The Lighting Thief

Image credit: LibraryThing.com

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York: Disney-Hyperion, 2005.

Annotation: Percy discovers he is a child of a mortal woman and the Greek god Poseidon, and then he and his friends go on an adventure to prevent a war between Greek gods.

Book talk:

You probably thought that Greek myths were just that – myths. That is what Percy thought, too. But while on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a school he is trying not to get kicked out of, he find finds out the myths are real because he has to fight a winged hag, who also was his teacher. However, Percy founds out not only that the myths real, but he is a demigod, a child of a mortal woman and the god Poseidon. On top of that, he finds out that Zeus thinks that Percy has stolen his master lightning bolt and will start a war if it is not returned. So Percy starts a journey to find who stole the real bolt, fighting with Medusa and going to Hades along the way, but also discovering that he has special abilities. All of this just to prove he is not a lightning thief.

Book Trailer posted by highcrazyloony on You Tube:

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Teen Recommended:

Hunter, 12, recommends books about Percy Jackson in his favorite genre of fantasy.

Awards:

• A Best Book of 2005, School Library Journal
• A New York Times Notable Book of 2005
• A Best Book of 2005, Child Magazine
• Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2006, Texas Library Association
• Askews Torchlight Award (UK) Winner, 2006
• Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book List, 2005
• VOYA Top Shelf Fiction List for 2005
• ALA Notable Book for 2005
• YALSA Best Book for Young Adults 2005
• Red House Children’s Book Award Winner (UK), 2006
• CCBC choice award 2006, Cooperative Children’s Book Center
• A 2006 Notable Children’s Book, National Council for Teachers of English
• A Publishers Weekly National Children’s Bestseller
• Warwickshire Book Award Winner (UK), 2007

Awards source: http://www.rickriordan.com/my-books/percy-jackson/percy-jackson-olympians/lightning-thief.aspx

Extras:

• Check out the authors website and hear the first chapter read by the author: http://www.rickriordan.com/my-books/percy-jackson/percy-jackson-olympians/lightning-thief.aspx
• Watch the trailer for the movie based on the book: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi613221401/