“Myth is at the beginning of literature, and also at its end.” – Jorge Luis Borges
Last month’s Book Scouts featured stories that are rooted in mythology, folklore, fables, and legends. The books listed here are targeted toward middle grade children, but can be enjoyed by readers and listeners of all ages. If you love the Percy Jackson or Goddess Girls series, you will love these recommended read-alikes.
Picture Books
Under the Great Plum Tree by Sufiya Ahmed
Lion and Mouse by Jairo Buitrago
Deep in the Woods by Christopher Corr
The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson
The Tree: A Fable by Neal Layton
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
El Chupacabras by Adam Rubin
The Nian Monster by Andrea Wang
Graphic Novels
Putuguq & Kublu and the Qalupalik by Roselynn Akulukjuk
The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America by Jaime Hernandez
Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim
Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee
Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola
Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts by Craig Philips
Arthur and the Golden Rope by Joe Todd-Stanton
Chapter Books
The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
Loki’s Wolves (series) by Kelley Armstrong
The Storm Runner (series) by Jennifer Cervantes
Aru Shah and the End of Time (series) by Roshani Chokshi
The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta
The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by Charles de Lint
Momotaro (series) by Margaret Dilloway
Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life by P.J. Hoover
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
Siren Sisters by Dana Langer
TombQuest (series) by Michael Northrop
Titans (series) by Kate O’Hearn
Valkyrie (series) by Kate O’Hearn
Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Entirely True Story of the Unbelievalbe FIB by Adam Shaughnessy
Thundercluck! (series) by Paul Tillery IV
Heroes in Training (series) by Tracey West
The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao
Non-Fiction
First Light, First Life: A Worldwide Creation Story by Paul Fleischman
Kokopelli: Drum in Belly by Gail Haley
The Epic Adventures of Odysseus: An Interactive Mythological Adventure by B.A. Hoena
The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico by Nina Jaffe
Little Krishna by Harish Johari
Gods, Goddesses, and Monsters: An Encyclopedia of World Mythology by Sheila Keenan
Stories from the Billabong by James Vance Marshall
The World Before This One: A Novel Told in Legend by Rafe Martin
Mythical Birds & Beasts from Many Lands by Margaret Mayo
Musicians of the Sun by Gerald McDermott
Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myth by Marilyn Singer
Myths, Legends & Sacred Stories: A Visual Encyclopedia by Philip Wilkinson
Much Hamsters 