The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Step-Into-Reading, Step 5) [Paperback]

Emily Little (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Step into Reading

Illus. in full color. "An ancient history lesson emerges from this account of the way the Greeks tricked the Trojans and rescued Helen of Troy. The book is well tailored to younger readers with careful explanations and short sentences; a pronunciation guide is appended. Drawings portray the story's main events. A nice supplement to units on ancient Greece or mythology."--Booklist.  

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4 This basic vocabulary treatment presents the Trojan War on a scale that is less than epic. The plodding present-tense voice and pedestrian style are almost definitive in the way in which they bland the story out. "The chariots race around the battlefield. The Greeks chase the Trojans. The Trojans chase the Greeks." Little's fall of Troy has all of the excitement (and none of the tension) of being stuck in traffic for two hours. A much better treatment of the destruction of Troy, both in text and illustration, is James Reeves' The Trojan Horse (Watts, 1968; o.p.). Reeves maintains the Homeric narrative in a less edited form: including, for example, the death of Laacoon, which Little omits. Reeves' first-person voice creates the vivid, immediate, and dramatic effects so suitable, even necessary, to the epicand so glaringly absent from Little's bleached, textbook prose. The illustrations are representational but bland, done primarily in shades of brown, buff, and gold with touches of blue and red. The bare bones of Homer's epic is here, but it is not presented in a style that will inspire young readers. Ann Welton, Lake Dollof Elementary School, Auburn, Wash.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

Illus. in full color. "An ancient history lesson emerges from this account of the way the Greeks tricked the Trojans and rescued Helen of Troy. The book is well tailored to younger readers with careful explanations and short sentences; a pronunciation guide is appended. Drawings portray the story's main events. A nice supplement to units on ancient Greece or mythology."--Booklist.  

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (November 8, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394896742
• ISBN-13: 978-0394896748
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Science > Folklore & Mythology
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Military & Wars
  • #6 in Books > Children's Books > History > Military & Wars

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite for the elementary set, September 13, 2007

By 

Heather Martin (The Republic of Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Step-Into-Reading, Step 5) (Hardcover)

I read several 'Trojan War' books while trying to decide which to use for my 7-year-olds. I liked this one the best. It had nice illustrations and the story flowed fairly well. The author cut out A LOT, but I felt it appropriate for this age group. No blood and guts here!

This is not the definitive story of the Iliad. But it works as a gentle introduction for 1st through 3rd graders. Even my 3-year-old listened in. I found them re-enacting the story for days afterward and it was a constant topic at dinner.

The next time around (5th grade) I'll use Rosemary Sutcliff's Black Ships Before Troy and The Wanderings of Odysseus. I think they're fantastic retellings of the story, just a bit much for my little ones right now.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good history resource, April 10, 2000

By 

S. Sayers - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trojan Horse: How The Greeks Won The War (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Step Into Reading: A Step 4 Book) (School & Library Binding)

This step into reading book is geared for 2-4 grades. The chapters are short and fully illustrated. The sentences are kept short but the story still remains interesting. There is a pronunciation guide at the back of the book for those unusual names like Menelaus. Great reading for a unit study on Ancient Greece.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Enough, April 24, 2006

By 

Gen (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Step-Into-Reading, Step 5) (Paperback)

This book was good enough, or at least better than nothing, but considering the excitement of the topic it could have been written in a MUCH more engaging manner. The sentences are short and choppy and the whole narrative is just a bit blah. It didn't even mention that Helen was "the face that launched a thousand ships." How can you tell the story of the Trojan war without mentioning that?

Overall, though, it was a good way to tell the story to my first grader. I'll still keep my eyes open for a more exciting version.