Jenny Downham, January 2011 Guest Editor, chose this book:
"I was given a book of Greek myths by my brother for my 11th birthday, I reread it so many times it fell apart in my hands and all these years later, I can still recall the stories vividly. In this version, the stories have been skillfully adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean. It has all my favourites in it and the illustrations are stunning."
Ths is also one of Michael Rosen's favourites: "Superheroes battle with demons, gods intervene in our pleasures and fears – a bit like the spectres in our minds going through daily life, really – beautifully retold here."
This wonderful collection of sixteen favourite Greek myths captures all the magic of these timeless stories. These well-known tales, including the adventures of Jason, Theseus and Odysseus and the stories of Icarus and King Midas, are retold for today's children by talented storyteller Geraldine McCaughrean, with glorious illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark.
Geraldine McCaughrean is one of today's most successful and highly regarded children's authors. She has won the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread Children's Book Award (three times), the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Smarties Bronze Award (four times) and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award. Geraldine lives in Berkshire with her husband, daughter and golden retriever, Daisy.Read more about the author here.
'I reckon Geraldine McCaughrean knocks the socks off every other children's writer today. Everything she does is different and everything works – look at her list of prizes. She must write in tremendous bursts. Some years, she's so prolific the rest of us start joking that the fairies come in at night to do her work for her. Then she'll go quiet, so unlike all those writers who are persuaded by their publishers to come up with something every year, no matter how tired or drab. If Geraldine has nothing fresh to write, she doesn't write it.' (The Guardian)
