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In Early Adolescence, students often
align strongly with their peer groups and may begin to
question established conventions, practices and values.
Their interests extend well beyond their own communities
and they begin to develop concerns about wider issues.
Learning and teaching programs should assist students
to develop a broader and more comprehensive understanding
of the contexts of their lives and the world in which
they live. |
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They are given opportunities to reflect on the experiences
represented in texts and to consider how these experiences
compare with, relate to or shed light on their own experiences.
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An odyssey is
a particular form of Journey consisting of a long series
of wanderings. The word originates from The Odyssey,
an epic Ancient Greek poem describing the ten year wanderings
and adventures of Odysseus (Latin=Ulysses) returning
home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
Literally, an odyssey can be interpreted to mean a long
journey, expedition, exploration or migration. As well, it can
be viewed on a metaphorical level as a personal journey of self-discovery
or growth.
- If your students are not already familiar
with Homer's Odyssey this is an ideal opportunity to introduce
them to one of the most enduring and gripping stories in
our Western literary heritage. Begin with one or more of
the retellings listed below. Interested students, groups
or classes could then seek out other versions of the story
for comparison or even dip into the original.
- Students in Early Adolescence with their
growing interest in and understanding of wider world issues,
and increasing sense of justice, relate to stories of survival,
internal struggle and migration. Offer them a selection
of novels and picture books that will stimulate thought
and debate about life journeys.
- The fantasy genre often is dismissed
by the uninitiated because it takes readers into imaginative
worlds and situations not regarded as 'realistic'. However,
as masters of the genre, Philip Pullman and Isobelle Carmody
maintain, others put fantasy labels on their books; they
try to write stories that provide an insight into the human
condition. That is, they write about a realistic subject
using the mechanism of fantasy (Pullman,
2000). Much fantasy, like mythology,
is a way of explaining and commenting on the real world
and how we live. Journeys in fantasy therefore, such as
Lyra's odyssey in His Dark Materials trilogy shed
light on what it means to grow up and become adult.
(ibid).
Depending on the needs and interests of their students, teachers
can concentrate on one of the suggested approaches, divide the
class into groups each exploring a different approach to later
share with the class, or encourage individual wide reading over
several approaches.
Click on the approaches listed below
for learning ideas and fiction titles to get you started.
- Learning Ideas
- Stories About
- Search Journeys
- Fiction in the CMIS Resource Bank
for a complete list of related stories. [Use the Early
Adolescence restrictor to just see titles appropriate
for this phase]
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Students can:
- Discuss their life dreams
after reading The
Shore Beyond a picture
book by Mary Joslin & Alison Jay.
- Determine whether there is a
common theme in odyssey stories.
- Participate in an Odyssey
Webquest from Jenny Stubbs' hotlist at:
- Compare journey stories of different
authors looking for common themes.
- Identify common elements in fantasy
writing.
- Debate the ethical or moral issues
raised in the novels.
- Choose an author to research
further, using role play a mock interview with
the author using research findings or if possible
contact the author with a list of questions
about his/her writing and report findings to
class.
- Read a number of reviews from
different sources. Discuss and list the essential
elements of a good book review. Write a thoughtful
review of a favourite odyssey story.
- Write a fantasy quest or journey
story.
- Find and read other books by
their favourite author from those listed here.
- Write an essay on one of
the topics listed in an Odyssey Thinkquest
created by secondary students Tony Arkwright,
Justin Eichenlaub & John Ramsey, in 1998:
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The
Adventures of Odysseus
Retold by Neil Philip and illustrated by Peter Malone
Orion Children's, 1997
Based on Homer's Odyssey, this retelling is a most attractive
presentation. It contains eleven stories about Odysseus and
his travels following the sacking of Troy and leading up to
his eventual return to Ithaca, his faithful wife Penelope and
son Telemachus. The stories have lost none of their fire and
bloodthirsty vengeance and Peter Malone's illustrations, reminiscent
of ancient Greek wall murals, are bold and brightly coloured,
lending new appeal to these classic tales. The language is descriptive
and the style of writing easy to read.
CATRAN, Ken. Voyage
With Jason
Port Melbourne : Lothian,
2000
This action packed adventure is based on the legend of Jason
and the Golden Fleece. Pylos, the ship's boy on Jason's boat,
the Argos, narrates the story of their journey to find
the Golden Fleece.
The novel has much potential in the classroom. It introduces
readers to many legends in Greek mythology including Medea and
Hercules, and it lends itself to further research about characters
and stories in Greek mythology. From there, myths from other
parts of the world can be introduced.
Voyage with Jason will capture the imagination of students
and spur them on to further learning. What teacher isn't looking
for such a text?
FERGUSON, Diana. Greek
Myths and Legends
Collins & Brown,
2000
This inviting and consummate retelling of the legends of Greece
will thrill all who read them for the first time, as well as
those who know them well. What a wonderful introduction to the
legends. Ferguson has not only retold the stories with spirit
and humour, but embedded them into a beautiful book full of
photographs of Greek temples and statues, vase paintings and
mosaics.
The
Odyssey
Retold by Adrian Mitchell and illustrated
by Stuart Robertson
Dorling Kindersley, 2000
Homer's epic about Odysseus is retold here in this beautifully
illustrated book. Included are fact-filled columns that reveal
insights into the culture of the Ancient Greeks and a map showing
the possible journey of Odysseus. The lively and exciting retelling
by the author and the interesting pictures will make this Ancient
Greek myth more acceptable to present-day readers.
The
Odyssey of Homer
Retold by Barbara Leonie Picard and illustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe
Oxford University Press, 2000
This classic tale tells of Odysseus'
long and exciting journey home from Troy. Students may recognise
some of his adventures, each of which may be read as a separate
episode. Ideal for introducing the concept of an odyssey.
The
Wanderings of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey
Retold by Rosemary Sutcliff and illustrated by Alan Lee
HarperCollins, 1995
A companion volume to Black Ships before Troy, this continues
Homer's story with the adventures of Odysseus on his long voyage
home. The tales of the Cyclops, Calypso, Scylla and Charybdis
and all the other perils encountered are retold by a skilled
storyteller. Alan Lee's dramatic paintings are compelling and
convincingly add to the excitement of the stories. With a very
useful section on how to pronounce Greek names and a map of
the Mediterranean world of Odysseus, this is ideal for reading
aloud or for individual reading and is a wonderful introduction
to these timeless tales.
The
Illiad and The Odyssey
Retold and illustrated by Marcia Williams.
Walker,1996
Homer's tales of The Illiad, the story of the war between
the Greeks and Trojans, and The Odyssey, in which Odysseus
meets the Cyclops, the Sirens and other creatures on his voyage
back home, are simply and entertainingly retold and illustrated
by Marcia Williams in comic-strip style format. The text beneath
each frame relates the story, while the colourful drawings and
comments in the speech bubbles add interest and humour. This
appealing picture book with its decorative borders and end pages,
invites children to investigate these stories from Greek mythology.
TREZISE, Percy.
Home
of the Kadimakara People
Angus&Robertson, 2000
Based on Aboriginal oral history, the first book in the Journey
of the Great Lake series, Home of the Kadimakara People
is set about 30,000 years ago. It tells the story of how three
children become lost while fishing on the vast freshwater lake,
Balanorga or Lake Carpentaria. Information about the Dreamtime
and Aboriginal culture is included in the story-line and the
richly coloured paintings which spread over a page and a half,
extend the written text. This book sets the scene for further
books in the series which follow the children's long journey
through the lands of many other people back to their homeland.
Other titles in the series are:
- Land of the Snake People
- Land of the Dingo People
- Land of the Magpie Goose People
- Land of the Emu People
- Land of the Kangaroo People
Useful Introductory Text
JOSLIN, Mary and Alison Jay.
The
Shore Beyond
Oxford ; Lion, 2001
Picture Book. As a young child Clara dreams of travelling
to the distant shore of the lake near her home. Achieving this
aim as Clara grows up does not lessen her desire to travel ever
further. Finally she learns that whether she chooses to be a
traveller or to settle down, life itself is the journey. This
accessible picture book with its straight-forward text, ably
supported by naive-style illustrations, contains sophisticated
concepts for the thoughtful reader. It will stimulate discussion
about the life journeys, dreams, what is important in life and
growing-up.
BAUER, Joan. Rules
of the Road
Orion Children's, 1999
Age 13+ Jenna Boller is a teenager with little self-confidence,
an alcoholic father and a largely absent mother. She does, however,
have two things in her life that are treasured: her job in a
local shoe store and her newly acquired driver's licence.
When the president of Gladstone Shoe Stores asks Jenna to drive
her from Chicago to Texas, during the summer holidays, it is
the beginning of both a great adventure and a huge learning
experience. Jenna leaves behind her everyday life and has to
deal with all of the consequences that the new job brings.
CREECH, Sharon. The
Wanderer
Macmillan Children's, 2000
Age 12+ This novel by award-winning American writer Sharon Creech,
tells the story of a young teenage girl, Sophie, who sets out
on an exciting sailing adventure with her male relatives aboard
her uncle's boat, The Wanderer. During the journey from
America to England, everyone develops and renews friendships
whilst discovering and learning new things about themselves.
This enables Sophie to unravel mysteries that have always surrounded
her.
HESSE, Karen. Young
Nick's Head
Simon & Schuster, 2001
The journal of young Nick, a stowaway on Cook's ship Endeavour
on his voyage of exploration to Australia.
Originally published in the USA under the title, Stowaway.
HEST, Amy and LYNCH, P. J. When
Jessie Came Across the Sea
Walker, 1997
Picture book. At the turn of the nineteenth century thirteen-year-old
Jessie lives with her grandmother in a poor village. Their simple
existence includes only one unusual aspect: her grandmother
insists that Jessie joins the boys who receive reading and writing
lessons from the rabbi. Their quiet life changes forever when
the rabbi selects Jessie to go alone to America, the 'promised
land'.
Kate Greenaway Medal 1994.
KLEMM, Barry. The
Tenth Hero
Addison Wesley Longman, 1997
Age 11+ This easy-to-read novel is fast paced and exciting,
focusing on the epic bicycle ride of a young teenager, Lee Parsons,
from England to Australia.
MANKELL, Henning. Secrets
in the Fire
Translated by Anne Connie Stuksrud
Allen & Unwin, 2000
Age 12+ Secrets in the Fire is based on the true
story of Sofia, an indomitable African girl living in war-torn
Mozambique. When warring bandits kill Sofia's father her mother
takes the children on a trek to seek a 'safer' place.
PAULSEN, Gary. The
Transall Saga
Macmillan Children's, 1999
Age 12+ Once again Gary Paulsen has written an enthralling
adventure of self reliance and survival. Thirteen-year-old Mark
Harrison who lives in central North America, has finally been
allowed to go backpacking.
PAULSEN, Gary. Mr
Tucket
London : Hodder Children's, 1996
Age 10+ This is a genuine rip-roaring adventure set in
the Wild West on the Oregon Trail in 1848. Within the first
three sentences the reader is in the action.
RIORDAN, James. Sweet
Clarinet
Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1998
Age 13+ During the Second World War, in the midst of
the blitz of London, a young boy has his life turned upside
down in an instant. At first, William Riley considers himself
the lucky one as a bomb destroys the air raid shelter killing
everyone else in a blinding flash. However, waking up in a hospital
bed several days later, the true horror of that fateful moment
dawns on him. With a body scarred and twisted from the explosion
he can only look forward to a lifetime of pity and rejection
and so he prepares himself for a life locked away from society.
Also:
Search the Fantasy
Subject field in the CMIS Resource Bank for a
complete list of related stories. [Use the Early Adolescence
restrictor to just see titles appropriate for this phase]
FRENCH, Jackie. Tajore
Arkle
Angus&Robertson, 1999
Age 13+ Tajore Arkle is a world filled with sand
and dust. Anya is too young to work in the quarry collecting
stone like her parents, but she has amazing dreams. One day
she warns others of the accident in the quarry she has seen
in a dream. People laugh but when the accident happens Anya
is accused of causing it and is ostracised until a trader comes
to take her to 'the mountain'.
LASENBY, Jack. Taur
Hyland House, 1998
Age 14+ At the end of Because We Were the Travellers,
Ish had found a place to settle, had gained a family and life
could start again with Tara. At the beginning of Taur
all this is swept away, when the Salt Men attack Tara's village,
killing Tara and all her people.
PULLMAN, Philip. His Dark Materials Trilogy
Northern
Lights Book1
Carnegie Medal 1995
The
Subtle Knife Book 2
The
Amber Spyglass Book 3
Pullman's engaging trilogy at its simplest,
is a story about two children who find friendship and the strength
to face many challenges together. At its most complex, it challenges
our very beliefs about what is real and good and true and asks
us to believe that anything is possible and that human strength
and courage knows no bounds.
The trilogy should be an essential part of the fantasy collection
for young adult readers.
Find more information about Philip
Pullman and His Dark Materials
trilogy in the Authors section of the CMIS website.
Audiocassettes of each book are also available.
TOLKEIN, J. R. R. The
Hobbit
HarperCollins, 2000
Wonderful for reading aloud, this classic fantasy follows the
dangerous and reckless journey of Bilbo Baggins in a quest for
treasure. It is the precursor to The Lord of the Rings
trilogy.
This edition is beautifully illustrated by Alan Lee.
First published in 1937.
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