Skip to content
Pragmatic Mom
Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Policies
    • Media Kit
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • KidLit Blogroll
  • My Book Lists
    • My List of Lists
    • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
    • #OwnVoices
    • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids
    • Asian American Children’s Books
    • African American Children’s Books
    • Arab American Children’s Books
    • Latinx American Children’s Books
    • Native American Children’s Books
    • LGBTQIA+ Children’s Books
    • Diverse Books for Kids
    • Best Books for Kids
  • Education
    • STEM/STEAM
    • Math
    • Social Studies
    • Art Projects for Kids
    • Applying to Art School
    • Applying to College
    • Book Club for Kids
    • 70+ Free Educational Games
  • Controversial
    • Sexual Misconduct in Children’s Book Publishing #MeToo #TimesUp
    • Rethinking & Examining Dr. Seuss’ Racism
    • Blood Feud over YA #BloodHeir
    • Tulsa Race Massacre: What They Don’t Teach You in History Books
    • The Chinese Exclusion Act – What They Don’t Teach in History Books
    • Segregation in California Schools: What They Don’t Teach in History Books
    • SCBWI Minnesota Racist Illustration and Gaslighting Response
  • My Books
    • My Book Announcements
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is Carter G. Woodson Book Award Honoree!
    • We Sing From the Heart makes Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year 2025!
    • The Traveling Taco on Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025!
    • The Traveling Taco featured in Booklist
    • Origami French Fries: Activity for THE TRAVELING TACO
    • Book Announcement: A Place to Call Home! {and a new title …}
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE makes Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction!
    • Cover Reveal of my latest picture book … FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!
    • Picture Book Announcement! BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • Book Announcement! Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist
    • Kirkus Reviews My Newest Picture Book: THE TRAVELING TACO
    • We Sing From the Heart is a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner!
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
    • Dorktales Podcast: Simon Tam, Hidden Hero of History
    • Food for the Future Wins Nautilus Silver Book Award
    • Food for the Future makes Mass Book Award Long List!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE Makes Green Earth Book Award Long List!
    • Food for the Future is a finalist for 2023 INDIES Book of the Year!
    • New! Food for the Future Activity and Discussion Guide!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection!
    • ‘Food for the Future’ selected for Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best books
    • Scholastic Purchased CHANGING THE GAME!
    • Starred Review for FOOD FOR THE FUTURE from School Library Journal!
    • Sumo Joe makes Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year list!
    • How To Coach Girls wins Silver Award!
    • Posts on My Books
  • My Book Events
    • My Book Events
Menu

Mythology for Kids: D’Aulaires and The National Mythology Exam

Posted on January 15, 2012May 28, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

Best Mythology Books for Kids

I am reposting on The National Mythology Exam because the Mom Friend who told me about this last year, also mentioned that NOW is the time to sign up if you are interested. DEADLINE IS TODAY!!  If your child wants to take the exam, you pay for shipping and handling ($15ish) and $3 per student and they send you a packet. My oldest wants to take the exam without studying for it, just for fun.  She really loves mythology and likes to quiz her younger sister on the gods and goddesses.  If you don’t pass the exam, it’s not a big deal.  If you do, you get a certificate. My daughter used Edith Hamilton’s books to learn about the Greek gods.

A Mom Friend told me about D’aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths.  Her oldest son went through a Greek Mythology phase so intense that it included creating an after-school class at a friend’s house to study for the National Mythology Exam.

My Mom Friend was lucky to find the D’aulaires books at a library sale and scooped them all up.  It provided the basis for their study.   I wasn’t familiar with D’aulaires’ so I’m grateful to my Mom Friend who actually checked the book out of our school library and had her daughter get the book home to me via a series of backpack transfers.  It’s a great series.  It is chock full of illustrations but also has detailed accounts of each story.  This is perfect for grades 3rd through 7th.

I told my oldest about this exam, and she’s excited to try to pass it.  The Mom Friend warned me that the exam is difficult and not all the kids passed the exam.  No matter!  It sounded like the kids all enjoyed having a common goal.

Here’s information about The National Mythology Exam:

The most prominent undertaking of Excellence Through Classics is the National Mythology Exam. Since 1989, the exam has been offered to students in elementary, intermediate, and middle school grades three through nine. By far the majority of students taking the exam are middle school students.   The format of the exam is multiple choice and includes a thirty-question section on Greek and Roman mythology which is required for all students in grades five through nine.   Students in grade six through nine are also required to answer ten questions from at least one literary subtest. Their subtest choices are the Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, African Myths, Native American Myths, or Norse Myths.  The questions for each subtest are based on an epic focus upon only one book of the epic each year.

Here’s a Sample Exam:

General Mythology Example Questions — (30-question general section
required for all students)

 

The Greek and Roman names which do NOT belong together are
a. Juno and Artemis **
b. Minerva and Athena
c. Vesta and Hestia
d. Mercury and Hermes

The item associated with Hades is
a.  a cap of invisibility **
b.  a trident
c.  an anvil
d.  a magic wand

Aphrodite is to Venus as Poseidon is to
a.  Vulcan
b.  Neptune **
c.  Pluto
d.  Jupiter

Arachne and Athena competed in a
a.  tug of war
b.  foot race
c.  weaving contest **
d.  beauty pageant

The god who ruled the Underworld was called
a.  Hades
b.  Pluto
c.  Both A and B **
d.  None of the above

One of the following statements is true.
a.  Uranus was Father Earth.
b.  Amaltheia cared for baby Hermes.
c.  There were twelve Titans. **
d.  Gaea was the wife of Cronus.

The ROMAN god who protected travelers and thieves was
a.  Ceres
b.  Mars
c.  Mercury **
d.  Vulcan

Poseidon was the Greek god of
a.  hunting
b.  the sea **
c.  merchants
d.  the hearth

Ares was an unpopular god because he
a.  caused tidal waves
b.  guided people down to Hades
c.  made the seasons change from summer to winter
d.  was vain and cruel **

Hephaestus was a skilled
a.  jeweler
b.  blacksmith
c.  weapon maker
d.  all of the above **

Sample questions for the second section, Myth Exam Theme (Atalanta)
#31-40.

 

Atalanta was raised in the wilderness by a
a.  hunter and his wife
b.  she-wolf
c.  shepherdess
d.  she-bear **

Atalanta and Melanion were transformed into lions because they
a.  cheated in the footrace
b.  refused to return the golden apples
c.  did not show the proper respect to Zeus **
d.  all of the above

Sample questions for the subtests #41-90.

 

The Iliad, Book XXI:  The following questions refer to the quote below.

“Do you not see what a man I am, how huge, how splendid and born of a great
father and the mother who bore me immortal?” (XXI: 108-109)

The speaker is
a.  Hektor
b.  Achilleus**
c.  Patroklos
d.  Lykaon

The “mother” referred to is
a.  Venus
b.  Hekabe
c.  Thetis **
d.  Pasithea

The Odyssey, Book XXIV

A Greek whom the suitors did NOT meet in the Underworld was
a.  Akhilleus
b.  Laertes **
c.  Agamemnon
d.  Patroklos

When Odysseus first saw his father in the orchard,
a.  he ran forward and kissed him
b.  he sent his companion ahead with a gift of gold
c.  he decided to interrogate him **
d.  he immediately began to tell him of his adventures

The Aeneid, Book XI:  The following question refers to the quote below.

“Was it you, poor boy, that Fortune
Would not let me keep when she came smiling?”  (XI: 56-57)

Aeneas was speaking about
a.  Turnus
b.  Evander
c.  Pallas **
d.  Iulus

On her shoulder Camilla carried
a.  a golden bow, Diana’s weapon **
b.  an owl, Minerva’s wisdom
c.  a cape, Mercury’s deceit
d.  a bronze ax, Vulcan’s strength

Native American Myths

 

In The Woman and the Giant, Kinak is exceedingly
a.  kind **
b.  honest
c.  patient
d.  handsome

At the end of Hare and Otter, Hare
a.  learns his lesson
b.  decides eels were not worth the work
c.  defeats Otter and keeps his eels **
d.  all of the above

African Myths

 

In The Invisible God, Motsesa woke in her new home and discovered that
a.  all of the gifts for Bulane had vanished
b.  food appeared whenever she was hungry **
c.  she was covered in dust
d.  calabashes full of water surrounded her

In The Bride and the Monster, the Moselantja’s most surprising feature was
a.  crab claws where hands and feet should have been
b.  a long tail with a mouth at the end **
c.  a pumpkin vine that grew from his belly
d.  a pair of beautiful blue eyes

To examine any of the items listed, please click on image of item.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

 

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Children’s Book Activities on Pinterest.

 

My books:

We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

  • Junior Library Guild Gold selection
  • Massachusetts Book Award Long List
  • Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
  • Starred review from School Library Journal
  • Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
  • 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
  • Green Earth Book Award Long List
  • Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

cover for Sumo JoeChanging the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia WenjenAmazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

How To Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison FoleyAsian Pacific American Heroes

4 thoughts on “Mythology for Kids: D’Aulaires and The National Mythology Exam”

  1. Fourth Musketeer says:
    January 19, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    I have my D’Aulaire book that I got as a gift when I was six or seven years old. 40+ years later, it still looks gorgeous and isn’t falling apart either. I don’t think we’ll be able to say the same for the books we purchase today. I was happy to share my D’Aulaire book with my own kids–those myths don’t get old, as we see with the huge popularity of the Percy Jackson series now.

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      January 20, 2011 at 11:43 pm

      To Fourth Musketeer,
      I didn’t realize that D’Aulaire Mythology books were that old…it’s amazing but still so relevant today! My daughter loves them and I wish I had a copy to give to her from my childhood. I was an Edith Hamilton girl! I am so glad to see the next generation loving mythology too! It keeps it alive!

      Reply
  2. Ticia says:
    February 8, 2014 at 11:10 am

    There’s a national mythology test! Wow, that’s cool.

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      February 13, 2014 at 8:03 pm

      Hi Ticia,
      My oldest took it for fun without studying for it though she loved to read Greek mythology. She almost passed too but it really helped her in 6th grade when they did the Greek and Roman mythology unit. She didn’t have to study for that at all!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Looking for something? Search here.

I’m Mia Wenjen!

Mia Wenjen Pragmatic Mom

Hi, I’m Mia Wenjen. Nice to meet you!

I blog excessively about diverse children’s books (picture books through middle grade). I am also the co-founder of Read Your World Celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day on Jan 25, 2024, our 11th year!

I’d love to chat with you. Let’s connect! PragmaticMomBlog (at) gmail (dot) com or through my social media handles.

Free Blog Updates in your Inbox (RSS feed)

Monthly Newsletter with Subscriber Only Giveaways in your Inbox

My Linktree (click for my links & socials)

my linktree

My Websites

  • How To Coach Girls
  • I Love Newton
  • Mia Wenjen (My New Author Website)

Camp Cody: Overnight Camp in New Hampshire

Read Your World LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch!

https://www.pragmaticmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Read-Your-World-FINAL-Merchandise-Video.mp4

Purchase Read Your World Merch

LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch.

Buy it here!

Search Amazon

Find Children's Books

Newton Children’s Book Festival 2025

Newton Children's Book Festival 2025

Get My Books Signed or Inscribed through my shop (click to purchase)

Mia Wenjen signed books

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! (click to purchase)

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!

We Sing From the Heart (click to pre-order)

We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

FOOD FOR THE FUTURE (click to purchase)

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

CHANGING THE GAME (click to purchase)

Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia Wenjen

SUMO JOE (click to purchase)

Sumo Joe cover reveal

Asian Pacific American Heroes (click to purchase)

Asian Pacific American Heroes by Mia Wenjen

GNOMES & UNGNOMES: Poems of Hidden Creatures // I have 3 haiku poems (click to purchase)

GNOMES & UNGNOMES: Poems of Hidden Creatures 3 haiku by Mia Wenjen
Read Your World is Multicultural Children's Book Day

ClothingRIC- A Premium Coupon Website!

ThingsFromMars- The Wondrous World of Wacky Gift Products!

How to Get Kids Reading

  • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
  • Getting Kids to Love Reading
  • Summer Reading Lists for Kids By Grade
  • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids

Heim Nest Kid Mattress Exclusive Deal

Heim Nest Kid Mattress

AdvancedWriters.com is an expert writing service which helps students with academic writing.

educational toys

CEX.IO is a versatile crypto exchange platform where users can buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies, as well as access resources and tools to learn how to trade effectively.

MyPaperDone.com
is surely one of the best when it comes to paper writing assistance.

My Custom Essay
will guide you through academic life.

Essay Writing Services

If you ask "write my essay", Topessaywriting can help you with paper writing

TranslationReport can help you to choose the best translation service

If you are looking for the most trusted essay writing service, check this article about best essay writing service reviews at Econotimes

educational toys from dhgate stores

Assignment Writing Services Offer Assignment Assistance In UK Based Company 50% Discount Students

Playing at online casinos can be an exciting and rewarding experience, and you can find the best options at casinoszondercruksonline.com. 

For those seeking a safe and reputable gambling experience, the Meest betrouwbare buitenlandse casino lijst is an invaluable resource.

Archives

Categories

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship (click to purchase)

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

HOW TO COACH GIRLS (click to purchase)

How To Coach Girls silver award winner

Archives

I’ll be sharing WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I STARTED MY KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

HOW TO COACH GIRLS book trailer by Mia Wenjen & Alison Foley

https://youtu.be/j74M0bBxrGg

Recent Posts

  • Changing the Game’s 4th Birthday & 4 Signed Book GIVEAWAY! July 7, 2025
  • Battle of Lexington and Concord: America 250 July 4, 2025
  • WONDER WHY by Lisa Varchol Perron Book Event July 2, 2025
  • 10 STEM Picture Books about Planet Earth & GIVEAWAY! June 30, 2025
  • Thank you to Canvas Rebel for Featuring Me June 27, 2025

Categories

© 2025 Pragmatic Mom | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT