The Simon & Schuster Book of Greek Gods and Heroes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.