Books like The Real Valkyrie by Nancy Marie Brown

Neil Gaiman retells the classic Norse myths, bringing the gods Odin, Thor, and Loki, as well as the nine worlds and the apocalyptic Ragnarok, to life with his characteristic wit and vivid prose.

"Aydis is a viking, a warrior, an outcast, and a self-proclaimed heathen. Aydis is friend to the talking horse Saga, rescuer of the immortal Valkyrie Brynhild, and battler of demons and fantastic monsters. Aydis is a woman. Born into a time of warfare, suffering, and subjugation of women, she is on a mission to end the oppressive reign of the god-king Odin."--Amazon.com.

"Much like Greek and Roman mythology, Norse myths are read, reread, and treasured. Famous storytellers such as JRR Tolkien and Neil Gaiman have drawn their inspiration from the long-haired, mead-drinking, marauding and pillaging Vikings. The author who gave us Nordic mythology is a twelfth-century Icelandic chieftain by the name of Snorri Sturluson. Like Homer, Snorri was a bard, writing down and embellishing the folklore and pagan legends of medieval Scandinavia. While his stories make great reading for children, the amazing world of medieval Scandinavia has been omitted from narrative history. In Song of the Vikings, award-winning author Nancy Marie Brown brings to life the intrigue and power struggles at the court of medieval Reykjav'k that Snorri inhabited. Drawing on new and original research, her deep knowledge of Icelandic history, and first-hand reading of the original medieval sources, Brown produces a richly textured narrative of a world that continues to fascinate. "--

A 16‑year‑old girl in Norway discovers her Valkyrie heritage and must ally with her brother’s prodigious friend to free kidnapped boys from Odin’s undead army.

A concise, engaging retelling of Norse myths for young readers, preceded by a detailed introduction.

Valkyrie follows Freya, a disenchanted Norse war‑reaper who refuses the battlefields of humans until a soldier implores her to protect his family—forcing her to balance her duty, her newfound friends, and Odin’s looming wrath.

Freya is dreading turning fourteen - that marks the official end of her childhood and when she takes up full duties of a Valkyrie - a collector of souls from humanity's battlefields. But Freya is unlike any other Valkyrie. She doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of the legends before her. As she observes from Asgard, she tries to understand what it is to be human: to make friends with girls her own age and laugh with boys, without the fear of causing their death with one touch. Little does she know that her dreams will soon be realized: on her first battlefield mission, Freya reaps the soul of a soldier with unfinished business that will send her to the human world on a deadly quest. And there she must battle both ordinary and extraordinary enemies to create a new VALKYRIE legend.