Treasury of Greek Mythology

Treasury of Greek Mythology

Donna Jo Napoli

National Geographic, 2011 191 pages

Grades 3-7

Nonfiction/Mythology

Love Percy Jackson? Maybe its time to hit up some of the original Greek myths! Acclaimed storyteller, Napoli begins at, well, the beginning, tracing Mother Earth, Gaia and creation. We see the birth of the major Gods and their lives, loves, and losses are explored. Humans enter the mix and life gets even more complicated. The volume ends with Helen of Troy's story, where the God's corruption comes to a bitter climax. Each God is allowed a short chapter with full color illustrations. The volume ends with a map of modern Greece, a timeline of the ancient period, a guide to the cast of characters (with helpful thumbprint portraits), a bibliography, research notes, sources for further discovery, and an extensive index. All the major Gods are included, sure to appeal to both fans and newcomers to Greek mythology, and the stories proceed in a logical and chronological fashion.

When Percy Jackson was released in 2005, it caused ripples in the children's book industry, second only to that of Harry Potter. Suddenly, ancient Greek mythology became new again and young readers clambered for more modern reboots, as well as the original stories. Veteran children's author, Napoli, answered the call for National Geographic and presents this volume of the classic stories with modern vocabulary. I am still a great fan of D'Aulaires' version of my childhood, but acknowledge that perhaps it isn't flashy enough for today's readers. National Geographic knows how to bring the razzle-dazzle and present what is thought of as dry material in an interesting way. Certainly, Napoli tells the myths in a manner sure to catch the reader's attention. Sometimes they boarder on inappropriateness for the intended audience, but I have found that readers do not process what they are not ready for when it comes to reading. Bawdy behavior is implied, not graphic, and is a part of these stories and, therefore, needs to remain in at accessible way for young people. Certainly kids will gobble this book up and the stunning and sparkly illustrations will not only lure them in, but keep them turning pages. An update to classic stories, true to the original, that will get kids reading!