About the Book
Percy Jackson has been kicked out of one boarding school after another. But that's the least of his worries. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of his Greek mythology textbook. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: He must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.
Activities
- "Cabin" selection
- Archery practice
- Book discussion
- Flag creation
Cabin Flags
We'll use water color paper and paints—in honor of Percy's dad!—to create flags for each club cabin. Design your flags to represent your god's interests and domains. For instance, Athena is the goddess of wisdom and architecture and is often pictured with an owl. Experiment using wax crayons. Anywhere you've placed wax, the water will repel.
Questions for Discussion
- What hints did we get that Poseidon is Percy's father? How soon did you suspect or realize that Percy was the son of this god?
- Who were your favorite characters and why?
- Did you understand the Oracle's prophesy and how it came true? Percy completed his quest but failed to save what mattered most. How did this work out well?
- Percy leaves his mother in the underworld and uses the three pearls to save himself, Annabeth, and Grover. Would you have done the same?
- The series uses a lot of humor. What were some of the funnier instances you remember? What did you think of the tongue-in-cheek way America is described (the comparison to Sparta, Los Angeles being the entrance to the underworld)?