Wednesday 14 June 2017
Black Ships Before Troy - The Story of the Iliad by Rosemary Sutcliff and Alan Lee (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
Homer's (No, not Homer Simpson, the Greek fellah) epic poem "The Iliad" has been brought to stunning life by talented duo Rosemary Sutcliff and Alan Lee.
This fantastic book went on to win a Kate Greenaway medal, and it's not really surprising at all to find that this compelling and involving compendium of stories is one of those 'must have' books.
Rosemary has carefully adapted many Greek legends for the children's market but this particular collection covers some of the most well-known stories, such as the Death of Achilles and of course the amazing Wooden Horse of Troy.
Alan Lee's beautifully detailed illustrations underpin the stories, with rich text and descriptive history woven together in a brilliant way.
Big and hefty, these are perfect for children who want to learn a little more about the rich tapestry of heroic and historic stories that Ancient Greece had to offer, but also kids who are growing up on the likes of Percy Jackson will definitely find loads to love about these books and stories too.
Best of all, the book will also help you pronounce all those really tricky Greek names, with a really interesting section at the back of the book to enjoy and test your mettle on too.
Stunning stuff.
Charlotte's best bit: Becoming completely immersed in the story of the rise and fall of Achilles, and a huge amount of love for all those brilliant mythical beasts that crop up in these tales.
Daddy's favourite bit: A real "keeper" and a great introduction to Greek mythology and lore. Utterly brilliantly retold, beautifully illustrated and we can't wait to read the rest of the series too.
"Black Ships Before Troy - The Story of the Iliad" is out now, published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books (kindly supplied for review).
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