The Orchard Book of First Greek Myths
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Parent | Hachette Book Group |
The Orchard Book of First Greek Myths is a children's publication authored by Saviour Pirotta and illustrated by Jan Lewis. Initially released in hardcover by Orchard Books, a division of Hachette Book Group, in 2003, it quickly gained popularity among educational institutions and families as an introduction to Greek mythology for children between five and eight years old. By 2019, the book had undergone twelve reprints and inspired a collection of independent titles featuring simplified narratives accompanied by increased illustrations.
This volume belongs to a series of illustrated anthologies that also include Geraldine McCaughrean's The Orchard Book of Greek Myths, Michael Morpurgo's Aesop's Fables, and Pirotta's own The Orchard Book of Grimm's Fairytales.
Included tales are:
- Odysseus and the wooden horse
- Perseus and Medusa
- Arachne, the spider-woman
- Pegasus, the winged horse
- Arion, the dolphin boy
- Jason and the Golden Fleece
- King Midas' golden touch
- Theseus and the Minotaur
- The mystery of Pandora's box
- Icarus, the boy who flew
The book has been successfully published internationally, with editions in Brazil [Scipione], Italy [Einaudi Ragazzi, part of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore], Greece [Patakis], and Korea. Korean versions include audio CDs in both Korean and English. In Italy, under the title Ai Piedi Dell' Olimpo (At the foot of Mount Olympus), it has appeared in five editions, including one within the classic collection Lo Scaffale D'Oro and a special edition distributed alongside the newspaper Corriere Della Sera.
Critical acclaim for this work has been strong; the National Literacy Association commended it as "remarkable retellings of these old stories using vivid, glorious language." The Bookseller remarked that these adaptations "offer a welcome alternative to zanier or Disney-style introductions to famous myths for young children."
Dogobooks, a review platform for children's literature, praised the series as "a wonderful set of straightforward, friendly and accessible Greek Myth retellings, with clear type and irresistible illustrations. All the favourite stories are here."
Karen Wallace, writing in The Ultimate Book Guide, emphasized the six concise, well-crafted retellings featuring "fresh and immediate" language paired with "dramatic and engaging" full-colour artwork.
Co-editions
In Italy, the book is released by Einaudi Ragazzi under the title Ai Piedi Dell' Olimpo, available in four editions across hardcover and paperback formats. It is also published in Greece by Patakis Press with multiple editions, as well as in Brazil by Scipione. Korean editions include bilingual audio CDs.
Furthermore, Inception Media has transformed the series into enhanced digital apps, while audio renditions of all ten books are accessible through Cloudaloud.