Author - Rick Riordan

My son said read it Mom. Read Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief, it's great, you will love it. I just shrugged it off. The book lay in our house for at least two years, just lay there, with all of its' excitement and adventure. I imagine it simmering, boiling, trying to call out to me. Read it Mom, you'll love it.

Every summer I try to read a series or at least a novel that my son has read (usually at the behest of his teachers). Here in Illinois we have "Reading Counts", the students choose their own books most often and take computerized tests on it to earn a certain amount of points by the year's end. And one of the books my son had read, I think in fifth grade was Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Since he frequently asked me my favorite book, author and genre (science fiction / fantasy) he well knew my tastes. So when he told me that I would love it, I should have listened.

Finally two summers ago I picked up the book to read. WOW! Doesn't even begin to describe the world that Riordan so magically created. I utterly LOVED it. Addicted to say the least. We of course now own the whole series, of which my son has still only read the first one.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians
#1 The Lightning Thief
#2 The Sea of Monsters
#3 The Titan's Curse
#4 The Battle of the Labyrinth
#5 The Last Olympian

And now I am almost through the related spin-off series, The Heroes of Olympus.

Riordan's skilled writing will leave you breathless whether you are in fifth grade or your fifties. He taught English and Social Studies for years and it is obvious that he paid attention to things and story lines that grabbed his students' interest. Along with his students he entertained his two sons at bedtime with the beginnings of the Percy Jackson saga.

The books star Percy and costars Annabeth and Grover. Percy finds out he is the son of Greek God Poseidon. Percy shows his heroism time after time through his difficult choices. Annabeth and Grover, strong secondary characters, act heroically too while at the same time causing difficulties that Percy has to help avoid or get through.

Camp Half-Blood, an interesting place for all af the demi-Gods, comes alive through Riordan's descriptive language. It has the feeling of a safe place for all of the kids to learn and also encourage their abilities and escapades.

This series, a definite read for all, will take you on a journey that you'll never forget.