The Simon & Schuster Book of Greek Gods and Heroes

by Alice Low

The gods and heroes of ancient Greece shake heaven and earth in a collection of over thirty stories that breath new life into the myths of Olympus. Here is the triumphant tale of the Trojan Horse, the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0027613909
• ISBN13: 9780027613902
• Release Date: September 1985
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 2.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 8.7" x 11.1"
• Age Range: 7 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 5

Customer Reviews

Fun and educational

I took a college World Mythology course over the summer and my 5 and 7 year olds were interested in the pictures in my textbooks. Striking while the iron was hot, so to speak, I ordered them this book to study along with mom. It was fun for me to read as well as enjoying and understandable for them. This book was a great choice.

Children like this book

My children (ages 5-10) love this book. I have also read from this book to hospitalized teenagers; when I read Oedipus I finished the story and heard a chorus of "read it again!"I noticed that some of the reviews posted here say that this book is unsuitable for children, but I wonder if the reviewers actually tried reading the book to them.

Best introduction to its subject that I know of

When one is trying to get a basic overall grasp of Greek mythology, it can be an overwhelming and formidable subject, and one can be at a loss for the best place to start. Most books I've found either give too much detail too fast or else are hit-and-miss selections that don't give a very comprehensive introduction. If that's been your experience too, this book could be an excellent solution to your problem. It gives a highly readable thorough introduction without overwhelming you with details. As an introduction to or review of Greek mythology, it is therefore highly recommendable. Although probably aimed primarily at children, I suppose grown-ups too, if not already expert on the subject, won't find it too elementary.

Highly recommended

My seven-year-old daughter loves this book. The language and illustrations are just right for a first introduction to this subject, but not babyish at all. We are taking turns reading each story. She thinks it's like a soap opera.

The most readable anthology of Greek mythology.

While selecting books for an elementary school gifted and talented program, I think I scanned virtually every book of Greek mythology that has been published. I selected this book for my program as the most interesting and readable book. Alice Low writes in a clear style and systematically introduces the Greek gods and heroes while also making references to the other stories. Too many books on this topic are written in old-fashioned language that discourages the reader. Most other books fail to link the various stories to one another, leaving the reader feeling a bit disjointed. Low interweaves the tales, which gives a smooth narrative flow. The fact that 10-year-old children became enthusiastic about Greek mythology demonstrates the value of this book.