SYNOPSIS

After discovering why he has such a hard time staying out of trouble at school and making friends, Percy is transported to a camp of “misfits” like himself- children of Greek gods, demigods with special powers, inhabiting a world of magic and peril. Percy finds out his father is one of the three “greats”, Poseidon, and swiftly gets thrown in the midst of a perilous fight to save the world from the wrath and deadly plotting of Poseidon’s enemy, Hades. He succeeds with the help of two friends, and also manages to rescue his mom from a horrible relationship in Manhattan.

(1st in a 5-book series)

PERFECT AGE 9 – 14

THEMES

• Bravery, perseverence, creativity in the face of peril
• Friendship and commitment to one’s friends and family
• Appreciation for different abilities and talents
• Standing up for one’s principles

We love

• Witty narrative style with frequent humor is age-appropriate for the reader, while also entertaining for grown-ups
• Excellent and rich vocabulary throughout the book
• Masterful reference to various Greek myths and deities, and how they’re made to fit into Percy’s modern-day world
• Percy is dyslexic – we find out what that means for him, how he copes, and most importantly, that there is a way to work through the challenge

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• Percy’s “normal” world is not spared of painful realities – mom’s abusive, unsavory boyfriend; a dead parent
• The mythical world is even more scary – conniving campmates; terrifying battles and chases; a visit to the world of the dead (with many, many walking corpses), etc.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• Who do you like better – Annabeth or Grover? Why?
• If you could be any Greek god’s child, who would you choose? Why?
• Do you have any guesses why the Greek myths were composed, all those centuries ago? Why are they still interesting to us?