3 Reasons Why You Should Read Ludicrous Legends by Jol Temple, Illustrated by David Conley

What’s the book about?

Ludicrous Legends is a hilarious new junior fiction series that reimagines myths in a fun way for early readers, 7 to 10 years old.

Hector and his best friend, a centaur named Hylo, are about to be tested on Greek mythology by their teacher Mr Socrates. Join them as they come to grips with the mighty Minotaur, the famous Trojan Horse/Cow, and the terrifying Medusa whose snake-hair is definitely not keen on a haircut.

A ludicrous, light-hearted and very loose retelling of three classical legends.

Recommended for:

Ages 7+

Three reasons to read it:

Ludicrous Legends turns old Greek myths into playful adventures starring characters that kids can relate to. You follow Hector, a kid who’s about to be tested on his Greek mythology, and his best friend Hylo, who just happens to be a centaur! Together, they wrestle with the mighty Minotaur, try to figure out whether the Trojan Horse was actually a Cow, deal with Medusa, whose snake-hair has a mind (and attitude!) of its own, and more. This take on familiar mythic figures makes ancient stories feel fresh and fun instead of old and boring; exactly the kind of retelling kids will enjoy.
With art by Conley, readers get visual jokes, character expressions and comic-style scenes that make the story easier and more exciting to follow, especially for early readers who love a bit of visual action alongside the text. The pictures help bring the ludicrous twists and antics of the myths to life, making every goofy situation even more fun.
If you’ve ever heard of Horrible Histories, that’s exactly the vibe this book brings to ancient Greek stories. Ludicrous Legends takes well-known myths and gives them a wacky twist, reimagining everything from legendary beasts to famous heroes in ways that’ll make kids laugh. Because it’s light-hearted and doesn’t take the original myths too seriously, it’s ideal for children who like history-and-myth mash-ups.

Buy a copy of Ludicrous Legends here.

About the author:

Jol Temple is an internationally awarded children’s author of over 30 books for kids. Together with his partner Kate Temple, his works include the Bin Chicken picture book series and the Charlotte Huck Award winner Room On Our Rock. He also writes popular junior fiction series including Mega Rich Guinea Pigs, Frog Squad, The Underdogs and many more. An ambassador for Raising Literacy Australia, Jol regularly appears at Australian writers’ festivals and school author presentations.

David Conley is an illustrator who lives in Canberra with his wife, two kids and one moody Jack Russell terrier. His first drawing as a two-year-old was of a giraffe and following on from that lofty success he has been releasing his own books since 2019. David is fairly good at soccer, not too bad at ten pin bowling and has quite the talent for losing his car keys five minutes before he needs to drive across town for an appointment.