Year: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Andrzej Majewski

Adam the Tireless Wanderer [Adam niestrudzony wędrowiec]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp., section by Gabriela Rogowska, pp. 175–176.The hero of the book is Adam – a little boy found by an old couple in the forest. When the boy grows a little older he sets out on a journey seeking the wisdom of the world (...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Aesop’s Fables Sirens Sphinx

Age of Mythology

In Age of Mythology users play as one of three ancient civilizations (Greek, Egyptian or Norse), and guide their people from the paucity of the Archaic Age to the cultural and military brilliance of the Mythic Age. Starting with a small settlement, players collect resources – Food, Wood, Gold and divine Favour – that enable them to erect buildings, train soldiers, and research new technologies to strengthen their civilization. The overall aim is to defeat rival players by either dest(...)

electronic

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Athena Chiron / Cheiron Cronus / Kronos Egyptian Mythology Norse Mythology Olympus Penelope Poseidon Troy

Colin King, Stephanie Turnbull

Ancient Greeks

This short book starts by introducing "An ancient land", before moving to specific sections, each covering a double spread, on: Life in Greece; Clothes and fashion; What people ate; A trip to market; Feasts and fun; Gods and goddesses; Talking to the gods; Heroes and monsters; The Olympic Games; Greek plays; Mighty warriors; Into battle; and Great Greeks. Each section comprises short sentences in a large font accompanied (...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Gods Greek Theatre Hero(es) Monsters Olympic Games Pottery / Vases

Geoffrey McSkimming

Cairo Jim and the Chaos from Crete (Cairo Jim, 10)

Cairo Jim is a young archaeologist who is already an established member of the fictional Old Relics Society at the commencement of the series. He is always seen wearing a pith helmet and his desert sun-spectacles. Cairo Jim and the Chaos from Crete is located in mid-to-late 20th-century Knossos, in Crete. It is a whimsical adventure in which the hero and his companions (a talking macaw named Doris and a telepathic wonder-camel named Brenda) travel to the Palace of Knossos after learning tha(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Archaeology Daedalus Knossos Labyrinth Minoan Civilization Minos Minotaur Poseidon Talos (Automaton) Theseus Zeus

Calef Brown, John Harris

Greece! Rome! Monsters!

Greece! Rome! Monsters! is an illustrated anthology of mythological creatures from the classical tradition. Organised alphabetically, it introduces young readers to twenty monsters, including well known characters like the Cyclops, Medusa, and the Minotaur, alongside more obscure figures such as the Basilisk and Manticore. In addition to the fearsome beasts are more pleasant equine creatures, the Hippocamp, Pegasus and the Unicorn. Curiously the Hydra does not feature, but the collection does in(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Basilisk Bellerophon Centaur(s) Cerberus Charybdis Chimera / Chimaera Cyclops / Cyclopes Griffins / Gryphons Harpies Hippocampi Manticore Medusa Minotaur Odysseus / Ulysses Oedipus Pan Pegasus Phoenix (Bird) Poseidon Scylla Sirens Sphinx Unicorn (hippos monokeras)

Kate McMullan

Have a Hot Time, Hades! (Myth-O-Mania, 1)

Have a Hot Time, Hades comprises seventeen chapters plus a prologue and epilogue, from the perspective of Hades, detailing his birth and the genesis of his conflict with Zeus. The prologue introduces Hades as the ruler of the Underworld and shows his distrust in myths and his readiness to set the record straight as they are all biased against him and he knows best.Chapter One, Hothead Dad, narrates the genesis of the Olympians from Mama Gaia who gave birth to Cronus, the Titan. Cronus in tu(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Campe Cerberus Cronus / Kronos Cyclops / Cyclopes Demeter Dionysus / Dionysos Gaia / Gaea Hades Hera Hermes Hestia Muses Olympus Poseidon Rhea Titans Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon Zeus

Aleksander Wojciech Mikołajczak

Legendary Rome [Rzym legendarny]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp., section by Magdalena Łokieć, pp. 204–206. In the oldest Roman legends, long before the city of Rome was founded, Hercules had adventures in the land on the Tiber. Evander, the lord of that land, took care of Aeneas w(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Aeneas Castor Dioscuri Egeria Heracles Hercules Mars Pollux Remus Roman History Romulus Venus

Gary Crew, Marc McBride

Old Ridley

A young boy, Joachim, is fascinated by his elderly neighbour, Old Ridley, and his mysterious house.With its spiralling turrets and wild, overgrown garden, the building seems enchanted. Joachim rarely sees the reclusive old inventor, but rumours abound as to what he is up to. "Some said that he had created light, others that he could see in the dark; some said that he could fly, others that he could make himself disappear. It was even whispered that he was working on the secret o(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Eos Tithonus

Caroline Bruce Cooney

On the Seas to Troy / Goddess of Yesterday: A Tale of Troy

Six-year-old Anaxandra is abducted from her family’s humble island by a pirate king named Nicander. After inadvertently revealing the location of her father’s hidden treasure hoard, she loses all value as a hostage, but remains in the household of Nicander, who turns out to be a kind man. Anaxandra grows up as a playmate for his sickly daughter Callisto. But when she is twelve, another band of pirates attacks Siphnos, slaughter Nicander and lay waste to his kingdom. Miraculously, Ana(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Euneus Hector Helen Hermione Medusa Menelaus Paris (Trojan Prince) Trojan War Troy

Luke Jurevicius, Nathan Jurevicius

Orpheus and the Underworld (I Love You to Bits)

In the animation’s opening scene, teenage Orpheus sits on a beanbag, strumming his lyre and singing. It is simultaneously an interior and external space, featuring a TV and overhead lighting as well as trees and wildlife. A host of strange creatures are gathered around him, enchanted by his music. Orpheus and Eurydice are a young emo couple, depicted with elongated heads and sad, tired eyes. He has red hair, a five o’clock shadow, and wears jeans, hoodie and headphones. Eurydice&rsqu(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Cerberus Charon Eurydice Hades Katabasis Orpheus Persephone Sisyphus Styx Tantalus Tartarus Underworld

Robert Burleigh , Raul Colón

Pandora

Burleigh’s foreword to this picture book retelling of the Pandora myth relates the background to the story, including Prometheus’ creation of animals out of clay, and the gifts that his brother Epimetheus gives to each of them. When Prometheus fashions the first men, Epimetheus realises too late that there are no more gifts to give to them. So Prometheus steals fire from the gods to keep them warm. In retaliation Zeus punishes Prometheus and mortal man by sending Pandora, the first w(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Epimetheus Hesiod Pandora Prometheus Zeus

Terry Denton

Story Maze. The Golden Udder (Story Maze, 4)

The fourth in the "Storymaze" series follows the surfing adventures of Nico, Claudia, and Mikey through parallel worlds and across the universe. This time they continue their attempt to help Ulysses to win the Queen of Fresia with The Golden Udder. However, when they attempt to retrieve the Udder, they discover it has been stolen by Amycus (along with Nico’s surfboard) and lost in a bet to Limousin, a surfing champion. They begin a quest to retrieve it. Their time-travel device M(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Amycus / Amykos Chorus Gods Golden Fleece Harpies Ithaca Medea Odysseus / Ulysses Sphinx Underworld

Terry Denton

Story Maze. The Wooden Cow (Story Maze, 3)

The third in the "Storymaze" series follows the surfing adventures of Nico, Claudia, and Mikey through parallel worlds and across the universe. Nico is once again attempting to compete in the World Surfing Championships – the ones he keeps missing due to their adventures. In The Wooden Cow, the three use their time-traveling device, called M.I.T., to reach Fresia, a small planet in the Bovine Galaxy, and the location of the surfing championship. M.I.T., which doesn’t want t(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Chorus Golden Fleece Gorgon(s) Hades Ithaca Trojan Horse

Theresa Tomlinson

The Moon Riders

This novel follows over a decade in the life of the Moon Riders, a group of warrior priestesses from various tribes who serve the moon goddess Maa and travel across Asia Minor. They are called “Amazons” by outsiders. In particular, the novel focuses on a young Mazagardi Moon Rider named Myrina, and her friendship with the Trojan princess Cassandra. Tomlinson looks at gender politics and freedom from the point of view of a protagonist from an egalitarian society. Told in third person,(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Achilles Aethra Amazons Cassandra Chryseis Clytemnestra Hecuba Helen Iphigenia / Iphigeneia Odysseus / Ulysses Paris (Trojan Prince) Penthesilea Priam Theseus

Caroline Lawrence

The Pirates of Pompeii (The Roman Mysteries, 3)

After the events of The Secrets of Vesuvius, and the eruption of the volcano, the children are staying in a refugee camp. Jonathan, one of the main characters of the series – a Jewish child who is part of the new Christian faith – is in a coma from his asthma and his father is treating the sick and injured in the spa to which the camp is adjacent. Soon the children discover that children are being stolen from the refugee camp. They discover that it is probably the man known as the Sp(...)

literary

YEAR: 2002

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ancient Slavery Cerberus Dionysus / Dionysos Roman Empire