10 exciting Greek myth retellings for children and teens

For older readers

Bad Girls of Ancient Greece by Lizzy Tiffin

If you want to be introduced to a lot of Greek myths from a female perspective, this is the book for you. A beautiful, witty book, with bite-sized chapters which give a voice to those characters who have often been in the background.

Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald

There are a number of retellings of the Hades / Persephone love story, but I enjoyed this one the most. It gives Persephone much more power and agency, and I fell in love with this Hades. This Persephone was quite influential on my Aphrodite in terms of giving a traditional 'damsel' some real power.

Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Continuing the theme of giving voice to female characters in Greek myth, Margaret Atwood's brilliant Penelopiad is a novella which uncovers the story of Odysseus's wife, Penelope, who has waited through the ten-year Trojan war and then his ten-year Odyssey for his return. Far from being a tool of the men around her, Penelope is witty, intelligent and in charge of her own destiny.

Circe by Madeline Miller

A brilliant, feminist retelling of the story of Circe, the witch in Greek myth who turns Odysseus's men into pigs. You will fall in love with Circe and the world she learns to manipulate.

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

The story of the Trojan War from the perspective of the women involved. Powerful, knowledgeable, tragic and humorous, this recentres the story you think you know.

Also seek out: The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, Medea by Rosie Hewlett, Ariadne and Atalanta by Jennifer Saint, Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Ithaca by Claire North and Weight: The Myth of Atlas and Heracles by Jeanette Winterson.

For younger readers

Greeking Out: Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths written by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes, and illustrated by J. Espila

From the creators of National Geographic Kids' wildly successful 'Greeking Out' podcast, this tie-in book delivers a clever tongue-in-cheek retelling of twenty classic Greek myths. Educational, and fun.

Beasts of Olympus written by Lucy Coats and illustrated by David Roberts

This series introduces young readers to a world where mythical creatures are real. The story follows a young boy who discovers he's the Beast Keeper at Mount Olympus. Action packed, original and funny.

And finally, these are not exactly Greek myth retellings, but use the characters in Greek mythology to imagine what it would be like if the gods and their descendants lived in our modern world.

Hannah Messenger and the Gods of Hockwold by Bryony Pearce

The Greek gods are alive and well and retired to a village in Cambridgeshire. However, someone has cast a spell to make them believe they are human and is stealing their objects of power. Only their 11-year-old grandchildren can stop the thief. The cast of characters includes a two-headed dog, a homicidal dove, and a suspiciously speedy tortoise. Chaos ensues. Funny and action-packed.

Who Let the Gods Out by Maz Evans

Another funny, action-packed read, Evans introduces us to a Zeus and Co., who have had centuries of cushy retirement and are unimpressed when young hero, Elliot releases a death daemon on the world.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Are there any young mythology fans who haven't read this series, or seen the film or TV series? Percy is a son of Poseidon and when he finds out who he is, a whole cast of monsters decide to try and kill him. Meanwhile someone is trying to start a war between the gods and only Percy can stop them. A book full of action and heart, with a relatable hero.