In honor of National Reading Month, Digital Dialogs asked members of USF Libraries’ faculty and staff to share a story about a book sparked their love of reading. Read one of these stories below!
This post was guest authored by Henesis Veras, Library Data Analyst in the Data Management and Visualization unit at the Tampa Library
In honor of National Reading Month, I wanted to share with you my favorite book (or really, my favorite series) and one of my favorite authors. Before I dive into the specifics, I should mention that this book has been my favorite since I first picked it up in 6th grade. That was a pretty long time ago, and I’ve read countless books since then, but this one will always have a special place on my bookshelf.
Rick Riordan (or Uncle Rick as the fandom calls him) is a children’s writer known for his relatable characters and humorous wit. He has authored over twenty books and sold over 190 million copies so far.[1] Out of all the books he has written, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is hands-down my favorite. For this post—and because I could easily go on about all five books—I’m going to focus on the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief.[2]
12-year-old Percy Jackson is no stranger to weird things happening around him, but things take a mythological turn during a school trip. When his algebra teacher suddenly attacks him, it sets off a chain of events that lands Percy at Camp Half-Blood, a training camp for children of Greek gods and that’s just the beginning. When Zeus’s master bolt is stolen, Percy becomes the prime suspect and he and his friends are forced to embark on a quest to find it. Along the way, they’ll face bloodthirsty monsters, tricky gods, and plenty of other challenges—pretty standard for a magical quest, right?
Safe to say, when I first read this as a 12-year-old myself, I wanted nothing more than to be claimed by a godly parent and whisked away to Camp Half-Blood. This book, along with the rest of the series, became an annual read for me. I’ve reread it countless times, as a child, a teenager, and an adult. It’s amazing how many little details I missed as a kid that now stand out to me. I went from wishing I was a half-blood to being blown away by the tragedy, love stories, friendships, and epic battles that Rick Riordan masterfully weaves into what’s technically a PG-rated story.
What makes Percy Jackson so appealing as a character is that he is so layered. On your first read, you might see a bumbling kid just trying to navigate a monster-filled world. By your third read, you’ll see how clever, pessimistic, powerful, funny, and at times even scary he really is. It’s amazing how Riordan subtly builds all of this into a story that seems so simple at first glance. It took me several rereads to realize that each book is actually a retelling of a famous Greek myth (looking back, that should have been obvious, but my mind was blown when I figured it out).
One of the things I especially love about Riordan’s writing is how varied his characters are. Even though this series may be marketed to a younger demographic, he doesn’t shy away from introducing characters with unique identities and backgrounds. The author creates a wide range of demigod characters, each with unique backgrounds and personalities, such as Nico di Angelo (the son of Hades), the Kane siblings, and Samirah al-Abbas (a Valkyrie and the demigod daughter of Loki). Samirah, raised as Muslim, still manages to find time to pray even in the middle of battles. These are small but meaningful details. I think that’s great because kids can really relate to those experiences, and it’s handled with such care.
But perhaps the most special part of Percy Jackson is how the series came to be. Riordan wrote the stories for his son, Haley, who has ADHD and dyslexia and was struggling in school. Haley loved Greek mythology, and as bedtime stories, Riordan would tell him stories about the gods. Eventually, when he ran out of Greek myths to tell, Riordan created Percy Jackson—a character who also has ADHD and dyslexia—to show his son that those differences didn’t make him less than others but rather made him unique and capable of greatness. It’s incredible that what started as a bedtime story turned into a global phenomenon.[1]
Book cover, “The Lightning Thief” (2005) by Rick Riordan. Summary: Percy Jackson is sent on a quest to retrieve the stolen master bolt of Zeus. Retelling of the myth of Perseus.
Book cover, “The Sea of Monsters” (2006) by Rick Riordan. Summary: Camp Half-Blood is in danger and Percy and his friends are sent on a quest to find the Golden Fleece. Retelling of the myth of Odysseus.
Book cover, “The Titan’s Curse” (2007) by Rick Riordan. Summary: Artemis has been kidnapped, and Percy needs to find and rescue his friend while trying to stop the Titans. Retelling of the myth of Hercules.
Book cover, “The Battle of the Labyrinth” (2008) by Rick Riordan. Summary: Percy and his friends travel through the Labyrinth to stop the evil Titan’s force. Retelling of the myth of Theseus.
Book cover, “The Last Olympian” (2009) by Rick Riordan. Summary: Percy finally learns about his prophecy and the final battle between the Olympians and the Titans begins. Retelling of the myth of Achilles.
While I had a love for reading before even picking up this book, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series sparked a lifelong love of myths. Riordan explores many different myths in his books, not only Greek, but also Roman, Egyptian, Norse, and more. Each book hooked me deeper and deeper into all these fun, quirky, and at times, disturbing stories, but I loved learning about each one of them. To this day, I see the mythological in the mundane. It still amazes me how these myths, which are hundreds of years old, are still ingrained in the world today.
If you haven’t picked up the series yet, I can’t recommend it enough. Sure, I might be a little biased since it’s been my favorite book for the past 13 years, but I genuinely believe it’s a series people of all ages can enjoy.
Learn more!
Did you know that USF Libraries’ Special Collections is the home of the Ted Hipple Collection of Young Adult Literature?
- The Hipple Collection includes autographed, pre-print, and foreign language editions of many popular YA books.
- The Libraries have copies of this series, including special graphic novel editions and a press packet with materials kept in the Tampa Library’s Special Collections archives.
- Learn more about the Hipple Collection here: https://lib.usf.edu/special-collections/childrens-young-adult-literature/
Want some more reading inspiration?
Check out our previous book recommendations!
References
[1] Riordan, R. (n.d.). About Rick Riordan. Rick Riordan. https://rickriordan.com/about/
[2] Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. Teacher’s edition. New York: Disney/Hyperion Books for Children, 2006. Print. https://usf-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_USF/120lrbk/alma99379526665906599