|
Atticus
the Storyteller's 100 Greek Myths
Illustrated by Anthony
Lewis
Shortlisted for 2004 BBC Blue
Peter Book Awards
Atticus the storyteller leaves his home in Crete
and sets out on an epic journey round Greece with Melissa,
his faithful donkey. His destination is the competition that
takes place at the great Storytelling Festival at Troy. On
the way he visits all the places where the stories actually
happened, and tells the tales to all the people he meets.
He survives shipwreck, storms, savage dogs and all manner
of obstacles before he arrives at Troy. Does he win the competition?
You’ll have to get the book and see! Meanwhile, read
an extract, take Atticus’s Quiz and visit his interactive
map in the Kids’ Area.
Why I loved writing this book:
The Greek myths have been a part of my
life for as long as I can remember, so when I was asked to
write this book (now the biggest collection on the market
for children), it was a dream come true. The publisher wanted
something a bit different, so I thought and thought, and suddenly
Atticus and Melissa popped into my head. I’d always
been fascinated by the fact that the myths and the landscape
of Greece are inextricably mixed up, and when I started to
do some research, I found out that all the myths are linked
to real places which you can visit to this day. That’s
when Atticus and Melissa told me they wanted to go on a journey.
I had huge fun (and some huge headaches) planning the whole
thing, and spent a lot of time with my walls covered in big
maps stuck with different coloured pins, working it all out.
You will see that the book is dedicated
to my two headmistresses, June Vallance and Ruth Rudge,
two strong, wonderful women, who were instrumental in lighting
a real fiery love for classics in my heart. When I sent
a copy to Ruth, this is what she wrote and sent out to
lots of people. I was hugely touched and it meant a great
deal to me. It’s probably the best
‘school report’ I’ve ever had:
“Lucy’s retelling of 100 Greek myths is a tour
de force. She has woven the stories into an amazingly coherent
tapestry, by the simple device of a storyteller travelling
with his donkey through Greece, thus enabling her to describe
not only the setting, but also local customs connected with
the myths. It is written beautifully, in modern style, and
copiously, amusingly and accurately illustrated by Anthony
Lewis.
“Despite a lifetime’s familiarity with these myths,
I have re-read them, in Lucy’s version, with the greatest
pleasure. It would seem to me to be a perfect introduction
to this wonderland of literature as well as a delightful way
of re-calling and viewing afresh what one has long loved.
“I thoroughly recommend it to you all.” R.M.Rudge
Linked items:
The
Boy Who Fell from the Sky
The
Wooden Horse
These two handy little paperbacks contain 50
stories each, taken from Atticus. A handy reference to carry
around in your pocket.
Atticus
the Storyteller: CD1 read by Simon Russell
Beale
Atticus the Storyteller: CD2 read by Simon Russell Beale
Published in 2002 (hardback) and 2004 (paperback)
by Orion Publishing
Also published in Greek, Italian, Hebrew and Serbo-Croat
back to top
|
