Changes to Mythology in Years Four to Six

[boatharbor]

While I love any excuse to buy a new book… in the spirit of “the best book is the one you already have,” I already have Roger Lancelyn Green’s Norse Mythology. Has anyone read both this and Heroes of Asgard and can compare? Or know of appropriateness for a 9 year old? He’s a strong reader but I don’t have time to preread that one.

[AnneWhite]

While I love any excuse to buy a new book… in the spirit of “the best book is the one you already have,” I already have Roger Lancelyn Green’s Norse Mythology. Has anyone read both this and Heroes of Asgard and can compare? Or know of appropriateness for a 9 year old? He’s a strong reader but I don’t have time to preread that one.

Check out the Further Reading section at the end of the study guide; there are brief reviews of several retellings including Green's. Yes, it would be fine for this level. My only negative feeling about it, based on a fairly quick readthrough, was that it seemed to have more emphasis on wizards, spells, things like that, than others I looked at, and for some people that might be off-putting.

https://www.amblesideonline.org/asgard-t...ns#further

[boatharbor]

Thanks so much! Great information!

[cwright]

Does anyone know how Heroes of Asgard compares to Padraic Colum's The Children of Odin? I own the latter but haven't read it yet.

[AnneWhite]

Does anyone know how Heroes of Asgard compares to Padraic Colum's The Children of Odin? I own the latter but haven't read it yet.

Colum's book is inoffensive, literary, but (to my mind) a bit dry. Your mileage might vary on that.

However, one other small concern (and one that I am not the only one to note) is that he sets up the order of the stories in an unusual way. Partway through the book, a child character goes to an older one and is told the "Genesis" stories, if you will, those that most tellers place at the beginning of the book. I am not sure that this attempt at creative storytelling is entirely successful, as it may end up just confusing readers who have been plopped into the doings in Asgard without enough backstory.

If you're torn between the two, I would suggest choosing a story or two and comparing them in the two versions. If you have an older student who is a strong reader, and Asgard feels too young for them, Colum could be a good alternative.

[Ms.Donovan]

I’m very excited about this!

I have two questions:

1. My eldest (11), is just finishing Year 4. He has read the first 9 chapters of AoF (which are now scheduled for Y5 T1&2). He’d be very happy to put it aside for a while… should we pause here, and do Asgard for our last term of Y4 + the first 2 terms of Year 5, picking AoF back up in the third term (and on track with the new schedule)?

2. My youngest (9), is doing a year 3.5 next year, and I had planned to do Asgard. Is there a good alternative, so we can use the new schedule once we hit year 4?

Thanks!


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[lklivingston]

1) I'd probably finish up with this year's Age of Fable and do Asgard next year to keep it simple, but your plan should work fine.

[AnneWhite]

2. Maybe stick to your plan for 3.5, then keep moving through Bulfinch and the Homer retellings at your own pace.

[Sammie2]

If you follow Kathy's and Anne's tips, doesn't that mean you could do Asgard with both next year? That might simplify things.

[MaggieAnnie]

Colum's book is inoffensive, literary, but (to my mind) a bit dry. Your mileage might vary on that.

Should I tell you that one of my sons is named after him?

We used The Children of Odin as sick day audio book and enjoyed it ... I can agree it is not the best of his works, not bad by any means but not his best. 

I never found him dry so much as just very Irish. His author voice reminds me of when my great grandma, who was born just 4 years after him, told stories...