Greek Gods and Heroes (Laurel-Leaf Books)

This book is unique among books about Greek mythology because Robert Graves describes the gods' thrones! I find that information fascinating.

This is an excellent book to encourage your kids curiosity without them realizing that it is actually teaching Greek Mythology. I picked this up for my stepson after we read the first "Percy Jackson and the Olympians", so that we would both have a better understanding of Greek Mythology.

I was looking for a book that had a collection on certain Greek myths one day and I happened to stumble upon this book. Robert Graves here put together a collection of Greek myths in his own retelling and this book makes for a fun read. In addition to the fun that this book brings there is also a lot of basic information on Greek mythology to be learned, such as the Olympian Gods and monsters of the ancient myths. Whether the book is enjoyed slowly by reading one story and reading another at a later time or gobbling it up all together you will still get a lot of fun and information out of it. A lot of the basic stories that have come out of Greek mythology are retold here in a simple and easy to read format. Stories such as Heracles' (Hercules), the birth of the God Hermes, Perseus', and many more can be found here. This book combines the politics, mystery, and magic of the ancient Greek world. Of the twenty seven stories that are told in this short little book my favorite is definitely the story of Heracles. I enjoyed reading about how he was able to perform the feats that were given to him to gain his freedom as his story shows how in the end you can always manage to do something that you set out to do. While reading this book you will notice how the huge cast of characters interact with one another. Many are against each other, many are involved in a love affair, and others team up with each other to defeat other characters. It is interesting how our world today mirrors the mythological world of the ancient Greeks. A lot of people today do the same things that were done by the characters in the stories of the book. Robert Graves' knowledge of the Greek myths is absolutely astounding. It is obvious upon the reading of this book how much research, time and effort went not only into writing this book, but also into gaining the basic facts which make the stories. In the introduction Graves writes how many things that are in today's world were derived from the ancient Greeks, like astronomy, literature, and medicine. When you read the book keep an eye out for the things of the Greeks that we use today. I will be reading many of the stories in this book that I have enjoyed again and again in the future. This is a great introduction to the basics of Greek mythology and are great stories for bedtime. Happy Reading!

My son (11) loves these stories. The main Greek myths are here, told briefly and unsentimentally in crisp English. Most of the tales are 2-3 pages in length.

Venerable writer Robert Graves re-tells the most memorable Greek myths in a fun loving style that will entertain children and adults. Graves' narrator voice is sometimes amused, sometimes gently chiding as he describes the adventures of Hercules, the saga of Pandora and her unfortunate box, Midas' tragic touch and Narcissus' self obsession. He also examines the roles and relationships of the twelve Olympians themselves. This is not a dry textbook style treatment of mythology, but a wonderfully absorbing bunch of yarns that can be read over and over to elementary school children; it will also be a useful reference down the road, when young children become older students. These are great stories, beautifully told.