Alison Reads

Sixth-grader Percy Jackson discovers that he is a demigod (father a Greek god, mother a mortal). He escapes several killers and arrives at Camp Half-Breed, where he is assigned a quest to find Zeus’s missing thunderbolt. He and two friends, a satyr and Athena’s daughter, go on a cross-country trip, dodging enemies and descending into the underworld to confront Hades. Any child who has read Greek mythology or watched movies about Jason or Hercules will love this book. Percy’s quest is like any hero’s quest, but updated for the 20th century. For example, Percy and his friends are distracted by the Lotus Casino in Las Vegas, where they lose track of time playing all the latest video games. The more one knows about Greek mythology, the more one will get out of the book. The first in a series, and a YRCA 2008 nominee for grades 7-9, though it is suitable for younger readers as well.