Sirens and Sea Monsters (Odyssey)
Grade 3-9-Closely following Book 12 of the Odyssey, Osborne relates the tale of Odysseus and his men as they travel back from the Land of the Dead to Circe's Island. Circe warns Odysseus of dangers ahead; he and his men soldier on to the seas of the monster Scylla, where six men are viciously eaten, as Circe had foretold. Heeding her words, Odysseus tries to talk his men out of stopping at Helios's island, but they insist, defying the gods by eating Helios's cattle, resulting in their deaths. Odysseus is left alone, floating through the seas, until he lands on the shores of Calypso's island. Osborne presents a readable version of the old story, retaining Homeric refrains and using the descriptive language found in better translations. The story is not modernized, yet will appeal to today's readers. The book includes a helpful map, and end matter such as a pronunciation guide, a list of the major gods and goddesses, sources, and information about Homer and his works. Young readers will find the adventures of Odysseus intriguing, and reluctant middle- to high-school readers could gain access to the Odyssey through this series.Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Hillsboro, ORCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.