Did you know that museums were initially temples built to worship the nine muses? That Janus was the god of doorways and hallways, and after him we have named janitors? Where did these words--and other words, such as chaos, genius, nemesis, panic, and echo, come from? From the ancient stories of the Greeks--stories that rang so true and wise that the names of the characters have survived for centuries as words we use every day. This rich collection of myths is perfect for the classroom or as a gift book.


Folklorist, linguist, and professional storyteller, Lise Lunge Larsen draws upon her rich background in legends and myths to make these tales come alive. A children’s book author, she has received many starred reviews and awards for her books. Gareth Hinds has created illustrated versions of such classics as BEOWULF, KING LEAR, MERCHANT OF VENICE and most recently, THE ODYSSEY, forthcoming from Candlewick in fall 2010. As a recent interview with him (SLJ Teen 1/20/2010) said, ＂He stays faithful to the original text but uses art to illuminate the story and make it more accessible to the reader.＂ A graduate of the Parsons School of Design, he lives in New York City with his wife, former children’s bookseller, Alison Morris.