Favorite Greek Myths (Dover Children's Thrift Classics)

Rating:
Summary: Concise re-telling of most popular myths plus strong content
Review: From Athena to Zeus, Prometheus to Pandora, Oedipus to Odyseus, and Icarus to the Argonauts, many of the most popular Greek myths are included here in abridged narrative form. Because of the difficult pronunciation and because so much action is condensed, this collection probably works best being read to most children and not by them.

Also, I understand that there is alot of allegory in these stories, but they are by no means PC by today's standards. In just the opening 5 pages: Kronos, encouraged by his mother, nearly kills his father with a sickle. Zeus goes to war with Kronos (his father) over control of the heavens; swallows his own son; has his skull split open (which gives birth to his daughter, Athena); marries his sister and has numerous children with a plethora of women, both human and divine.

I think the 'morals' of these stories is not readily apparent to most kids. A much better collection is Aesop's Fables, which also comes in a Dover Thrift edition as well as the excellent "The Aesop for Children". I'd also like to have seen an index to make it useful as a resource and to have seperated the stories much like the Dover Thrift Aesop book.

Still, for a few bucks, its not a bad introduction to Greek mythology.

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

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

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