Usborne Illustrated Greek Myths & Legends

by cheryl-evans-anne-millard, Anne Millard, Rodney Matthews (illustrator)

-- A fascinating introduction to the world of mythology-- Brief outlines of all of the most famous stories-- Ideal source of inspiration for role-playing games

Genres: Mythology, History, Nonfiction, Childrens, Greek Mythology, Religion, Greece

64 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1986

Reviews

[V]

I used to read this over and over when I was young. The illustrations by Rodney Matthews were gorgeous, and the various legends were captivating. (:

[Eva Hnizdo]

i like Greek mythology

[Andrew]

Ok to start off with I will declare that I read this more for the artwork on Rodney Matthews - it is neither an excuse or a justification just that is what drew me to this book.

The book itself is a fun introduction to the world of greek myths and legends- it has lively illustration (which of course is what caught my eye) and some interesting interpretations.

The whole thing about the world of myths and legends is that they are interwoven and interconnected - so of course there are personal interpretations, as well as the more lofty academic studies - this book treats the middle group, being neither patronisingly simple nor controversially challenging. So even though I was shallow and went for the artwork the contents are actually quite interesting too - not bad for a dated (my edition says 1985) children's book.

[Jane Baldwin]

This is the second copy I have purchased for my classroom. We wore out the first one! Great summaries, but the best part is the glossary with condensed details on each and every personality.

[Elise Haroldson]

I nabbed this book for my kids, but ended up enjoying it myself!

I like that this is a PG, simplified re-telling of Greek Mythology. It had been a while since I had visited these tales, and I forget what an incestual and dysfunctional group of characters they were. However, this book simplifies their "issues" in a way that is tasteful and appropriate for children.

The illustrations are gorgeous and the layout of the book is easy to follow and find specific stories and characters (has an excellent table of contents and concordance, as well.)

My favorite part, by far, is the condensed, alphabetical "dictionary" of characters in the back!

[Katie]

I needed a quick read to help me push through to my goal of 50 books, so I gave this one a try. It was fine. It gives nice, short summaries of the major players in the Greek myths and legends. Definitely not as entertaining as when Percy Jackson narrates them. Good for a basic introduction or a quick review since there are SO many characters to keep track of. Onward to my final book of 2018!

[Chris]

Greek Myths and Legends provides a straightforward introduction to some of the most popular stories from Greek mythology. The illustrations are captivating, and the language is simple enough for younger readers or beginners to grasp.

Overall, it’s a decent starting point for newcomers but may not satisfy readers looking for a comprehensive exploration of Greek mythology.

[Doug]

I’m taking this book for what it is: an introduction to Greek mythology. It doesn’t pretend to be a comprehensive edition, but gives a good overview of the god, heroes, titans, monsters, and mere mortals. Nicely illustrated, it gives you most of what you need to know.

[Catherine Stancil]

This book has a great encyclopedia of who's who in Greek myths.

[Mary]

I want this book

[Belle Meade School]

398.209

[Michele]

Enjoyed . Very quick to read and nice illustrations
I will keep it to refer back to as it has a who's who at the end for quick refreshers on who's who and who did what and to whom.

[Sophie Crane]

Well written book with beautiful illustrations, ideal for youngsters interested in these types of tales.

[Niall]

The illustrations are both fantastic and frightening, whereas the writing tends sparse summaries, but that combination makes for a compelling text that I read many times as a child!

[Melissa Ganka-Collins]

Illustrations not appropriate for younger readers.

[Julie]

This is essentially a reference book for children. Most of it simply explains who certain figures are and what they were known for, so a series of short biographies of mythological figures. The problem is that Greek mythology is basically saga...so the most readable part of the book is the account of the Trojan war from causes and build up through the war and the heroes that fought and died and then through the aftermath with heroes returning home. This was greatly condensed, part from the Aeneid and the Iliad (both full length--long--books) among other sources, but it does put a story together that I've not seen told all in one place before. In the back is a complete list of gods, goddesses, their offspring, and other heroes/ villains and descriptions as well as a good index. Not bad as a bathroom or reference book.

[Jerry Jares]

It's embarrassing to admit how many times I've read the Greek Myths and how little I've retained over the years. However, this particular volume is a great resource for these important tales of the ancient Greeks.

The secrets to this book's success are both the illustrations and the Whos Who in the Greek Myths. Although the Greek god's stories are told briefly, the Whos Who is where I turn for the succinct info I need:

- The family from which this god/goddess comes;
- His/her personality and appearance;
- His/her magical powers;
- Associations: Places, things or ideas linked with the character (For example Artemis is linked with the woodland; she protects women expecting babies).

This book is only 64 pages, but a lot of info is packed within its covers. I found the myths to be a bit too short to be fully explanatory; they have enough detail to firmly plant them in the scheme of the myths.

When I'm looking for a crossword answer, I tend to head first to the Whos Who, pages 50 63.

[Gabriella Ramirez]

Loved this when I was younger and still do. Gave me so much information on Greek mythology :)

[Kelly]

4.5/5

The illustrations are beautifully done and the book has a lot of information on our favourite Gods and heroes. I loved the 'Who's Who' section of the book at the end, particularly how you pronounce each characters name.

[Lisa]

a simple and fun introduction to Greek Mythology for folks just getting started...and the illustrations are great!

[Jennifer]

A very nice basic intro into Greek Mythology--written in an easy-to-read, unintimidating style, yet it doesn't have that 'dumbed down' feeling either.

[Dr.]

A good review of what I should have learned in English.

[[Name Redacted]]

A childhood favorite with wonderful, vibrant art.

[Georgia Cummins]

I thoughly enjoyed the book as that's what I enjoy.

[Dayna Smith]

A wonderful introduction to Greek Mythology. The illustrations are magnificent.

[Natalie]

This is an amazing book. I really liked that the book is about my favorite subject: mythology. It is one of the best mythology books ever. My favorite god is Ares.

[Amanda Hlava]

This is a book that gives a breif summary about the important myths and ledgends in Greek Mythology. It talks about the different characters,their relationships, and their actions.

[Jada]

I liked it, except for one thing. This one thing really irritated me, they called Hades 'Pluto' throughout. I know that is one of his names, but Hades is much more well-known.

[Sreten Jevtic]

Interesting

[Andrew Hryhirchuk]

I remember this book from when I was a kid. I'm in my home town an I just went to the little library THIS BOOK WAS THIS THERE!
So excited!
This is my childhood