The Odyssey

by Homer and Geraldine McCaughrean

Book Overview

The epic journey of Odysseus, the hero of Ancient Greece... After ten years of war, Odysseus turns his back on Troy and sets sail for home. But his voyage takes another ten years and he must face many dangers - Polyphemus the greedy one-eyed giant, Scylla the six-headed sea monster and even the wrath of the gods themselves - before he is reunited with his wife and son. Brilliantly retold by award-winning author, Geraldine McCaughrean.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140383093
• ISBN13: 9780140383096
• Release Date: December 1997
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.0"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Imagery, Simile, Metaphor, Hyperbole Galore

The disclosure of the publisher "Puffin" rightly gives the fact that this is a child's version away. Yet, the prose of this text is not condescending. I love the use of imagery, similes, metaphor and hyperbole; this read is a treat for all ages, as it inspires the imagination in ways the original text may not for lack of so much detail. I enjoy reading the different versions of they Odyssey- analyzing the differences and appreciating the variety of interpretations is an exercise in and of itself.

The Odyssey review

this book was for a 11year old girl who was doing a school summer project. She loved the book, the simplicity of the story and had her project completed in two days

One eyed monsters- Oh My!

My daughter is 5 and will be in Kindergarten this fall. (she turns 6 this November) and she loves this tale. We read almost a full chapter, some are very long for a five year old, every night. The next day, oh yes, I am mean Cyclops, a Lotus Eater, etc. and she is brave Odysseus.(who is part super hero as she ties a towel around her neck! Since she is five and we are Christians I didn't tell her they were "gods" as it would take way more explanation than her dad and I wanted to get into. She first saw a picture of Posieden and thought he was a monster so we went with that. When she's older, we'll get into the Greek god mythology. I do change some of the wording, but not much, as it can get tedious for one so young. Highly recommend it.

All the Hits

For young readers not yet ready to tackle Homer in translation this prose version is a superb introduction to the epic's most stirring episodes. McCaughrean writes in an alliterative prose which honors the poetry of the original. She pumps new life into the tangle with the Cyclops, the lure of the Sirens, and the final smackdown on Ithaca when a weathered Odysseus teaches the loutish suitors a thing or two. Seventh graders here have really warmed to this commendable retelling. Our ancient history curriuculum has certainly benefitted from its inclusion.

Homer restored to his rightful place as serious competition

...for Pokemon, dinosaurs, ghost stories, Robin Hood, and piratical history! I am no classical scholar, as is obvious from that last sentence, but I am a mom who reads alot to her children and I've a working understanding of Homer's poetic tale, The Odyssey. Ms. McCaughrean's version was gripping! We had a very hard time putting it down the first time, and on our second read through we just kept going until the end! This book enthralled a 7 and a 4, while remaining as true to the text as I've seen yet in a children's version (slight editing may be required for the very squeamish or quite young.) My children acted the tale out on their own when we were through and held impromptu literary discussions for days afterwards. Like Bible stories, Greek myths have been done a thousand times over for children. Before you set off to wade through to find the diamonds, take my word for it that this is definitely one of them. Also, her collection of classic mythical stories is recommended although, dare I say it, this is even better than that.