The Adventures of Odysseus [Hardcover]

Hugh Lupton (Author), Daniel Morden (Author), Christina Balit (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 6, 2006 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Professional storytellers Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden bring you one of the world's greatest adventures stories! After ten long years, the Trojan War has ended and Odysseus sets sail for his homeland. But what Odysseus thinks is the end of his long absence is truly only the beginning.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 3-7–Both Lupton and Morden bring their long and prestigious careers as storytellers to their retelling of the Odyssey–with impressive results. The power and drama of this classic tale have been retained, but the sentence structure has been simplified in such a way as to maintain the flow of the story yet be accessible to younger readers. The vocabulary is challenging–diadem, inscrutable, and implacable on the first page alone, but appropriate. Balit's watercolor, gouache, and gold-ink illustrations incorporate traditional Greek styles with contemporary elements and complement the text. This excellent source for introducing the timeless tale to a new generation should be considered a first purchase for most collections.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Great for storytelling and reading aloud, this handsome, large-size picture book retells Homer's epic of Odysseus' perilous journey home in an immediate, fast-paced narrative ("Half of me was furious. The other half was terrified. I drew my sword, intending to rush in and attack . . ."). The text is beautifully framed with crisp, brightly colored, mosaic-style illustrations of the heroes and monsters, rendered in watercolor, gouache, and gold ink. Particularly impressive are the image of the Cyclops' bloody eye, the sweeping view of shipwreck and the Land of the Dead, and the picture of the goddess Athene covering the island with a white swirling mist. Then there's Penelope at home, keeping her suitors at bay. For younger readers, this is an exciting introduction to the classic story. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841488003
• ISBN-13: 978-1841488004
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #442,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful!, September 22, 2007

By 

Aimer Lire "Kniga" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Adventures of Odysseus (Hardcover)

My 6-year-old son loved having this read to him, and I loved reading it. Hugh Lupton has beautifully condensed the adventures of Odysseus into a fun and entertaining narrative, without making the story feel dumbed-down. The illustrations were lovely and suited the text very well. My son will enjoy reading this for years. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good even for young ones, May 21, 2010

By 

Jinian - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Adventures of Odysseus (Hardcover)

My 6-yo didn't like some of the sadder adventures, but was riveted nonetheless. My 4-yo cried at the reunion of Odysseus and Penelope and then took the book to read to herself in bed. The illustrations are lovely. The language is, at times, graphic, so be warned. For example, Troy's destruction is described as "blood-soaked rubble." At the same time, Odysseus's regret and mourning is described, preventing the horrors from being gratuitous. The story isn't watered down, but is fast-paced and works well even for younger children.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Odysseus for kids, March 3, 2008

By 

J. Siders - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adventures of Odysseus (Hardcover)

I'v been looking for a good version of the Odyssey to read to my kids for some time and this wins hands down. Its an absolutely beautiful book and does a wonderful job of telling this famous story. We got this from the library but I'm very tempted to buy a copy to add to our permanent collection.