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Atticus the Storyteller is determined to take part in the great storytelling festival near Troy. He leaves his family and sets off on a journey round Greece with his donkey and wherever he goes he tells his favourite myths to anyone who'll listen.
264 pages
First published September 19, 2002
19 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Coats
64 books49 followersIn 2015 I have 6 upcoming titles, 4 books in the brand-new Beasts of Olympus series from Piccadilly Press (Grosset and Dunlap/Penguin Young Readers in the USA), an early reader called The Little Green Drum from Orion and my first proper YA novel, Cleo, from Orchard. Cleo is a mixture of historical and paranormal, and follows the teenage Cleopatra on her journey to become pharaoh. I'm very excited about it indeed!
I was born in a small village in Hampshire, England. I loved reading from an early age, and was never found without some kind of book in my hand from the time I could turn and page and make sense of what was written there. My first job was as an editor of children's books, but I soon jumped the fence and started writing my own. My first picture book was published in 1992, and now I write for all ages (two to teen). Atticus the Storyteller's 100 Greek Myths was shortlisted for the BBC Blue Peter Book Award in 2004. It is the most comprehensive collection of Greek myths ever written for children. My first novel, Hootcat Hill which was described as “A lyrical fantasy full of old, dark magic entertainingly bound up with ordinary life.” by the Sunday Times.
The book I would take to a desert island is The Lord of the Rings. I've lost count of how many times I've read it, and I am still finding new things to marvel at in it.
I was born in a small village in Hampshire, England. I loved reading from an early age, and was never found without some kind of book in my hand from the time I could turn and page and make sense of what was written there. My first job was as an editor of children's books, but I soon jumped the fence and started writing my own. My first picture book was published in 1992, and now I write for all ages (two to teen). Atticus the Storyteller's 100 Greek Myths was shortlisted for the BBC Blue Peter Book Award in 2004. It is the most comprehensive collection of Greek myths ever written for children. My first novel, Hootcat Hill which was described as “A lyrical fantasy full of old, dark magic entertainingly bound up with ordinary life.” by the Sunday Times.
The book I would take to a desert island is The Lord of the Rings. I've lost count of how many times I've read it, and I am still finding new things to marvel at in it.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 7, 2011
the best book of my childhood :)
June 20, 2022
Audio booked this while at work. I read it for the first when I was a child on audio book so it was really nice to revisit it.
I’ve always loved Greek Mythology and I think this was one of the first books I read when I was a child that really got me interested in Greek myths.
It was a cute and easy listen. Will definitely be listening to volume 2.
I’ve always loved Greek Mythology and I think this was one of the first books I read when I was a child that really got me interested in Greek myths.
It was a cute and easy listen. Will definitely be listening to volume 2.
March 20, 2012
I first encountered this book on work experience with Year 3 and loved the simplistic way it tells Greek Myths in child friendly language. Starting a new IPC topic of Myths and Legends on SEB I remembered this book and invested in it. My year 6's cannot get enough of it, we have done many pieces of work based around the myths including literacy, art and even some numeracy (there is a map in the front of the book of Atticus's journey).
It is a fantastic resource in the way that myths are short and to the point, but at the same time, the meaning of the stories is not lost. The bright colourful illustrations depict specific events in the stories and really add to the engaging power of the book.
As I mentioned i have used this text at both ends of Key Stage Two and it has worked fantastically well both times. I would particularly recommend this book for stories to engage boys. It is widely acknowledged that boys do not read very much, but it is the boys in my class who want me to read these myths to them and they ask to use the book at lunchtime too! Particularly the stories of Hercules and Achilles and their heroic exploits.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
It is a fantastic resource in the way that myths are short and to the point, but at the same time, the meaning of the stories is not lost. The bright colourful illustrations depict specific events in the stories and really add to the engaging power of the book.
As I mentioned i have used this text at both ends of Key Stage Two and it has worked fantastically well both times. I would particularly recommend this book for stories to engage boys. It is widely acknowledged that boys do not read very much, but it is the boys in my class who want me to read these myths to them and they ask to use the book at lunchtime too! Particularly the stories of Hercules and Achilles and their heroic exploits.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
December 20, 2024
I loved this book as a kid and it was lovely to reread it, a great introduction to Greek mythology for children, it explains the stories in a way that’s OK for a younger audience without shying away from the incest and cannibalism etc 😂
January 16, 2014
Atticus the Storyteller sets of on a journey with his donkey to the story telling competition of the gods in Troy. Along the way he meets some people and he tells them stories although most of them he tells to his donkey. He gets to the competition and wins of course. The stories include all my old favourites from Greek mythology and a few I didn't know or remember. They included the trials of Heracles, The Trojan War, Theseus and the Minotaur, the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts and of course the great voyage of Odysseus.
The stories are well written and easier to read than some of the more traditional texts and books available on the Greek Classics. They are clearly meant for children although it is clear that in order to read some of the names and places in this book, pupils will have to have more than a simple understanding of phonics (a word that ironically also has its roots in the ancient Greek language).
The only weakness with this book is that it is illustrated in a style that I would associate with lower primary school rather than upper which is where I think it is pitched. However as a reading or a story book I do think it is very good and the tales are simply classic, probably as entertaining today as they were when Atticus told them to his donkey.
The stories are well written and easier to read than some of the more traditional texts and books available on the Greek Classics. They are clearly meant for children although it is clear that in order to read some of the names and places in this book, pupils will have to have more than a simple understanding of phonics (a word that ironically also has its roots in the ancient Greek language).
The only weakness with this book is that it is illustrated in a style that I would associate with lower primary school rather than upper which is where I think it is pitched. However as a reading or a story book I do think it is very good and the tales are simply classic, probably as entertaining today as they were when Atticus told them to his donkey.
August 24, 2020
Fantastic retellings for children of all ages
September 23, 2012
This is probably one of my favourite books of all time, and it's safe to say this was the book that first had me hooked on Greek mythology. It's just so amazing (:
July 13, 2024
My childhood
December 15, 2025
Obviously I am not the key audience for this book, which is aimed at children. However, I read it as a quick reminder of the basic Greek myths. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were a few stories I here which were new to me.
Being for children and being twenty years old, it’s not surprising that many of the myths are sanitised. However, I was a little disappointed to find that, while several gory and violent episodes had been kept in, and there are a lot of love stories between men and women (some of which are presented as ones in which women “fall in love”, though in the originals they were not consenting), all mentions of same sex relationships have been expunged. Achilles and Patroclus were best friends? Achilles’ reaction to Patroclus’ death stops making sense presented that way.
The through story of Atticus isn’t up to much. There’s no real plot, he has no real character. I’m not sure if adds anything.
The retellings themselves, though, are all well done (even if the Heracles stories are in the wrong order). This would be a great starting point for anyone to go in to learn more about the mythology. Even if this is a child’s only experience of Ancient Greece, it would provide a good foundation for understanding the many references to them in contemporary culture.
And the illustrations are lovely! They are sweet enough to undercut some of the more gruesome elements. And they flow with the stories without being intrusive. They answer questions the text might raise about eg what a lyre looks like, what characters would have been wearing etc. it would have been nice to have more ethnic diversity, but that’s my only quibble with the illustrations. Lewis is really good at using very few lines in a tiny picture to show personality, variations, movement etc.
It goes without saying that the stories are great; they wouldn’t have stood the test of time otherwise. This book would be a great primer or companion for reading Rick Riordan books as well as being worth reading in its own right.
Being for children and being twenty years old, it’s not surprising that many of the myths are sanitised. However, I was a little disappointed to find that, while several gory and violent episodes had been kept in, and there are a lot of love stories between men and women (some of which are presented as ones in which women “fall in love”, though in the originals they were not consenting), all mentions of same sex relationships have been expunged. Achilles and Patroclus were best friends? Achilles’ reaction to Patroclus’ death stops making sense presented that way.
The through story of Atticus isn’t up to much. There’s no real plot, he has no real character. I’m not sure if adds anything.
The retellings themselves, though, are all well done (even if the Heracles stories are in the wrong order). This would be a great starting point for anyone to go in to learn more about the mythology. Even if this is a child’s only experience of Ancient Greece, it would provide a good foundation for understanding the many references to them in contemporary culture.
And the illustrations are lovely! They are sweet enough to undercut some of the more gruesome elements. And they flow with the stories without being intrusive. They answer questions the text might raise about eg what a lyre looks like, what characters would have been wearing etc. it would have been nice to have more ethnic diversity, but that’s my only quibble with the illustrations. Lewis is really good at using very few lines in a tiny picture to show personality, variations, movement etc.
It goes without saying that the stories are great; they wouldn’t have stood the test of time otherwise. This book would be a great primer or companion for reading Rick Riordan books as well as being worth reading in its own right.
July 27, 2018
I bought this book years and years ago as a teaching aid, used a few of the stories, and had shelved it since. Reading Percy Jackson with my son (while my husband reads it with my daughter), I decided to pull this one from the shelves to read aloud to both my kids. It took a while, but we finally made it through.
The short Greek myths themselves were okay. The terminology and concepts were pretty simple for my 10 and 8 year old, however some of them were so condensed and still tried to keep so much information in that the kids got lost in some of the name-dropping.
All the short stories were tied together with a story of a father who leaves his family behind for a month or so to travel to a story competition. The story of Atticus by itself was horrible. It started out okay enough, but the in-between scenes were short, disjointed, and overly predictable (here, let me tell you a story, please lets hear a story, how about I tell you a story). Honestly, by halfway through, I just wanted to skip all the Atticus bits. Also, as he was trying (and failing, IMO), to have a story himself, the stories he chose to tell and when to tell them made reading the myths themselves disjointed. Sometimes he would tell several stories of the same character in a row (Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus, for example), but others (and even those) were in mixed up order, so the myth would reference something from before that you now can't remember, and the brief story was too short to really follow and get the big picture.
Overall, I would NOT recommend this book to others. I enjoyed the stories because of the myths they represent, though I'm sure other books do a better job of sharing these stories. I am, however, glad to finally have finished this book, and to keep as a reference to simple myths, it will still hold a place on my shelves. As a book to sit down and read - forget it.
The short Greek myths themselves were okay. The terminology and concepts were pretty simple for my 10 and 8 year old, however some of them were so condensed and still tried to keep so much information in that the kids got lost in some of the name-dropping.
All the short stories were tied together with a story of a father who leaves his family behind for a month or so to travel to a story competition. The story of Atticus by itself was horrible. It started out okay enough, but the in-between scenes were short, disjointed, and overly predictable (here, let me tell you a story, please lets hear a story, how about I tell you a story). Honestly, by halfway through, I just wanted to skip all the Atticus bits. Also, as he was trying (and failing, IMO), to have a story himself, the stories he chose to tell and when to tell them made reading the myths themselves disjointed. Sometimes he would tell several stories of the same character in a row (Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus, for example), but others (and even those) were in mixed up order, so the myth would reference something from before that you now can't remember, and the brief story was too short to really follow and get the big picture.
Overall, I would NOT recommend this book to others. I enjoyed the stories because of the myths they represent, though I'm sure other books do a better job of sharing these stories. I am, however, glad to finally have finished this book, and to keep as a reference to simple myths, it will still hold a place on my shelves. As a book to sit down and read - forget it.
April 18, 2020
Atticus the storyteller embarks on a journey to Troy to take part in the storytelling festival taking place there. Along the way, with his Donkey Melissa, Atticus relates his compendium of stories to all he meets. Legends such as Zeus, Perseus and Heracles and villainous characters like Hades and Medusa.
The book is divided into chapters, each one consisting of chronological myth and a small account of Atticus's continued journey. The layout is perfect if you were to read this to children at home or in a classroom day by day. The children love to know what's coming next, and with so many mythical creatures, exciting characters and magic encounters, they can't fail to be drawn in. It's lively, colourful pictures are full of detail and the text accessible to any children who want to attempt to read through it's 100 stories.
At school, this will be perfect to read at the end of the day, after studying Ancient Greece, in History, geography or as a topic.
The book is divided into chapters, each one consisting of chronological myth and a small account of Atticus's continued journey. The layout is perfect if you were to read this to children at home or in a classroom day by day. The children love to know what's coming next, and with so many mythical creatures, exciting characters and magic encounters, they can't fail to be drawn in. It's lively, colourful pictures are full of detail and the text accessible to any children who want to attempt to read through it's 100 stories.
At school, this will be perfect to read at the end of the day, after studying Ancient Greece, in History, geography or as a topic.
August 1, 2022
I am a HUGE fan of Greek mythology, and finding Atticus The Storyteller's 100 Greek Myths was such a great find! 100 tales in one book? A dream come true!
It is so hard to pick a favorite tale, they are all so good, and I love how each tale was portrayed and how it was told by the storyteller, Atticus. It was his year long journey to travel to Troy where there is a festival to participate in a storytelling contest. Throughout his journey he tells his stories to everyone and anyone who will listen, and that is how the tales come to us. What a delightfully refreshing way to tell a story! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
It is so hard to pick a favorite tale, they are all so good, and I love how each tale was portrayed and how it was told by the storyteller, Atticus. It was his year long journey to travel to Troy where there is a festival to participate in a storytelling contest. Throughout his journey he tells his stories to everyone and anyone who will listen, and that is how the tales come to us. What a delightfully refreshing way to tell a story! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
May 1, 2020
Questo libro mi fu regalato da mia madre di ritorno da un suo viaggio. L'ho letto e riletto per anni durante la mia infanzia. Mi ha iniziato alla mitologia greca che, da allora, è stata tra le mie passioni. Si tratta di un racconto edulcorato, ovviamente, adatto ai bambini ma ben fatto. Ne consiglio vivamente la lettura, magari insieme ai propri figli prima di andare a letto!
In italiano si chiama "100 miti greci" ISB: 9788804507529
In italiano si chiama "100 miti greci" ISB: 9788804507529
September 26, 2023
What a great book to read with the kids!!! Every story is short enough to be entertaining and still captures the essence of the Greek myth!
Really enjoyed every moment of this book and it's just a great place to start your journey in Greek mythology!
Enjoy
Really enjoyed every moment of this book and it's just a great place to start your journey in Greek mythology!
Enjoy
January 21, 2019
I downloaded this book for my daughter, but ended up listening to it by myself - helped to ease the Mythos withdrawal symptoms!
May 3, 2021
My son rated this 5 star. He says it had excellent illustrations and the stories were short and good to read before bed
January 5, 2024
es bastante entretedo e interesante
December 19, 2024
A very good collection of adaptations suitable for my 7yo, with great illustrations.
Read
January 11, 2015“Storytelling…at its most compelling.”
Junior Education, Book of the Month and 100 Best Books of 2002
“Very accessible for young readers. The writing is perfect for reading aloud. An ideal source book (and) a useful map shows the location of each myth.”
Child Education
“A splendid reminder of the wonder of the oldest of stories. This large, fat volume… should be in every home and classroom. The language is sure and lyrical and the tales read aloud well. A perfect gift.”
Wendy Cooling The Bookseller
“A bumper bargain crammed with stories, with a freshness and vigour to make it a welcome addition to any child’s bookshelf.”
Bookseller Buyer’s Guide
“Worth every penny." Independent on Sunday
“For those who love big books brimming with stories. Lucy Coats’s lively retellings never undermine the significance of these tales while Anthony Lewis’s delightful illustrations will hold the attention of those not yet able to tackle the book on their own. This is an old-fashioned book in the best sense—beautifully designed and produced with a solidity which suggests it will not be jettisoned easily.”
Lindsey Fraser Glasgow Sunday Herald
“A real winner.For a long time there has been a real lack of a superb retelling of the Greek Myths for younger children. This version will be with us for a long time, it is to be hoped, as it is vibrant, immediate and above, all fun! Provides that wealth of small detail which children find so fascinating. A really lovely book for all the family to share.”
Books for Keeps
“A brilliant, accessible introduction to the Greek myths.” The Good Book Guide
Junior Education, Book of the Month and 100 Best Books of 2002
“Very accessible for young readers. The writing is perfect for reading aloud. An ideal source book (and) a useful map shows the location of each myth.”
Child Education
“A splendid reminder of the wonder of the oldest of stories. This large, fat volume… should be in every home and classroom. The language is sure and lyrical and the tales read aloud well. A perfect gift.”
Wendy Cooling The Bookseller
“A bumper bargain crammed with stories, with a freshness and vigour to make it a welcome addition to any child’s bookshelf.”
Bookseller Buyer’s Guide
“Worth every penny." Independent on Sunday
“For those who love big books brimming with stories. Lucy Coats’s lively retellings never undermine the significance of these tales while Anthony Lewis’s delightful illustrations will hold the attention of those not yet able to tackle the book on their own. This is an old-fashioned book in the best sense—beautifully designed and produced with a solidity which suggests it will not be jettisoned easily.”
Lindsey Fraser Glasgow Sunday Herald
“A real winner.For a long time there has been a real lack of a superb retelling of the Greek Myths for younger children. This version will be with us for a long time, it is to be hoped, as it is vibrant, immediate and above, all fun! Provides that wealth of small detail which children find so fascinating. A really lovely book for all the family to share.”
Books for Keeps
“A brilliant, accessible introduction to the Greek myths.” The Good Book Guide
March 26, 2025
This storybook used to be a favourite of mine growing up and I so enjoyed re-visiting some of my favourite Greek myths!
Lucy Coat re-tells some of the stories about Ancient Greece through Atticus, the main character who is a storyteller. Through his travels across Greece we learn about how the Gods became The Gods, the famous Greek Hero’s who fought away evil, and the tricksters who suffered the wrath of the Gods, all through his stories to the people he meets along the way.
A great book for younger children, and even adults, who want to learn more about Greek Stories and myths! 😊
*Feel free to check out my Quarterly Book Review #1 over on my Substack blog here:
https://thepaintedcaravan.substack.co...
Isabella Ann of The Painted Caravan 📚
Lucy Coat re-tells some of the stories about Ancient Greece through Atticus, the main character who is a storyteller. Through his travels across Greece we learn about how the Gods became The Gods, the famous Greek Hero’s who fought away evil, and the tricksters who suffered the wrath of the Gods, all through his stories to the people he meets along the way.
A great book for younger children, and even adults, who want to learn more about Greek Stories and myths! 😊
*Feel free to check out my Quarterly Book Review #1 over on my Substack blog here:
https://thepaintedcaravan.substack.co...
Isabella Ann of The Painted Caravan 📚
July 16, 2015
I would give it more than five stars if it were possible. Illustrated brightly with pictures and a fluid ease of narration, this book from my childhood sparked in me my love for all Grecian mythology. In fact, this book was what introduced me to my love for Literature. Little did I know that I was actually immersing myself in Homer's universe. The colorful characters, as well as the memorable way Coats portrayed them, appeals to a child's mind. Without this book, I would not have had such a vivid recollection or knowledge, rather, of Homer's gods and heroes, knowledge that has helped me on countless occasions in my study of Literature in university.
November 26, 2010
Great introduction for children - my son loves them!
March 2, 2014
Have read and re-read this to my daughter and she loves it. A wonderful introduction to the Greek myths.
December 4, 2017
Muy bueno para iniciar a los pequeños en la mitología griega.
Read
February 4, 2017I read this book when I was about 5 or 6 years old, and it was what made me love mythology. Hihgly recommended for children.
December 11, 2022
Buen libro sobre mitología griega. Recomendable
April 23, 2023
Un libro perfecto para conocer la mayoría de mitos griegos de forma amena y con ilustraciones preciosas. Yo lo he leído con mi hijo y muy bien.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews