You just never know when something is going to turn into a passion. DS discovered a computer game called Age of Mythology during a playdate with friends. He liked it so much that they got him his own copy of the game for his birthday last month. It's a good thing I have a laptop because suddenly my PC was unavailable for most of the day!
This game is a sort of simulation game - you start off with a few humans living in a long-ago era. As you play, you direct the characters to do things that enhance their chances of survival, such as hunting animals, building shelter, etc. Over time they have increased their population & have developed a civilization. What adds to the adventure is the mythology stuff - you select gods for your communities to worship, as according to where & when they are existing (Ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome & Norway). The game gives information to help understand the myths, the gods, the monsters - Shaun became more & more curious about these stories.
It makes sense - years of loving Pokemon & Yu-gi-oh lead him to anime & manga - stories that deal with heros & evil beings, supernatural powers & complicated plots. The myths of ancient cultures have these same elements.
DS is gobbling up these stories. I found a lecture series on the Odyssey that is was available for free download from the library that he enjoyed. Then, while at the library, we discovered a book written by Rick Riordan called Percy Jackson & the Olympians. Turns out that it was the first in a series - now we're awaiting our Barnes & Noble order for the entire series!
Who knows where else this new passion will lead us - maybe to Greece! DS is already saying he wants to see the actual temples to the gods that were built by the ancient Greeks. His love of manga/anime has brought him the desire to learn some Japanese - he know owns several translation books & has been creating signs for things around the house in Japanese.
You just never know what the connections will be...
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