Children Obsessed with Greek Myths?

Well, if your kids are anything like mine, after reading the Percy Jackson series they suddenly became obsessed with Greek myths.  Being that I am named after a Norse goddess, I would have preferred the Norwegians, but I am not a mom to quibble!  I loved that they got a chance to delve into these stories, which are the foundation for so much in literature as well as art.  It is a tremendous knowledge base that children should posses!

The books I have profiled this week continue to reference the Greek myths, as well as some that bring in other cultural myth references.  Enjoy.

Title: The Pig Scrolls

Author: Paul Shipton

Target: Grades 5-8

Series: Yes, but there are only two books

What this book is about:

Gryllus, a former crewman with Odysseus, gets turned into a pig during the Odyssey.  As he is living a quiet life in Greece, rooting for food, he is captured by a prophetess on a mission for Apollo to save the world!  However, this pig has a unique, albeit sarcastic, view of the world and the role he will play.

Why I love this book:

‘There once was a merry young Spartan

But trouble he always was startin’

The friends that he had

Said the smell was so bad

Because he just couldn’t stop ---” 

If you enjoy a good smelly limerick, a smart aleck talking pig and Greek mythology then this is certainly the book for you!

This book won the Bronze Nestle Children’s Book Prize in the UK.  Frankly, I am surprised that more of these books have not caught on the in the US.  There are some real gems on the list and since they are voted on by school children, they represent some innovative books that are also interesting to kids.  

Who this book is for:

Kids who love adventure, humor and Greek mythology!

Final thoughts:

A book written by a sarcastic pig, really, how can you pass that up?

To see the rest of my recommendations, please visit my blog at www.onegreatbook.com