Classic Starts®

March 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-A welcome introduction to Homer's The Iliad. While the book uses the clear and concise language typical of the series, there is some attempt to mimic the rhythmic language of the original: "Now, dear reader, you will hear the tale of Achilles and his rage." The story is broken into sections, with a quick introduction to Greek myth. Each chapter title clearly sums up the main event within, and the action scenes are paced well against the exposition to give readers the full scale of the story. While there are better versions to truly reflect the artistry of the original, this is a great choice for readers who need a clear breakdown of the story. It could easily be used to supplement classroom readings of a more challenging version or to allow students not quite ready for the original to get a head start. Discussion questions at the end will be particularly helpful for teachers.-Heather Talty, formerly at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
In this inexpensive abridged volume of Homer's epic, the language is readable without falling into the pitfall of using modern jargon. However, the retelling loses much of the poetic flavor and has been blandly sanitized for confident independent readers. A prologue provides background necessary to understand the tale's context. Discussion questions and a "Note to Parents and Educators" are appended.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)