The Children's Homer: The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy

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Summary: Best introduction to the classics
Review: I first read this book in 1971, when I was in 7th grade. I still think about it. It provided a colorful introduction to the classics. I was not surprised to see that a class of 4th graders loved it.

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Summary: This is a terrible Book
Review: I hated. I like most books but this one was terrible. I had to read it for school. One person in my whole class liked it, most of the kids in my class did not even understand it . Never get this book for a kid. Teachers if you want to teach your kids to like to read get somthing else not this.

Rating:
Summary: This is a terrible Book
Review: I hated. I like most books but this one was terrible. I had to read it for school. One person in my whole class liked it, most of the kids in my class did not even understand it . Never get this book for a kid. Teachers if you want to teach your kids to like to read get somthing else not this.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it
Review: I read this book more than ten years ago when I was 12. It transported me into a world full of heroes and wonderful stories and I loved every word. My brother, 19 years younger than I am, has just discovered this book and we are reading it together. He loves it as much as I did, and after reading it again after all these years I find it as magical as ever.

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Summary: Even 9 and 10 year olds love it!
Review: I read this book to my Grade 4 class with some initial reservations, thinking it would be beyond them. THEY LOVED IT! A couple of brighter ones were particularly interested in Greek myths before I started, and they helped to spark the whole class, but they all were able to understand it. I checked with the class a number of times to see if they wanted me to continue, and it was always a unanimous YES! Knowing that the Odyssey and the Illiad are considered the greatest stories of all time, and such ancient, ancient stories, really hooked them in them. Padraic Colum's language is sophisticated, and the sentence structure is complex, but it is so lyrical and clean, the kids seemed caught in a spell listening to it. One of the lovely things about reading classics to children, is that they see how imbedded in our culture they are. For instance, they could recognize Homer's influence in cartoons and T.V. shows! When we finished, one of the rich discussion topics was how Homer's and the early Greeks' view of women affects our society today. A number of parents expressed gratitude and awe that I would read such sophisticated literature to young children, and were highly impressed with their children's interest in it.

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Summary: Should be called The Teen-ager's Homer
Review: I read this book to my second oldest child, who is an 11 year old girl. We homeschool and are using Sonlight's 6th grade program for her this year. This book was part of her history program. While I enjoyed it myself she definitely DID NOT. Some of the language was beyond her understanding, the plot was hard for her to follow because it switches back and forth so much between the past and the present, and she says it was just plain boring. I wish so much that we had read Rosemary Sutcliff's books, "Black Ships Before Troy" and "The Wanderings of Oddyseus" instead. They are much more interesting, easier to follow, and the artwork in them is GEORGEOUS. (Not much artwork in TCH.) Those books are much more suitable for yonger children and adults alike. Unfortunately I can't stop now and read them to my daughter or we will get all off track but I hope to work them in at a later date and when my younger three children do Sonlight 6 we will replace The Children's Homer with the Sutcliff books.

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Summary: A great way to introduce teens to the works of Homer!
Review: I truly enjoyed teaching this book to my eighth graders this spring and plan to teach it again next year. My students were caught up in the action and drama of this combination of stories. A great companion to this book is the made-for-television movie "The Odyssey" starring Armand Asante and Isabella Rosellini.

Rating:
Summary: This book is not for a young audience.
Review: I was looking for a book about the classic Greek tales to read with my son. Reading the other reviews I believed this book would due for my son and me. It has not been enjoyable because the vocabulary and sentence structure is beyond young children. My opinion is that it is a fine book and well written but is deceiving in its assertion that it is for children.

Rating:
Summary: one kid's opinion
Review: It doesn't matter if you have read this story four times, it is a great story. The Oddessy and the Ilaid, two great Poems by Homer. They are full adventure from an anceint Greek mind. From Hector to Odessyus these stories are wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Adaptation of Classics for Children
Review: Padraic Colum (1881-1972) saw the need to introduce the classics to young children. In 1918 he published this book The Children's Homer which combines the retelling of both Homer's Illiad and Odyssey. It is obvious that his idea and his book has stood the test of time since this book is now in reprint for our children to learn from today. The few illustrations are by Willy Pogany and are well done. This is an excellent way to introduce our children or the younger student to the classics.
Simon & Schuster's Aladdin Paperback published this edition and on the back cover they offer a web site of www.SimonSaysKids.com for all who are interested.