We imagine that books introducing children to history through amusing stories is something of a modern phenomenon. The behemoth steamroller of "Horrible Histories" may fool us all into thinking that kids have only really taken to learning about ancient civilisations through extremely dubious humour, but it wasn't always so.
Nathaniel Hawthorne, an American author who was born in 1804, penned many books for adults and children - and with "Greek Myths: A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys" he wrote an almost Enid-Blyton-esque treatment around the subject of a group of kids learning about Greek mythology for the first time.
Reading this, and trying not to turn to stone at Walter Crane's awesome cover art (and internal illustrations), it struck me that here was a man who was WAY ahead of his time in recognising that children are A) inquisitive and B) that history would interest them greatly if presented in just the right way.
Six stories are taken from popular Greek myths and reproduced here in Nathaniel's book, including the legends of Pandora and the Box of Troubles, King Midas and the Golden Touch, Perseus and the Medusa, Philemon and Baucis, Bellerophon and Pegasus, and the labours of Hercules.
I must admit, my own education around Greek mythology happened entirely because of Ray Harryhausen rather than a book, but later on when the subject began to be covered in school I really wish I'd have had a book like this to dip into.
As the children in the book re-tell these famous stories, the subject is really brought to life with the inclusion of amazing colour plates by Walter Crane - pretty legendary himself back in the late 19th century as an amazing artist and book illustrator.
It's a very interesting book this. I think certain kids will stick with the rather old-fashioned language and presentation and find that these stories are as enthralling and enchanting as ever, and that this version's destined to be something of a future heirloom to pass on to generations to come (particularly in this glorious leather-bound B & N version).
"Greek Myths: A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Walter Crane is out now, published by Barnes and Noble (Kindly supplied for review).