Great for storytelling and reading aloud, this handsome, large-size picture book retells Homer's epic of Odysseus' perilous journey home in an immediate, fast-paced narrative (Half of me was furious. The other half was terrified. I drew my sword, intending to rush in and attack . . . ). The text is beautifully framed with crisp, brightly colored, mosaic-style illustrations of the heroes and monsters, rendered in watercolor, gouache, and gold ink. Particularly impressive are the image of the Cyclops' bloody eye, the sweeping view of shipwreck and the Land of the Dead, and the picture of the goddess Athene covering the island with a white swirling mist. Then there's Penelope at home, keeping her suitors at bay. For younger readers, this is an exciting introduction to the classic story. --Hazel Rochman Copyright 2006 Booklist

Gr 3-7-Both Lupton and Morden bring their long and prestigious careers as storytellers to their retelling of the Odyssey-with impressive results. The power and drama of this classic tale have been retained, but the sentence structure has been simplified in such a way as to maintain the flow of the story yet be accessible to younger readers. The vocabulary is challenging-"diadem," "inscrutable," and "implacable" on the first page alone, but appropriate. Balit's watercolor, gouache, and gold-ink illustrations incorporate traditional Greek styles with contemporary elements and complement the text. This excellent source for introducing the timeless tale to a new generation should be considered a first purchase for most collections.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The vivid colors and gorgeous geometric designs that portray the land and seascapes of ancient Greece, as well as the faces and forms of men, gods, and monsters, make this prose abridgment of Homer's epic a visual delight. The authors simplify the complicated tale of Odysseus, focusing on his bold escapades and family reunion, without sacrificing richness of language and imagery. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.