Literature Circle Guide to The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Book Summary
When troubled student Percy Jackson vaporizes his math teacher on a class field trip, he
begins to suspect that his life is not what it seems. He discovers that his lifelong reading
and attention troubles are all signs that he is a half-blood—a child of the Greek gods.
After a summer training session with other demigods and Chiron the centaur, he sets off
on a cross-country quest to Los Angeles (the entrance to Hades) with his friend Grover
the faun and Annabeth, a child of Athena, to recover Zeus’ lost thunderbolt and stop a
war between the gods. Along the way, where modern life and mythology intersect to
create both humor and excitement, Percy will come to know his father Poseidon, rescue
his mother, and discover that he has what it takes to be a hero. Ultimately, Percy learns to
trust his friends and his abilities and to choose love over despair.
Author Information
Rick Riordan knows his myths! For fifteen years he was an English and History middleschool
teacher in both San Francisco and Texas. After writing many short stories and a
series of award-winning mysteries for adults, he decided to try his hand at young adult
fiction. Using a story he had originally told his son at bedtime, he brought together his
love of Greek stories and his experiences working with students who have learning
differences for an action-packed adventure series. This exciting story of a modern-day
Greek hero has already been optioned for an upcoming movie. Rick Riordan now writes
full time and lives with his wife and two sons in San Antonio, Texas.
Literature Circle Questions
1. Describe what kind of student Percy Jackson is. What troubles does he have in
school?
2. What is Percy’s relationship with his mother? Why does he think she has bad
luck?
3. What does Percy discover about the Greek gods at Camp Half Blood? What do
they have to do with the camp?
