(2) YA For troubled sixteen-year-old Alicia, the past year has been one of betrayal (she was cut out of her best friend's life "like a tumor"), parental divorce and dysfunction, and social isolation and slut-shaming. Sexual assault by a revered teacher has thrown her into a personal and academic tailspin, leaving her enraged and disillusioned with the adult world. Only through connections with new friends and with a girls' discussion group is Alicia able to see beyond her psychic pain and forge a stronger, healthier sense of self. Racial and cultural awareness (Alicia is white; new friend Deja is Black; another new friend, Geneva, is Pakistani and white) and the highlighting of multiple forms of sexuality and the power of women supporting women help broaden the story's scope beyond its indictment of pervasive predatory male behavior. Alicia's visceral first-person free-verse narrative, full of acerbic and angry barbs, makes for difficult reading at times. Readers are privy to all that she is processing, including her destructive choices and her inability to ask for the support she needs. Interspersed letters to the mythological Medusa express Alicia's modern-day emotions: "A woman doesn't get... / so mad that her hair turns to snakes / so mad that her rage turns blood to boulder / so mad that she withdraws into a cave and dares the world to follow / all on her own." Being able to sit down with compassionate peers and talk about things makes a world of difference.

Reviewer: Luann Toth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(4) 4-6 You Choose: Ancient Greek Myths series. Illustrated by Nadine Takvorian. These two decent adaptations of Greek myths rely on a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure format, which encourages multiple read-throughs to follow the different story paths. This makes for some abrupt transitions, though, as you skip past parts of each myth. Both books include serviceable sepia-toned illustrations. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following You Choose titles: Perseus the Hero and Jason, the Argonauts, and the Golden Fleece.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Graphic Library: Ancient Myths series. Illustrated by Estudio Haus. Three ancient myths are retold with energetic American comic book–style art that fits the stories' superhuman action. However, Haus's mix of panels with (and often atop) full-page illustrations hinders the books' visual flow. A limited page count makes Trojan War feel rushed, whereas Hercules and Perseus fit somewhat better within the constraints. "Ancient Fact" boxes supplement the narratives. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Graphic Library: Ancient Myths titles: The Trojan War, The 12 Labors of Hercules, and The Adventures of Perseus.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) YA Sisters Greer, Gretchen, and Grace (Sweet Venom; Sweet Shadows), daughters of Medusa, finally discover the door between the abyss and modern-day San Francisco that they are destined to guard. But both Olympian gods and monsters from the abyss want to stop them from taking up their posts. Action-adventure and romantic relationships are ratcheted up in this dramatic finale to the trilogy.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Goddess Girls series. Athletic Artemis competes with her brother; cantankerous Medusa really just wants to make friends; and Cassandra tries to prove her prophetic powers to her classmates. The Mount Olympus Academy students must navigate their way through the trials and tribulations of being both goddesses and teens. These latest installments will delight lovers of the breezy mythological fantasy series. Review covers these Goddess Girls titles: Artemis the Loyal, Cassandra the Lucky, and Medusa the Mean.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(4) YA Ari (Darkness Becomes Her; A Beautiful Evil), a descendant of Medusa, searches for Athena's turned-to-stone infant; Athena promises immortality to anyone who can find the baby, resulting in war between the supernatural citizens of New2 and the Greek gods. Keaton's original backstories for the deities can be cringe-worthy (Athena hooked up with a vampire?), but the post-apocalyptic New Orleans setting is fully realized.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) YA Illustrated by Nate Powell. Fifteen-year-old Tessa's envy of her pretty younger sister Lulu intensifies after her crush, Charlie, becomes Lulu's boyfriend. This sibling-rivalry story alternates chapters of realistic prose and graphic novel panels that cast Tessa as the snake-haired Medusa. When Lulu drowns, Tessa struggles to deal with her grief and guilt. The relationship between the parallel narratives isn't always clear, but the story's raw emotion will resonate with teens.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) YA Gretchen, Grace, and Greer, the San Francisco–based triplet daughters of Medusa (Sweet Venom), are just learning mythical monster-fighting when their mentor is kidnapped by forces who want to leave the gate to the abyss unguarded. The supernatural adventure is ill-balanced with teen concerns about parents and dating, and the spare mythological framework strains to carry the plot, but the sisters' earnest efforts will win fans.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA Ari, a descendant of Medusa, must rescue her father and friends from malevolent Athena. To that end Ari draws upon her wits and developing Gorgon powers, as well as information gained through her connections in paranormal New Orleans society. As in Darkness Becomes Her, the role-reversal of Medusa and Athena is intriguing, but Greek mythology makes an awkward pairing with entities such as witches and vampires.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA A descendant of Medusa living in San Francisco, Gretchen Sharpe fights mythical monsters and vaporizes them with a single bite from her venomous fangs. Her newly discovered sisters, Grace and Greer, share Gretchen's monster-fighting fate, but the characters' acceptance of their heritage--and their new family structure--isn't easy. Percy Jackson fans will appreciate the sardonic commentary as myth mixes with modern life in this well-voiced novel.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Greek Myths series. Illustrated by Rich Pellegrino. Each book provides a brief glimpse into a particular episode in Greek mythology. Although part of larger mythic cycles, the tales work well as stand-alone stories. Three different illustrators solidly convey the emotional impact of each narrative. The texts are somewhat stiff but easy to read and follow. Lists of characters assist with pronunciation. Reading list. Glos. Review covers these Greek Myths titles: Medusa's Stony Stare, Odysseus and the Cyclops, and Pandora's Vase.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Monsters and Mythical Creatures series. Blurring fact and fiction, each volume begins with an overview of the historical and cultural origins of the featured creature, followed by an analysis of that monster in literature, film, and other media. Some of the many supporting pictures (photographs, illustrations, movies stills) are poorly placed. "Did You Know?" boxes add interest. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Monsters and Mythical Creatures titles: Medusa, The Mummy, and Trolls.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(4) YA In a post-apocalyptic New Orleans claimed by supernatural beings, Ari seeks information about her long-dead mother. With the help of a group of orphans with special abilities, Ari learns her family is descended from Medusa and cursed by Athena. Greek mythology blends uneasily with a Twilight-like cast of characters (vampires, witches, shape-shifters), though fans of either--or both--may be entertained.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) 4-6 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers series. Vesper One, a centuries-old adversary, kidnaps seven members of the powerful Cahill family. Thirteen-year-old Dan and sixteen-year-old Amy, winners of the clue hunt from the first 39 Clues series, must steal a national treasure and deliver it to the Vespers in exchange for the hostages. The fast-paced, action-packed adventure gets this spin-off series started with a bang.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) 4-6 Medusa isn't like other little girls, and Perseus and his friends are always making fun of her. When a camping trip turns dangerous, only she can save everyone. The black-and-white drawings effectively use varied line weights to convey different character traits and events. Though kids may not get every allusion to Greek mythology, this humorous book stands out as something fresh.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) YA At the command of the gods, to avert civil war, and to save his love from being sacrificed, Perseus undertakes his quest to slay the Medusa. Perseus is a likable hero in this lively retelling reshaped to focus on family ties and statecraft. Contemporary language and details from mythology play well against each other.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA When Medusa (Dusie) Gorgon wakes up with snakes for hair, the thirteen-year-old half-human discovers that her teen years might be extra complicated, considering a single look can turn people to stone. Parallels with the more conventional changes of adolescence are a trifle obvious, but Dusie's--and her snakes'--complex personalities will keep readers interested in this takeoff on Greek mythology.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) K-3 Marzollo uses playful language and a Greek chorus of owls (in Pegasus) and little birds (in Pandora) to draw in young readers. Alternating fonts and predictable text placement help differentiate between what is narration and what is (child-friendly) dialogue. Marzollo's bold, simple, digitally assembled watercolor and ink collages capture the ancient setting, but with a modern feel. Review covers these titles: Let's Go, Pegasus! and Pandora's Box.