Creative, colorful, and compelling, these narrative adaptations and graphic novels enhance the storytelling with thoughtful artistic interpretations and will inspire readers to further explore and assimilate the elements of this timeless classic. Share these enticing volumes with students already familiar with the epic to make comparisons and contrasts, or use them to tempt the uninitiated to try the real thing.

Narrative Retellings
Supplement standard fare such as Rosemary Sutcliff’s gracefully written The Wanderings of Odysseus (Delacorte, 1996), handsomely illustrated by Alan Lee, with newer works. Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden’s The Adventures of Odysseus (Barefoot, 2006; Gr 5-8) offers a streamlined recounting that balances non-stop action with lyrical language. A prologue provides helpful background by briefly relating the tale of Paris, charged with choosing which of three goddesses is the most beautiful, and how his decision ignited the Trojan War.

Much of the story is told in vivid first-person narration by Odysseus, giving the tale a gripping sense of immediacy and adding depth to the character. Combining simplicity with insight, the succinct sentences and poetic chords are well-suited to a long-suffering man who has learned much: “All I have left now is my name. And a longing as sharp as pain to see the land that gave me life.”

Christina Balit’s stylized art combines linear shapes and patterns with swirling designs and details. The bold lines and profiled faces—presented on full pages or broad borders—bring to mind the friezes that decorated Greek temples, and lush gem-stone hues add to the regal tone. Ideal for sharing aloud, this retelling makes a sound introduction to the protagonist and his adventures. Discuss the point of view, and ask students to cite examples from the text that establish Odysseus’s unique voice. Have your students retell another epic tale (or even superhero origin story) from the hero’s perspective and use detail and dialogue to create a distinctive voice for their character.

Dynamic language, rapid-fire pacing, spine-tingling suspense, and a sense of foreboding that looms larger than a Cyclops characterize Gillian Cross’s rendition of The Odyssey (Candlewick, 2012; Gr 8 Up). Both accessible and mesmerizing, the text emphasizes moments of heady hubris (e.g., a triumphant Odysseus cruelly taunting one-eyed Polyphemus after his escape) and relates even the most unsettling events with gusto. One unforgettable scene describes how the huge and evidently hungry Laestrygonian giants “slithered down the cliffs and waded into the water” to spear Odysseus’s “drowning men as though they were fish,” while the survivors rowed for their lives, “the terrible screams of their comrades echo[ing] in their ears.”

Odysseus’s trials and travails are presented in a straightforward chronology, making it easy to examine each adventure in succession and building to a satisfying climax. Cross neatly sews the threads of the storytelling tapestry together by interspersing updates from Ithaca about Penelope’s struggles with the suitors (that surround her in the wake of Odysseus’s long absence), summations of Telemachus’s father-seeking travels, and scenes stages from Mount Olympus revealing the gods’ fate-defining negotiations.

The Odyssey (Cross)
©2012 by Neil Packer

Appearing on almost every spread, Neil Packer’s masterfully rendered paintings depict, interpret, and vivify the text, adding a spectacular visual dimension to the storytelling. While certain elements (costumes, textiles and graphic designs, frieze-like silhouettes, etc.) pay homage to the tale’s origins, the tone is strikingly contemporary. Distorted proportions and shifts in point of view (e.g., Odysseus hanging one-handed from a branch and looking down into the swirling, fang-filled mouth of Charybdis) are used to great dramatic effect, as are detail-revealing cutaways and sinuous collage compositions.

Splashes of color—a brashly striped garment or of the burnished hue of the lotus fruit—contrast with the characters’ flat skin tones, mostly statuesque alabaster or earthy tones of brown. Some of the portrayals, particularly those of the monsters, veer into the grotesque, and depictions of the gods are far from idealized (Poseidon sports sparse wire-like hair, a potbelly, and a meshy fish-net shirt and Hermes is updated with contemporary runner’s gear). Filled with symbolism, evocative details, and emotion, each unique painting is worthy of close inspection and discussion.

Have your students explore the interplay between text and artwork. How do the illustrations set the scene, convey events, add to the characterizations? What themes have the author and artist chosen to emphasize? How does Cross’s approach—telling events in a third-person narration rather than having Odysseus recount his experiences—change the story’s impact? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an omniscient narrator instead of a first-person account?

Graphic Novels
“Sing to me, O Muse, of that man of many troubles…skilled in all ways of contending, who wandered far after he helped sack the great city of Troy. Sing through me, and tell the story of his suffering, his trials and adventures, and his bloody homecoming.” An epic in its own right, Gareth Hinds’s graphic novel adaption of The Odyssey (Candlewick, 2010; Gr 7 Up) pairs euphonious language with expressive pencil-and-watercolor illustrations.

Book by book, the “greathearted” hero’s twist-turning tale is presented in dazzling depth and detail; familiar images and phrasings resonate throughout the thoughtfully abridged script, skillfully echoing the tone and telling of the original (each book is identified by number and aptly titled, allowing for easy comparison ). Establishing a strong sense of time and place while maintaining an air of wonder, the artwork depicts the action, augments characterizations, and provides a potent emotional veneer. Certain moments, such as Odysseus’s heartfelt reunion with the faithful hound Argos, are eloquently expressed through illustration only, and color—the cold blue of the roiling ocean, fire-bright orange inside the Cyclops’s cave, washed-out grays of the Land of the Dead—is used throughout to add poignancy and punch.

Have your students compare Hinds’s version to Homer’s poem and explore similarities and differences. What themes have been emphasized in the graphic novel? How are the characters’ actions, emotions, and challenges conveyed through the artwork? Does the artist’s portrayal of Odysseus match students’ individual perceptions of the hero? A teacher’s guide is available.

Taking a much more cursory approach, Sam Ita showcases the storied highlights of The Odyssey (Sterling, 2011; Gr 5 Up) in an eye-catching pop-up format. Succinct dialogue balloons briefly relate events, utilizing contemporary-sounding language and well-timed comic moments (asked where he’s been for the last 20 years, the hero tells Penelope, “Well, sweetheart, it’s an awfully long story”).

The visual effects are cleverly envisioned and well-designed: Penelope’s loom opens like a venetian blind to reveal a scene of the suitors plotting evil; a 3-D Trojan Horse stands dramatically in front of a burning city (readers can lift a flap to see the soldiers hidden within); a pull tab (and Circe’s moving wand) magically transforms a man into a pig; a pop-up of Odysseus’s ship (with oars that actually paddle) is surrounded by wing-fluttering sirens on one side and a serpent-headed Scylla on the other; and the hero, just returned to Ithaca and disguised as a “homeless guy,” pulls back a bow string (via a tab) and shoots an arrow through several axe heads. This high-energy hands-on retelling makes a great way to review plot elements and initiate discussion about the tale’s most-touted themes. How does the updated language and tongue-in-cheek humor affect the timbre of the story?

Add a little fun to your explorations with Christopher Ford’s entertaining graphic novel, Stickman Odyssey: An Epic Doodle (2011; Gr 5 Up). Banished from Sticatha by an evil throne-seizing witch, “far-wandering” Zozimos is determined to find his way home and claim his rightful place as king. However, along the way, the young hero is waylaid by mighty monsters (he cleverly defeats the gigantic Cyclops-like Boetheos by barfing in his eye), embroiled in breathtaking battles (bravely brandishing his stick sword), and met by challenges that test his courage and perseverance (along with his skill at talking to girls).

Ford’s stick-figure characters possess boundless energy and plenty of expression, and the script percolates with snarky dialogue, hilarious expletives (“BY ZEUS’ BUTT!”), and loads of irreverent humor. The action certainly is epic, and numerous (and comically skewed) references to the original are integrated into the plot. For example, Athena intervenes in the affairs of mortals with a few deft strokes of a giant pen (e.g., doodling out a raft for her protégé), and during a perilous ocean journey, Zosimos’s cohorts plug their ears with wax—not to protect themselves from the sirens’ song but to drown out their leader’s complaining. Students will enjoy making comparisons to Odysseus’s adventures and teasing out corresponding themes, characters, and images. The antics continue in Book Two: The Wrath of Zozimos (2012, both Philomel).

Choose one of these retellings and have your students explore the ways that a modern author reinterprets an ancient text. Compare two of the adaptations, and have youngsters identify similarities and differences in writing style, language usage, point of view, and predominant themes. Look at the visual interpretations and discuss how the illustrations vary in style, medium, and mood. Have your students research classical art images of Greek gods, heroes, and creatures in books or online (Theoi Greek Mythology is a great starting point) and make comparisons to the artwork in one or more of these retellings. Was the modern artist influenced by ancient images and in what way? Have youngsters demonstrate their knowledge of the text by picking a scene from The Odyssey, gathering details, and retelling, illustrating, or creating a comic-book version of the event.

The Common Core State Standards below are a sampling of those references in the above books and classroom activities:
RL. 6.6. Determine how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
RL. 8.5. Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
RL. 8.9. Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths…including how the material is rendered new.
RL. 9-10.9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work….
W. 6.3-11-12.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
W. 6.9-11-12.9. Draw evidence from literary of informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W. 9-10.7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question…or solve a problem…..

Gareth Hinds, Marissa Meyer, and Sean Michael Wilson were among the speakers participating on the “Classic Twists” panel during SLJ’s SummerTeen virtual conference on August 9, sharing their views on writing adaptations for young adults.

Hinds, a 2011 participant in SLJ’s Battle of the Books, uses graphic novels to retell classics such as Beowulf (2007) and The Odyssey (2010, both Candlewick), as well as adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays. “Gods were the ancient Greeks’ superheroes,” says Hinds. “What better way to read about them than through the comic book medium?” His versions of the classics allow “the page to be a stage that characters walk around on.” During his presentation, Hinds shared a sneak peek of his next project: an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet with a multiracial cast.

Meyer shared the experience of her long road to finally getting published and how her fascination for anime and the popular ‘90s Japanese TV show, Sailor Moon, inspired her to write fanfiction that would later plant the seed for her debut, Cinder (Feiwel & Friends, 2012). The first book in her the “Lunar Chronicles” sci-fi/romance updates the classic rags-to-riches tale of Cinderella and is set in the future. Complete with spaceships and hover cars, the novel reinterprets the classic tale with a mechanic and cyborg as the main character.

Influenced by Jane Yolen’s and Anna Sheehan’s fairy tale reworkings, Meyer will follow up with Scarlet, based on Little Red Riding Hood, which is coming out in 2013. It will be followed by Crest, about Rapunzel, and Winter, about Snow White. Meyer says the theme of good conquering evil is one that attracts teens, and she sees a resurgence of teen interest in fairy tales as seen in the films Snow White and the Huntsman and Once Upon a Time.

Based in Scotland, but speaking from Japan, Wilson spoke about his range of graphic novels, from manga to American/British style comics, some bilingual and others in English and later translated to Japanese. Wilson’s “Classical Comics” series offers readers titles such as A Christmas Carol and Wuthering Heights in unabridged and “Quick Text” editions. His texts stay true to the originals and have been designed to be used in classrooms as a companion to the original text. Wilson has also adapted well-known Japanese stories, including The 47 Ronin, which follows the fate of former samurais wanting revenge for their master’s death. His dream adaptation? Franz Kafka’s short stories.

Although the three authors have distinct styles and approaches to their books, they did have one thing in common: they were all active storytellers long before they published their first books. Meyer spent years as a managing editor and then as a Seattle-based proofreader, while Hinds drew the characters and backgrounds for video games. Wilson stated simply: “Before becoming a writer, I was a reader.”

SLJ SummerTeen Interviews

• Gareth Hinds
• Earl Sewell
• A.S. King
• Johan Harstad
• Barry Lyga
• Sean Michael Wilson
• Peter Hautman
• Karen Healey
• Cecil Castellucci
• Julie Kagawa
• Katie Kacvinsky
• Marissa Meyer

SummerTeen, which takes place between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., includes an impressive lineup of the hottest names in YA lit—including Barry Lyga, Garth Nix, A.S. King, and Maggie Stiefvater—all talking about a range of topics that school and youth services librarians care about.

If you’ve signed up for SummerTeen, make sure to gather your students to hear Hinds speak on the “Classic Twists” panel from 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Make sure to keep an eye out for more of these brief interviews in the days and weeks ahead.

What do you like best about writing for a YA audience?

Hinds: I don’t write for one particular audience, I just try to share what I love about the classics, and it turns out that middle and high school students are a great audience for my books, because they can use some help understanding what’s so great about these (rather intimidating) works.

How did you end up writing graphic novels?

Hinds: I came to graphic novels as an illustrator, wanting to tell stories with pictures. I wanted to tell the best possible stories, and I didn’t feel like my original writing was that great, so I decided to start by adapting some of the greatest stories ever written.

What’s one of the most moving things you’ve heard from a reader?

Hinds: This actually came from a teacher, but it was about one of her teen students, a young man who was apparently in a pretty bad place, getting involved with gang violence. She gave him my Beowulf and he really got excited about it, looked up my website. When he found out that I use computers to make some of the art, and that I worked in video games, he got really interested in computer graphics, and turned all his energy to that, and I guess it really pulled him out of that situation. I love my job anyway, but hearing that kind of thing makes me feel like I’m actually contributing something.

Do you ever worry about your being censored or challenged, and how does it affect your work?

Hinds: I don’t really have to worry about the content of canonical literary works being challenged, but I do have to be conscious about how I draw certain things, especially nudity. There are various scenes in The Odyssey, for instance, where I covered up the characters a bit more than Homer probably envisioned, and in the bedroom scene the morning after Romeo and Juliet’s wedding night, I have her wearing a nightgown, which maybe wouldn’t have been my first choice. But I have to ask myself whether these changes actually interfere with the story in any way, and if the answer is no then I make them, so that teachers won’t be afraid to use my books with their students. I want to make their job easier, not harder.

How valuable are librarians at getting the word out about your work?

Hinds: Librarians are fantastic. I have no way to quantify it, but whenever I chat with librarians at a trade show or an event, they are always fun, smart, awesome people, and are always excited about sharing my books.

What are you working on now?

Hinds: Romeo and Juliet will be out next year. At the moment I’m taking a short break from Shakespeare to work on scripts for a couple of original projects.

Read other SLJ SummerTeen interviews:

Earl Sewell