Greek myths are alive, well, and inspiring a new generation. Greeking Out: Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths (National Geographic Kids) introduces readers to a pantheon of characters, from Athena to Zeus. Father-daughter writing team Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes spoke with PW about the circuitous manner in which the book came about (“from book to podcast to book”) and about refashioning the classic heroes, monsters, warriors, and decidedly dysfunctional families to appeal to today’s audience.
Greeking Out: Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths has an interesting backstory! Can you talk about the inspiration behind the project?
Curtis: We went from book to podcast to book. The Greeking Out podcast was originally a promotional idea to support Crispin Boyer’s Zeus the Mighty book series. In that book, the animals at the Mount Olympus Pet Center listen to the Greeking Out podcast and fancy themselves to be the ancient Greek gods. After one season, we realized that the podcast was quickly developing a life of its own and that kids and families really responded to the straightforward, fun approach we took to the stories and characters. And after eight seasons, it made sense to take those stories and wrap them up in a book!
What can you share about the Greeking Out podcast?
Hughes: The podcast is such a fun project to work on. It’s very similar to the book, except that the myths are a little bit longer and include more back-and-forth with the Oracle of WiFi. We have a lot of running gags and jokes, and we are especially proud of our episode title puns—although most of those come from our amazing producer, Emily Everhart. The podcast also explores different types of mythologies and features episodes on Norse, Mayan, and Egyptian myths as well.
It must be great fun to work together. Have you always collaborated on creative projects?
Hughes: It’s been an amazing experience to get to work together professionally. Kenny introduced me to the world of imagination and creativity by telling me the world's best bedtime stories. He inspired me to become a writer myself, but we’ve never really “worked” together until recently. It’s been a dream come true!
Greek myths continue to fascinate young readers today. Why do you think they hold such enduring appeal?
Curtis: Even though these stories are hundreds of years old, the themes and lessons are still relevant today. You can learn a lot about things like the responsibility of leadership and power, the importance of courage, and the value of wisdom from Greek myths. You’ll also encounter baby-eating parents, shape-shifting, divine prophecies, and a large number of cows. There’s something for everyone, really.
Plus, the characters in Greek mythology have been used as archetypes for the more recent characters we know and love today. The brave warrior, the clever king, and the strong woman warrior can all be traced back to Greek mythology. Thanks, Homer!
From your perspective, how do the illustrations enhance and uplift your storytelling?
Hughes: We cannot say enough good things about the illustrator, Javier Espila. He really captured the playful tone of our storytelling and used the illustrations to take the book to a whole new level. It really brings everything together!
Do you both have a favorite story or character in Greeking Out?
Curtis: My favorite is Chiron, the wise centaur that trained heroes like Achilles and Perseus.
Hughes: I have a soft spot for the female characters, including Circe. It’s hard to top a fiercely independent witch who turns men into pigs!
What are you working on now?
Curtis: We are working on several creative projects, including the new season of the Greeking Out podcast and another Greeking Out book! We also have plans to write more fiction books that extend far beyond Greek mythology, but don’t tell the Oracle...
