, Wangari Maathai, Mae C. Jemison, Cathy(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Boudicca Celts Cleopatra VII Egypt Icenii Pharaohs Roman Britain Roman Egypt Roman Empire

Philippe Béha, Glen Huser

Time for Flowers, Time for Snow. A Retelling of the Legend of Demeter and Persephone

Time for Flowers, Time for Snow is a book and CD version of an opera staged in Canada in which 180+ school children performed accompanied by The Orchestre Symphonique Pop Montréal with narration from UK comedian Terry Jones. The opera was composed by Greek national Giannis Georgantelis, and was run as a community project under the auspices of the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, the cities of Montreal and Laval, the Embassy of Greece to Canada, and the Embassy of Canada to (...)

COUNTRY: Canada United Kingdom

TAGS: Afterlife Architecture Cerberus Charon Classical studies Crete Daedalus Demeter Eleusinian Mysteries Gods Greek music Greek mythology Hades Hades' Throne Hermes Immortality Katabasis Mythology Olympus Persephone Pluto Proserpina Reception of classical antiquity Underworld Zeus

Stewart Ross

Timeliners (Series): Athens is Saved!

Athens is Saved! opens with a note To the Reader from the author. The note explains that the story is based on a real event, with some invented parts added to make the story more fun. The author adds his wish that the story will encourage the reader to find out more about ancient Greece and perhaps to run their first marathon.Notes on The Story So Far are divided into three sections: Ancient Greece, The Persians, and Athens. Ancient Greece explains that 'Before the time of Jesus Christ' (...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athens Divination Graeco-Persian wars Greek history Reception of classical antiquity Slavery

Joseph Hocking

Tommy and the Maid of Athens

A patriotic novel written during World War One, the protagonist of Hocking’s Tommy and the Maid of Athens, John Penrose, is sent on a mission to discover suspected underhanded scheming amongst the powers in Athens. He enlists his friend Tom Pollard to help him on his quest, a man who had become famous for exposing a German spy in the war, and was known for his patriotic bravery. The novel is written primarily through the eyes of John, but at times the reader is given entry to Tom’s p(...)

YEAR: 1917

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athena/ Athene Greek mythology Greek philosophy Plato’s Republic Poetry Socrates

Jess Stockham

Town Mouse, Country Mouse

In this lift-the flap picture book for young readers, Jess Stockham tells the story of a mouse who lives in the country and invites her cousin from the town to visit. She promises picnics and swimming in the river. Eager for fresh air, her cousin comes. He arrives on his skateboard, and the cousins greet one another.It is time for lunch. The country mouse shows how to find nuts and berries. But the nuts are too dry, and the berries too bitter for the town mouse, who pulls a face and (...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Aesop’s Fables Horace The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Adèle Geras

Troy is a retelling of the final stages of the Trojan War, focalised through a group of young people living in the besieged city. Xanthe and Marpessa are sisters raised in Troy after being found as babies on the slopes of Mount Ida. Xanthe is nursemaid to Hector and Andromache’s baby son Astyanax, but also tends to wounded soldiers in the hospital she calls the Blood Room. She falls in love with Alastor, a wealthy young Trojan with an overbearing mother, who has been recruited into a (...)

YEAR: 2000

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Andromache Aphrodite Hector Helen Hermes Homer Iliad Priam Trojan War Troy

David Gemmell

Troy (Series, Book 2): Shield of Thunder

Troy, Shield of Thunder is the second in a trilogy of books by David Gemmel on the story of Troy. Shield of Thunder and Fall of Kings were published posthumously after Gemmel’s passing in 2006. The book spins an epic tale of love, trust, romance and bloodshed across the years before the destruction of Troy. In Chapter 1, A black wind rising, Penelope, wife of Odysseus and Ithakan queen is introduced. Kalliades the young warrior, together with Banokles, rescue Piria the runaway tr(...)

YEAR: 2006

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Agamemnon Andromache Hector Odysseus/ Ulysses Penelope Priam Troy

Colin King, Stephanie Turnbull

Usborne Beginners (Series): Ancient Greeks

This short book starts by introducing ‘An ancient land,’ before moving to specific sections, each covering a double spread, on: ‘Life in Greece’; ‘Clothes and fashion’; ‘What people ate’; ‘A trip to market’; ‘Feasts and fun’; ‘Gods and goddesses’; ‘Talking to the gods’; ‘Heroes and monsters’; ‘The Olympic Games’; ‘Greek plays’; ‘Mighty warriors’; ‘(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gods Greek theatre Greek vases Heroes Life in Ancient Greece Monsters Olympic Games

Jonny Duddle , Kate Thompson

Marcus is a part of a baker’s family in Roman times under the tough reign of Emperor Gaius Caligula. One day, a mysterious slave hands him a racing horse and disappears. The horse turns out to be the emperor’s horse, Consul Incitatus, and now Marcus is facing danger to his life while deciding what to do with the horse. At the end there is a short passage of explanation regarding Caligula and his horse. Marcus shares with the reader the hard life his family lived under the mad emperor(...)

YEAR: 2010

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Caligula Claudius Incitatus (consul) Rome Zeus

Kelsey Oseid

What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky

What We See in the Stars is an informative work which uses attractive illustrations and clear language to communicate about the science of space, the history of space science (including ancient science), and the mythology connected to that science. The work is explicit at the start about its mission to teach science and mythology. It begins by explaining that knowledge of the stars was initially important for agriculture and navigation, and that modern star-gazing is a way to connect with 'a(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Argo Argonauts Centaurs Egypt Europa Gods Golden Fleece Greek art Greek history Greek mythology Hera Heracles / Herakles Hermes Hermes' winged boots Jupiter Kronos / Cronus Latin Language Laurel wreath Lyre Mars Mercury Mythology Neptune Pan Pegasus Perseus Poseidon Reception of classical antiquity Roman mythology Trident Twelve Labours of Heracles Unicorn Zeus

Richy K. Chandler

When are you Going to get a Proper Job? Parenting and the Creative Muse

The work, created in an informal cartoon style, follows Tariq, a young man who is trying to balance his parenting responsibilities with attempts to establish himself as a professional comic book artist. He lives with his wife, Susan, who has unspecified regular work involving spreadsheets and meetings, and Natasha, their young daughter. Initially we encounter the problems that Tariq is having and over the course of the graphic novel we move towards him finding solutions as he listens to others a(...)

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Muses Reception of classical antiquity

Peter Bailey, Rose Impey

White Wolves: Myths and Legends (Series): Pandora’s Box

This is a retelling of Pandora’s box myths. The story narrates the creation of men by Prometheus and his stealing of the fire. It then narrates the story of Pandora. It begins with the creation myth of Prometheus and also of Pandora.(...)

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Epimetheus Pandora Prometheus Zeus

Aleksei Bitskoff, Maz Evans

Who Let the Gods Out? (Series, Book 2): Simply The Quest

Simply The Quest picks up the story of Elliot and his mortal and immortal companions, a few months after the end of Who Let The Gods Out. In this instalment, the English boy Elliot Hooper’s troubles seem to haunt him still. Thanatos reawakens and wishes to get the Earth stone Elliot managed to take a hold off last time. Elliot’s mother is still sick, his history teacher is still out to get him and a mysterious incident on Christmas Eve has left the gods on house arrest.&nbs(...)

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aphrodite Ariadne Athena/ Athene Cerberus Charon Erebus Erebus gods Greek mythology Hades Harpies Hephaestus Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hermes Hermes' winged boots Hestia Hypnos Immortality Jason Nyx Pegasus Persephone Sisyphus Styx Tartarus Thanatos Theseus Underworld Virgo Zeus Zodiac

Margaux Carpentier, Isabel Otter

Wonders of the World. An Interactive Tour of Marvels and Monuments

Wonders of the World is a highly illustrated and well-designed lift-the-flap publication. The book is divided into two main parts. The first presents the seven wonders of the ancient world, the second the wonders of what is referred to as the 'modern world', although some of these entries were also built in antiquity. A double-page at the end presents seven natural wonders. Each wonder has a page of its own with one or two flaps and information distributed across an average of five (...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Architecture Artemis Colosseum Egypt Gladiator games Gods Greek art Greek history Greek mythology Olympic Games Poseidon Roman history Rome Sphinx Zeus Zeus' Throne

Julie Hearn

This dystopian young adult novel weaves the myth of Pandora’s Box into a complex narrative that is both historical and futuristic. The title of Wreckers refers to the eighteenth-century fishermen who would retrieve goods from ships foundering on the treacherous rocky coastline of Cornwall, and may have played a part in luring those ships onto the rocks. The text’s Prologue, set in 1732, describes a group of Wreckers bringing ashore a load of cargo, including an ancient wooden ch(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Jupiter Mermaids Pandora Pandora’s Box Prometheus Zeus

David Antram, John Malam, David Salariya

You Wouldn't Want To (Series): You Wouldn’t Want To Be A Roman Gladiator!: Gory Things You'd Rather Not Know

The book begins with the author asking the reader to play a role while reading, namely becoming a representative of the peoples over whom the Roman Empire wants to reign.Each book in this series begins with an appeal to the reader to become a representative of the group featured in the book. The story begins with how Romans acquired slaves, conquered other nations, and the reader imagines him/herself to be one of these future slaves. The fate of a slave was grim, it usually began at a slave mark(...)

YEAR: 2000

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Charon Emperor Gladiator games Gladiators Greeks Persians Rome Sea battles Slave trade Slavery

David Antram, Fiona MacDonald, David Salariya

You Wouldn't Want To (Series): You Wouldn’t Want to be a Slave in Ancient Greece!: A Life You'd Rather Not Have

The narrator talks about the life of slaves. Abandoned children, failed debtors and defeated soldiers captured by their victors can become slaves. All who do not speak Greek are considered barbarians. When a man becomes a slave, he loses his family, he will probably never see them again. The book describes the various kinds of work that a slave may perform. These include, but are not limited to cooking, cleaning, child care, wool work, lifting and carrying.There are good owners who treat th(...)

YEAR: 2001

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Freeing a slave Greece Life of a slave Slavery Treatment of slaves Types of slaves

Jim Pipe

You wouldn't want to be Cleopatra! An Egyptian ruler you'd rather not be

You wouldn’t want to be Cleopatra! An Egyptian ruler you’d rather not be describes Cleopatra’s life in a unique way. It is written from a very personal perspective which helps the young readers identify with Cleopatra. The first lines in the book already introduce a strong identification with Cleopatra: You are Cleopatra, a princess living in Egypt 2,000 years ago (p.9). The whole narration of the story flows in this personal style. This specific style helps young readers under(...)

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Antinous Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Egypt Octavian Rome Rome (ancient)

John Dougherty , Georgien Overwater

Zeus on the Loose

In this chapter-book with illustrations, a boy named Alex accidentally summons Zeus, king of the gods, into his life, when he makes a ‘temple (out of loo rolls and a cornflakes box),’ as a class project. In the style of comic intrusion fantasy, Zeus causes mayhem. He demands sacrifices from Alex as his ‘high priest’ in the form of midnight bacon sandwiche. He borrows Alex’s mother’s best night dress when he spills coffee on his robes, transfo(...)

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gods Iliad Trojan War Zeus

John Dougherty , Georgien Overwater

Zeus Sorts It Out

Zeus Sorts It Out is a chapter-book with illustrations, the third in a series of stories about a boy named Alex who has accidentally summoned Zeus, king of the gods, into his life, through a classroom project. In Zeus Sorts It Out, Alex and his friend Charlie are being bullied by Eric Lees. When Eric puts Charlie’s head in the toilet, Charlie calls for help from Zeus. Zeus commandeers the boys’ toilets as his temple, demanding veneration and sacrifices from the boys, who try to persu(...)

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Heracles / Herakles Hercules Prometheus Sisyphus Tantalus Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

John Dougherty , Georgien Overwater

Zeus to the Rescue

Zeus to the Rescue is the second in a trio of illustrated chapter books about the adventures of Zeus in a modern British playground. It follows from Zeus on the Loose. Alex, the protagonist of the book, has recovered from Zeus’s first visit to the school. However, a pendant shaped like a lightning bolt, which Zeus has given him, starts to quiver. Could it be in response to a new girl, Diana, who seems to have an uncanny power over the girls in class, and their teacher, Miss Wise? Diana fos(...)

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Actaeon Artemis Danae Europa Leda Zeus