Ancient Greece Topic Booklist

This fast-moving narrative with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments is a huge hit, especially with upper KS2.

The story is based on the exploits of a boy called Elliot, who falls into an adventurous mission and calls on the help of the Olympian gods. Full of comedy scenes and sad parts too, we think this is an excellent story to read aloud for a light-hearted take on how Greek gods would fare in the modern world.

There are also chapter-by-chapter reading resources available to download from the publisher.

Historical fiction set during the Battle of Marathon, in which the Persians landed near the Ancient Greek city of Marathon in order to attack. When news of the impending invasion reaches Athens, young Philip is sent on a mission across the mountains to warn his family before it is too late.

History lovers in upper KS2 will enjoy this exciting adventure based on a key event in Ancient Greek history.

A diary-style book that merges modern life with Greek mythology.

Hercules Braver is desperate to live up to his name and sees starting high school as the perfect opportunity to assert both himself and his two friends, Pav and Hatty, as the coolest new kids in school.

Unfortunately, things don’t go according to plan, but just when things look like they couldn’t get any worse, a miracle occurs – Hercules’ birth dad shows up. He doesn’t just look like a Greek god; it turns out that he is a Greek God. On the plus side, he can grant wishes and make Hercules the coolest kid in town.

A funny, laugh-out-loud book which will appeal to fans of Wimpy Kid as well as those with an interest in Greek mythology. Easy-to-read text with illustrations by David O’Connell.

The Ancient Greek Mysteries make up a fun and action-packed series of stories that are perfect for introducing readers in KS2 to the topic of Ancient Greece. 

An exciting and enjoyable Ancient Greece-themed story steeped in historical details. The four stories in the series are: Mark of the Cyclops, Secret of the Oracle, Pirates of Poseidon and Shadow of the Centaurs. The books do follow each other in sequence, but would also work as standalone stories.

This is a multi-million-selling series that has also been televised with Disney and is hugely popular among fans of action and adventure.

Percy Jackson’s modern world is turned upside down when he finds out he is descended from Greek gods. What follows is battles with monsters and epic quests in an action-packed series that merges Greek mythology with the modern world.

There are also Teachers’ Notes available to download from the publisher.

Adventure in Athens is an educational adventure that whisks readers back to ancient Greece. When Alex, a London schoolboy, is recruited by a mysterious billionaire to travel through time, he suddenly finds himself in classical Athens surrounded by philosophers, athletes and unexpected dangers.

Lawrence blends fascinating historical detail with humour and heart, making this book an ideal choice for upper KS2 readers who enjoy stories that mix fact and fiction. The ancient world is brought vividly to life through Alex’s modern-day perspective, offering plenty of opportunities for discussion and links to history topics in class.

Teachers could use extracts to support lessons on Ancient Greece or to explore how authors use time travel as a storytelling device.

Walker’s hilarious story of an angry and bold twelve year old called Meddy Gordon will be passed around the hands of classroom children repeatedly.

When Meddy Gordon is condemned to a series of very bad schooldays after angering the goddess Athena, she does nothing but rant into her diary, a place she thinks her anger and her emotions are safe. Siblings argue, sisters bicker, problems with classmates come and go, disagreements with teachers are the worst! But Meddy has more than her fair share of troubles; dealing with owls, swarms of snakes and a random dog. All this, alongside the small problem of her snake hair that appears if she doesn’t control her anger!

Combining the mythical powers of ancient Greece with modern twenty-first century humour, Walker’s brilliantly written middle grade novel will be gratefully received by youngsters aged 8+. Why? Because what happens when the goddess of war is on the warpath? You get a bad day. And everyone has bad days, especially preteens. Super fun and relatable.

We absolutely love Tony Bradman’s historical fiction, and Greek Boy is a fantastic follow-up to highly recommended history favourites like Anglo-Saxon Boy and Viking Boy. Set in Ancient Greece, the story follows an Athenian boy called Nikos who finds himself thrust into the brutal reality of the Greek Navy to prove his family’s loyalty to the city state.

If you don’t mind a bit of blood, guts and gore, this is the one for you. The story explores themes of loyalty and betrayal, while plunging readers straight into the high-octane world of ancient warfare.

Steeped in historical detail and clearly well researched, the story is aided by a helpful historical note about the context. This gripping adventure brings the Ancient Greece curriculum topic to life for Upper KS2.

Few authors can make children squeal with delight quite so readily as Pamela Butchart. As a teacher, I appreciate the accessibility of the books too and always get a positive response when I recommend them to even the most reluctant of readers.

This story is about a girl who loves Ancient Greek myths and enjoys dramatically recounting them to her friends. 

Thomas Flintham’s illustrations are easily recognisable and perfectly capture the chaotic, wonderful humour of the series. A must-read Ancient Greek story for younger KS2 pupils!

This action-packed novel is the first in the popular Beasts of Olympus series. It serves as a fun introduction to the gods, goddesses and creatures of Greek mythology.

Complete with link illustrations by David Roberts, this is a humorous page-turner to be read out loud or for independent reading in lower KS2. It also comes with a handy glossary to orientate readers in the world of Greek mythology.

Delving into this short, dyslexia-friendly book, there is an opening map for readers to consider what Greece is like now compared to 3000 years ago, when over 7 million people were occupying this land, named Hellas.

It is filled with an abundance of facts and would make a great accompaniment to the classroom and curriculum for anyone studying the Ancient Greeks. It also does a great job of relaying the message that the ‘Ancient Greeks still influence how we live our lives today.’

This book referred to parts of Ancient Greek life that are not always mentioned in primary schools, but help give a great base of knowledge on the history of this country. A fascinating read!

Did you know the collective noun for a group of cyclops is cyclopes?

This engaging and hilarirous story is a fantastic way to introduce KS2 children to Greek gods and mythology. Featuring one of the most famous ‘monsters’ of all time – the Cyclops – it brings ancient myths to life through fun, adventure and laughter.

Odysseus tells of how awful Cyclops is but really, he was just trying to make some friends and throw a good old party. This book shows that there really are two sides to every story! At the back of the book, you’ll find extra pages of monster fun for example, jokes, spot the difference, a quiz and much more.

In Ancient Athens, a young slave is known only as ‘The Corinthian Girl’ in a reference to where she had been found, left by her father who couldn’t afford to keep her. She grows up learning to serve her new Athenian family by fetching, carrying, cleaning and scrubbing. Girls were unimportant; slave girls even less so. Very occasionally, she is able to play with the youngest son and her athletic talents are noticed by the master of the house, himself a famous athlete. He forms an ambitious plan for her – will it succeed?

This inspiring short story is based on the Heraean Games, a real event held every four years in honour of Hera and only open to female athletes. It is accompanied by gorgeously subtle but graphic watercolour illustrations that suit the subject matter perfectly both in style and colour palette. Readers who have enjoyed Escape from Pompeii, which has been used in classrooms for years alongside the Romans topics – will immediately recognise Christina Balit’s distinctive style.

It is pleasing to see these lesser-known Greek games brought to light to counterbalance the male perspective, which dominates the study of Ancient Greece.  A highly recommendable picturebook to share alongside the study of Ancient Greece.

This highly appealing text is a hybrid between picture book and graphic novel. It follows the story of young Leo, who finds himself on an Ancient Greek quest to slay a beast. This modern twist on the myth of Perseus and Medusa is full of all of the delights expected of Greek mythology – monsters, heroes, quests and challenges – while emphasising a new set of values around what it means to be a hero.

This superb and beautifully illustrated collection contains 16 popular Greek myths retold in rich but accessible storytelling language. The Orchard Book of Greek Myths allows readers to follow the adventures of Jason, Theseus, Odysseus, Icarus, Arachne, King Midas and many more heroes and heroines of Ancient Greek mythology and features colour artwork throughout.

Full of short but wonderfully detailed stories of the feminine heroes in Greek mythology, this is a perfect addition to any bookshelf of someone interested in history and Ancient Greece.

Every last detail has been considered, including the contents page, which shows a picture of each woman and a short synopsis of their story, for example, Ariadne: the Cretan princess who helped crack the Labyrinth and stop the Minotaur. Who would not want to read such an intriguing tale? Each story is written in first person, from the viewpoint of the female, a side that has not always been told before.

Though the stories are not in full, they give enough details to inspire a love of Greek mythology. It even ends with a section entitled, ‘What happened next?’ with a short insight into the future of these famous women. This book will surely be an inspiration to many and foster that interest in Ancient Greece and the tales from there.

A brilliant guide to gods and goddesses from Ancient Greece, suitable for KS2.

Colourful pictures support a wealth of facts to inform children about the strengths and powers of the different gods and goddesses from Ancient Greece. Filled with exciting stories and surprising facts, readers will discover how Zeus became king of the gods, who gave Athens its name, and even why Hera turned a princess into a cow!

This is the perfect first introduction to the Greek myths for any child, with eye-catching artwork on every page by award-winning illustrator Tom Froese. The format gives each double-page spread one focus, and it is easily accessible to a wide range of abilities of children for the curriculum study of the Ancient Greeks.

Published in collaboration with The British Museum, this children’s information book offers a humorous and informative introduction to daily life in Ancient Greece.

Through words and pictures, the book compares modern-day life to different aspects of daily life for the Ancient Greeks, including clothing, education, jobs, pets, food and pastimes, viewing each topic through the eyes of a child.

An enjoyable information text that would appeal to children in KS2, this is the kind of book that helps young readers move beyond hard facts and begin to reflect on what life might have felt like for those living in ancient times.