Review: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan.

Disney Publishing Worldwide
Publication Date: August 2014
List Price: $24.99
ISBN-13: 9781423183648

Review: Imagine yourself as a Greek God's child, and you're about to tell about all your aunts and uncles who they were when you were not even thought of yet. Percy Jackson from Percy Jackson and the Olympians gives his amusing reviews on all of his aunts and uncles who are Olympians. Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan is written in the perspective of Percy Jackson. Apollo jumps up, turns to his mother and says, ÒI need a bow and arrow, asap!Ó He was just born, and he was demanding bows and arrows! Then he shoots Hera with the arrows! This is just a small excerpt from Percy Jackson's Greek Gods.

Mythology is the key to this book. Percy Jackson gave reports on Hestia, Demeter, Persephone, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes and last but not least, Dionysus. These are the Greek Gods. The Greek Gods control basically the whole Earth. He enjoyed writing about his aunts, uncles and his own dad. I'm not going to tell you who his dad is; you need to read it to find out! No going on the Internet. He tells about how the Greek Gods were born and how they grew up to be adults. The setting is Mount Olympus. All the gods are normally on Olympus. In Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, there is a dice roll between the three most powerful gods. Whoever gets the lowest dice roll gets the gloomy underworld. Whoever gets 3-4 in the dice roll gets the sea. Whoever gets 5-6 gets the sky. The youngest brother, Hades got the underworld. The middle brother, Poseidon, got the sea. The oldest, Zeus got the sky and he became the ruler of the heavens. If you think about it, the dice roll wasn't fair. That's why Hades gets mad and wants- guess what? - Revenge.

I personally loved the book because I love mythology and humor. I love to read every single book from Rick Riordan, he tells his story in such detail. I can always picture what is happening. I find that very hard for someone to do, so I applaud him. This book informed me about the Greek Gods and mythology that I didn't know. Even if you think you know a lot about Greek mythology, you probably didn't know the vast amount of detail that Riordan includes in his book. Percy uses descriptive verbs such as trembled and shook with fear. Sometimes it gets confusing with all the marriages, so you might want to write them down. This would be a boy and girl book. I recommend the book for kids ages 10-13 because of length of the book and the sophisticated vocabulary. Overall, Percy Jackson's Greek Gods will be enjoyable for most upper elementary and middle school readers.

Review written by Sara (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing a copy of Percy Jackson's Greek Gods for this review.

Have you read Percy Jackson's Greek Gods? How would you rate it?

Review: The Griffin and the Dinosaur by Marc Aronson with Adrienne Mayor

The Griffin and the Dinosaur by Marc Aronson with Adrienne Mayor.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: April 2014
List Price: $18.99
ISBN-13: 9781426311086

Review: Ancient Greeks believed in mythical creatures. One of the most fascinating is the griffin. Even though it's a myth, could it be linked to reality? Could there be griffins watching over us, flying high in the sky. Adrienne Mayor pursues the interesting topic in the book, The Griffin and the Dinosaur by Marc Aronson.

Adrienne Mayor has always been fascinated by the outdoors. The griffin also fascinated her. When Adrienne goes to Greece, she finds out the truth.

This book is perfect for 11-12 year olds. It has an interesting plot that develops in an interesting way. Younger readers may not find it pleasing because of its factual format and some of the vocabulary. This book is strongly recommended and is a great read for people who enjoy Greek mythology.

Review written by Michael (6th grade student).

We would like to thank National Geographic for providing a copy of The Griffin and the Dinosaur for this review.

Have you read The Griffin and the Dinosaur? How would you rate it?

Review: Everything Mythology by Blake Hoena

Everything Mythology by Blake Hoena.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: March 2014
List Price: $12.99
ISBN-13: 9781426314988

Review: From the Cyclops to Poseidon, learn about all the beasts, gods, and goddesses of the ancient world. Surprises abound in this book, Everything Mythology, by Blake Hoena.

Everything Mythology includes many stories such as the battle of Ragnarok, in which the Norse gods fight their final battle. Learn about Arachne and how exactly she got turned into a spider. You'll also be able to find out where old temples for the gods were located as well as what people used for sacrifice. In Greek myths, you'll learn about the ups and down inside this big family including beasts and tricksters such as Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods to give to the suffering humans down on earth.

There are also a lot more mythological creatures, such as Satyrs and Garuda, a god and a bird! Some, like the Pegasus, even fly! There is so much more to learn in Everything Mythology, but I won't give it away!

I love this book because it tells about some of the biggest gods and goddesses from around the world, and even some you may not even know! My favorite is Garuda, the bird-like god. Also, I think that some people would like to read myths from foreign countries, such as the Anansi the spider, who tricks the sun god Nyame, into giving rain to the people down earth, which we can all be grateful for, especially in the summer! I recommend this book to 7-12 year olds and to anybody interested in mythology. I hope you enjoy!

Review written by Athira (6th grade student).

We would like to thank National Geographic for providing a copy of Everything Mythology for this review.

Have you read Everything Mythology? How would you rate it?

Review: Spirit's Chosen by Esther Friesner

Spirit's Chosen by Esther Friesner. Sequel to Spirit's Princess.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 2013
List Price: $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780375869082

Review: In the country of Japan, where war rages, clans fall, chieftains die, the Ookami finally make their mark on the Matsu clan. In Spirit's Chosen written by Esther Friesner, a young shaman and chieftain's daughter, Himeko finds her village in ruins. While she was away on a shaman trip with her sister of her heart, Kaya, the wolves attacked her land and captured most of the Matsu women and children. She returns to her family and finds her little brothers, Sanjirou and Noboru have been taken along with her step mother Emi and most of her clan. Her father and her older brother Aki are dead, and her mother has gone insane. Now the young princess must go on her life's adventure, but she is not expecting the wolves to be waiting for her. She and Kaya are captured and enslaved to Lord Ryu. Himeko must find her way out of the wolves' den and back to her family, before her mother will be put to death.

Spirit's Chosen is recommended for third grade and up for higher-level words and meanings. Most would enjoy this book because of its daringness like traveling into the greatest enemies territory, fighting the mysterious Oni, and trying to escape from the Ookami. It also is a sad love story where Himeko's new love has freed her from captivity, but was killed while saving Lord Ryu during the Golden Dragons Dance. Some might also enjoy learning the path of Himeko with the gods and other Shamans. During Spirit's Chosen Himeko travels into the spirit world many times, finding the bones of Oni, seeing her spirit prince, and talking to the shinning goddess.

Review written by Emily (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Spirit's Chosen for this review.

Have you read Spirit's Chosen? How would you rate it?

Review: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett.

Harcourt Childrens Books
Publication Date: September 2011
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780547581323

Review: Tracy Barrett has created a new series that will surprise you - Dark of the Moon. Dark of the Moon is the first book in the series. The story starts with Ariadne who is preparing to become Goddess. Her brother named Asterion who is next in line to become the Minos, and her mother, Pasiphae, who is pregnant.

Ariadne's brother, Asterion, is locked under the palace. Ariadne's mother, Pasiphae, keeps Asterion confined under the palace by a magical ball of yarn that has many knots to make invisible binds that keep Asterion from roaming about the island. Children are brought to the palace by the guards to play with Asterion, who accidentally kills the children making other Greek communities think that Asterion is a monster living under the palace. Meanwhile, Pasiphae dies during the birth of her child-, and Ariadne is going to become Goddess following her mother's path. The ritual takes place shortly after Ariadne's mother dies. At the same time, the Minos is stepping down-, and Ariadne's brother, Asterion, is next in line to be the Minos. But, because of what he has done, the people do not want him to be Minos. Ariadne asks her friends to help Asterion escape from the city for his safety. Ariadne tries to help Asterion in a way you may never forget but something goes wrong.

Dark of the Moon really hooked me with all of its twists and turns. I always wanted to continue reading the book. The book is exciting because of the interesting characters that built up suspense. After the death of Pasiphae, everything that I was expecting changed. I could not predict what was going to happen next; I had to keep reading. I will never forget this Greek mythology book. It also has some fantasy in it. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.

Review written by Michael (7th grade student).

We would like to thank Raab Associates for providing a copy of Dark of the Moon for this review.

Have you read Dark of the Moon? How would you rate it?

Review: Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words & Wisdom from Greek & Roman Mythology by Lise Lunge-Larsen

Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words & Wisdom from Greek & Roman Mythology by Lise Lunge-Larsen.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: October 2011
List Price: $18.99
ISBN-13: 9780547152295

Review: "How dare you shame the gods?" That's what the mortals in ancient Rome and Greece were often told by a god after a foolish thing that they had done. They can never escape from the gods and after they die, they are punished forever. The book, Gifts from the Gods by Lise Lunge Larsen is about words that we use in the present, but originated from ancient Greeks and ancient Romans. It takes the word, tells its definition, uses it in a sentence and then, tells the story of where the word came from. These stories involve the gods and usually a mortal who is foolish and does something they regret.

Gifts from the Gods is a really interesting book about Greek and Roman mythology. I like this book because of the way the author explains the stories and because I really like anything with Greek and Roman mythology. The book is educational, yet fun to read. I also like the book because it is simple, yet complicated. It tells the stories of heroes, gods and mortals. Readers are kept on the edge of their seats wondering what they will do next. The gods could punish the mortals or take pity on them. The hero might successfully battle or might be killed in the fight. The mortal could make a very wise decision or make the most ridiculous decision ever. The book always kept me guessing. It has taught me so many myths and words. I also loved hearing how alert some gods were, while other gods hardly noticed what happened. Some gods were mighty and all powerful, but some were often overlooked. It was intriguing to see how different the gods were from one another. My favorite goddess is Athena, the goddess of wisdom, war strategy and weaving. But the stories are not the only things I liked. The pictures are absolutely amazing. They almost seemed to move! At the end of every story, there is a short section that includes information about the story to help it make more sense.

Gifts from the Gods is a book that you should definitely read if you like mythology. It is a captivating book that I couldn't put down. Literally, I finished the book in a day. The author did an amazing job with this book, and it would satisfy anyone who is looking for a thrilling book. I recommend Gifts from the Gods to anybody, especially if they are interested in mythology. Lise Lunge-Larsen is a really creative author who did an astounding job writing this book. I give it five stars because that's exactly what this book deserves. It kept me hooked, amazed, entranced, etc. This should be read by many people, and I hope that happens. Gifts from the Gods will most definitely catch a reader's eye.

Review written by Abigail (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words & Wisdom from Greek & Roman Mythology for this review.

Have you read Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words & Wisdom from Greek & Roman Mythology? How would you rate it?