Et Cetera #12 | Greek Mythology, A Quote I Love + Books For May
A weekly brain dump of bookish (and non-bookish) things!
Hi friends,
Last week I was wandering around my local paper goods store (Wonder Fair) telling myself I didn’t need anymore pens. Instead, I got sucked into browsing every single art print they have. And they have a lot. Slowly, my oldest daughter Cece has been trying to figure out what type of room she wants. She’s gone from thinking she’d like a ballet-themed room, complete with a barre and everything. To a nature/fairy room. And now she has decided she wants a Greek Mythology inspired room.
Try Googling that one. It’s not helpful in the slightest.
She may only be eight, but she has a complete working knowledge of Greek Mythology. Like she totally schools my husband and I and it’s so fun listening to her explain the families to us. We just finished reading Percy Jackson + The Olympians: The Lightening Thief. We’ve watched the (terrible) movie and the way more well-done series on Netflix. She has moved on to the second book, The Sea of Monsters, by herself and is already a quarter of the way in. On Monday, she came home with a coffee table book sized book all about Greek Mythology. And Tuesday morning, she was up even before me reading and tucking away bits of mythological knowledge.
She is absolutely the best!
Greek Mythology Books For Your Middle Grader
I had a student at my last school who had read every single Rick Riordan book (he’s the author of the Percy Jackson series among many many other books) and her knowledge of all things Greek Mythology surpassed Cece’s, but probably not by much. One of my favorite things was having her tell me about the books and then I’d go and pitch them to other students. We were a good book recommending team. I miss her and students like her.
Here are some Greek Mythology books if you have a middle grader (3rd-6th grade) who is interested in or obsessed with the world of the Greek gods and goddesses
The Flame of Olympus (Pegasus #1) by Kate O’Hearn | A young girl, a winged horse, and a war of epic proportions make for an adventurous start to this exciting book!
Athena the Brain (Goddess Girls #1) by Joan Holub | Athena has always been above average. She has never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact.
The Shadow Thieves (The Cronus Chronicles #1) by Anne Ursu | See that girl, the one with the bright red hair, overstuffed backpack, and aura of grumpiness? That's Charlotte Mielswetzski. And something extra-ordinary is about to happen to her.
Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela | Packed with adventure and driven by a pitch-perfect voice, this is about one tween forging new friendships, fighting nightmarish monsters, and importantly, figuring out who she is and who she ultimately wishes to be.
Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea | After insulting Pele, the Goddess of Fire, Lei learns just how real these legends are when the goddess takes her best friend and places a curse on her family—one that only she can lift.
Books I Plan to Read in May
Oh May! It’s one of my favorite months. The school year is coming to an end, there are celebrations and parties and we have so many family birthdays! It’s exhausting and exciting! I am also planning on spending a significant time reading as it tapers off a lot in the summer months. I’ve already crossed two off the list and I am itching at the bit to get to the others.
Goodbye Birdie Goldwing by Ericka Waller | My next read.
The Last Days of Kira Mullen by Nicci French | Love their thrillers.
Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell | I can’t wait for this one.
Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger | On my spring reading list.
Heartwood by Amity Gage | Can’t wait to see if it sits on my shelves as a favorite or goes in the little library.
Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith | This sounds like a wild ride.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman | Who doesn’t love Backman?
One on One by Jamie Harrow | READ | Loved it. Swooned over it.
Confessions by Catherine Airey | READ | Sad and full of people making wrong decisions. *chef’s kiss*
So On and So Forth: 5 Fun Links For Saturday
I loved looking through these Victorian photo albums. Who knew they were scrapbooking even back then. Corrie Beth Makes wrote a fun letter all about them!
I read to feel. I read to recognize something unnamed inside me. I read to feel less alone. I don’t need to like a book, necessarily—but I do need to feel with it. Otherwise, what’s the point? - A Reading Life
If you like non-fiction (it’s touch and go for me), you’ll like this list the L.A. Times put together of the 30 best non-fiction of the past 30 years.
Did you love Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People? I did. I just read they are making it into a feature film. Thoughts?
Do we need more white cis-male authors? My thought: Nope. The Guardian weighs both opinions.
This should have gone out yesterday, but I was chilling with a bunch of Kindergarteners on a field trip and when I got home I was so completely exhausted I couldn’t function enough to send this out. So here you go…nice and fresh on a Saturday instead. Happy reading, friends!