Riordan, R. (2005). The Lightning Thief. New York: Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children.Summary
Percy is a trouble-making special education student who has been kicked out of multiple boarding schools for continually getting in trouble. He has ADHD and reading difficulties. When Percy encounters strange attacks from adversaries, he begins to realize that his destiny is different from ordinary kids. He learns he is a half-blood or demi-god and travels to a camp that specially trains these children of the immortals to defend themselves against attacking monsters. Percy discovers that his father is Poseidon, god of the sea, and that because of this he has special powers. Percy then goes on a quest to settle an argument between the gods and makes some friends and enemies in the process.
My Impressions
This story was wonderful and not only keeps the reader riveted but teaches them more about the Greek gods and mythology in the process of reading. I really enjoyed this tale and it reminded me a bit of Harry Potter in the complexity of its storyline.
Professional Reviews
Gr 5-9-An adventure-quest with a hip edge. At first glance, Perseus Jackson seems like a loser (readers meet him at a boarding school for troubled youth), but he's really the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. As he discovers his heritage, he also loses that mother and falls into mortal danger. The gods (still very active in the 21st-century world) are about to go to war over a lost thunderbolt, so Percy and sidekicks Grover (a young satyr) and Annabeth (daughter of Athena) set out to retrieve it. Many close calls and monster-attacks later, they enter Hades's realm (via L.A.). A virtuoso description of the Underworld is matched by a later account of Olympus (hovering 600 floors above Manhattan). There's lots of zippy review of Greek myth and legend, and characters like Medusa, Procrustes, Charon, and the Eumenides get updates. Some of the Labors of Heracles or Odysseus's adventures are recycled, but nothing seems stale, and the breakneck pace keeps the action from being too predictable. Percy is an ADHD, wise-cracking, first-person narrator. Naturally, his real quest is for his own identity. Along the way, such topics as family, trust, war, the environment, dreams, and perceptions are raised. There is subtle social critique for sophisticated readers who can see it. Although the novel ends with a satisfying conclusion (and at least one surprise), it is clear that the story isn't over. The 12-year-old has matured and is ready for another quest, and the villain is at large. Readers will be eager to follow the young protagonist's next move. --School Library Journal, Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI, 2005. (Retrieved from http://catalog.lapl.org/carlweb/)
Gr. 6-9. The escapades of the Greek gods and heroes get a fresh spin in the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, about a contemporary 12-year-old New Yorker who learns he's a demigod. Perseus, aka Percy Jackson, thinks he has big problems. His father left before he was born, he's been kicked out of six schools in six years, he's dyslexic, and he has ADHD. What a surprise when he finds out that that's only the tip of the iceberg: he vaporizes his pre-algebra teacher, learns his best friend is a satyr, and is almost killed by a minotaur before his mother manages to get him to the safety of Camp Half-Blood--where he discovers that Poseidon is his father. But that's a problem, too. Poseidon has been accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt, and unless Percy can return the bolt, humankind is doomed. Riordan's fast-paced adventure is fresh, dangerous, and funny. Percy is an appealing, but reluctant hero, the modernized gods are hilarious, and the parallels to Harry Potter are frequent and obvious. Because Riordan is faithful to the original myths, librarians should be prepared for a rush of readers wanting the classic stories. --Booklist, Chris Sherman, 2005. (Retrieved from http://catalog.lapl.org/carlweb/)
Suggested Use in Library
This would be a great book to use in a book talk for junior high students or as the book of the month for a library book club. Definitely a book that can be recommended to children who enjoyed Harry Potter and are looking for recommendations on books with similar fantasy/adventure themes. And a good selling point of this story is that if readers like it, they can continue reading about Percy's adventures in the next four books.
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SLIS 5420/Module 8, Book 2
Fantasy and Science Fiction
October 11-17, 2010
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