Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief: Book one of the Percy Jackson series
by Rick Riordan
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+
Published by Puffin, 2013
About this book
In this leftfield comic fantasy novel, 12-year-old Percy Jackson discovers that the Greek gods of Olympus are alive and living in modern-day New York, and that his true father is Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea.
At Half Blood Hill, a summer camp dedicated to training demigods, Percy learns that his fate is to undertake a dangerous quest across the United States to retrieve Zeus' stolen lightning bolt and avert a War of the Gods.
Along the way Percy must face a host of mythological enemies determined to get in his way.
About the author
What to read next
We know that children can get hooked on a favourite book series or author and struggle to find something they love as much, but we’re here to help.
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Fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson adventure series are hooked by its fast pace, monsters and mythological gods, from Zeus to Poseidon. If your child's stormed through the set, which other books might they now want to read?
More books like this
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Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian
by Rick Riordan
9 to 12+ years
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Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse
by Rick Riordan
9 to 12+ years
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Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle
by Rick Riordan
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Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
by Rick Riordan
9 to 12+ years
Lists of recommended reads
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Fantasy books for 9+
Some of our favourite contemporary fantasy titles for readers aged 9+ to enjoy
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Books about the Ancient Greeks
The Greeks are fascinating, with their gods, their Games and their myths. This selection of brilliant books is a mix of fiction and non-fiction, aimed at primary-aged children.