The Odyssey (Kingfisher Epics)
Grade 4-7 Lister, has, with some success, retold Homer's famed epic for children. Rather than beginning the story in the traditional way, after the battle of Troy, his version begins with the shipwreck on Phaeacia. Odysseus sets the scene with the help of the bard, Demodocus, then tells his story. For a young audience, this flashback technique is confusing and unwieldy. Then, in the next three chapters, Lister crowds all of the historical facts and names that he removed from the beginning. He also tries, mostly in early chapters, to update some of the language while maintaining the tone of the story. The result is uneven and, in some places, humorous; for example, when the Cyclops growls at his uninvited guests, ``Who the hell are you?'' However, Lister's telling improves as the book progresses, and the picture book format with, for the most part, effective, sometimes exciting, full-color illustrations, makes this new version of the Odyssey, while not preferable to those of Picard (Walck, 1952; o.p.), Church (Macmillan, 1951; o.p.), Watson (Golden, 1964; o.p.), and Colum (Macmillan, 1925; o.p.), at least another good choice. Constance A. Mellon, Department of Library & Information Studies, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.