I fell in love with Usborne Books because of their gorgeous mythology books. Some of my favorites are:

• Greek Myths for the Young Child – For ages 4 and up this collection of the best-known of the Greek myths has been carefully written to appeal to young children who will find these stories of gods, mortals and monsters irresistible. Beautiful illustrations by Linda Edwards perfectly capture each story and will bring the myths to life for children of all ages. The stories have been specially written for reading aloud and there is also a pronunciation guide at the back of the book which will help with the pronunciation of the Greek names. (Comes in a mini version, too.
• Greek Myths: Ulysses and the Trojan War – For ages 10 years and up, this vividly illustrated, beautiful gift book includes the events described in the Iliad and the Odyssey. It follows the Greek army to the siege of Troy, where bravery and horror on the battlefield combine with the wit and cunning of Ulysses, King of Ithaca. Ulysses struggles to return home from the Trojan War – only to find he has another battle on his hands and a kingdom to reclaim.
• Greek Myths & Legends – For ages 11 years and up, this superbly illustrated reference guide is a thrilling introduction to the characters and adventures that make up the Greek Myths. Includes condensed versions of all the most famous stories brought to life with stunning pictures by artists including Rodney Matthews. Also includes a ‘Who’s Who’ in Greek mythology section on the Ancient Greeks and their beliefs.

What goes better with Greek mythology than Greek food? Inspired by “Salad Week” over at ClubMom blog Cooking with Whine, I had to share this feta salad recipe with an American twist.

Watermelon and Feta Salad
From Big Sky Cooking by Meredith Brokaw and Ellen Wright

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups of 2-inch chunks of watermelon seeded (or seedless)
2. 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
3. coarsely ground black pepper to taste
4. 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
5. bunch of basil leaves roughly torn

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine the watermelon, feta, basil leaves, and a few generous grinds of black pepper.
2. For a little more zing, add the red pepper flakes if you like.
3. Serve immediately.

This is a great picnic and potluck salad. Prepare the ingredients ahead of time and combine onsite for ultimate freshness and crunchiness. If you’ve hollowed out a half of a watermelon, use it as your bowl. Carefully cut the bottom (not all the way through though!) to create a flat surface so your bowl won’t tip!

How the kids can help:

• Have them crumble the feta.
• They can measure the pepper flakes and black pepper.
• Have them use a melon baller to scoop out the watermelon.
• Little fingers are great for picking out the seeds. Have a contest and see who can pick out the most seeds!

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