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.
Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.
"Without sacrificing plot or pacing, Riordan integrates a great deal of mythology into this tale and believably places mythical characters into modern times, often with hilarious results," said PW. Ages 8-12. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
From: Reed Elsevier Inc.
Copyright Reed Business Information
Gr 5-9-At the outset of this fast-paced tale by Rick Riordan (Hyperion/Miramax, 2005), it would seem that Percy Jackson is just another New York kid diagnosed with ADHD, who has good intentions, a nasty stepfather, and a long line of schools that have rejected him. The revelation of his status as half-blood offspring of one of the Greek gods is nicely packaged, and it's easy to believe that Mount Olympus, in modern times, has migrated to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building (the center of Western civilization) while the door to Hades can be found at DOA Recording Studio, somewhere in LA. With his new friends, a disguised satyr, and the half-blood daughter of Athena, Percy sets out across the country to rectify a feud between Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Along the way they must cope with the Furies, Medusa, motorcycle thug Aires, and various other immortals. Although some of Jesse Bernstein's accents fail (the monster from Georgia, for instance, has no Southern trace in her voice), he does a fine job of keeping the main characters' tones and accents distinguishable. He convincingly portrays Percy, voicing just the right amount of prepubescent confusion, ironic wit, and the ebbing and waning of concern for himself and those around him. Mythology fans will love this take and kids who haven't been inculcated with the Classical canon will learn aspects of it here while having no trouble following a rollicking good-and modern-adventure.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
From: Reed Elsevier Inc.
Copyright Reed Business Information
Gr. 6-9. The escapades of the Greek gods and heroes get a fresh spin in the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, about a contemporary 12-year-old New Yorker who learns he's a demigod. Perseus, aka Percy Jackson, thinks he has big problems. His father left before he was born, he's been kicked out of six schools in six years, he's dyslexic, and he has ADHD. What a surprise when he finds out that that's only the tip of the iceberg: he vaporizes his pre-algebra teacher, learns his best friend is a satyr, and is almost killed by a minotaur before his mother manages to get him to the safety of Camp Half-Blood--where he discovers that Poseidon is his father. But that's a problem, too. Poseidon has been accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt, and unless Percy can return the bolt, humankind is doomed. Riordan's fast-paced adventure is fresh, dangerous, and funny. Percy is an appealing, but reluctant hero, the modernized gods are hilarious, and the parallels to Harry Potter are frequent and obvious. Because Riordan is faithful to the original myths, librarians should be prepared for a rush of readers wanting the classic stories. --Chris Sherman Copyright 2005 Booklist
From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc.
Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.
Award-winning author Rick Riordan was born on June 5, 1964, in San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in English and history, he taught in public and private middle schools for many years.
Riordan writes the popular Tres Navarre mystery series for adults, as well as a #1 New York Times bestselling children's series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. His short fiction has been featured in Mary Higgins Clark Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.
Riordan has won Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus Awards for his mystery novels. The Lightning Thief was a 2005 New York Times Notable Book, and The Sea of Monsters was a 2006 Child Magazine Best Book for Children and a Publishers Weekly and Book Sense national bestseller.
Riordan writes full time and lives in San Antonio with his wife and two sons.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.
