Wednesday 30 November 2011
Conflict Q n' A 3rd meeting
Q- When Percy first arrives at camp and gets his tour what type of conflict appears
A-(Character vs environment) all the other campers are staring at him and judging him
Q-when is Percy in a moment of character vs self conflict
A-when he is deciding weather or not to jump of the bridge
Q-what type of conflict happens at the water park when Percy and Annabeth get trapped
A- (character vs character) Hephaestus attacks them by setting a trap
Q-what type of conflict was it when Percy was attacked by the furies on the bus
A-(character vs character) Ms. Dodds was the leader of the three
Q- after the three kids meet ares in the diner what makes you think that the Percy and Ares will have a conflict later on in the book
A- the fact that Ares' presence makes Percy angry and that he is very disrespectful to the god
Q-do you sense more conflict or harmony between Percy and Annabeth
A- I sense more harmony yet there still was a bit of hostility between the two in the beginning
Q-in Percy's dream of the two men fighting on the beach what conflicts are visible
A- three. Character vs character, character vs character, and character vs environment
Q-would you consider that Percy being hunted down by the mortal police to be an important conflict
A- yes because it effects the way that they travel around
Q-what type of conflict is the last question
A-Character Vs environment
Q-given Percy's personality do you see conflict developing between him and the other gods
A-yes because he is not very respectful towards the gods
jamie
Journal #2
After reading the first half of the book I am extremely happy with this book and how the story is playing out. After the first quarter of the book had so much action and fighting I thought that it would kind of die out until the last part of the book, but I was wrong the action has been almost non stop with the Chimera, Medeusa, Ares and so many more. I also really enjoy the fact that Annabeth and Percy are getting along, and I believe that some events are foreshadowing things to come with Percy and Annabeth. For example when they need to get Ares' shield they need to go through the tunnel of love and Percy and Annabeth go through while Grover flies above. I also really like the way that the author makes it nearly impossible for them to retrieve the masterbolt then he gives us hope again as readers. He does this by making the kids lose all their money and their direction, then he returns hope when they defeat Medeusa and find money, food, and the address of the underworld. I find that in doing this he really attracts the ready and intrigues the reader to keep reading because they want to know what happens. One of the reasons that I really like this book is because of the way that the author builds suspense and anticipation, but also that he doesn't just build suspense up to one huge battle or decision at the climax. He builds suspense for every bit of action, for every sub-plot, and for the main plot. This keeps the reader intrigued throughout the whole book. For these reasons this book is probably my favorite book so far.
Nick Finlay
Journal Entry #2
After reading the second quarter of the book “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan, I was impressed with the amount of action and intensity packed into so few pages. I really like how the author doesn’t spoon feed you the story line but makes you work for it by reading. This makes it very interesting and also makes the book a joy to read as you easily get involved in all of the action. Rick Riordan’s depiction of the Gods as more 21st century as opposed to how gods and monsters are usually depicted made them more interesting to me. Usually Greek mythology bores me with long explanations and complex stories however Rick Riordan makes the reader aware of the mythology behind the stories being told. Percy is being taught Greek mythology and whether the reader is aware of it or not they are learning just as much as Percy is. There are moments of intensity like electric currents chasing each other like heartbeats. At the climax when they were all playing capture the flag at Camp Half Blood, Percy was thrown into the creek and then he was suddenly rejuvenated and had the feeling of eating his Mom’s double espresso jelly beans. He then realizes that he is the son of one of the “big three”. Percy Jackson realizes he is the son of Poseidon when he returns to the water after fighting his opponents Clarisse and the others and his cuts and bruises all heal. To top all of this off, there is a trident floating about his head meaning that his father has claimed him. I am thoroughly enjoying this book so far and cannot wait to keep reading about Percy’s adventures as I continue to immerse myself in Greek mythology.
Percy Jackson (Nick Simpson)
After reading the second quarter of the book “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan, I was impressed with the amount of action and intensity packed into so few pages. I really like how the author doesn’t spoon feed you the story line but makes you work for it by reading. This makes it very interesting and also makes the book a joy to read as you easily get involved in all of the action. Rick Riordan’s depiction of the Gods as more 21st century as opposed to how gods and monsters are usually depicted made them more interesting to me. Usually Greek mythology bores me with long explanations and complex stories however Rick Riordan makes the reader aware of the mythology behind the stories being told. Percy is being taught Greek mythology and whether the reader is aware of it or not they are learning just as much as Percy is. There are moments of intensity like electric currents chasing each other like heartbeats. At the climax when they were all playing capture the flag at Camp Half Blood, Percy was thrown into the creek and then he was suddenly rejuvenated and had the feeling of eating his Mom’s double espresso jelly beans. He then realizes that he is the son of one of the “big three”. Percy Jackson realizes he is the son of Poseidon when he returns to the water after fighting his opponents Clarisse and the others and his cuts and bruises all heal. To top all of this off, there is a trident floating about his head meaning that his father has claimed him. I am thoroughly enjoying this book so far and cannot wait to keep reading about Percy’s adventures as I continue to immerse myself in Greek mythology.
Percy Jackson (Nick Simpson)
journal #2
In the second quarter of the book “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” I found it awesome how the author describes the settings. The imagination the rick riordan has is amazing. He was able to create this camp that contain lave climbing walls, sword fighting pits, basket ball courts, twelve unique cabins, and a vast forest filled with monsters. In some stories that have this many components to one setting usually it gets hard to picture and you just picture a cramped place filled with stuff. In this story however I was able to picture the camp right away in my head and I knew where everything was and what it all looked like. Another thing that I found interesting was the amount of effort that he put into incorporating Greek mythology into every piece of the book. For example; the twelve cabins which are the campers sleeping quarters and shrines to the guards are all in the shape of a “U”. well not exactly a “U”, but an omega which is the Greek symbol of power, and little details like that are found all over the book. Initially I read this book because it was mainly about Greek mythology, a topic that I happen to find very interesting. I think that my previous knowledge of Greek mythology made the book so much more interesting because you find those little details and hidden jokes and it feels rewarding. If don't already know much about Greek mythology, its alright because the book will teach you a heck of a lot. now back tho the cabins. Every cabin has certain characteristics that represent he gods that they pay homage to. For instance the Poseidon cabins walls are sea foam green and covered with seashells and other items of similarity, it also has a small water fountain and a window that over looks a lake. All in all I thought that Riordan did a very good job of researching and incorporating the different Greek myths.
jamie
Monday 28 November 2011
2nd Session Discussion Questions (Character)
1. In the events leading up to the reveal of Percy's true identity. What clues foreshadow which god he is son of?
Some clues that foreshadow his true identity are when Percy was on the field trip to the museum and the fountain seemed to grab Nancy. Another clue is when Percy's class at camp Half-Blood were sword fighting, Percy dumped water on his head, and then felt energized and beat Luke in a duel.
2. When the attack on the bus with the three Furies took place. Annabeth, and Grover thought the Furies went easy on them. In your opinion, why do you think they went easy on them?
In my opinion I think the Furies went easy on them because they were not trying to kill them. during their attack you may recall one of the Furies asking Annabeth and Grover, "Where is it." This makes it clear that they were just looking for the master bolt.
3. Would you have trusted a creepy woman, in a weird store, who did not show her face to take you in, and give you food?
Upon regular circumstances I would not have trusted a woman of her nature for many reasons. For one she is a stranger and it is never wise to trust strangers. Also the way she presented herself so openly to them, standing in the doorway of a creepy statue shop. This would have made me turn back right away. On the other hand given their situation, the fact that they were starving and exhausted would have made them more passive.
4. When Percy sent Medusa's head to Mount Olympus. Annabeth and Grover were silent. What do you think was on each of their minds?
I think that in this situation Annabeth and Grover each had different thoughts on this. Annabeth was probably thinking that it was a bad idea to send but also a good one. I think that part of her was scared of what the gods reaction was going to be. Also I think that part of her thought that it was a bold, but good statement by Percy. On the other hand I think that Grover believed that it was not a good idea, as he thought it was an insult to the gods, but he was too unconfident to bring it up with Percy.
5. In Percy's dream the cold, ancient voice told him to help bring him to power. What do you think, at the time, Percy perceives in this dream?
I think that Percy understands that on this quest something bad will happen. He just hasn't figured it out yet. I also think that he believes that their is an evil force that that he will have to battle in the end.
6. The relationship between Percy, and Annabeth started out a little rocky but then started to lighten and Annabeth started to almost like Percy, how do you think their relationship will play out throughout the rest of the book?
I think that their relationship will become stronger and maybe even become more sensual. I think that deep down Annabeth really does have feelings for Percy.
7. Before the three depart on their Quest, Mr. Brunner says that he wished he could have trained Percy more, as he did with Hercules. Do you think that this made Percy more confident or less confident in his abilities?
I think that this may have made Percy a little less confident in his abilities. That being said, at the time Percy was soo overwhelmed with other things, and other thoughts, that there was no room in his mind to be confident.
8. After eating the food at Madusa's statue store, Percy was feeling drowsy. Do you think Madusa put something in his food? Or was he just tired from the long day?
I think it is possible that she put something in their food. I also think that it would make sense for her to do so, in order to make her victims more calm when she takes their picture.
9. Do you predict that the attacks on the Percy, Grover, and Annabeth will become more intense? If so, what do you predict will happen to them?
Yes I do think that the attacks on them will intensify. I think that maybe someone may get hurt, or maybe someone close to in relation to them may die.
10. The Proficy said Percy will fail to save what is most important in the end. Most will think he will fail to save either the Bolt or his mom. Can you think of anything else he could fail to save?
,
Other than the bolt, and his Percy's mom I think that Percy could fail to save a close friend or maybe even himself.
Some clues that foreshadow his true identity are when Percy was on the field trip to the museum and the fountain seemed to grab Nancy. Another clue is when Percy's class at camp Half-Blood were sword fighting, Percy dumped water on his head, and then felt energized and beat Luke in a duel.
2. When the attack on the bus with the three Furies took place. Annabeth, and Grover thought the Furies went easy on them. In your opinion, why do you think they went easy on them?
In my opinion I think the Furies went easy on them because they were not trying to kill them. during their attack you may recall one of the Furies asking Annabeth and Grover, "Where is it." This makes it clear that they were just looking for the master bolt.
3. Would you have trusted a creepy woman, in a weird store, who did not show her face to take you in, and give you food?
Upon regular circumstances I would not have trusted a woman of her nature for many reasons. For one she is a stranger and it is never wise to trust strangers. Also the way she presented herself so openly to them, standing in the doorway of a creepy statue shop. This would have made me turn back right away. On the other hand given their situation, the fact that they were starving and exhausted would have made them more passive.
4. When Percy sent Medusa's head to Mount Olympus. Annabeth and Grover were silent. What do you think was on each of their minds?
I think that in this situation Annabeth and Grover each had different thoughts on this. Annabeth was probably thinking that it was a bad idea to send but also a good one. I think that part of her was scared of what the gods reaction was going to be. Also I think that part of her thought that it was a bold, but good statement by Percy. On the other hand I think that Grover believed that it was not a good idea, as he thought it was an insult to the gods, but he was too unconfident to bring it up with Percy.
5. In Percy's dream the cold, ancient voice told him to help bring him to power. What do you think, at the time, Percy perceives in this dream?
I think that Percy understands that on this quest something bad will happen. He just hasn't figured it out yet. I also think that he believes that their is an evil force that that he will have to battle in the end.
6. The relationship between Percy, and Annabeth started out a little rocky but then started to lighten and Annabeth started to almost like Percy, how do you think their relationship will play out throughout the rest of the book?
I think that their relationship will become stronger and maybe even become more sensual. I think that deep down Annabeth really does have feelings for Percy.
7. Before the three depart on their Quest, Mr. Brunner says that he wished he could have trained Percy more, as he did with Hercules. Do you think that this made Percy more confident or less confident in his abilities?
I think that this may have made Percy a little less confident in his abilities. That being said, at the time Percy was soo overwhelmed with other things, and other thoughts, that there was no room in his mind to be confident.
8. After eating the food at Madusa's statue store, Percy was feeling drowsy. Do you think Madusa put something in his food? Or was he just tired from the long day?
I think it is possible that she put something in their food. I also think that it would make sense for her to do so, in order to make her victims more calm when she takes their picture.
9. Do you predict that the attacks on the Percy, Grover, and Annabeth will become more intense? If so, what do you predict will happen to them?
Yes I do think that the attacks on them will intensify. I think that maybe someone may get hurt, or maybe someone close to in relation to them may die.
10. The Proficy said Percy will fail to save what is most important in the end. Most will think he will fail to save either the Bolt or his mom. Can you think of anything else he could fail to save?
,
Other than the bolt, and his Percy's mom I think that Percy could fail to save a close friend or maybe even himself.
journal #1
So far, after reading the first section of this book my impressions are that it had a strong beginning. Right from the start I was immersed in this action filled fantasy. I think Riordan has made an excellent hook in order to get the reader interested. I also like how the book leads up to the climax. He foreshadows what will be revealed very well but he doesn't just give it to you. You have to look hard which makes reading this book more interactive. An example of this is how Riordan provides clues as to what Percy is becoming. For example, he tells of the incidents such as the fountain at the museum. When Grover and Percy are on their field trip the fountain seemed to grab Nancy. Also when the toilets exploded at camp Half-Blood. These clues help you get the basis of what the story is about. There are not very many things I don't like about this book yet, but if I had to pinpoint it, it would have to be that he covers up the darker, and innapropriate parts of story to make it more "PG". I think that the story would have been more dramatic, if he had been more descriptive of the more mature parts. Keeping that in mind, he did not intend to make it for an older audience. All in all, I cant wait to read the rest of the book, it is one that I am compelled to find out the conclusion.
Wednesday 23 November 2011
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan
The first quarter of the book “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” is not your run of the mill Greek mythology story. It is much more than I anticipated and captured my interest from the first page. My time spent reading this well written novel seems to fly by as I am taken from our world into the world of Percy Jackson.
I find this novel very enjoyable because it allows me to be sitting safely in my living room yet at the same time I am in the museum when Mrs. Dodds turns into a fury and kill Percy! Entering this fantasy world enable me to leave the mundane world behind and join Percy on his quest to rescue his mother. I think one of the reasons I am enjoying this book so much is that I have not ready anything that is even remotely similar to it. It is great to discover a novel which is well written and enjoyable and yet at the same time very understandable.
The novel covers a wide range of moods and tones. Initially the novel begins on a sad and sombre note when Percy is kicked out of his sixth boarding school is as many years. When he returns home for the summer break his obnoxious, rude and disrespectful Step-father greets him with his usual rude “do you got any money?”
Following this, I found the novel moves onto an upbeat note when Percy’s Mum decides that they are leaving for Montauk (a beach where they used to go every summer and also where his mother and father initially met each other). In the middle of the night after having a nightmare, Percy is woken up and rushed to Camp Half-Blood by Grover (his half goat, half man protector) and his mother. Enroute to the Camp the story takes a turn for the worse when their car is struck by a lightning bolt. A Minotaur is also chasing after them making the mood very intense. This Minotaur takes his mother as she vanishes into mid air. Grover is lying unconscious on the ground following the car crash. This action creates a very intense and fearful mood. Percy kills the Minotaur and is taken to Camp Half-Blood. Once at Camp Half-Blood the mood completely changes from intense and fearful to cheerful and happy as Percy safely recuperates and is in good health. Percy is eventually shown around the camp by Annabeth Chase.
The world of Greek mythology continues to await me as I enjoy the adventures of Percy Jackson
I find this novel very enjoyable because it allows me to be sitting safely in my living room yet at the same time I am in the museum when Mrs. Dodds turns into a fury and kill Percy! Entering this fantasy world enable me to leave the mundane world behind and join Percy on his quest to rescue his mother. I think one of the reasons I am enjoying this book so much is that I have not ready anything that is even remotely similar to it. It is great to discover a novel which is well written and enjoyable and yet at the same time very understandable.
The novel covers a wide range of moods and tones. Initially the novel begins on a sad and sombre note when Percy is kicked out of his sixth boarding school is as many years. When he returns home for the summer break his obnoxious, rude and disrespectful Step-father greets him with his usual rude “do you got any money?”
Following this, I found the novel moves onto an upbeat note when Percy’s Mum decides that they are leaving for Montauk (a beach where they used to go every summer and also where his mother and father initially met each other). In the middle of the night after having a nightmare, Percy is woken up and rushed to Camp Half-Blood by Grover (his half goat, half man protector) and his mother. Enroute to the Camp the story takes a turn for the worse when their car is struck by a lightning bolt. A Minotaur is also chasing after them making the mood very intense. This Minotaur takes his mother as she vanishes into mid air. Grover is lying unconscious on the ground following the car crash. This action creates a very intense and fearful mood. Percy kills the Minotaur and is taken to Camp Half-Blood. Once at Camp Half-Blood the mood completely changes from intense and fearful to cheerful and happy as Percy safely recuperates and is in good health. Percy is eventually shown around the camp by Annabeth Chase.
The world of Greek mythology continues to await me as I enjoy the adventures of Percy Jackson
Journal#1
I just finished reading the first quarter of the book, so far i have thoroughly enjoyed the story for a few reasons. First of all , the story started off with action it got me hooked right off the bat with Percy's math teacher turning into fury from the underworld to try and kill him. And then again a couple of chapters later Percy, his mother and Grover are chased by the minotaur all the way to camp Half -Blood where Percy defeats the minotaur. These two intense scenes really got me hooked in the book right away. Also once Percy is safe in Camp Half-Blood nobody knows who his father is, this question that you as a reader want answered is something that really kept me reading and got me interested. When it is revealed that Poseidon is Percy's father, i thought back to some scenes earlier in the book that i now realised were foreshadowing the fact that percy's father is the god of the sea, for example, when parcy dumps water on himself he feels energized and strong after sword fighting for a long time with Luke. Also one of the first days that Percy spends at Camp Half-Blood and there is already a conflict between him and another camper. More specificaly Clarisse, she tries to give him an initiation by dragging him into the girls washroom and giving him a "swirly", but her plan backfired when the toilets exploded and got her and all the other girls wet. This interested me because when Percy walks away from the washroom Clarrisse tells him"This isn't over!..." so i want to know what other conflicts will occur between them.
Nick Finlay
Nick Finlay
author article
Rick Riordan
BIO
Rick Riordan is the award-winning, bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and the creator of a new series The 39 Clues. For Rick Riordan (pronounced Ryer'-dan), a bedtime story shared with his oldest son was just the beginning of his journey into the world of children's books.
Already an award-winning author of mysteries for adults, Riordan, a former teacher, was asked by his son Haley to tell him some bedtime stories about the gods and heroes in Greek mythology. "I had taught Greek myths for many years at the middle school level, so I was glad to comply," says Riordan. "When I ran out of myths, (Haley) was disappointed and asked me if I could make up something new with the same characters."
At the time, Haley had just been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Greek mythology was one of the only subjects that interested the then second-grader in school. Motivated by Haley's request, Riordan quickly came up with the character of Percy Jackson and told Haley all about "(Percy's) quest to recover Zeus's lightning bolt in modern-day America," says Riordan. "It took about three nights to tell the whole story, and when I was done, Haley told me I should write it out as a book."
Despite his busy schedule, Riordan managed to carve some time out of his daily routine to write the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, THE LIGHTNING THIEF. And in deference to his son, Riordan chose to give the character of Percy certain attributes that hit close to home."Making Percy ADHD and dyslexic was my way of honoring the potential of all the kids I've known who have those conditions," says Riordan. "It's not a bad thing to be different. Sometimes, it's the mark of being very, very talented. That's what Percy discovers about himself in THE LIGHTNING THIEF."Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Riordan started writing as a young adult. He wrote short stories, unsuccessfully submitted a few of those stories for publication, and edited his high school newspaper. But he didn't take writing seriously until after he graduated from college and was teaching in San Francisco. While Riordan and his family (wife Becky and sons Haley and Patrick) enjoyed living in California, he was nostalgic for Texas. On an impulse, Riordan decided to try his hand at a mystery novel, which he set in his hometown of San Antonio. Featuring a private-eye/English Ph.D. named Tres Navarre, Big Red Tequila was published to rave reviews in 1997. Today, Riordan's Tres Navarre series has won the top three awards for the mystery genre --- the Edgar, the Anthony, and the Shamus.
Despite his success in the adult mystery market, writing for children was never far from Riordan's mind.
"Back when I taught middle school and wrote adult mysteries, my students often asked me why I wasn't writing for kids," says Riordan. "I never had a good answer for them. It took me a long time to realize they were right. Kids are the audience I know best."
And while it's obvious that Riordan has a knack for writing for kids, he readily admits that writing for young readers is not that much different than writing for an older audience.
"I think kids want the same thing from a book that adults want-a fast-paced story, characters worth caring about, humor, surprises, and mystery," says Riordan. "A good book always keeps you asking questions, and makes you keep turning pages so you can find out the answers."
For fifteen years, Rick taught English and history at public and private middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Texas. In 2002, Saint Mary's Hall honored him with the school's first Master Teacher Award. Riordan made a "reluctant" decision to leave teaching, a career he thoroughly enjoyed, to write full-time. However, he's keeping his hand in education by conducting lots of author appearances in classrooms across the country, and even some in Europe. "I love teaching," says Riordan. "I love working with kids...maybe some day I'll go back to the classroom. I'm not ready to say it'll never happen. But for now, the books are keeping me very busy."
http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-riordan-rick.asp
By: Jamie, Nick S, Nick F, Jordan
BIO
Rick Riordan is the award-winning, bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and the creator of a new series The 39 Clues. For Rick Riordan (pronounced Ryer'-dan), a bedtime story shared with his oldest son was just the beginning of his journey into the world of children's books.
Already an award-winning author of mysteries for adults, Riordan, a former teacher, was asked by his son Haley to tell him some bedtime stories about the gods and heroes in Greek mythology. "I had taught Greek myths for many years at the middle school level, so I was glad to comply," says Riordan. "When I ran out of myths, (Haley) was disappointed and asked me if I could make up something new with the same characters."
At the time, Haley had just been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Greek mythology was one of the only subjects that interested the then second-grader in school. Motivated by Haley's request, Riordan quickly came up with the character of Percy Jackson and told Haley all about "(Percy's) quest to recover Zeus's lightning bolt in modern-day America," says Riordan. "It took about three nights to tell the whole story, and when I was done, Haley told me I should write it out as a book."
Despite his busy schedule, Riordan managed to carve some time out of his daily routine to write the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, THE LIGHTNING THIEF. And in deference to his son, Riordan chose to give the character of Percy certain attributes that hit close to home."Making Percy ADHD and dyslexic was my way of honoring the potential of all the kids I've known who have those conditions," says Riordan. "It's not a bad thing to be different. Sometimes, it's the mark of being very, very talented. That's what Percy discovers about himself in THE LIGHTNING THIEF."Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Riordan started writing as a young adult. He wrote short stories, unsuccessfully submitted a few of those stories for publication, and edited his high school newspaper. But he didn't take writing seriously until after he graduated from college and was teaching in San Francisco. While Riordan and his family (wife Becky and sons Haley and Patrick) enjoyed living in California, he was nostalgic for Texas. On an impulse, Riordan decided to try his hand at a mystery novel, which he set in his hometown of San Antonio. Featuring a private-eye/English Ph.D. named Tres Navarre, Big Red Tequila was published to rave reviews in 1997. Today, Riordan's Tres Navarre series has won the top three awards for the mystery genre --- the Edgar, the Anthony, and the Shamus.
Despite his success in the adult mystery market, writing for children was never far from Riordan's mind.
"Back when I taught middle school and wrote adult mysteries, my students often asked me why I wasn't writing for kids," says Riordan. "I never had a good answer for them. It took me a long time to realize they were right. Kids are the audience I know best."
And while it's obvious that Riordan has a knack for writing for kids, he readily admits that writing for young readers is not that much different than writing for an older audience.
"I think kids want the same thing from a book that adults want-a fast-paced story, characters worth caring about, humor, surprises, and mystery," says Riordan. "A good book always keeps you asking questions, and makes you keep turning pages so you can find out the answers."
For fifteen years, Rick taught English and history at public and private middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Texas. In 2002, Saint Mary's Hall honored him with the school's first Master Teacher Award. Riordan made a "reluctant" decision to leave teaching, a career he thoroughly enjoyed, to write full-time. However, he's keeping his hand in education by conducting lots of author appearances in classrooms across the country, and even some in Europe. "I love teaching," says Riordan. "I love working with kids...maybe some day I'll go back to the classroom. I'm not ready to say it'll never happen. But for now, the books are keeping me very busy."
http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-riordan-rick.asp
By: Jamie, Nick S, Nick F, Jordan
Book Review: Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief
Quick, tell me what children’s book series main character fits this description: a young boy who learns that he has superpowers and is destined to be a hero enters a new school where he makes fast friends with a brainy girl and a geeky boy, makes fast enemies with an entire section of the school, and excels at their unique sport.
No, I’m not talking about Harry Potter. The hero in question is Percy Jackson, who may not have a lightning scar, but does set out on a quest to return a lightning bolt in the first book of the series.
What’s the twist? Instead of simply being gifted with magic, Percy is the son of a Greek God. His friends aren’t mere mortals with spell books. They are Annabeth, the daughter of Athena, and Grover, a satyr. The section of school that hates him isn’t the old home of the series’ big evil, but the most competitive section of students, the children of the God of War, Ares. And instead of Quidditch, Percy finds himself participating in a chariot race.
The world of The Lightning Thief brings Greek mythology into the modern world. Who knew that Mount Olympus was located on floor 1000 of the Empire State Building? Or that the Greek gods are responsible for the spread of Western civilization? Unbeknownst to us, we walk among monsters who scour the Earth hoping to find the children of Gods before the Gods do in order to eliminate their competition.
How do the kids stay safe? They head to Camp Half-Blood, where Dionysus, the God of wine, helps train the kids in the ways of half-bloods, those who are half-human and half-God.
My favorite part of the book is the opening. It directly addresses the reader, inviting those who read the book to imagine this world as a part of their own. A little cheesy? Yes. But it’s the sort of thing that gets your imagination excited when you’re eight—what if this was really part of my world?—and it hasn’t gotten old for me as an adult.
The book also reaches out to kids with learning disabilities. Percy has two, ADHD and dyslexia, as does the son of the author. These are explained as simply “symptoms” of being the spawn of a God. Honestly, how could we expect children with Godly blood running in their veins to sit still through class? And apparently, Percy’s brain is just wired to read ancient Greek instead of modern English.
I like the idea of children thinking of those disorders as unique strengths rather than weaknesses. These are things that set them apart from everyone else and make them special. Percy struggles with his disorder—he’s been kicked out of numerous boarding schools before landing at Camp Half-Blood—but he doesn’t use the disorder as an excuse. He clearly wants to be good, and finally in this new world, he is able to not only fit in but excel.
Like Hogwarts, the camp is divided into different sections of students, and these factions war with one another. They are, of course, based on who your Godly parent is. When Percy first arrives at the camp, he has no idea who that could be. His father never stepped up and “claimed” him as has happened to many other children at the camp.
What bothered me about this section of the book was how long it took Percy, his friends, and the teachers to realize he was the son of Neptune. Trust me, I didn’t spoil much for you. You’ll figure it out in the first 10 pages, but the characters don’t until much later—100 pages later, more or less—even after several instances of water acting strange around him. I wish the author had given his audience—even the younger set—a little more credit.
From there, Percy is, of course, sent out on a mission. Zeus’ lightning bolt is stolen, and he is convinced Percy was the criminal who pulled it off. So Percy and his two pals set out on a quest to find whoever did steal it to return it to Zeus before he sets off a massive war between all the Gods.
The middle of the book feels very episodic. The crew encounters one monster after another, but it never feels like it’s building toward anything. The urban fantasy elements never quite work for me; something about the world just doesn’t feel lived in. Many of their foes are not really that menacing. In fact, some of them are downright laughable. Ares is just a biker, “dressed in a red muscle shirt and black jeans and a black leather duster, with a hunting knife strapped to his thigh” and wearing red wraparound shades. And Percy is often a mediocre hero. Instead of figuring out situations on his own or with the help of friends, a deus ex machina (literally, of course) swoops in and helps him, usually in the form of a power he was unaware of before.
Unlike Harry Potter, the novel feels a bit written down to children, but not so much that it’s painful to get through. On the contrary, it’s an easy read and the characters are likeable, so I enjoyed the journey despite the uneven writing, and will likely be reading the next novel in the series soon. However, this is one journey I imagine you would enjoy most if reading it in the company of a child.
By: Jamie, Nick S, Nick F, Jordan
Tuesday 22 November 2011
So far I really like this book it had a very strong beginning that drew me in right away and mostly what I love about the intro is that the author really takes him time to lay out all the details about Percy Jackson and to describe his life. Usually I find that when a books intro is to long it tends to get boring, but this one drew me in right away. It has plenty of action and develops the main character very well. The main character Percy Jackson is a very interesting character. At first he describes himself as troubled. He has dyslexia, HDHD, and has not been able to go through a full year of school without being expelled. But the author manages to make you feel like all the things he had done were not his fault and made you feel sorry for him. When I read this first part of the book I almost felt like I was the character of Percy Jackson. I didn’t picture a twelve year old boy with long black hair and green eyes I pictured myself. Even in the parts we he was getting angry at Nancy Bobbofit, or smelly Gabe I felt like I was in his shoes. And that leads me to another point. The author really does a good job of making you hate all of the bad people in the book. He makes you angry at them and makes you want to punch them out yourself.
jamie
jamie
Monday 14 November 2011
Starting up
hey guys the blog is done, everyone is added. Now read the book and be ready for friday!
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