Mythology

Emily Little’s The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Random House, 1988) is one of the “Step Into Reading” series for grades 2-3. In the same series, also see Marc Cerasini’s The Twelve Labors of Hercules (1997). Short chapters, big print, colorful pictures and an early-elementary vocabulary.

From the Ready-for-Reading series, see Joan Holub’s Surprise, Trojans! (Simon Spotlight, 2014), the story of the Trojan Horse for readers ages 6-8.

The Iliad and the Odyssey by Marcia Williams (Walker Books, 2006) tells the stories of the Trojan War and Odysseus’s perilous journey home afterward in panel-cartoon style. For ages 6-10.

Gillian Cross’s The Iliad and The Odyssey (Candlewick, 2017), with bright and dramatic illustrations by Neil Packer, are exciting reader-friendly retellings of the stories – hitting all the high points – for ages 7-12. (Available either separately or included in one volume.)

Hugh Lupton’s The Adventures of Odysseus (Barefoot Books, 2006) is illustrated with watercolor and gold-ink paintings reminiscent of historical Greek style. For ages 8-12.

A classic prose retelling of both stories is found in Padriac Colum’s The Children’s Homer: The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy (Aladdin, 2004). Also available as an audio CD. For ages 9 and up.

Also by Colum for the same age group, see The Golden Fleece: And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles (Aladdin, 2004).

By author Diego Agrimbau and illustrator Marcelo Zamora, The Iliad (Capstone Press, 2017) is a graphic-novel version of Homer’s story of the Trojan War. By the same team, also see the graphic versions of The Odyssey and The Aeneid. For ages 9 and up.

Rosemary Sutcliff’s Black Ships Before Troy and The Wanderings of Odysseus (Laurel Leaf, 2005) tell the stories in novel form for ages 10 and up.

Paul Shipton’s riotous The Pig Scrolls (Candlewick, 2007) is narrated by Gryllus, once one of Odysseus’s crew, now a pig, having been enchanted by Circe. But a sarcastic talking pig who’s just been told by the prophetess Sybil that it’s up to him to save the world. For ages 10 and up.

Paul Fleischman’s Dateline: Troy (Candlewick, 2006) juxtaposes the story of the Trojan War with newspaper headlines and clippings from the 20^th century. A fascinating approach to history and a great discussion book for ages 12 and up.

Mary Renault’s The King Must Die (Vintage, 1988) and its sequel, The Bull from the Sea, are gripping retellings of the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, narrated in the first person by Theseus himself. For teens and adults.

Madeline Miller, hailed as a successor to Mary Renault, is the author of The Song of Achilles (Ecco, 2012), a version of the Iliad as told by Achilles’s beloved friend Patroclus; and Circe (Back Bay Books, 2020), a “subversive retelling” of the story of Circe, daughter of Helios, who discovers her powers as a witch. For teens and adults.

By Bettany Hughes, Helen of Troy (Vintage, 2007), is subtitled “The Story Behind the Most Beautiful Woman in the World.” The book covers depictions of Helen in history, literature, and art, with a lot of information about what life was like for a Greek woman at the time of the Trojan War. For teens and adults.

Also available as a PBS Home Video.

Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad (Canongate, 2006) is the story of Odysseus from the point of view of Penelope and the twelve maids – those hanged by Odysseus upon his return home. An insightful and very different take on the tale by the brilliant author of The Handmaid’s Tale. For teens and adults.

Directed by the Coen brothers, the award-winning O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000), based on the Odyssey, is set in 1930s Mississippi and follows the struggles of Ulysses Everett McGill and two companions, sprung from a chain gang and now trying to get home. Rated PG-13.