(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love. In five stories, Norse gods cross the rainbow bridge from Asgard and visit us below, in the world of humans, dwarfs, and giants. Loki saves a child from being kidnapped by a troll; a mysterious laborer helps put to rest the corpse of a miserly husband; a little girl is blessed with the gift of blue flowering flax. These are stories full of riddles, trickery, bounty, and an overwhelming awareness of the hugeness, littleness, and beauty of the natural world. Each is "blood-bright and...relevant today," writes Crossley-Holland in the foreword: true, and in no small measure due to his own strong, musical prose and Love's deep, dark illustrations, in as monumental a style as geological features. Although the tales are set in the past, there's an immediacy and intimacy to the narrative voice that brings them right into the space of reader or listener. "Will that be you?" the collection ends; "Will it be your tongue I touch with the mead of poetry?" "The awkward black ribs of the mountain"; "a lap of green land"; "a wicked army of rock slabs"--the earth comes alive through such language, while cosmic radiance pours down the page in Love's art. Even Crossley-Holland's sentence structure upholds and deepens the tales' mingling of earthly physicality and unpredictable, spirited gods. With their unexpected turns and in the author's fresh, poetic language, these tales become exceptionally mysterious and captivating.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(3) YA High-school junior Brynn works as a con artist so that she can afford college and escape her mom's drug-dealer boyfriend. Her swindling talents earn her a spot at secretive boarding school Vale Hall, making her dreams of escaping come true--at a cost. This twisty, high-stakes modern thriller (based on Norse mythology) will make readers question their own codes of ethics.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Norse goddess Freya, a.k.a. modern-day teen Sara Vanadi (Freya), heads to Hollywood with her high priest Nathan and her Egyptian cat goddess friend. There she hopes to recharge her divine batteries with a little fan worship before taking on Mars and the evil deity-exploiting corporation Finemdi. Although the Tinseltown shallowness combines awkwardly with a potentially world-ending climax, fans will enjoy this dramatic sequel.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA Ciara, princess of Mide in the ancient land of Éirinn, has mind-control powers that help her kingdom defeat Northmen invaders but also terrify her father's army. After being banished for believing a dire vision, Ciara works with a captured Northman leader to defeat an even bigger threat to her land. Leake creatively mixes Celtic and Norse mythologies, which elevates an otherwise predictable romance.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) 4-6 Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. Nine loosely linked vignettes featuring nine secondary characters from the Magnus Chase stories are set in the nine worlds of Norse mythology; they culminate in Alex--Magnus's genderfluid romantic interest--facing down the fire giant Surt using Loki's trickster wiles. As usual, humor joins Norse mythological minutiae for a fast-paced, entertaining yarn. Inserts of glossy illustrations of the characters and worlds are included. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) YA In a fantasy world inspired by Norse sagas and Beowulf, Frey and her pack of mercy-killers bring a death-of-choice to the old or ill. Upon learning that a bloodthirsty beast is decimating a distant jarldom, they leave the "death trade" to destroy the monster. Tucholke writes in unadorned prose, with plenty of physical description and visual language. Frey's earnest voice creates a strong sense of female solidarity.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love. This handsome, hefty volume provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to Norse mythology. A master of myths and legends, Crossley-Holland accessibly retells a multitude of myths, from the world's creation to eventual destruction. The striking acrylic and ink illustrations--mostly black-and-white silhouettes with occasional color highlights--emphasize the dark nature of the stories. Glos.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Norse Myths series. Illustrated by Tod Smith & Rex Lokus. Thor decides to travel to Utgard, the land of the giants, but his father, Odin, commands he must take his brother, Loki, with him. Amusing mishaps at their destination prove that Loki isn't the only trickster in this straightforward Norse myth retelling. The graphic novel's old-fashioned illustration style is reminiscent of 1980s adventure comics, heavily inked in basic panel layouts. Glos.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) YA Ravenborn series. Chris (Shades of Darkness), struggling to understand frightening visions, eventually learns that he and love interest Kaira are prophesied to reenact a fatal battle involving two groups of Norse deities. Murky connections between Kaira's and Chris's destinies, their past near-death experiences, and several ritual murders at their arts boarding school somewhat undermine the menacing tension established by gory visions and a nightmarish Underworld.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA When the Norse goddess Freya--now a modern-day immortal teen calling herself Sara--is forcibly recruited by the evil, god-exploiting corporation Finemdi, she vows its destruction. Teamed up with Nathan, a wisecracking mortal, Sara probes Finemdi's weaknesses. Considerations on the nature of belief mingle with snappy action sequences and witty dialogue in this new take on the old pantheons.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA Hanne is a Berserker: uncontrollable rage compels her to kill any threat--animal or human--to herself or her family. She and her siblings flee Norway for Montana Territory in hopes that their long-lost uncle can help her master her power; along the way, Hanne meets cowboy Owen. An unusual paranormal romance–meets–Western adventure seasoned with Norse mythology. The American-frontier setting notably lacks Native presence.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker

(3) 4-6 Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. Loki's about to launch the zombie- and giant-filled ship Naglfar to bring on Ragnarok. Magnus and his companions (including Alex, the genderfluid einherjar Magnus is attracted to) must defeat him in a flyting, a contest of insults. Magnus and Alex grow closer during their adventures leading up to the final confrontation. Riordan's humor, quick pacing, and inclusiveness elevate this enjoyable third series entry. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Thrones & Bones series. Illustrated by Justin Gerard. Continuing their quest to destroy the dragon-controlling Horn of Osius (Frostborn; Nightborn), farmboy Karn, half–frost giantess Thianna, and dark elf Desstra travel to Thianna's late mother's homeland and lead a rebellion against its two tyrannical queens. Maturing, endearing characters and gripping action combine for a thrilling, satisfying conclusion to this winning Nordic-fantasy trilogy. Game rules included. Timeline. Glos.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 Norse Myths series. Illustrated by Eduardo Garcia. Death of Baldur details the life and death of the son of the Norse gods' ruler, Odin. This in turn leads to Ragnarök, the end of the world, in Twilight. The graphic novel genre lends itself well to retellings of ancient myths, and these stories are no exception. That said, the very basic, conventional layouts employed here are underwhelming. Glos. Review covers the following Norse Myth titles: Twilight of the Gods and The Death of Baldur.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Chris Riddell. Twelve-year-old Odd outwits a Frost Giant who has transformed Norse deities Thor, Loki, and Odin into a bear, fox, and eagle; claimed Asgard (and the lovely goddess Freya) for himself; and, in the process, brought unending winter. In this heavily illustrated, oversize new edition, Riddell captures all the humor and magic of Gaiman's novel with personality-rich black-and-white line drawings set off by intricately patterned silver frames.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009

(4) YA Ravenborn series. Completing her thesis project and fighting a crush on cute painter Chris, Kaira just wants to be normal. But then two classmates' supposed suicides unearth traumatic memories and entangle her in a supernatural murder mystery. A slow start, with information about Kaira's past slowly revealed, makes for an occasionally frustrating read, but the isolated art/boarding-school setting is vividly and lovingly evoked.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Yori Elita Narpati. Written as a handbook for new einherjar, Odin's warriors in Valhalla, this irreverent volume uses wry humor and a variety of devices (interviews, dossier-style highlights, first-person confessionals, a rap battle) to overview the gods and gossip of Norse mythology. Heroic-looking black-and-white sketches add visual interest, while an appendix contains a pronunciation guide. Hints throughout point to the next Magnus Chase installment. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. Magnus Chase tries to prevent his Valkyrie friend Sam's forced marriage to the giant Thrym. But Thrym's "wedding gift" is Thor's missing hammer Mjolnir, which the gods need back to keep giants from invading the human realm. Loki plans to use the wedding to engineer his own escape. Riordan introduces a character with gender fluidity, a welcome addition to his usual effective myths-and-humor formula.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Unbelievable FIB series. In this second installment, junior Fantasy Investigation Bureau members Pru and ABE must determine if, as Odin claims, Loki killed Baldur--an event that would start Ragnarok. Tackling problems in the mythical world gives ABE strategies for addressing real-world issues with his dad and teachers. Personal loss and growth provide solid themes, grounding the fantastical elements.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Norse Myths series. Illustrated by Eduardo Garcia. Death of Baldur details the life and death of the son of the Norse gods' ruler, Odin. This in turn leads to Ragnarök, the end of the world, in Twilight. The graphic novel genre lends itself well to retellings of ancient myths, and these stories are no exception. That said, the very basic, conventional layouts employed here are underwhelming. Glos. Review covers the following Norse Myth titles: Twilight of the Gods and The Death of Baldur.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo