Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" and Virgil's "Aeneid" are page-turners for members of Appleton Classical School's Mythology Club.

They can expound for hours on such characters as Poseidon, Zeus and Aphrodite, and don't let them get started on the Gorgons, Harpies, Perseus slaying Medusa and those nymphs of the north.

Not to mention American Indian and African myths and legends.

Every Thursday, 18 children in grades three through six meet after school to read stories, draw self-portraits as gods and goddesses, play games, do crossword puzzles and chomp on popcorn while watching movies starring "mythical monsters."

"I love everything about it," said sixth-grader Johanna Wang, 11. "I like the monsters and stories, and it's a lot more fun than it sounds. I will stay in this club until I can't anymore."

Fourth-grade teacher Sondra Chen started the club last school year to build on mythology taught in Classical's curriculum and immediately drew a crowd. "They just seem to be drawn to these weird creatures, and I found they knew a lot more than I did."

Mythology clubs are not standard fare in this area, said Chen. The only other area school participating in the League is the Academy, a private school in Appleton.

But it sure has gone over well here. "It has been more successful than I thought, and more fun as well," said Chen.

"I'm surprised at how much the children already know from our curriculum, and how they still want to absorb more stories, and with such enthusiasm. They seem fascinated by this world of ancient people, and how characters interact in unbelievable ways. The stories are packed with action that holds the children's attention."

"I wanted to participate and my mom encouraged me, too," said John Ahn, 9, a fourth-grader who thinks what he learns in the club could help him with his SATs (college entrance exams) someday.

"They teach you a lot, but in a fun way," said classmate Anna Sieracki, 9. "I joined because I like to learn about new things. When those people didn't have a logical explanation, they'd just make up a myth and a god or goddess to explain it."

Sieracki said she likes sharing the stories with friends. "I use my imagination, but it's nice to do it live with other people who are imagining the same things."

Chen finds that her pupils often understand an obscure reference to something mentioned in a book because of how it connects with mythology. "Some of these unusual references I've never heard of and I wish I had been offered the opportunity to learn this as a child."

On March 2, the Mythology Club took the National Mythology Exam given by the American Classical League. Last year five children, including Wang, won a national award.

Dressed up in green and white sheets, the group presented a mythology production Thursday for families.

"We're lucky to have it," Sieracki said of the club. "I feel pity for the people who don't."

Chen is pleased, too. "It's fantastic to see so many kids join a club that they already have as a subject in their curriculum because they want to investigate more about this unusual world."