Wings of Olympus

Wings of Olympus #1

by Kallie George, Fiona Hsieh (Illustrations)

Take flight with Pippa and her winged horse in this heartfelt two-book series about a young girl who must win the hardest race in ancient Greece in order to stay with her closest friend.

This new series from acclaimed author Kallie George is perfect for horse lovers and fans of Greek myths alike!

High on the slopes of mighty Mount Olympus, among the sun-splashed meadows and sparkling waters, glide the winged horses of the ancient gods. Here up high is normally no place for a lost, parentless girl like Pippa. But once every hundred years, the gods and goddesses descend to the mortal realm to choose jockeys for their winged horse race—and Pippa is one of the lucky children chosen to ride.

With her undersized, impetuous winged steed, Zephyr, by her side, Pippa has to confront the greatest challenge of her life: achieving victory in a race across the sky.

No one expects Pippa and Zephyr to win, or even finish, this death-defying race. A poor orphan who’s spent her life working in stables, Pippa doesn’t seem to belong in the world of the gods. And while she loves Zephyr with all her heart, he’s smaller than the other winged horses racing. But if Pippa and Zephyr don’t find a way to win, the gods will separate them—forever.

To stay with Zephyr, Pippa will have to work harder, train longer, and dare more bravely than her competition. In a race filled with petty, jealous gods and goddesses and a host of ruthless riders, Pippa must prove that love is greater than might.

This stirring adventure series by beloved author Kallie George is perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson books and The War That Saved My Life.

“I can’t wait to see what happens in the next one! If you have younger kids (or are even just a fan of middle grader books yourself) I would absolutely recommend this book.” —A Bibliophiles Book Blog

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology, Fiction, Childrens, Audiobook, Horses

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2019

About the author

I’m an author, editor, and speaker living in Vancouver, BC, near the sea. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m teaching creative writing workshops.

I have my Masters of Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia.

I love picture books, fairy tales, beautiful art and music, and baking cookies.

Reviews

[Shubham Roy Choudhury · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an easy-to-read, heartwarming choice for anyone seeking a magical, action-packed escape.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eine richtig süsse Geschichte. Für alle Pferdemenschen und Fans der griechischen Mythologie.

[Ria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een verrassend nieuw mythisch paardenverhaal!

De jonge Pippa groeit op in het Athene van de Oudheid. Ze kent haar ouders niet en heeft overal korte baantjes als paardenverzorger. Tijdens een storm ziet ze een vleugel van een gevleugeld paard, wat betekent dat de goden de Race der Gevleugelde Paarden aankondigen! Eens in de honderd jaar kiest elke god een mensenkind om zijn paard te berijden. Pippa wordt tegen alle verwachtingen in uitgekozen. Zij zal rijden op Zephyr, het dier van Aphrodite, godin van de liefde. Dit is bijzonder, want meisjes in die tijd in Athene werden opgeleid tot een leven binnenshuis en reden geen paard.
De winnaar mag voor altijd op de godenberg Olympos blijven. Pippa traint dus hard om de andere kinderen, die rijker en beter zijn, te verslaan.

Pippa’s race krijgt meer gelaagdheid doordat de karakters van Pippa en de andere ruiters voldoende zijn uitgewerkt voor de doelgroep. Thema’s als vriendschap, rivaliteit, list en bedrog zijn op een natuurlijke manier door het vlotlezende en soms ook spannende verhaal verweven. Omdat het verhaal dus meer inhoud heeft dan een gemiddeld paardenboek, is het geschikt voor de goede, geïnteresseerde lezer vanaf groep 5, 9/10 jaar.
Uiteindelijk komt alles tot een goed einde, maar op een andere manier dan de lezer verwacht. Een pluspunt is het overzicht van goden en ruiters achterin. Op naar deel 2!

De paarden van Olympus valt direct op door de mooie omslag met reliëf en vormgeving. De lezer die bekend is met de Oudgriekse cultuur zal opmerken dat de auteur over veel achtergrondkennis beschikt. Linda Broeder heeft Pippa’s race zodanig fijn vertaald dat dit verhaal zich prima leent om voor te lezen. Dit boek is uitermate geschikt voor een inleiding tot de mythologie en de Griekse Oudheid. Aanrader.

[Kali Agy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a beautiful story for young readers! It’s filled with excitement, friendship, love, challenges, and obstacles, all wrapped up with a meaningful moral.

[Bookdisturbed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vor ein paar Tagen habe ich Wings of Olympus als Hörbuch beendet und freue mich nun es euch vorzustellen 🤗
Die Geschichte handelt von Pippa die eine ganz besondere Gabe hat, sie kann sehr gut mit Pferden umgehen. Doch Pippa hat es nicht leicht denn sie hat keine Familie und schlägt sich durchs Leben. Doch eines Tages fügt sie das Schicksal mir Zephyr zusammen und das Abenteuer beginnt.
Eine Geschichte rund um Götter, geflügelte Pferde und einem spannenden Rennen im Stil von Percy Jackson 🤩
Für mich als diesen Percy Jackson Fan war dieses Buch eine besondere Freude 🤩
Pippa ist unglaublich süß, verletzlich und doch so stark und gerecht 💪 Für mich gerade einer der stärksten Titel in der Kinderbuchabteilung ab 10 Jahren 🤗

[Lily May · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Spoilers Alert!!*


This was STUNNING! Not only does it take Greek Mythology and make it feel like everyday life, but there were so many twists and turns I didn't expect.

I pick it up, and even reading the description didn't give away the plot completely. I figured it would be the simple, iconic tale of someone who knows nothing about horses learning how to gallop in a day and proving wrong a bunch of snobby bullies... and proving that love is stronger than force. Only the last part was right.

In fact, one would assume that it would end with this girl winning the winged horse race and staying on Mount Olympus forever. I did NOT see it coming when she ended up going home, let alone WITH a horse and a family to take care of her.

I'll say no more, but there were many twists I didn't expect, and it was all wrapped up in a lovely way.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

My name is Pippa, and I've been chosen for the greatest honor I could ever imagine! I never would have believed an orphan like me could be part of a horse race for the gods. Unfortunately, the other racers, and a few gods, don't think I belong here either. I love my winged horse Zephyr, and I'm going to train her to win the race and become Zeus's new steed. It would be a lot easier if I could get her to stop chasing butterflies and other distractions! The other kids are getting gifts and visits from their god and goddess sponsors, but Aphrodite hasn't seen me even once. Why did she pick me? What will happen to Zephyr and me if we don't win the race? Maybe fate says we don't have a chance at victory, but I don't have any other option but to succeed.

This book told a classic underdog story, as the ancient Greeks weren't kind to women or parentless kids. Apparently, it was rare for women to have an opportunity to ride horses. The other contestants came from more privileged homes, while Pippa had been living with the horses she cared for. She had been left on a doorstep as a baby and didn't know why her parents had abandoned her. She was paired with the smallest winged horse and they became the team least likely to win. Zephyr's attention issues and free spirit added an amusing twist to their relationship. Other than that, the plot was fairly predictable, as it didn't offer any surprises to complicate the conflict. Pippa's decision to solve the problem was unexpected and out of character, although I understand why she did it. I wasn't totally satisfied with the book's resolution, but I'll probably read the sequel when it comes out.

[mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok this is a middle grade book and it is a really quick read. My ARC was only 129 pages, and the last few pages were descriptions of the horses.

This was a cute story, and I’m hoping it’s a series. The ending was... well... not that satisfying.

Basically this is about an orphan who is chosen by Aphrodite so race for her. Apparently the gods choose mortal children to race their winged horses. (Side note: are winged horses not just called Pegasus? Is that just one? Like Dracula?)

So, you basically dislike all of the other kids, except Pippa the horse whisperer. The book is easy to get through, and simple enough that most kids would understand what’s going on.

[Darcy Schock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book aloud to my girls. It had a magical feel to it and had strong character development and themes. The story premise centered around Greek mythology. I loved the themes of perseverance in the face of what feels like a waste. I loved the strong encouragement to focus on enjoying the journey and the things you love along the way, that hold purpose instead of only focusing on the purpose of winning.

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pippa loves horses so when she is chosen to ride a pegasus in the Gods' race, she is nervous but excited. Only her self doubt gets in the way of making good choices. She struggles on through her problems with her friends to help her along.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a couple of friends. It's a short enjoyable book with good moral life lessons. The illustrations are a nice touch. I appreciated the legend/information summary of characters and horses that can be found at the back of the book. Reading this book made me think of grade 9 english and the unit on Deeds of Gods and Heros.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to think. I might read the next book, I really don't know.

[Carrie Jacobs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun middlegrade book.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing an exciting book. Please come out with a second one!! 😁

[Ally (AllyEmReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was really cute! A fun new take on Greek mythology. I admit that I’m a total snob when it comes to Greek mythology, since I study it and so I often get frustrated when stories tell the myths “wrong” or they make up new things on the fly about the gods, goddesses, heroes, and monsters. But this story was less about Greek mythology than it was about the connection between children and animals, so I can appreciate that. I also like how the gods were constantly fighting and trying to one-up each other, which is absolutely how I picture the gods. Any kids who are fans of Greek mythology would definitely enjoy this book.

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eens per honderd jaar wordt de Race der Gevleugelde Paarden gehouden. Elke God kiest een mensenkind om op zijn of haar paard te rijden. Het weesmeisje Pippa is een van de gelukkigen. Ze moet rijden op Zephyr, het paard van de godin Aphrodite. Zephyr is klein en eigenwijs, niemand denkt dat Pippa zal finishen. Daar trekt Pippa zich niks van aan, ze is gek op het paard en wilt voor altijd bij hem blijven. Maar dat kan alleen door de gevaarlijke race te winnen.

Hoewel ik niks met Griekse mythologie heb, vond ik dit echt een goed boek. Het was allemaal heel duidelijk uitgelegd en de uitwerking was ook goed. Door de verschillende personages krijgt het verhaal meer diepgang en spanning.

Thema’s zoals vriendschap, rivaliteit en bedrog staan centraal in dit verhaal. Het is vlot geschreven waardoor je snel in het verhaal zit.
Alle paarden worden ook mooi in beeld gebracht. Van hele kleine onhandige paarden tot hele grote stoere paarden.

Het einde is onverwacht, zelf had ik het totaal niet zien aankomen. Het was een goede afsluiting van het eerste boek. Wat mij betreft zou je het boek ook losstaand kunnen lezen en hoef je deel 2 niet perse te lezen.

Er is ook een deel 2 genaamd: het verloren veulen. Ik ga het tweede deel sowieso een keer lezen.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free review copy of this book.
It's sure to please horse fans, although it's light on details about caring for horses, winged or not. I liked seeing how the different horses matched the gods who chose them, although there are quite a few mentioned in the end notes that never appear in the text! Only about half of the dozen kids mentioned as being present are dealt with in any detail.
The ending felt a bit unsatisfying to me, although I'm not sure how I would have preferred things to work out. Pippa's parents and relationship to her goddess are nicely mysterious at the start, but neither of those things gets properly resolved! Why was Aphrodite so distant compared to the other kids' gods?
I'd have appreciated either an in-text explanation or a glossary for the more uncommon Greek terms, like "chiton" and "himation." They're not types of clothing I'm familiar with, so I can't picture them. Also appropriate would be a list of all the famous characters used and a brief rundown of their original myths.

[Mari Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best way to sum up this book is by these two quotes: “What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.”
― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye and “but for my own part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.”
― Jane Austen

[Selina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a dreamy-sweet read about horse-loving Pippa who has to enter a flying horses race for the greek gods. It's definitely more a childrens book, but since the greek gods often act like children anyway young readers can easily relate to them, haha.

[Margaret Chind · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the on #libbyapp with my Princess (10). She gives it five stars. I enjoyed it, I really like Kallie George. I think we will go for the next book in the series, it looks like a 4-week hold.

[Margriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️

[Marni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wings of Olympus is a beautiful story of a young girl chosen by the gods to race a winged horse on Olympus. It was a delight to read, and a fun story. I would recommend it for girls ages about 8-11. There are themes of love, friendship, honesty, and hard work. The relationship between Pippa and Zeph is sweet, and fun to watch it grow. Interesting how that affects the race as well.

I love the Heartwood series (highly recommend them!), and this had a lot of the same gentle feel.

The art is wonderful! Both the cover and pictures inside are a treat.

There were a couple scary parts, like the lost former children riders in the forest. It's brief but pretty spooky.

My personal disappointment was a few intriguing elements that were never built on! The introduction to the story gives a picture of the Fates, and rather than a thread being cut, it breaks and is tied again. I was immediately caught and thought, "Ooohh, how will that play into the story!" But it doesn't! I'm still confused by that. It seemed important, but it wasn't. I also wished for a bit more tying up at the end. She'd made these friends (and rivals) throughout the story, but suddenly she's away from them, and we don't get a picture of their ending or even much of hers. I didn't like Aphrodite at all, and she's the goddess of love! I felt like she would have behaved far differently.

Still, a wonderful story. After my 9 year old reads it I'll add her review as well. I think she'll really like it.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

WINGS OF OLYMPUS is a middle grade fantasy that those who love horses and Greek mythology won't want to miss.

Pippa loves horses and has a certain way with them. She can usually tell what's wrong with one. When she sees a winged horse flying over head, she never anticipated that it would change her life. It's time for Zeus to find a new horse, which means it's time for the race! Each god and goddess chooses a ride to race on their horse.

When Pippa wakes up in Olympus, she's eager to discover which god or goddess chose her. When she meets her horse Zephyr, her focus shifts to training with him and her love for horses gives her an edge. The other riders pick on her and look down on her because she's the smallest of them, but she tries not to let it get to her.

I love Pippa's genuine heart. She truly cares for horses and doesn't see them as a means to an end like the others do. I love that she stays strong and even wants to help the other riders' horses when they're injured. The ending is a turn that I didn't see coming, but I won't spoil it...


Final Verdict: This is perfect for fans of Greek Mythology, the Percy Jackson series, and horses.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

A read out loud bedtime book. A story set in mythical Greece when the gods and goddesses still directly interacted with mortals. Pippa, a foundling who scrapes by looking after horses and being generally abused and neglected in a stables in Athens is chosen as one of the mortal riders to compete in a winged horse race held every 100 years on Mount Olympus. She has to earn respect as all the other riders are from wealthy families, several of whom scorn her humble background, but has the courage and determination to do her own thing. The descriptions of the winged horses, riders, gods, goddesses and various other magical beings, the riders training and adventures is compelling. Pippa's love for her assigned horse, Zeph, is touching. The build up to the race is a real page turner, there is a slight plot twist, but the ending is too brief and a bit of a let down. After keeping us in suspense for the whole book, her eventual interactions with Aphrodite (the goddess she was riding for) are disappointingly thin. Very well written, as are Kallie Georges other offerings - see Magical Animal Adoption Agency for example) and nicely introduces a lot of Greek mythology. An enjoyable read.

[Magically.Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for sending me a copy of this middle grader book in exchange for an honest review!

I love everything to do with Greek mythology. The fates, the gods. Everything! And this book was no exception. It was an adorable story of love verses might where an orphan who was just kicked out of her last home gets chosen to possibly live a life far beyond her imagination. It was really easy to follow along with the story (which is exactly what I would want for a middle grader book) the story moved at a nice pace and had a fun plot, and even a few unexpected twists and turns. I know it’s the first book in the series so I’m hoping the story expands more with these characters, because the ending although it was cute and sweet...was kind of unsatisfying. It just all of a sudden ends, I would have loved a bit more closure, but if it’s continuing with these same people then I can’t wait to see what happens in the next one! If you have younger kids (or are even just a fan of middle grader books yourself) I would absolutely recommend this book.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pippa is an outlier who is selected by Zephyr, a winged horse owned by Aphrodite, to ride as her jockey for the millennial winged-horse race of the gods – the winner is to replace Zeus’ current chariot horse. Abandoned by her parents, Pippa has many insecurities and trusts no one. She grows as she learns more about the race, the gods, their horses, and her competitors.

In the back is the text of the Winged Horse Race scroll that includes the cast of characters (gods, humans, and horses). Understanding of the other characters comes when their circumstances are revealed. The gods are petty as ever, satisfying their whims. This delicately-told story is in no hurry to come to a satisfying conclusion, as George lays out her story in order to get in the background of the humans. There are a what appear to be black & white watercolor and ink illustrations scattered in the book; they are unattributed.

Fans of Greek mythology and fantasy will enjoy this steady ride. Optional Purchase for grades 4-8.

[Sarah Aubert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished this lovely little book with my five year old, who grabbed it from the library as soon as she saw the winged horse on the cover. Although fairly basic in premise/execution, it was a nice way to gently introduce her to Greek mythology and highlighted the importance of love in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

While I’m not sure that this one will stay with her as long as some of the others we’ve read together (and is not one of the middle grade classics that provide a complex, thoughtful reading experience for all ages) I’d definitely recommend it to any other young girls who are as caught up in the unicorn/horse phase as my daughter.

Anything that bolsters a growing love of fantasy is a win in my book - and Pippa was a thoroughly charming protagonist. Solid 3.5 stars.

[Kirsten Paoline König · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hoe dol ik ook ben op mythologie en de Griekse goden, dit boek kan ik lastig plaatsen: qua toon en voorspelbaarheid lijkt het geschreven voor 8-plussers, qua onderwerp juist voor 10-plussers. Wel verrassend is de paarden-insteek.

Het boekje werkt toe naar een race die dan uiteindelijk 'hopla' gevlogen wordt - en dan is het na enige discussie tussen de goden alweer uit.

Ik zou zeggen voor minder geoefende lezers die van paarden houden en interesse tonen in de Griekse mythologie - en dat zijn er niet bijster veel ben ik bang. Voor heuse paardenmeisjes is het omslag zeer aantrekkelijk, maar het onderwerp wellicht te ver gezocht en het boek te weinig hardcore stal-materiaal - maar ik kan me uiteraard volledig vergissen.

[Julia Sarene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute enough book I'd recommend for ages 10 or so and up.

It feels a bit like Percy Jackson mixed up with horse fiction book. There are the gods and some myths, but there's also cute and scary horses who are supposed to fly a race. It worked decently enough, but at times it didn't manage to hit either perfectly. I liked the plots of Riordan way better and I also enjoyed the horses in The Black Stallion" more...

What I like is the slightly lower entrance point into mythology, as the book is less complex or violent that the Percy series.

[Ellie Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello fellow readers! This book called Wings Of Olympus is a great adventure
book for young readers like me. A girl called Pippa who loves horses,
is brought to Mount Olympus to race on flying horses! Pippa's goddess
is the goddess of love, who’s horse is named Zephyr. Pippa loves him
a lot. They practice flying around the training arena while Zephyr
chases a butterfly. At the end Pippa and Zephyr meet Zeus the god of all
gods! I really liked it and I hope you did too!
Aloft wings beat and feathers fly, hark the horses of the sky!
Remember be a awesome book reader!📚🐴