Heroes of Olympus

This competent introduction to Greek mythology, adapted from Freeman’s recent adult title Oh My Gods, begins with a description of Creation, followed by sections on major and minor deities, heroes, lovers, and such stories as the fall of Troy and the founding of Rome, among other popular tales. A great deal of space is devoted to Zeus’s love affairs and, more often, rapes. Other gods generally receive a page or two, although some who are naturals for a young audience—like Ares and Athena—are given little space. The heroes’ tales receive significantly more attention, though they are mostly told in a pedestrian third-person style that fails to convey much excitement. As part of one of Hercules’s labors, for example, Freeman writes that he “found the bull and wrestled it to the ground. Then he borrowed a trick that his father, Zeus, had used with Europa. He rode the bull across the sea and back to the mainland.” Adequate as an overview, but there are stronger choices available, particularly Donna Jo Napoli’s 2011 Treasury of Greek Mythology. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Joelle Delbourgo, Joelle Delbourgo Associates. (May)■