Book Review: The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus
Rating: 
A nice little introduction to the Greek pantheon of gods. This book is rendered very engagingly for young children, with the words and details carefully selected, and well-drawn pictures telling much of the story. Unfortunately the stories are told rather uncritically, as evidenced by a comment in the author’s afterword:
The next time you hear a clap of thunder, or feel the wind, or see golden wheat swaying in the fields, or hear exquisite music, what will you think? Is that Zeus shaking his thunderbolt, or Hermes flying past? Is it Demeter playing with her Persephone? Is that Apollo’s song filling our ears?
They are still with us.
The book is very good at capturing a child’s imagination, but at ages 4-8, children are not equipped with the critical thinking necessary to separate these mythologies from their Bible stories. Additionally, many of the Greek myths involve violent and abusive behavior, bitter feuds, and the misuse of sex, which may not take the imagination in the direction parents want it to go. At a later age, this book might make a good once-read introduction for reluctant readers to introduce a more in-depth presentation of Greek mythology.
I have heard that Andrew Lang and Ingri and Edgar D’Aulaire published some good books on Greek mythology. Are any readers familiar with them, or have other suggestions for introducing the subject?
Categories: 2 Stars, Age 04-08
Tags: Abuse, Adventures, Brutality, Goddesses, Gods, Greed, Immorality, Misuse of Sex, Mythology, Pride, Rebellion, Religion, Self-Absorption, The Ancient World
Posted on July 14, 2009
2 responses to Book Review: The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus
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Via Amazon.com: Deirdre Seim says: On what basis should young children distinguish these stories from bible stories? Both serve the same purpose, they show how an ancient people explained the difficult, the human and the mysterious.
My Response: Thank you for your comment. I write my reviews primarily for parents who wish to cultivate a Christian imagination in their children, and part of a biblical understanding is that biblical teaching offers a claim to truth that transcends all other wisdom. For a family that believes all ancient religions are roughly equivalent to one another, this book would be a good choice.