Tales from the Odyssey, Part 2

Tales from the Odyssey #4-6

by Mary Pope Osborne

After twenty years of fighting monsters, angering gods and goddesses, and surviving against the odds, Odysseus is more desperate than ever to return to his family. But first he will have to explore yet another strange land. And when he finally does return home, he will have yet more dangerous enemies to face.

This is the exciting conclusion to the series by best-selling author Mary Pope Osborne, retelling Homer's Odyssey, one of the most thrilling adventure stories of all time.

This volume includes:

Book Four: The Gray-Eyed Goddess
Book Five: Return to Ithaca
Book Six: The Final Battle

Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Classics, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2012

About the author

Mary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.

Reviews

[Charissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me cry. And guess what made me cry? A one short paragraph about Argus, Odysseus's faithful hound! I always had a thing for faithful dogs like Hachi (this made me cry so much), Greyfriars Bobby and other loyal dogs out there who are very faithful to their owners! R.I.P to them! :'(
I love the retelling of the Odyssey to Mary Pope Osborne. I learned a lot of things and I remember, the first time I had read the first part, I'm dying to read the second one and immediately went to the mall ASAP just to be able to read it.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent second set of stories for children on Homer's Odyssey.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with a book group. It was fun to read since I've never read the Odyssey before but have seen plays, movies, and other books that use parts of it.

[Susann Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the adventures. Also, I liked it when Odysseus came back home. From my son.

[Kinzlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this I think was well writen I feel like it was so much easier to understand than the classic

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was fabulous. It was easy to follow, and well written. The language was beautiful and not simplified (read "dummed down") for young children, but still written so that young readers can understand within the context even if they may not know a word here or there. My son, who is 6, simply loved these books. He wanted me to continue reading to him each night, and was quite disappointed when both parts (6 books) were finished. He so enjoyed the world of monsters and sea adventures. Now I have to find something equally exciting and just as well written. Any recommendations, please send them my way!
But this book is a great way to provide your children a classic education and a well rounded vocabulary, but still give them a fun read.

[Spencer Forsyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great adventure book for kids.

[Hope Grover]

Lexile: 790

[Ashley Carpio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get to know his son Telemakhos is 20 years old. Telemakhos has to seek news for his father at Pylos and Sparta. Its a great story <3. Should read it

[Edin Capric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Also good too

[Nick H · Rating 4 out of 5]

[⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ __ ] [04/07/23 - 04/08/23]
(Review is for Audiobook Volume 3 (Parts 5 & 6 of Tales from the Odyssey. I’m posting the review in this edition because audiobook editions have a habit of getting deleted from Goodreads)

I enjoyed all of these little kid-accessible versions of the ODYSSEY. The language is clear and character motivations are simplified, sometimes even outright invented from scant mentions in the original text. It’s missing some of the depth of the original of course, and I think the biggest loss is much of the moral greyness of the heroes (Odysseus doesn’t sleep with his captor goddesses or execute his house’s handmaids for example), but all in all I’d go so far as to say someone who’d read these could claim to have “read” Homer’s ODYSSEY. They’d pretty much know the whole story, and possibly understand it better than some people who have only read the original. Simmons does a good job with the narration. [LIBRARY AUDIOBOOK]

この本が全部楽しかった

[Alexandria K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Although, there were two errors at the end on page 276. It states that, "Among his (Zeus) many children were the gods Apollo, Mars, and Hermes, and the goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, and Artemis." Mars is the Roman god of war, so not Greek like Ares. This part is semi-corrected in the illustration a few pages later where Ares is illustrated. The other error is that it says that Aphrodite is a daughter of Zeus. This, however, is not true, because in the original Greek myths Aphrodite's parentage is unknown, because she suddenly appeared from sea foam. Homer's Iliad puts her as a daughter of Zeus, but even though it takes place after the Iliad, this story is an adaptation of the Odyssey.

[Jemaeka · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book 2 focuses more in the POV of Telemachus, Odysseus' son.
I don't really understand why Greek gods and goddesses favor some and loath others. They quite unfair in my opinion. Nonetheless, Athena, goddess of war, arts and crafts and wisdom, helps Odysseus throughout his journey back to his homeland, Ithaca. Somehow, this creates tension in my mind. Is Athena loves Odysseus to help him so much? Or maybe, it is just her kindness and generosity?

The ending is bittersweet, for it was bloody. Yet, it needed to happen. At last, Odysseus is finally in his home after twenty years of indescribable sufferings.

Definitely worth the read!

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This conclusion to Mary Pope Osborne's work on the Odyssey doesn't disappoint! A classic work of literature told for today's child, this book tones down some of the more graphic scenes of the original, but still manages to immerse children in Odysseus' story. Wholeheartedly recommend.

For complementary resources to go with it, see my review of
Tales from the Odyssey, Part 1, Osborne, 2010
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Katie Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. A good introduction to the classic The Odyssey. Part two is not nearly as captivating as part one but a necessary read in order to wrap up the myth. We enjoyed it, but with how much we loved part one this one just wasn’t as exciting.

I do appreciate Mary Pope Osbornes work in making the story accessible for young children. It let them dip their toes into the story, and we will revisit it again once they are in high school!

[Kim Mearman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The boys enjoyed the last part of this adventure. We are focusing on ancient history this year so we have enjoyed reading some Greek mythology at a reading level they could follow. My only complaint was how repetitive the book became — at each new chapter the story was recapped-terrible! I ended up skimming some of it as I read it aloud.

[Jenni Jex · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story there is so much death and killing, people being eaten by cannibals, shipwrecks, battles, ghosts .... And my eight year old handled the whole book just fine, even the scary sad parts, until the one paragraph about a dog dying. Instant tears. Lol
But seriously, my kids were spell bound with this one and kept begging me to keep reading. Excellent retelling of this classic!

[Danielle Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reread with my boys. I read to my daughter years ago, and it began a love for Homer in her that is still there to this day. It is such a faithful and engrossing retelling of the Odyssey. It was a perfectly done paired down version of the original that kept my boys wanting more and gave a taste for how enthralling the original is.

[A'Lyssa Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was shocked how much the kids loved this story; they begged for just one more chapter every time. I thought it was quite well written, preserving language from the original story while still making it accessible for younger readers. Odysseus’ journey was full of exciting adventures that had a satisfying ending.

[Heather O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book by Mary Pope Osborne that tells the story of the Odyssey. This version of this story was really accessible for kids. My boys both enjoyed the continuation of the story of Odysseus and his return home.

[Kingston N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite character is Odyssey because he fights crime and he id very powerful. What surprised me was that Odyssey can fight monsters that are way stronger and bigger. I wouldn't change the ending because the ending is very good and it's very interesting.

[Farrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get it, Athena--you wanted to stick your dick in everyone's business. What a buttinsky. And oh boy, am I glad Odysseus finally got back to Ithaca. Could've done without all the back and forth shape-shifting in order to trick Penelope's suitors, but what're you gonna do, fight Homer at City Hall?

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My students loved this version of the Odyssey. I feel that Part One was better than Part Two, but it was a great version for kids to be introduced to this classic piece of literature. Part Two was less action-packed, so splitting the story differently might have helped that.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was perfect to end this book in Valentine’s Day when Odysseus and Penelope finally reunite and live happily ever after. My boys were squirming over their sweet reunion ;)
Jack knew all the Greek gods from his obsession with the Percy Jackson series.

[Joseph F. Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was good

The book was very good because it used detail and put it into a way that children can understand and like.

[Effie · Rating 5 out of 5]

easier to understand than the last.

[Kirti Vyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect introduction to the Odyssey for Grades 3 - 4.

[Ava Mouton · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one was good too!

[Jason Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstandingly readable translation.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume seemed more repetitive than the first. Not sure if that's due to the original or the retelling. But my son still loved it.