Greek Mythology Mania!

The 3rd grade is studying Greek Mythology, but myths are exciting adventures to be enjoyed across all the grade levels, into high school and beyond!  Myths are ancient stories that helped people explain phenomena in nature back in the day, before people understood that thunder and lightning were not from giant monster Cyclops banging hammers and that people don't fall in love because they are shot with Cupid's arrow.  Their explanations may not be scientifically correct, but they sure are imaginative. 

Many novels these days are written based on famous myths, but it helps to become acquainted with the original stories and characters.  Here are a half dozen picks to help you get started!

The D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths is the gold standard for Greek Mythology for children!  Even though these stories may seem wild to us now, it is important to approach them with some reverence.  They were believed to be true and considered religion at one point in history, temples were built to honor the characters we are reading about.  That's why these books are on the nonfiction shelves.  This title gives the myths the respect they deserve and is one of your librarian's very favorite books in the whole world! Available on Ebook through the Chicago Public Library!

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is one of the most popular spinoffs on Greek mythology.  The Lightning Thief is the first in the series and is available in graphic novel form, illustrated by Attila Futaki.  Available on Ebook through the Chicago Public Schools Virtual Library!

Meet the mischievous God of Nature in I Am Pan by Mordicai Gerstein, Available on Ebook through the Chicago Public Library!

Echo, Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josee Masse.  Reading down to up tells one version of the myth, but read up to down, there's always a twist!

Isn't it funny to imagine the characters from ancient mythology in modern situations?  Enjoy Mount Olympus Basketball by Kevin O'Malley.  Available on Ebook at the National Emergency Library.

Though this author's work is a little harder to find, Marcia Williams' rich and colorful comic version of Greek Myths is worth the hunt.  All of her books give us unique glimpses into history and literature and are a great way to get the know the classics. 

The king of mythology fiction is Rick Riordan, who is most famous for his page-turning Percy Jackson series, though he also explores Egyptian mythology in the Kane Chronicles and Norse Mythology in Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.  Rick Riordan has launched a line of books, "Rick Riordan Presents," celebrating mythology from other cultures, including East Indian mythology in Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Choksi, African mythology Tristan Strong by Kwame Imbalia, and Mexican mythology in the Storm Runner trilogy by J.C. Cervantes.  Author Grace Lin has award-winning novels based on Asian mythology, and Neil Gaiman has an action-packed collection of Norse Mythology.  All of these make great read-alouds as well. 

Books are ambrosia!  Happy reading!