“Even reluctant readers (let alone closet classicists) will be drawn to pore over these entrancing pages. -School Library Journal Greek myths are among the most exciting stories ever told. In this collection, Marcia Williams offers a fun but faithful retelling of eight myths using simple language and her signature comic-strip format. Panels and spreads brimming with color, decorative detail, and nonstop action make each tale a pleasure to look at, and speech bubbles add modern humor. This indispensable collection is the perfect way to introduce young readers to the power of myth.
Myths and Legends
Shapeshifters: Tales from Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Using poetry and prose, Mitchell retells 34 of Ovid’s versions of the Greek myths. Through his elevated tone and poetic yet highly readable language, the author conveys the majesty of these myths. The softly realistic illustrations add to the appeal of this excellent introduction to classical mythology.
La Sirena Y El Pescador
La sirena y el pescador is a traditional folktale of the Rio Balsas region of Mexico, written in the Nahuatl language of San Agustín Oapan, Guerrero and accompanied by a Spanish translation. It tells the story of a young boy who must escape from his family after “Aalamatsin”, the mermaid and mother of all fish, wants the boy as a sacrifice in exchange for the release and pardon of his father, who betrayed his own wife and exploited the inhabitants of the river by overfishing it.
Ka-Hala-O-Puna, Ka U’i O Manoa: The Beauty Of Manoa
According to an ancient Hawiian legend, Kahalaopuna was the beautiful girl of the rainbow from the famed Valley of Manoa on O’ahu. She was betrothed to marry a chief named Kauhi, whose heart was turned by lies. As the story unfolds, we come to understand two Hawaiian truths, that of pono, righteousness, and aloha, mercy.
The Legend Of La’ieikawai (A Latitude 20 Book)
The twins La’ieikawai and La’ielohelohe are separated at birth but remain linked by their great beauty and a series of unscrupulous admirers and fickle husbands. Eventually the sisters are reunited with the help of a colorful cast of characters, including a man-eating lizard, a “cosmic” spider, and a giant bird, and find happiness at last in each other’s company. This timeless ka’ao, or legend, of long ago is lovingly retold and illustrated here by renowned Island artist and storyteller Dietrich Varez.
Tongues Of Jade
A retelling of seventeen Chinese American folktales from a variety of Chinese communities in the United States.
Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder And Blunders
From Hercules’s snake assassin slippers to Arachne’s wicked weaver rap songs, these are the mythic monsters and Hellenic heroes that have captured Western culture for centuries, but are a whole lot more fun. Each story showcases the wondrous and blunderful antics of gods and mortals in bright graphics that rival the super-heroic action of The Lightning Thief, burst with the knock-your-socks-off humor of Jeff Kinney, and still remain unerringly faithful to the original myth. Kids won’t be able to resist the bickering sheep, unruly rulers, and undercover details of Amazing Greek Myths, while teachers, librarians, and parents can relish this new way to share moral messages that remain as relevant today as they were a thousand years ago.
Pegasus
Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pegasi, Princess Sylvi is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own pegasus, on her twelfth birthday, but the closeness of their bond becomes a threat to the status quo and possibly to the safety of their two nations.
How The Ox Star Fell From Heaven
A Chinese folk tale which explains why the ox was banished from heaven to become the farmer’s beast of burden.
The Shaman’s Nephew: A Life In The Far North
When Jewish author/storyteller Sheldon Oberman met Inuit artist/hunter Simon Tookoome, he knew the encounter was special. Still, he had no idea their meeting would result in an amazing collaboration that would span a decade. Through the use of many tape recordings and translations, Sheldon has painstakingly woven the threads of a remarkable man’s life into a book for all to treasure. With Tookoome’s drawings to enhance the text, Oberman has managed to express the cadence and voice of one of the last of the Inuit to live the traditional nomadic life in the Arctic. The Shaman’s Nephew magically transports readers to a cold climate that warms and grows more familiar with every turn of the page.