Percy (short for Perseus) Jackson is a troubled 12-year-old. He can’t seem to last more than a year in any (and all) of his schools. He knows it’s because he’s special—ADHD and dyslexia cause most of his problems in school—but he never knew how special he was until the end of his sixth-grade year, the year he finds out he’s a descendant of the Greek gods. And that’s when his real troubles start. Accused of stealing Zeus’s master lightning bolt, Percy must go on a journey across America to find and return the bolt before a devastating war breaks out between the Gods. The summer solstice deadline looms ever nearer, but Percy is only beginning to master his newly discovered powers. To help Percy succeed on his dangerous quest, he will need to rely on the help of his friends, Grover (a tin-can-eating satyr) and Annabeth (the daughter of a rival Goddess). Traveling cross-country from New York to Los Angeles, Percy will meet charmingly modernized characters from Greek mythology, outwit monsters, and even battle Gods. Most importantly, Percy will also have to come to terms with his real father.
The first in a series of five books, The Lightning Thief is a clever mix of modern and classic worlds, all the more appealing for its likable characters and light humor.
I would recommend the book to younger readers because its conversational tone can occasionally come off to more mature readers as juvenile. That said, the story is fun and exciting, and will almost certainly arouse readers’ interests in Greek mythology.
Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2005.
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