Max and the Map: Homer's Odyssey for Children

by Edward Alan Kurtz

A retelling, in a very simple and fun way, of Homer's Odyssey. Max and the Map was written by American writer Edward Alan Kurtz, a well-travelled author who has already written a variety of travel books. He spent many years living in Hawaii and now lives and writes in Thailand. As well as writing for the travel genre, the author has created many children's books, both fiction and nonfiction. His travels have given him great inspiration especially for his stories.

The story of Max and the Map is centered around a young boy, Max, and his two best friends, Kathy and Brad. The story begins with Max finding an old book at the library. At first he is unaware of its significance, but later on he discovers that it is full of old maps. Max shares his discovery with his two close friends and upon touching one of the book's maps, they are all suddenly transported to the Mediterranean Sea during the time of ancient Greece. The three begin an exciting adventure which turns out to be a journey that a very famous character has embarked on himself, Homer's Odysseus. How will they get back home to Ithaca, NY?

Max and the Map is full of thrilling twists and turns for the listener. It contains 15 chapters in total, all with curious titles to interest the listener. The book's literary features have been carefully researched and allow children to easily delve into the world of ancient Greece, as well as learn about a very famous epic poem.

79 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 16, 2014

Reviews

[Elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book Report

Rayman Jilani narrates this charming fantasy for children based loosely on elements of Homer's Odyssey. (He especially enjoyed the witches' cackling.) American children may have some difficulty with the charming (British) accent but parents can listen with their children and draw morals from a number of the activities.