In this review of The Groovy Greeks: Horrible Histories, I gotta be honest: the book seems mainly aimed at kids around 9 to 12, based on the information supplied on Amazon. But personally, I think Groovy Greeks works better for slightly older readers — those who already know a bit about Ancient Greece and Greek mythology. That way, they can tell the difference between the real facts and all the silly stuff.
Groovy Greeks spans 128 pages and covers a wide range of topics including life in Ancient Greece, Greek gods (which they amusingly call the “Gruesome Gods”), heroes, philosophers, famous battles like the Trojan War, Spartans, Athenians, Persians, Alexander the Great, the Olympics, and even some fun bits about Greek food. Then, near the end, it jumps to the Romans taking over from the Greeks.
Groovy Greeks: Kids’ Guide to Ancient Greece
Terry Deary and illustrator Martin Brown put together a book that lots of kids seem to really like, based on the reviews I’ve seen. But honestly, I don’t quite get all the fuss. It does contain a lot of info about Ancient Greece, and some of the facts are pretty cool, but I felt like the comics and pictures intended to make it more fun weren’t quite up to scratch.
Groovy Greeks has plenty of comics and illustrations sprinkled throughout the book. I’d say visuals make up around 10 to 20 percent of the whole thing. However, I found the comics to be rather plain and very underwhelming, even though they’re supposed to add amusement to the book. They didn’t really do much for me, but of course, everyone’s taste is different.
I have to say the book only touched on the subject of Greek gods and Greek mythology. There was a horrible horror story about Cronus, who ate his own children. We learned how Zeus ended up ruling the Earth and the sky from the top of Mount Olympus. There was mention of his brothers, Poseidon and Hades. The book also described how Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to mankind, but was punished by Zeus for his good deed. There was even a quick quiz asking the question: Was it by women, flies, or teachers?
Review of Groovy Greeks: Horrible Histories
Despite the glowing reviews on Amazon — seriously, it has a 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 700 reviews when I checked — I didn’t find Groovy Greeks that impressive. There were a few interesting facts, especially if you’re new to Ancient Greece, like many kids would be. But overall, I wasn’t blown away by the content. Most of it wasn’t amusing to me at all, which was very disappointing. I had expected much more fun, especially from all the comics in this Horrible Histories book, but that wasn’t the case for me.
Some facts about Ancient Greece did surprise me — silly things I hadn’t known before. But I wasn’t sure if they were true or just jokes. For example, I learned that Aristotle invented the “camera obscura,” a type of pinhole camera that’s the basis for modern film and TV. I never knew that. Beyond that, nothing else has really stuck.
Honestly, I think the Horrible Histories TV series (2009-2025) blows this Groovy Greeks: Horrible Histories book out of the water. I’ve watched a few episodes, and they’ve done things really well — funny, informative, and engaging. Compared to that, this Groovy Greeks book felt kind of flat in its bum.
Overall, I’d rate Groovy Greeks (Horrible Histories) a 5.5 out of 10. That might seem a bit harsh, but my expectations were sky-high, only to be let down massively. It’s an okay read, with a few interesting revelations scattered throughout, but overall, it felt a bit boring. Honestly, I’m puzzled by its glowing Amazon rating — perhaps I’m missing something, or maybe I’m just way too old to be reading this book.
Another thing, I would have really liked to have seen more of the Greek gods in the comics. The only one that comes to mind is in one where someone says “I swear by Apollo, Aesculapius and all the gods, to keep secrets.”
For kids, Groovy Greeks (Horrible Histories) can seem really fun and interesting, with silly stories and cool facts about history. But I think the age recommendation might be a bit off. At nine years old, it can be hard to tell what’s real and what’s just a joke, since the book mixes facts with jokes pretty often. Maybe I’m a little too old to enjoy all the comics and humor the same way kids do, but I think younger kids would probably have a lot more fun with it. Since it’s made for kids, they’ll probably find it super funny and entertaining. Overall, it’s a pretty fun way for kids to learn about Greek history!
Groovy Greeks book did end on a high note. The last comic was about Ancient Greece, where a rotten Roman says, “We have just destroyed the cleverest country on earth.” Someone else then chimes in with, “That’s not very clever.” It may also be worth reading just to find out why some groovy Greek girls ran around naked pretending to be bears…
Groovy Greeks: What’s Next on Our Ancient Greece Adventure?
I read the Groovy Greeks book from Horrible Histories originally published in 1996. An updated edition, featuring a different cover, was released in 2005 and appears to have replaced the earlier version. You can find the newer edition through the link below.
Check Price and Availability: Groovy Greeks: Horrible Histories
Hey and don’t forget — there’s a whole collection of Horrible Histories books to explore, from the Awesome Egyptians to the Incredible Incas and the Vicious Vikings. Pick the one that sounds coolest to you!
“Groovy Greeks: Horrible Histories” offers a quick and fun introduction to Greek gods and mythology. If you’re searching for even better books for kids, you’ll definitely find some great options within this extensive collection of Greek mythology books for kids.
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