The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is the author's first novel for young readers. Riordan is, or was, a middle grade teacher and that makes his books even more exciting to read. This first book in the Percy Jackson series is in some ways similar to the mythical land of Harry Potter. Percy has two good friends Annabeth and Grover, a wise old mentor Chiron, an impossible home life with step dad Smelly Gabe, MIA parents (one a god and the other a mortal who's been taken), a home-away-from-reality called Camp Half-Blood, a nemesis or two, as well as deceitful confidants. The cool thing about this story is that it's set in urban America, and instead of witches and warlocks, we are surrounded by a world of gods, goddesses, and mythical monsters. Knowing a thing or two from studying Greek mythology in school, it was fun to see how Riordan brought these legends to life in a modern form. Ares, god of war, is a biker. Dionysus is banned from Mount Olympus and confined to drinking non-alcoholic beverages. The gates to Mount Olympus are located on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building. The entrance to the Underworld? Los Angeles, of course!
This book is a page-turner every step of the way. The mythology has been updated and students will want to know what's going to happen to Percy and who is the real thief of Zeus's lightning bolt. I've read the first book in the Harry Potter series but I've found this book much more enjoyable that I plan on reading the rest of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
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