- this book was on my summer reading list for Uni -

I'm not particularly sold on this one unfortunately. I get the intention, and I definitely think that classrooms need more of what this book tried to do: a good diversity of stories geographically and culturally, and a different understanding of what a hero really is.

However, compared to some other books of traditional tales that I've read that also did the same thing, I found this particular collection to be a little underwhelming.
It's representation was limited, the 'different' heroes weren't convincingly portrayed (it would be almost entirely up to the teaching to provide this context), and the writing style wasn't as clear or enchanting as others I've read.

I did enjoy a couple of the stories enough to possibly use in future though:

'Shahrazad the Storyteller' was my favourite. If all the stories had been like this one I would have been much happier. The strong female lead, the moral, and the redemption of the villain all worked well together to offer a story for children to really think about.

'The Legend of Hua Milan' was well written. This story is a little more well known, so I think holds a lot of potential to be written in a much more gender-explorative way, but I did also appreciate the simplicity of its moral and subtle but firm feminist approach in this retelling.

And 'Hanuman, Demon Fighter' was also a great epic tale for children to enjoy. I do think it tried to push a /lot/ of detail into a story short enough to fit with the others, which could lead to a lot of confusion and questions from children. So I would encourage any teacher using this to fully research the story, and maybe make a topic of learning out of it, its origins and it's morals, rather than a one off story. (I also particularly loved the artwork on this one!!)

A wonderful book that I would highly recommend!

I’m always deterred from children’s novels that aren’t historical simply because they’re often either whimsical fantasy aimed at girls or funny-rude flimsy aimed at boys.
This book was a perfect mix of children’s fantasy that could be read by anyone and enjoyed. It was neither too fantastical, too historical, or too factual.
The characters were responsible and well rounded and the writer did an amazing job at conveying the emotions of both adults and children.

And bonus points! The ending wasn’t disappointing! Everything fit well together and I’m not left with any substantial questions or plot holes!!

I loved this book! I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a bit of fantasy, but especially those who are sceptical or cynical about the genre.

It took me a little while to get into this book, which is why it took me a while to read, but purely because of every time I tried to read it I was preoccupied or busy.

I read the majority of this today on a long train journey and I am so satisfied.

The story is, simply put, about a pair of twins who are on the cusp of 'growing up' - moving to Secondary School - and in doing so starting to grow apart. One wants to be popular, is scared of being shunned by her peers and wants more than anything to leave her childhood behind. The other would rather grow up a little slower, scared of the real world and all its anxieties, he find comfort in his imagination, but also doesn't want to lose his sister.

Together they rediscover a fantasy land that they used to play in as children, have to work as a team and dare to use their imagination in order to save their Grandad from the forces of evil.

The writing is oh so clever and the illustrations are a wonderful addition!

It is a perfect balance of fantasy and action, moral lessons and family. And as it was only published in 2019, all of its 'current' references are perfect for children in school right now to recognise and connect to.

I can't wait for the next instalment to be released in September!

Uggghhhhhh I really did not enjoy this book.

Before I start my rant, because the Gods know that I need one, I /can/ see some redeeming features: it was fun to read from the view of someone who knows a lot about Roman/Greek mythology, and it definitely appealed to its audience with its child-friendly humour.

Apart from that however...

It literally NEVER picked up! It has so many strands of the story with so much potential and the most any of them got to entertaining was a terrible pun here and there. The entire resolution arc was boring. The major fight scene was horrific compared to the teasers we'd had in the beginning, and the only character who really gave me any kind of invested interest (the main antagonist) was easily dealt with and left aside way before the end! In fact, from the last third onwards, the book could have ended. The last third was basically only for dropping hints about the next book and setting up a fresh start point.

I will give a special mention to the handling of Josie (Elliot's mum) and her mental health/memory issues. The storyline was well handled and honest, one of the only parts that was consistently good, but still could have been pushed a little further.

The only emotion I experienced reading this book was irritation... I might recommend to a child who was interested in fantasy and action stories as a way to engage them in history, but aside from that...