Medusa Tells All

Medusa Tells All: Beauty Missing, Hair Hissingis another book in the Other Side of the Myth Series.

I was pleased with Rebecca Davis' addition to this series. She makes a strong case for Medusa by blaming Athena for giving into her jealousy and cursing Medusa after Poseidon showed her attention. Other than bragging about her beauty, Medusa carefully avoids including any details of her story that might hint at her own guilt in the conflict between her and Athena.

As with the rest of the books in this series, the author includes a summary of the myth at the beginning of the story for those not familiar with the story. I continue to find this series to be an intriguing way to introduce children to mythology and to point of view.

The Way Eye See It Cyclops Tells All

Cyclops Tells All: The Way EYE See It (The Other Side of the Myth)is Nancy Loewn's attempt to give Polyphemus a chance to tell his side of his encounter with Odysseus.

The author begins with a summary of the original Greek myth. She then goes on to present the Cyclops version of the myth. In this version the author sticks with the traditional tale of how Odysseus meets Polyphemus. From there Polyphemus tries to justify his actions by explaining his twisted version of why he thought eating Odysseus' troops would make him human allowing him to achieve his dream of traveling the world. He seemed to have been influenced by a childhood nutrition lesson, you are what you eat. He wrongly assumes if he eats humans, he will become human.

Again sticking with the traditional tale, Odysseus attacks Polyphemus and he and the last of his men are able to escape.

This wasn't one of the strongest of this series. You are what you eat wasn't a great argument or justification. I would have gone with an unjustified attack on a one eyed creature who was just tending his sheep. Self-defense would have been more believable.

Not the Curious Kind: Pandora Tells All

Pandora Tells All: Not the Curious Kind is part of the Other Side of the Myth Series. If you are familiar with the Other Side of the Story series, which retells fairy tales from another character's perspective you can see where this series is going.

The book begins by giving the reader a condensed version of the original Greek myth of Pandora. From there we are presented with Pandora's defense. She claims she was more than careful with Zeus' vase and not at all the curious woman portrayed in the myth. She blames the whole problem on her husband's mischievous cat, Cuddles who knocks over the vase allowing dark shadows to escape. Pandora is only able to replace the cover after all have left and only hope remains.

The author makes a convincing defense for Pandora. It is possible that a cat or other small house pet could have knocked the cover off a vase. I know my dogs have done plenty of damage in their time. If I was on the jury, she'd have provided reasonable doubt for me to let her go. That is what I look for in these other side stories. Some do provide an interesting alternate appeal, others fall flat and almost don't want to let the character off the hook.

These stories make for great discussions, debates, and trials. If you put Pandora on trial using the evidence from the original myth and her own testimony from this story is she guilty or innocent? Can you prove it beyond a reasonable doubt based on her story. It helps develop critical thinking skills and gets kids thinking beyond just the basic information presented.

This is also a great way to help reluctant readers access mythology. The material can be dry, but this series looks promising as a way to engage kids in a fun way of understanding the original story and then a silly defense of the character that might get those students more willing to engage with the material.