PERCY JACKSON, AGE 12, DISCOVERS HE IS THE SON OF A GREEK GOD IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY. HE ACCIDENTALLY VAPORIZES HIS PRE-ALGEBRA TEACHER ON A TRIP TO THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. HIS COVER AS A NORMAL HUMAN BEING, SADDLED WITH ADHD AND A LIGHTNING ROD FOR TROUBLE, IS BLOWN. OTHER-WORLDLY MONSTERS ARE ON HIS TRAIL. IN RAPID ORDER HE DISCOVERS HIS BEST FRIEND GLOVER IS A SATYR, HIS LATIN TEACHER IS A CENTAUR, AND HE HIMSELF IS IN THE MIDST OF A FIGHT BETWEEN THE ANCIENT GREEK GODS, INCLUDING HIS DAD?NAME UNKNOWN. WHEN GLOVER AND PERCY'S MOTHER TRY TO RESCUE PERCY FROM THE THREE FATES, HIS MOTHER DISAPPEARS, MELTING IN TO THE LIGHT, AND PERCY DRAGS AN INJURED GLOVER INTO HALF-BLOOD CAMP, WHERE THE HALF-HUMAN CHILDREN OF GREEK GODS TRAIN FOR THEIR QUESTS. HE WAKES TO A PRETTY BLONDE, ANNABETH, SPOON-FEEDING HIM. SOON PERCY, ACTUALLY PERSEUS, BEGINS HIS OWN DANGER-FILLED QUEST WITH ANNABETH?A DAUGHTER OF ATHENA?AND THE FAITHFUL GLOVER. IN THE UNDERWORLD HE UNTANGLES THE ACCUSATIONS OF THIEVERY LEVELED AT HIM BY ZEUS, THEN OVERCOMES MARS TO MAKE HIS WAY TO MOUNT OLYMPUS AND HIS FATHER'S ACCEPTANCE OF HIM. THIS MINGLING OF THE WORLD TODAY AND THE WORLD OF MYTH IS OUTRAGEOUS, FUNNY, COMPELLING, AND DELIGHTFUL. WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT MOUNT OLYMPUS SITS 600 STORIES ABOVE THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING? THIS WILD ROMP OF A BOOK WILL INTRIGUE AND AMUSE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, WHETHER THEY KNOW THE GREEK MYTHS OR NOT. BEST OF ALL, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THIS IS JUST THE FIRST ADVENTURE FOR PERSEUS, GLOVER, AND ANNABETH. 2005, HYPERION BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, AGES 10 UP.
