A Sea of Monsters

Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: New York: Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children 2006
ISBN- 978-0-786856-862
pages: 279
Author's website

Classification: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: Myth Fantasy
Media Type: Book

Grade level: 6-Adult

Reader's annotation: Percy’s second adventure takes Annabeth and him through some of Odysseus and Jason’s trials while picking up some new mythical characters as they search for the golden fleece in order to save Camp Half-Blood.

Summary: The second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is even better than the first, with several new characters including a cyclops and the appearance of Hermes and his sidekick snakes, who were hilarious. Here Percy starts to discover what it means to be the son of Poseidon as he uses the ocean to his benefit. The book opens on the last day of Percy’s 7th grade school year when monsters come searching for him at his school and he makes a speedy retreat to Camp Half-Blood with his new friend Tyson. There, things are not going well because the magical border is getting weak due to the poison that Luke has put into Thalia’s tree. The only thing that can save them is to find and bring back the Golden Fleece. This time the quest is given to Clarisse to complete who is thrilled to get the chance to prove herself. However, Grover, who has gone off in search of Pan is sending messages to Percy through his dreams, showing him caught by a cyclops, ready to marry him as he is disguised as a cyclops bride. Annabeth and Percy set off to save him and end up with Clarisse after all. Readers will find new takes on several familiar Greek myths which adds to the enjoyment of the story.

Evaluation: I laughed out loud often while reading this one. The quests are fun and the deepening of the story adds to the excitement and adventure. Having a familiar character turn toward the evil side and the addition of some new characters and some familiar gods keep the reader engaged and ready for more.

Series: book 2 Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Lightning Thief

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: New York: Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children 2005
ISBN- 978-1415662987
pages: 377
Author's website

Classification: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: Myth Fantasy
Media Type: Book

Grade level: 6-adult

Reader's annotation: Percy was always told he was different, special, but not until he had to fight a minotaur did he realize quite what they meant.

Summary: Percy Jackson was on a field trip to the museum with his boarding school class when things started getting a little weird. After this classmates and teacher had no idea who Mrs. Dodd was, the teacher who just transformed herself into some mythic creature that Percy slayed with a pen turned sword, Percy knew something was wrong. When he was told he would not be returning to this school again in the fall he was disappointed but not surprised. Now he has to start all over again at a new place in the fall. When he gets home he is thrilled to discover that his mother has a weekend trip to the beach on Long Island all planned out. Unfortunately, they aren’t there long when something comes after them and his mother reveals that she knows that he is being pursued by unknown evils. As she tried to get him to a safe zone - a summer camp called Camp Half-Blood, they were attacked by a Minotaur and Percy barely made it alive onto the property. There he discovers people he knew are really satyrs and centaurs and his father was one of the Greek Gods. This marks the beginning of a new era for Percy where he discovers his differences are not necessarily bad.

Evaluation: There is a certain urban edginess to Percy that draws teens to his character. He’s not perfect and gets in trouble which is appealing to kids. The mix of myth and modern day life is a great combination, it’s a promising start to a series.

Series: Percy Jackson & the Olympians