HASS Research Seminar

Classical Mythology and Children’s Literature: An Alphabetical Odyssey – Elizabeth Hale (Associate Professor of English, University of New England)

Elizabeth Hale will speak about her new book, co-authored by Miriam Riverlea (illustrations by Steve K Simons). From the fauns of Narnia to the centaurs of Harry Potter, children’s texts are inspired by classical mythology. They retell, adapt, allude to, and revise the ancient myths for modern audiences, introducing young readers to worlds of mythological thought. This book takes readers on a journey through the oceans of children’s books inspired by classical mythology, in 26 thematic chapters, arranged alphabetically. A is for Adaptation, B is for Beasts, C is for childhood, D is for Dealing with Difficult subjects…mythology and children’s literature come together in multiple inspiring ways.