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Showing 63 entries for tag: Crete

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Irena Parandowska

A Tale about Icarus and Daedalus [Opowieść o Ikarze i Dedalu]

A previous version of the entry was published in: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 270–272.In ancient times, before the invention of railway and air travel, there lived a man in Athens who may be considered the first aviator in history. His name was Daedalus, and he was th(...)

literary

YEAR: 1981

COUNTRY: Poland


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, (...)

literary

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Marian Grześczak, Zbigniew Łoskot

About a Boy Whom You Also Are [O chłopcu, którym jesteś i ty]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.Daedalus and his inquisitive and lively son, Icarus, travel from Athens, from where they were banished, to Crete. Icarus dreams about being able to fly, so he and his father could travel much faster than they do, walking on the g(...)

literary

YEAR: 1981

COUNTRY: Poland


Franciszek Kobryńczuk

Amalthea the Goat [Koza Amalteja]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue (accessed: June 11, 2021), Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.When Cronus learns about a prophecy foretelling that one of his children will defeat him, he starts devouring them as soon as they are born. By giving Cronus a stone to eat, his wife Rhea saves the young(...)

literary

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: Poland


Kalliope Kyrdi, Evi Pini

Ariadne Tells Stories from the Cycladic Period in the National Archaeological Museum [Η Αριάδνη αφηγείται ιστορίες από την κυκλαδική εποχή στο Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο (Ī Ariádnī afīgeítai istoríes apó tīn kykladikī́ epochī́ sto Ethnikó Archaiologikó Mouseío)]

The first part of the book (pages 4 to 8), which is entitled “a first familiarisation with the Cycladic civilization”, presents the geographical, chronological, and social setting of Cycladic communities. Rare words, such as βραχονησίδα, μεταλλείο, and οψιανός (“rocky islets”, “mines”, and “obsidian”), are explaine(...)

literary

YEAR: 2009

COUNTRY: Greece


Jennifer Cook

Ariadne: The Maiden and the Minotaur

Cook’s story opens with sixteen-year-old Ariadne abandoned on Naxos, furious that she fell for Theseus, who has taken up with her sister Phaedra and sailed home to Athens. As in the traditional version of the myth, Ariadne falls in love with Theseus when he arrives on Crete as one of the Athenian tributes, destined for death in the labyrinth. But in this story, the Minotaur is not a monstrous beast, but instead a small child afflicted with a club foot, a hare-lip, and other deformities. Ch(...)

literary

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: Australia


Athena [Αθηνά (Athīná)]

This comic book is about the goddess Athena. On the inside of the front cover, we read about Athena’s temples on the Acropolis, her motherless status, and her many adjectives, which, we note, derive from Homer. Also, we learn about festivals honouring Athena. The book closes with Pericles praising Athena’s virtues. The story starts with young and beautiful Athena’s presentation to the world. She stands in Zeus’ hand as he sits on a throne surrounded by other O(...)

literary

YEAR: 1965

COUNTRY: Greece


Joan Holub, Leslie Patricelli

Be Careful, Icarus!

In Be Careful, Icarus!, Icarus is a young child living in the modern world. He is introduced on the first page, while the facing page uses a single image, single word combination to show what is important to Icarus – a kite. When the story begins, Icarus is making a bird-shaped kite with his father. He is warned not to spill the paint, but still does so. They celebrate when the kite is completed. Out in the park, Icarus is eager to hold the kite himself. His father hands it over and Icarus(...)

literary

COUNTRY: United States of America


David Elliott

Bull

Bull is a unique retelling of the Cretan mythic cycle in the form of a verse novel. The story is related through monologues by Poseidon, Minos, Pasiphae, Asterion, Ariadne, Daedalus and Theseus. Poseidon takes control of the narrative, relating how Minos prays to the gods for a sign to justify his right to rule. The god obliges by sending a beautiful milk-white bull out of the ocean. But when Minos conceals the creature within his herds and sacrifices an inferior animal in its place, he incurs P(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United States of America


Madeline Miller

Circe

The narrative follows Circe from a young child who is bullied and shunned by her family and peers until she meets the mortal Glaucos. Circe falls in love with the mortal and searches for a way to turn him into a god, discovering the power of pharmakeia and feeding him sap from flowers sprung from the blood of gods while he sleeps, turning him into a sea-god himself. Circe believes this will finally allow them to be together, but Glaucos’ eye is caught by the nymph Scylla, who drives Circe (...)

literary

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United States of America


Natalia Kapatsoulia, Filippos Mandilaras

Crete – From Minos to Today [Κρήτη – Από τον Μίνωα ως σήμερα (Krī́tī – Apó ton Mínōa ōs sī́mera)]

The narrative starts by making a point of Crete’s unique geographical location. The island resembles a bridge between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The book explains that Crete has seen lots of activity ever since its first inhabitants arrived eight thousand years ago. Crete has been far from a quiet place also because of its mythological connections. We are told that Zeus grew up here and brought Europa to the island. The giant Talos protected Crete end to end. Later, King Minos built the lab(...)

literary

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: Greece


Marcia Dorothy Williams

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(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Natalia Kapatsoulia, Filippos Mandilaras

Daedalus and Icarus [Δαίδαλος και Ίκαρος (Daídalos kai Íkaros)]

Daedalus was a celebrated sculptor who produced life-looking statues in Athens. People admired Daedalus’ work, but praised also Daedalus’ nephew, Talos. When Talos was found dead, the Athenians thought that Daedalus might have been envious and killed Talos. Daedalus left for Crete. King Minos asked Daedalus to build a prison to confine the Minotaur, a monster with a human body but a bull’s head and tail. For many years Daedalus lived in King Minos’ palace. He had a b(...)

literary

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: Greece


George O'Connor

Dionysos. The New God (Olympians, 12)

Dionysos opens not with “the new god”, but with the quieter, lesser-known deity, Hestia. The reader is returned to the beginning of the series (Vol. 1 Zeus. King of the Gods), which introduced the creation of the universe and the Olympians. Hestia tells this story, and that of the war with the Titans, this time from her own perspective. She then explains a little about herself; her disinterest in temples and the usual offerings and her content to be found in the hearths of people&rsq(...)

literary

YEAR: 2022

COUNTRY: United States of America


Imogen Greenberg , Isabel Greenberg

Discover… The Ancient Greeks

Discover...  began in 2016. It is part of a series offering a light-hearted introduction to a range of ancient cultures, including The Roman Empire, The Ancient Aztecs, and The Ancient Egyptians.Discover... The Ancient Greeks opens with the stated intention of exploring who the ancient Greeks really were. The book is divided into 2-page sub-sections, each discussing a different aspect of ancient Greek culture.(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United States of America


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 b(...)

literary

YEAR: 1991

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


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(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


George O'Connor

Hera. The Goddess and her Glory (Olympians, 3)

Hera begins with a recap of the triumph of Zeus and the other Olympians over Kronos (from Zeus. King of the Gods). New aspects of the battle are shown, including Hera's participation in the fighting and her ability to command Zeus haughtily to assist her when she does not wish to put her full effort in ("Honestly, I almost broke a nail", she complains). Aspects of Zeus' seduction of Hera, seen in Athena. Grey-Eyed Goddess, are shown with Hera's perspective now supplementing(...)

literary

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United States of America


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(...)

literary

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


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.(...)

literary

YEAR: 2001

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Blair Drawson, Sheldon Oberman

Island of the Minotaur. Greek Myths of Ancient Crete

This is an interesting take on the myth of the Minotaur which places it within a wide context by telling a selection of myths that build up to the Minotaur's demise. This creates a multi-generational story which arcs from the days of Cronos until Phaedra's departure from Crete as the last queen of Knossos. The myths of Medea and Ariadne are told in contrast to each other. The work begins and ends with historicising interpretations of the myths, relating the myths' connections to Mino(...)

literary

YEAR: 2003

COUNTRY: Canada United Kingdom


Deirdre Barry, Richard Morss

I’m a Monster (Series, 52 Episodes)

2D animation series for children of pre-school age (4-8 years), about monsters from various parts of the world. In each episode of the series (duration: 2 minutes) we meet another character who presents himself to the audience (with the voice of an actor) and tells some fun facts about himself.* Most of presented characters are well-known – they come from mythology of different cultures, from literature, movies etc. The material is rich, colorful and original. In twelve episodes of th(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 2010

COUNTRY: Ireland


Dorota Combrzyńska-Nogala, Joanna Rusinek

Jutka’s Insomnia [Bezsenność Jutki]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.The book is set in Łódź during WW2. A small Jewish girl Jutka Cwancygier lives in the Łódź [Litzmannstadt] Ghetto with her grandfather Dawid and her aunt Estera. The girl doesn’t understand the gravity of the (...)

literary

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: Poland


Aleksei Simukov, Aleksandra Snezhko-Blotskaia

Labyrinth. The Deeds of Theseus [Лабиринт. Подвиги Тесея (Labirint. Podvigi Teseia)]

Young Theseus finds his father’s sword and sandals and sets off for Athens. At the parting with Theseus, the Centaur Chiron advises him to use his strength only for good and promises a life full of great deeds. On the way to Athens, Theseus fights the Crommyonian Sow and Procrustes. Having met his father, Theseus decides to free the country from the Minotaur and travels to Crete with the other Athenians sent as tribute. He promises his father that he will put up white sails as a sign (...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1971

COUNTRY: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)


Marisa De Castro

Let’s Go to Crete! [Πάμε στην Κρήτη; (Páme stīn Krī́tī?)]

Marisa Decastro and Mark Weinstein take young children and their guardians on a sightseeing tour of Crete, which is, as we read in the opening page, Greece’s largest island. Children are encouraged to mark places of interest on a sketch-map of Crete. The exploration of Crete starts with its diverse landscapes. These range from high mountains with gorges to plains with olive groves. Mention is made of the Cretan ibex, the so-called “kri-kri”, an indigenous wild goat. The descrip(...)

literary

YEAR: 2009

COUNTRY: Greece


Nadia Wheatley

Melting Point

Melting Point is the story of Xenia Hadzithakis, a seventeen-year-old Greek Australian girl living in Sydney, Australia. Xenia is a rebel, in constant conflict with her traditional Yaya over her style of dress, her forthright behaviour, even the fact that she is studying Latin at school rather than ancient or modern Greek. After a terrible argument with her grandmother, she finds solace in the classroom translating Ovid’s version of the story of Icarus’ flight and fall from Book Eigh(...)

literary

YEAR: 1994

COUNTRY: Australia


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(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Alicja Wach-Brzezińska

Myths of the Greeks and Romans [Mity Greków i Rzymian]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp. An anthology of ancient classical myths retold for older adolescents and related to the motif of love in all its manifestations: romantic, conjugal, brotherly, and as well as a passion for art, warfare, hunting, great wealt(...)

literary

YEAR: 2006

COUNTRY: Poland


George O'Connor

Olympians (Series)

Olympians is a series of graphic novels that takes one deity per volume as the focus, retelling numerous myths related to that god.Volume 1. Zeus. King of the Gods. Featuring creation myths and the war between the Titans and Olympians. Narrator unspecified.Volume 2. Athena. Grey-Eyed Goddess. Featuring the myth of Athena's conception and birth; Pallas; the attack of the Giants; Medusa and Perseus; Arachne. Narrated by the Moirae (The Fates). Volume 3. Hera. The Goddess and her Glory. Fe(...)

literary

YEAR: 2010

COUNTRY: United States of America


Weng Chen (Jade), Carolyn Hennesy

Pandora Gets Vain (Mythic Misadventures, 2)

This is the second installment in a series of books called "Mythic Misadventures" that takes the classic story of Pandora's box and gives it a young, adventurous, partly contemporary twist – Pandora is Prometheus- thirteen-year-old daughter. Carrying on from Pandora Gets Jealous, the young protagonists Pandora (Pandy), Alcie and Iole travel to Alexandra to find the second evil, vanity, to be put back into Pandora's Box. Like male Greek heroes before them, such as Her(...)

literary

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United States of America


Thetis Authentics Ltd.

Pinax. Gods and Heroes [Πίναξ. Θεοί και Ήρωες (Pínaks. Theoí kai Īrōes)] (Series): Theseus [Θησέας (Thīséas)]

For details summarising the game series, please see Pinax. Gods and Heroes. Athena [πίναξ. θεοί και Ηρωες. Αθηνά] entry in this database.This particular puzzle should have shown Theseus fighting the Minotaur, but the wrong puzzle was included in the box so that instead it features an incomplete puzzle of Odysseus blinding the Cyclops (the manufacturers have been contacted for comment). Ther(...)

electronic

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: Greece


Joan Holub, Leslie Patricelli

Play Nice, Hercules!

The main character, 'Hercules', is a pre-school-aged child in the modern era. His father tells him to 'Play nice', but he answers that he is 'not nice. [He] is strong'. Hercules knocks over a toy monster and scatters toy soldiers. He then knocks down blocks that his little sister is playing with. Hercules is remorseful about making his sister cry. He rebuilds the pyramid of blocks. An image then suggests that his sister is about to knock them over; the story ends with the(...)

literary

COUNTRY: United States of America


George O'Connor

Poseidon. Earth Shaker (Olympians, 5)

Poseidon. Earth Shaker has Poseidon himself as its narrator and it tells stories of the god’s offspring and of his contest to be the patron of Athens. As a first generation Olympian, Poseidon was part of the overthrow of Cronos, and the graphic novel opens with the brothers Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades looking down into the great chasm into which Cronos has been hurled. The division of the realms takes place, and "of course" (p. 4), Poseidon receives the seas as his domain. There ar(...)

literary

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: United States of America


Eric Freeberg, Diane Namm

Roman Myths

Retelling of classic Roman myths meant for ages 7–9 with one illustration per story. Following the stories, the author includes questions for discussion about each story. The stories in the book:The Oak and the Linden TreePrometheus and IoAtlas and the Eleventh Labor of HerculesRomulus and RemusEscape from TroyThe Golden BoughCupid and PsycheMinerva and ArachneOedipus and the SphinxOtus and Ephialtes(...)

literary

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United States of America


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 th(...)

literary

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Gerald McDermott

Sun Flight

In contrast to other retellings, which contextualise the story of Daedalus within the Cretan mythic cycle, Sun flight begins at the point at which Daedalus has completed the construction of Minos’ palace, with the labyrinth below it ‘to hide the horrible monsters of King Minos’ (no page numbers). The labyrinth is represented by a repeating pattern of Greek square spirals in shades of blue and purple, which contrasts with the warm colours of the palace buildings above, which res(...)

literary

YEAR: 1980

COUNTRY: United States of America


Nathaniel Hawthorne

Tanglewood Tales for Girls and Boys

Tanglewood Tales is the sequel to Hawthorne’s first volume of Greek myths for children, A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys. In the Introduction to this book, a precocious young storyteller Eustace Bright returns to Tanglewood Manor to visit Nathaniel Hawthorne, and they discuss the success of their recent publication, which, according to the fiction, Eustace composed and Hawthorne edited. Now Eustace presents his friend with a second collection of six stories. Although this volume does not f(...)

literary

YEAR: 1853

COUNTRY: United States of America


TED , Amy Adkins , Armand D’Angour, Matt Kaplan , Craig Zimmer

TED-Ed Lessons Worth Sharing, Series World’s People and Places: The Scientific Origins of the Minotaur / The Ancient Origins of the Olympics / This is Sparta – Fierce Warriors of the Ancient World

The Scientific Origins of the MinotaurThe video starts with a short synopsis of the Minotaur’s myth: beneath the palace of king Minos lives a dreadful monster whose roar makes the earth shake. The tale has possibly been invented in order to explain some natural phenomena, unexplainable in the ancient times. The earliest accounts about the Minotaur do not speak of a human-bull hybrid, but underline that he lives under ground and produces earthshaking sounds. As such hybrids are mythical and(...)

ephemeral

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: Online


Stephen Cartwright, Claudia Zeff

The Amazing Adventures of Hercules

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(...)

literary

YEAR: 1982

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Stuart Hill, Sandra Lawrence

The Atlas of Heroes. A World of Heroes from Myth and Legend

This atlas is large in scale (at 28x34 cm) and sumptuously illustrated with hand-drawn maps decorated with numerous heroes associated with each location. The figures on the maps are numbered, and these correspond to a companion page which features summaries of each hero. The maps are double-framed within an introductory story communicated via text and illustration; a young girl discovers the atlas as part of a stash of items in an attic, and the atlas features notes added by her as she uncovers (...)

literary

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Maciej Słomczyński

The Black Ships [Czarne okręty]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue (accessed: June 11, 2021), Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.The action takes place around 2000 BC. The main character is a Trojan teenager (he is fourteen when the story begins), called Białowłosy (Towhead, literally “White-haired”) because of the col(...)

literary

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: Poland


Heinrich Joachim Friedrich Karl Hans Stoll

The Dream of Troy [Der Traum von Troja]

The novel tells the story of the life and work of Heinrich Schliemann, whose entire life was dedicated to the realisation of his childhood dream – discovering the city of Troy and proving that Homer was not just a storyteller but also a reliable source of historical truth. The novel is divided into seven books of three chapters and ends with a concluding epilogue.Book one, Der Traum eines Dorfjungen [The dream of a village boy], depicts Heinrich’s childhood at the Ankershagen vicarag(...)

literary

YEAR: 1956

COUNTRY: Germany


Samuel Mills

The Fire Bringer

This is a retelling of the Prometheus myth told in a novel format, using a framework of a didactic opportunity in which Prometheus teaches his pupils about the origin of humanity while the gods are preparing to transition from their Greek to Roman personas. Peppered between Prometheus’ lessons are moments where Zeus sets his sites on Chastia, a young girl, and attempts to charm her by taking on different forms and capturing her. Each time Prometheus, in the guise of something else, stops h(...)

literary

YEAR: 2009

COUNTRY: United States of America


Natalia Kapatsoulia, Filippos Mandilaras

The Golden Fleece [Το χρυσόμαλλο δέρας (To chrysómallo déras)]

King Athamas, prompted by his second wife Ino, intends to sacrifice his son, Phrixus, but a golden ram appears and carries Phrixus away. Phrixus and his sister, Helle, ride the flying ram across the seas. Helle falls to her death over a narrow sea passage. At Colchis, Phrixus sacrifices the ram to Zeus and offers its golden fleece to king Aeetes. A dragon guards the fleece. Many years later, Jason requests the golden fleece from Aeetes. To receive it Jason is tasked with ploughing the land (...)

literary

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: Greece


Stefan Weinfeld , Jerzy Wróblewski

The Legends of Maze Island [Legendy Wyspy Labiryntu]

The Legends of Maze Island include classical Greek myths associated with the island of Crete: the abduction of Europa by Zeus, his numerous love affairs, the whole story of Daedalus and Icarus, the reign of Minos, insane passion of Pasiphae for the bull of Poseidon, the construction of a labyrinth to house the monstrous Minotaur. The comic book contains also related myths such as those associated with the life of Theseus, Medea, and the son of Poseidon.(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: Poland


Russell Punter

The Minotaur

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 read(...)

literary

YEAR: 2009

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


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(...)

literary

YEAR: 2003

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


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 (...)

literary

YEAR: 2003

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Robert (Bob) Blaisdell, Althea (Thea) Kliros

The Story of Hercules (in Easy-to-Read Type)

Hercules narrates his story, beginning with his birth as the mortal son of a god. He talks of how he was a child prodigy in warfare but failed at learning music. After killing the teacher that belittles him about failing at music, Hercules goes out into the world to learn what he can. After Hera challenges Zeus to prove Hercules is worthy of being immortal, Hercules jumps at the opportunity and completes twelve labours.  (...)

literary

YEAR: 1997

COUNTRY: United States of America


Evi Pini, Elisa Vavouri

The Trojan War. The Beginning of History [Τρωικός Πόλεμος. Η αρχή της ιστορίας (Trōikós Pólemos. Ī archī́ tīs istorías)]

Evi Pini explains how the Trojan War started. The text is in the form of a fairy tale, as implied by the standard phrase “once upon a time” (my translation) at the very beginning. The book begins with Eris and ends with Iphigeneia’s last-minute rescue from being sacrificed to Artemis. Neither fighting nor bloodshed is presented. Instead, we have an account of human and divine passions and emotions, as well as a description of logistical preparations for going to war.&nbs(...)

literary

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: Greece


Gerd Scherm

The Wanderers [Die Irrfahrer]

The prophet and scribe Seshmosis, who saved his nation, the Tajarim, from Egyptian bondage thanks to the support of the goddess GON, god without a name, leaves Byblos with his friends in order to travel to Crete. He intends to analyse a mysterious locket there, whose origins are Cretan, and which is inscribed in a secret language. Once arrived in Crete, the adventurers meet not only Minos, the king of Crete, but also his obliging daughter Ariadne and her lover Theseus who is eager to become hims(...)

literary

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: Germany


Geraldine McCaughrean

Theseus

The book unfolds the adventurous life of the Athenian hero Theseus from his birth to his old age. We learn of his different exploits and acts of bravery (slaying giants, fighting the Minotaur), as well as his mistakes and flawed relationship with others (the Amazon queen Hippolyta, his son). Through the story of Theseus expedition to Crete, to fight the Minotaur, two more characters are introduced, Daedalus and Icarus. Their story, especially their fatal flight is interwoven with Theseus’ (...)

literary

YEAR: 2003

COUNTRY: United States of America


Colm Lawton , Simon Spence

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(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Rafik Bougueroua, Yann Damezin

Theseus according to Plutarch [Thésée d’après l’œuvre de Plutarque]

The short story is based on the eponymous chapter from Plutarch’s Parallel Lives (Plut. Thes. 1–22). The focus is placed on the figure of Theseus, in particular on his childhood, growing up, and his relationship with his parents. Theseus’ duel with the Minotaur and his emerging feelings for the young Ariadne constitute the culmination points of the story. The narration ends with the hero’s return from Crete to Athens, following a victory over the Minotaur.(...)

literary

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: France


Janusz Towpik, Jadwiga Żylińska

Theseus and Ariadne [Tezeusz i Ariadna]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.Every nine years, Athenians must send seven boys and girls to Crete as a tribute for the Minotaur, half-bull, half-human. The young prince, Theseus, decides to travel with the young people chosen for the sacrifice and kill the mo(...)

literary

YEAR: 1973

COUNTRY: Poland


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 (...)

literary

YEAR: 2004

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Marcia Dorothy Williams

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(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: United Kingdom


Anna Gkoutzouri

Theseus and the Minotaur [Θησέας και Μινώταυρος (Thīséas kai Minṓtavros)]

On the cover of this charming board book which has four double-page spreads in total, Ariadne stands with her string, ready to help Theseus who stands to her right. With the pull of a small lever, a Minotaur appears sandwiched between the two figures, waving a tiny toy drum. On the first page of the story we encounter Minos, who demands that he receive fourteen youths to serve him each year. Seven female-presenting youths are holding little boxes with the numbers 1–6 on them. When a lever (...)

literary

YEAR: 2019

COUNTRY: Greece


Natalia Kapatsoulia, Filippos Mandilaras

Theseus [Ο Θησέας (O Thīséas)]

This book aims to educate young learners about Theseus, presenting episodes from Theseus' life in a compact and entertaining manner. The textual and visual narrative starts with Theseus’ parents, Aegeus and Aethra, and ends with the hero’s long rule as a wise king of Athens. The plot unfolds like a fairy tale, appropriate for a story about the four kings mentioned: Aegeus, Theseus, Pittheus, and Minos. There is constant action, and we move on swiftly from one event to(...)

literary

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: Greece


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 (...)

literary

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: Canada United Kingdom


Dennis Nolan, Jane Hyatt Yolen

Wings

Wings can be classified as a picture book, in that Yolen’s written story is accompanied by Nolan’s full page watercolour paintings. But the sophistication of both textual and visual messages makes the work suitable for a mature readership. It tells the story of the craftsman Daedalus. It opens with him living as a celebrated inventor in Athens, before his role in the death of his nephew Talos forces him to go into exile. Making his way to Crete, he is welcomed by the unscrupulous Kin(...)

literary

YEAR: 1990

COUNTRY: United States of America


Joan Holub, Craig Phillips, Suzanne Williams

Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom (Heroes in Training, 1)

This is the first book in the Heroes in Training series. The premise is that Zeus is an orphaned ten-year old boy who was raised by a nymph, a goat and a bee on the island of Crete. He also tries to avoid strange thunderbolts which keep follow him; one in particular becomes almost his pet, and is a weapon which he can manipulate at will. His world is ruled by the ruthless Titan, Cronus, who swallowed the other Olympians so they would not challenge his rule.One day he is kidnapped by the mer(...)

literary

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: United States of America


George O'Connor

Zeus. King of the Gods (Olympians, 1)

Zeus – King of the Gods is the first instalment of the Olympians series. The series comprises stylish looking graphic-novels created in the superhero comic-book tradition. Each volume is dedicated to retelling myths about individual Greek gods, with the gods appearing in each other's volumes much as superheroes overlap in the DC or Marvel universes. While the title of this volume is Zeus – King of the Gods, the volume also establishes the Olympians universe by retelling Greek cre(...)

literary

YEAR: 2010

COUNTRY: United States of America