Module 8: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Bibliography:

Riordan, R. (2006). The lightning thief (#1 Percy Jackson and the Olympians). New York, NY: Miramax Books/Hyperion Paperbacks for Children.

Book Summary:

Percy Jackson finally learns who his real father is, and much to his surprise, he finds out he is descended from Posiedon himself. Sent to Camp Half Blood by his mother, Percy meets lots of other kids like himself, and becomes aware of a world he never dreamed existed. When Zeus' lightning is stolen and Percy is accused of taking it, it is up to Percy and his group of demi-god side kicks to clear his name and get it back before something goes seriously wrong. 

My Thoughts:

I have long since been fascinated with Greek mythology, and this book definitely put a new twist on some very old tales. I can't even imagine how awesome it would be to find out that you were the son of a Godm it would be so cool! I had previously seen the movie version, but as usual, the book was SO much better. I definitely plan on reading the rest of the books in this amazing series!!

 

Professional Reviews:

*A clever concept drives Riordan's highly charged children's book debut (the first in a series): the Greek Gods still rule, though now from a Mt. Olympus on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, and their offspring, demigods, live among human beings. Narrator Percy Jackson thinks he's just another troubled 12-year-old, until he vaporizes his math teacher, learns his best friend, Grover, is a satyr and narrowly escapes a minotaur to arrive at Camp Half-Blood. After a humorous stint at camp, Percy learns he's the son of Poseidon and embarks on a quest to the Underworld with Grover and Annabeth (a daughter of Athena) to resolve a battle between Zeus and Poseidon over Zeus's stolen "master" lightning bolt. Without sacrificing plot or pacing, Riordan integrates a great deal of mythology into the tale and believably places mythical characters into modern times, often with hilarious results (such as Hades ranting about the problem of "sprawl," or population explosion). However, on emotional notes the novel proves less strong (for example, Percy's grief for his mother rings hollow; readers will likely spot the "friend" who betrays the hero, as foretold by the Oracle of Delphi, before Percy does) and their ultimate confrontation proves a bit anticlimactic. Still, this swift and humorous adventure will leave many readers eager for the next installment. Ages 10-up.

(18, July 2005). [Review of the book Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the lightning thief by Rick Riordan]. Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7868-5629-9

*Edgar Award–winning Riordan leaves the adult world of mystery to begin a fantasy series for younger readers. Twelve-year-old Percy (full name, Perseus) Jackson has attended six schools in six years. Officially diagnosed with ADHD, his lack of self-control gets him in trouble again and again. What if it isn’t his fault? What if all the outrageous incidents that get him kicked out of school are the result of his being a “half-blood,” the product of a relationship between a human and a Greek god? Could it be true that his math teacher Mrs. Dodds transformed into a shriveled hag with bat wings, a Fury, and was trying to kill him? Did he really vanquish her with a pen that turned into a sword? One need not be an expert in Greek mythology to enjoy Percy’s journey to retrieve Zeus’s master bolt from the Underworld, but those who are familiar with the deities and demi-gods will have many an ah-ha moment. Along the way, Percy and his cohort run into Medusa, Cerberus and Pan, among others. The sardonic tone of the narrator’s voice lends a refreshing air of realism to this riotously paced quest tale of heroism that questions the realities of our world, family, friendship and loyalty.

(1, July 2005). [Review of the book Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the lightning thief by Rick Riordan]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rick-riordan/lightning-thief/#review

Suggested Activities:

This would be a great start to a book talk on other greek mythology books in juvenile and young adult fiction. Another fun activity to do with this book is to have the kids pick which God's they would like to be descended from, and have them draw pictures of what they would look like and their powers would be.

Image Link:

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