Terry Deary's Greek Tales: The Tortoise and the Dare

Review also includes:

The Boy Who Cried Horse, 978-0713682168

These two titles are part of the abbreviated Greek tales series. Deary has reinvigorated a selection of fables and legends for younger readers. Each title signals his own witty take on a well-known tale. In the first story, the ‘tortoise’ is not animal at all, but a brash young Greek, Cypselis, who has bet his twin sister against a goat in a race against the school bully. In a twist within a twist it looks as if Ellie will win the day. She is a faster runner and decides to take Cypselis’ place, but she has reckoned without Olympic rules… However, Deary has another surprise up his sleeve, which keeps faith with the spirit of the original fable and makes a satisfying conclusion.

The ‘Boy who cried Horse’ combines two sources to retell the story of the Trojan Horse. The young narrator this time is Acheron, living in a Troy under siege. He relies on his ability to tell lies in the form of flattering songs and stories to earn a living at Paris and Helen’s court. When he is roped in by a stranger to bring news of the Greeks’ gift, Acheron becomes suspicious and follows him back out of the city. But trying to communicate the truth, he discovers that ‘liars’ are never believed. Deary has obviously had tremendous fun with these stories and young readers will too. Although the series can be read alone, children familiar with the tales it is based on will enjoy it even more. The vocabulary will stretch some children, particularly in The Boy Who Cried Horse, in which Deary’s Paris ‘…is good with a sword. Hopeless with words. He tangles them up like wet washing on a windy day.’

However the result is hilarious. Both titles fizz with energy and invention. Deary has a remarkable ability to conjure up vivid character and scene-settings within a brief narrative.