I'm recommending this book out of nostalgia, I bought a copy from Barnes and Noble when I was between fourth and sixth grade and read it over a hundred times (that is not hyperbole). In this book, the myths of ancient Greece are told in shorter forms that younger readers could grasp and are accompanied by colorful and detailed illustrations. There's the story of the creation of earth and the ascent of the gods onto Mount Olympus, Perseus and Medusa, Icarus, etc.

I remember getting into a deep discussion with a substitute teacher in middle school about how ridiculous that a great hero like Jason from the Argonauts died because a plank of wood from his boat fell on his head. Here was this guy who had all these epic adventures and cheated death multiple times only to be taken out by his own boat falling to pieces. My personal favorite story from this book was Eros and Psyche. This book is perfect for the kid who is just starting to get into Greek mythology before taking the jump to the Percy Jackson series. The stories are easy to follow and have much of the original gruesomeness omitted. It can also be a great way for teachers to explain to kids how the people in ancient times used myths like these to explain natural phenomenon like why the seasons change and how geographic locations formed. ( )

This is a very in depth book covering the many different Ancient Greek Gods. Each God has a story associated with it. The most important story for each God is provided on the Gods page. Greek Myths have infiltrated children's literature. Artemis Fowl and Harry Potter have characters named after the ancient Gods, and the Percy Jackson series chronicles the story of a modern demigod living in America. This book would be an ideal suggestion to someone who likes any one of those series. ( )