The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
	The Bulletin Dozen is a monthly theme-based booklist available as an online-only Bulletin feature. Since we're awfully fond of bakers here at the Bulletin, we thought we'd adopt their philosophy of generosity and throw in an extra one or two when we have them to offer--so don't expect an even dozen. Please feel free to copy, download, or link to these lists. We ask only that you cite the source. See the archive for lists from previous months.
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Beyond Mount Olympus:  A Mythic Dozen --selected by Kate Quealy-Gainer, Assistant Editor The fickleness of gods and their strange fascination with mere mortals is the focus of this month’s dozen, as we offer up a gathering of all sort of deities – Greek, Egyptian, Norse, and more. Take your pick - but be careful, these gods can be a jealous bunch.

• Block, Francesca Lia. Psyche in a Dress. Joanna Cotler Books, 2006. Gr. 9-12
  The gods of Greek mythology are reinvented here as modern day narcissists and insecure teenagers in this stunningly romantic tale of enduring love. (BCCB 11/06)

• Coville, Bruce. Thor's Wedding Day. Harcourt, 2005. Gr. 4-6
  The Norse poem “Thrymskvitha” sets the stage for this story, and the narration falls to Thialfi, the goat boy, who relays the tale of a missing hammer and a cross-dressing deity. (BCCB 12/05)

• Farmer, Nancy. The Sea of Trolls. Atheneum, 2004. Gr. 5-8
  Steeped in Norse mythology, this harrowing tale recounts the adventures of young Jack and his sister Lucy as they journey to Jotunheim, the land of the trolls. (BCCB 11/04)

• Friesner, Esther. Temping Fate. Dutton, 2006. Gr. 6-8
  When Ilana gets a summer job at Divine Relief Temp Agency, whose clients include Greek gods and goddesses, her first assignment is temping for the Fates and proves to be more than a little unusual. (BCCB 9/06)

• Gaiman, Neil. Odd and the Frost Giants; illus. by Brett Helquist. Harper/HarperCollins. Gr. 4-6
  Topping out at just over one hundred pages, this slim novel packs plenty of heroism and Norse mythology when a boy assists Loki, Odin, and Thor in reclaiming their kingdom from an endless winter. (BCCB 2/10)

• Geras, Adèle. Ithaka. Harcourt, 2006. Gr. 9-12
  Drawing from the famous Homerian epic, Geras focuses his story on the long suffering and ever loyal wife of Odysseus, as she attempts to raise their son, fend off suitors, and negotiate her own romantic feelings towards a new love. (BCCB 3/06)

• Harris, Joanne. Runemarks. Knopf. Gr. 7-10
  Fourteen and shunned by her village because of her magical ability, Maddy finds her life irrevocably changing when she’s sent on a quest to find a powerful object that will help tip the balance in the brewing battle between good and evil in this dramatic and compelling fantasy. (BCCB 3/08)

• Jones, Diana Wynne. The Game. Firebird/ Penguin, 2007 Gr. 5-7.
  Greek and Roman myths mingle in this story about an orphaned girl living in Ireland, where she discovers a realm where stories come alive. (BCCB 6/07)

• O’Connor, George, ad. Zeus: King of the Gods; ad. and illus. by George O’Connor. Porter/First Second/Roaring Brook. Gr. 6-12
  A classic creation myth gets the superhero treatment in this stunning graphic novel that retells Zeus’ overthrow of Kronos with appropriate majesty and just a dash of humor. (BCCB 3/10)

• Owen, James. Here, There Be Dragons. Simon and Shcuster, 2006. Gr. 6-9
  Three young men are entrusted with an ancient atlas of a fictional land and, battling creatures from Egyptian, Greek, and Welsh mythology, must defeat the Black King before his thirst for power endangers their own world. (BCCB 1/07)

• Riordan, Rick. The Red Pyramid. Hyperion, 2010. Gr. 5-8
  Riordan sets his sights on Egyptian mythology as he places the heroes of this story, siblings Carter and Sadie Kane, in a battle for their lives against the vengeful deity of chaos, Set. (BCCB 9/10)

• Spinner, Stephanie. Quiver. Knopf, 2002. Gr. 7-10
  To keep her vow of chastity to Artemis and appease her father’s demands to produce an heir, Atalanta offers a compromise: to marry the man who bests her in a footrace – but those who fail will lose their lives. (BCCB 2/03)

• Whitman, Emily. Radiant Darkness. HarperCollins, 2009. Gr. 7-10
  In this powerful retelling, Persephone is transformed from tragic victim to rebellious, sensual heroine as she escapes an overbearing mother and flees into the arms of a dark and handsome stranger. (BCCB 6/09)

   

   

This page was last updated on June 1, 2011.