Like most of his books, Mr. Riordan’s second installment in his Kane Chronicles has positive and negative elements. I won’t object to my kids (12+) reading them, but I don’t push them, either. The books are exciting, imaginative and funny, a combination that has made them wildly popular with middle school kids. But they also […]
The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles, book one), by Rick Riordan, 2010, Book Review
Rick Riordan is a master of modern tween story-telling. He keeps the action fast-pitch, his characters feel distinct and real, and he writes kid-funny. No wonder his name is repeatedly at the top of the best-sellers list. The Red Pyramid is a 516 page battle of good vs. evil. Sadie and Carter are two siblings that […]
The Maze of Bones (39 Clues, book one), by Rick Riordan, 2008, Book Review
I enjoyed this story. I can’t say I loved it, and part of that reason may be because I listened to it on CD with my boys over a two-week period instead of reading it alone in a couple of days. But it also left me feeling a little gypped. Titles from today’s commercial fiction […]
The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), by Rick Riordan, 2009, Book Review
I’m done. I read the last book. Mr. Riordan has certainly written a rousing tale. In The Last Olympian, the epic battle that’s been building between Kronos, Lord of the Titans, and the Olympian gods comes about at last, and Percy, of course, features prominently. Finally, we learn the Great Prophecy in its entirety, and after […]
The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, book 3), Rick Riordan, 2007, Book Review
The Titan’s Curse is the third book in the Percy Jackson series, and while I’ve enjoyed them all, the first one is still my favorite. But I must say again how much I like Riordan’s style. It’s so funny! I mean, check out this first line, “The Friday before winter break, my mom packed me an […]
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), by Rick Riordan, 2006, Book Review
This is book two in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. If you haven’t read them, start with my review of book one, The Lightning Thief. Rick Riordan did it again. I enjoyed The Sea of Monsters almost as much as The Lightning Thief. It’s a whole new adventure with many of the same characters […]
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), by Rick Riordan, 2005, Book Review
“Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood. If you’re reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life. Being a half-blood is dangerous. It’s scary. Most of […]