In his latest pop-up interpretation of a work of classic literature, Ita brings comic book–style storytelling, nimble pop-up engineering, and a droll modern sensibility to Odysseus’s epic journey. Interactive components re-enact key moments: a sharpened stick hurls into Polyphemus’s eye (his speech bubble flips from “zzzzz” to “ouch!”), and in another spread, Odysseus’s ship (with oars that row) is flanked by gatefolds that reveal parrotlike sirens on the left and the serpentine Scylla on the right. The contemporary dialogue creates many humorous moments: meeting his final challenge (explaining his 20-year absence to Penelope), Odysseus grovels, “Well, sweetheart, it’s an awfully long story.” Ita’s retelling pays tribute to Homer’s tale, while creating a wholly original distillation. Agent: Adams Literary. Ages 8–up. (Dec.)