Olympians--Poseidon--Earth Shaker

Starred review from March 1, 2013

Gr 6 Up-O'Connor's dramatic first-person interpretation of Poseidon's story will both fascinate readers and generate some empathy for this god who was more feared than loved. The illustrations are colorful, eye-catching, and filled with life. The artist's visual and stylistic choices in breaking up the panels to illustrate Theseus and the Minotaur inside the labyrinth are especially delightful. Poseidon's tale is the story of a dysfunctional family with a large number of monstrous children, and this book will send readers scrambling for the closest copy of Edith Hamilton's Mythology to read more about the other characters mentioned. Luckily, O'Connor includes an Olympian family tree and lists of recommended books and websites to help readers delve further into their stories. This is a compelling page-turner for readers unfamiliar with the myths as well as for kids who love mythology but would like to see it brought to life in a new way.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2013
Grades 6-9 The fifth volume of the Olympians series hits the sea to cover a god who, O'Connor admits in his author's note, is a hard god to get to know . . . often playing a pretty substantial role, but he's always distant, remote. Fortunately, Poseidon figures heavily in some of the chestnuts of Greek myth, like the belabored trip home of Odysseus and Theseus' clash with the Minotaur, both handled with O'Connor's blend of bombastic action, deft plotting, thoughtful characterization, and killer artwork. Not even halfway through the planned 13 volumes, and this series is already becoming an indispensable synthesis of Greek myth.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)