The Odyssey (review)

Odysseus's fateful voyage home from the Trojan War is retold here in vivid yet straightforward prose suitable for a late elementary/middle-school audience. Noted author Cross follows the story closely and incorporates dialogue, short paragraphs, and pithy description to keep the pace lively. The significant scenes are depicted in full-color spreads by Packer, and nearly every page has some spot art that pulls out an important element of the text. Packer's illustrations are a mix of two-dimensional stylized figures, silhouettes, and symbols, classically flavored but with a decidedly contemporary twist. He doesn't employ linear perspective but instead uses the size and placement of the objects to convey the important relationships and emotional tenor of the scene. His technique complements the oral storytelling, the magical, and the even humorous aspects of the epic by keeping it several steps removed from realism. Whether used as a readaloud or a readalone, this offers an accessible introduction to an important work whose allusions stretch far and wide; fans of graphic novels, mythology, and really great storytelling will be glad to have this in their repertoire.