Bibliographical information:
Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York : Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. (Book 1 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
Brief summary:
Percy Jackson thinks he's a fairly ordinary troubled kid, but discovers that actually he's a demigod, son of the god Poseidon. Apparently, young demigods are often diagnosed with ADHD, as the reflexes they need to survive attacks by monsters sometimes interfere with traditional classroom study. With friends Grover (a satyr) and Annabeth (daughter of Athena), Percy sets out on a quest to recover Zeus's stolen thunderbolt and avert a battle between Zeus and Poseidon.
Comments:
This is a clever and funny adventure story, with amusing adaptations of characters and stories from Greek mythology. While the reviewer at Publishers Weekly has a point when s/he suggests that the adventures are better represented than the characters' emotions, the characters and the story are engaging. Reading this book has gotten several kids I know very interested in Greek mythology. (For such kids, Barbara Leonie Picard's adaptation of The Odyssey is a good next step.)
Grade/Age level:
I'd say third through sixth grade. School Library Journal says grades 5-9. Publishers Weekly says ages 10 and up.
Cautions:
Some violence.
--Lisa Gordis
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