Zeus Conquers the Titans and other Greek Myths; Athena and the Olive Tree and other Greek Myths

These two books serve as an enjoyable introduction to the world of Greek Myth. They would suit the newly confident reader, and may also be a helpful supplement to history teaching in the primary school. Thanks to McCaughrean's style of narration, the stories flow along easily; Ross' illustrations, as ever, help the stories spring to life.

In 'Zeus Conquers the Titans', the reader finds out how Zeus came to be the King of Heaven, and how Hera came to be his queen. The other story in this book is 'The Wrath of Hera', and tells how Hera copes with Zeus' unfaithfulness. In 'Athena and the Olive Tree' readers find out how the city of Athens received its name, as well as how Zeus manages to keep the population of the world from becoming too large ('Who Is the Fairest One of All?'), and how Cassandra became a prophetess ('The Woman No One Believed'). Both books are spiced with the sort of detail that children enjoy reading, and could be a welcome addition to the classroom or school library.