The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series #1)

by Rick Riordan

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

This book is a great beginning to a fantastic series. Young Percy Jackson has just discovered that he is a demigod, and now it’s a race against time as he tries to avoid the wrath of Zeus. Filled with action and humor, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief will have every reader looking to join Camp Half-Blood.

The classic first book about Percy Jackson, the troubled boy who discovers he is the son of Poseidon, and his adventures with demigods, monsters, and Greek gods.

• This classic by #1 New York Times best selling author Rick Riordan has sold millions of copies throughout the world
• It has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 10 years
• Read in classrooms across the US
• Adapted into a movie, a Broadway musical, and soon, a TV series on Disney+
• Brings Greek mythology to life for modern readers
• Features beloved characters such as Annabeth Chase and Grover the satyr
• Funny and fast-paced

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse—Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him.


When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, god of the sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786856299
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/28/2005
Series:	Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series
Pages:	377
Sales rank:	7,322
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Rick Riordan, dubbed "Storyteller of the Gods" by Publishers Weekly, is the author of three #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with 45 million copies sold throughout the world: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on Greek mythology; the Kane Chronicles, based on Ancient Egyptian mythology; and the Heroes of Olympus, based on Greek and Roman mythology. Rick collaborated with illustrator John Rocco on two best-selling collections of Greek myths for the whole family: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods and Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes. The first book in his Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy based on Norse mythology, The Sword of Summer, also debuted at #1 on the New York Times list. Rick lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @camphalfblood.

Hometown:

San Antonio, TX

Date of Birth:

June 5, 1964

Place of Birth:

San Antonio, TX

Education:

B.A. in English and History, University of Texas

Editorial Reviews

"Once I got over the fact that my Latin teacher was a horse, we had a nice tour, though I was careful not to walk behind him." For Percy, a wisecracking 12-year-old with ADHD, discovering his teacher is really a centaur is just another clue that the Greek gods are alive, well, and causing all kinds of mayhem in modern-day America. Accused of stealing Zeus's master lightning bolt, Percy must prove his innocence while battling a Minotaur and a host of other celestial thugs. Best for older, action-loving kids, this book offers nonstop adventure and terrific exposure to Greek mythology. (ages 8 to 12)
Child magazine's Best Children's Book Awards 2005

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.-Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

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. (Fantasy. 12-15)

Kirkus Reviews

"Packed with humorous allusions to Greek mythology . . . along with rip-snorting action sequences, [this] book really shines."—Horn Book

"Perfectly paced, with electrifying moments chasing each other like heartbeats."—New York Times Book Review

*"A riotously-paced quest tale of heroism."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

*"An adventure quest with a hip edge."—School Library Journal (starred review)

From the Publisher

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson knows he's different, but when a teacher becomes a deadly monster and his scrawny best friend turns out to be a satyr, he learns he's a hero--the half-blood son of an Olympian god. Narrator Jesse Bernstein artfully creates a variety of characters, including nervous goat-boy Grover and bossy wise-girl Annabeth (Athena's daughter), but his masterpiece is the boyish and sarcastic Percy himself. Bernstein also rises to the challenge of giving voice to the Olympians. From Aries's growling and guttural snarls to Zeus's haughty tones, Bernstein breathes new life into these ancient characters. Adults and children alike will be spellbound as they listen to this deeply imaginative tale unfold. J.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

DEC 05/JAN 06 - AudioFile