VVMBookBlog

I know, what took me so long?? I should have read this LONG ago. But, I didn’t and now I did and I can see why lots of students like it…and all the books that come after it. And, it’s one of the 12 books on the new 2008 Maud Hart Lovelace list!

Percy Jackson (Perseus?) is in 6th grade and has always had trouble in school. He’s dyslexic and has ADHD, and his behavior problems have caused him to be bounced around 6 different schools in 6 years. But then something happens on a field trip to an art museum in New York City. An incident there leads to him being expelled and ultimately finding out that some of his teachers weren’t human at all but other-worldly beings that, up to now, he only knew as mythological beings.

It’s finally at Half Blood Camp, after escaping the minotaur in a battle that might mean the end of his beloved mother, that Percy learns who he really is, who his father is, and gets the details of his upcoming quest. The quest is to do something that will save the world, except he and his 2 friends, have to accomplish this task by the summer solstice, June 21st, which is in 10 days time. Now get ready for a wild ride!

This is a great story because it’s funny, contains lots of social comment if the reader is paying attention, and is entertaining. Maybe it’s even better because it really makes mythology come alive…literally! As different mythological beings were mentioned in the story, I was wishing I knew or remembered more about them. Classic Greek poet Homer wrote two epic poems, The Odyssey and The Iliad, that were mentioned in the course of the story. The reading challenge would be greater but it might be fun to find the same Lightning Thief characters in a work done in 8th century BC.