Jason and the Golden Fleece

Gr 3–5—Greek myths take the spotlight in these titles that do a great job with the subject material, presenting each story in a comic book format. The twists and turns of the Trojan War are easy to navigate here, and the depiction of Heracles as a strong but not very bright champion suits the stories well. The art isn't as engaging as the writing; it's servicable, and the images certainly help move the stories along, but the clothing does not always seem period, and the facial expressions often seem overdone. Despite these flaws, however, the tales are well told, and the sometimes racy subject material is toned down to the appropriate level for a lower to upper elementary audience. Back matter in each title includes a helpful glossary as well as a map that depicts the supposed route scholars have plotted out for each hero. There isn't much here to tie into the Common Core, but this action-packed, quick-paced format will engage young readers and will likely lead them to search for further sources.