Apologies for the day off yesterday – my daughter had her preschool graduation ceremony, which was both adorable and completely threw off normal routines. Much like young children in general, come to think of it.

It seems to be kids’ graphic novel week here at A Library Mama. I’d recommended this series to Percy Jackson fans a bit ago, and took it home to my son to try it out.

Zeus: King of the Gods. Olympians, book 1. by George O’Connor. First Second, 2010.
O’Connor retells the stories of the ancient Olympians, one god at a time, in graphic novel form. The thin ink and dark color washes give this a vintage comic book feel, complete with vintage-style action. In this story, we get the creation of the world, the Titans, and young Zeus’s struggles to free his siblings and overthrow their father. The story is very exciting, and the notes at the back make it clear that O’Connor did a lot of research, going back to multiple original sources and synthesizing them into a cohesive narrative. Really, what more could you want? Oh, maybe some less scholarly books for further reading for interested kids? He’s got a nice list of those, too, both in the book and on his web site, Olympiansrule.com Because we are talking about the ancient gods, expect violence and some sexual references – parents may want to read first if kids are young and/or sensitive to these things. In general, I’d say they are perfect for middle grade and teen readers. My son zipped through this and wanted more – it’s a good thing there are lots of them out!

Here are the others so far:
Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess
Hera: the Goddess and Her Glory
Hades: Lord of the Dead
Poseidon: Earth Shaker
Aphrodite: Goddess of Love