Henry Holt, September 2010
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King of Ithaka

How far would you go to find the father you've never known?


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Review:
In this hero’s quest drawn from Homer’s Odyssey, Telemachos, only child of Odysseus, King of Ithaka, has waited 16 years for his wandering father to return from the Trojan wars while his dutiful mother, Penelopeia, fends off would-be suitors. When a stranger challenges him to find his father, Telema- chos consults an oracle, who prophesies Ithaka will have a king only after he searches for Odysseus and returns "to the place that is not, on the day that is not, bearing the thing that is not." Adventure follows Telemachos as he sails to Pylos and travels cross country to Sparta with his centaur pal, Brax, and their (human) female chum, Polydora. He chronicles this perilous journey in the first person, allowing readers to witness his metamorphosis from an immature, self-centered youth to an appealing leader who eclipses his famous father in strength, bravery, generosity and compassion, fulfilling the cryptic prophecy. A rousing introduction to epic characters and mythic creatures of ancient Greece from the fresh perspective of an engaging young hero.
Kirkus


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Selected works. Click on a title to read reviews!

Fiction for young readers
King of Ithaka
Homer's Odyssey as told by Telemachos, the son of Odysseus
The Case that Time Forgot
Book 3 of The Sherlock Files
The Beast of Blackslope
Book 2 of The Sherlock Files
The 100-Year-Old Secret
Book 1 of The Sherlock Files
On Etruscan Time
Will Hector be able to right an ancient wrong?
Cold in Summer
Is helping a mysterious new friend worth the risk?
Anna of Byzantium
Intrigue in the world of medieval Byzantium
Nonfiction for young readers
The Ancient Greek World
In Oxford University Press's World in Ancient Times series