All-Action Classics No. 3

Gr 6 Up—It is nearly impossible to condense such an enormous story into 123 pages, but Mucci manages to hit all of the action-packed highlights. These include many of the adventures that Odysseus had on his long voyage back home from the Trojan War, such as his dangerous encounters with Circe, Calypso, the lotus-eaters, the Cyclops, and the sirens, as well as his detour into Hades. The colorful artwork skillfully captures the dynamic action, and artistic touches like making the gods translucent in the world of men are especially eye-catching. With its fast pace and cartoony yet cinematic artwork, this adaptation will entice reluctant readers. In a bit of savvy marketing, the last page directs readers to the Action Cartooning website to learn more about the story of Odysseus and to see additional artwork, which should generate interest in the other books in the series.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library