Summary: Who wouldn't want to be a half-god? To be the child of an Olympic god would be awesome with a capital A, right? Well, as we discover, it isn't as great as we might believe. If you don't believe me just ask young Percy Jackson. Percy, or Perseus, is an at-risk student who has a proclivity for trouble, not only at home but also at school. While he is at school strange instances occur, like a bully who is picking on Percy gets pummeled by a flood of water from a water fountain and while on a field trip to the museum he gets attacked by a Fury. What? A Fury? You read correctly, a Fury; a Greek mythological monster. Though he is able to defeat the Fury, who for some reason tries to kill him, Percy is told by his favorite teacher, Mr. Brunner, that he must leave the city and head to a place called Camp Half-Blood. It is there that Percy will find the answers to many of his questions, or so he is told. Ironically, Percy's best friend, Grover, turns out to be a satyr and his assigned protector, as well. Unfortunately, Percy's troubles are only beginning. Along the way to the camp Percy loses his mom and when he gets to the camp, he isn't exactly welcomed with open arms by everybody. Initially we don't know who Percy's father is but we soon discover that he is the son of Poseidon and with this discovery, Percy's troubles grow bigger. He is now a 12-year-old boy with a target on his back for it is believed that someone has just recently stolen Zeus' lightning bolt and all signs point to the son of Poseidon as the thief. For Percy to survive and to get his mother back, Percy must decipher an Oracle's revelation and he must complete his quest with the help of his friends Grover and Annabeth, the half-blood daughter of the goddess Athena. How will Percy accomplish his task while battling against the gods of Greece and all the monsters that are sent his way to kill him? Discover these adventures alongside Percy and his friends as he takes us on a perilous journey full of awe and excitement; it does not disappoint.
Reference: Riordan, R. (2005). The lightning thief. New York, NY. Hyperion Books for Children.
Impressions: I confess, I saw the movie first before I ever read the book. I picked this book because I was hoping that the book would be better. It was not only better, it was extremely far better. The movie had action, but the book had adventure. The movie had Greek bad guys, the book had demons and vengeful gods. Basically, the book was above and beyond the movie and I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the character of Percy, not because he was real or relatable, but because he is the son of Poseidon! How cool is that? Anyways, it's a great book for anyone who enjoys Greek mythology, action, adventure, humor, and triumph over adversity.
Professional Review: Percy Jackson, age 12, discovers he is the son of a Greek god in the worst possible way. He accidentally vaporizes his pre-Algebra teacher on a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His cover as a normal human being, saddled with ADHD and a lightning rod for trouble, is blown. Other-worldly monsters are on his trail. In rapid order he discovers his best friend Glover is a satyr, his Latin teacher is a centaur, and he himself is in the midst of a fight between the ancient Greek gods, including his Dad--name unknown. When Glover and Percy's mother try to rescue Percy from the Three Fates, his mother disappears, melting in to the light, and Percy drags an injured Glover into Half-Blood Camp, where the half-human children of Greek gods train for their quests. He wakes to a pretty blonde, Annabeth, spoon-feeding him. Soon Percy, actually Perseus, begins his own danger-filled quest with Annabeth--a daughter of Athena--and the faithful Glover. In the Underworld he untangles the accusations of thievery leveled at him by Zeus, then overcomes Mars to make his way to Mount Olympus and his father's acceptance of him. This mingling of the world today and the world of myth is outrageous, funny, compelling, and delightful. Who would have guessed that Mount Olympus sits 600 stories above the Empire State Building? This wild romp of a book will intrigue and amuse middle schoolers, whether they know the Greek myths or not. Best of all, it looks as though this is just the first adventure for Perseus, Glover, and Annabeth. 2005, Hyperion Books for Children, $17.95. Ages 10 up
Greenberg, E. (year unknown). [Review for The lightning thief]. Children's Literature. Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:3574/index.php/jbookdetail/jqbookdetail?page=1&pos=2&isbn=9780786856299.
Library Use: The best way to teach this book is with Greek mythology, like Edith Hamilton's tome. Assignments could be made to identify the different monsters, demons and gods. Ninth grade English often includes Greek mythology, so this could be an assigned reading choice, with a research paper on the rest on the other characters, from satyrs and minotaurs to Zeus, his brothers, and their father, Cronus.
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