Percy Jackson series spin-off is almost as delightful.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Violence falls into two camps: First, multiple attacks by mythological gods and monsters that include swordplay, spears, and some bloodshed; the three main heroes almost die multiple times, while creatures they kill just turn to dust and reform. Then there's emotional stuff: Leo replays the death of his mother in a fire as his fault. Piper is frantic over her father's kidnapping and worries that she'll have to choose between her father's life and her friends' safety.
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Friendship, loyalty, and trust are big themes. As series progresses, characters with different backgrounds and talents need to work together to fight a common evil and save the world (of course). Believing in yourself, facing your greatest fears, and rising to meet extreme challenges are also important.
Positive Role Models
a lot
The three teen heroes—Jason, Piper, and Leo—are great examples of loyal friends, risking their lives many times for one another. They all come out more confident in their abilities and more sure of the importance of their friendship. When Piper is burdened with a fear that she will have to betray her friends in order to save her father, she makes the tough choice to confide in her friends, who are determined to help her anyway.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Leo Valdez's mom is Latina and he spoke both Spanish and English in his home. Piper's dad is Cherokee. All half-bloods have one godly parent and are raised by the other parent. Leo spent time in foster care after his mother died. Jason was raised by a mentally unstable mother. Most half-bloods are also neurodiverse, with ADHD and dyslexia. Leo's mom was the first in her family to go to college and has a mechanical engineering degree. A ranger pilot is a woman.
Mythological creatures abound in the Percy Jackson series and in this spin-off series as well. More heroes emerge with family ties to the gods, and more about the Titans, giants, and other ancient creatures emerges. Also references to mortals from ancient history like King Midas, Helen of Troy, and Medea. It's fun to take out a map and see where the heroes' travels take them; the author usually includes some facts about each North American location.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this Percy Jackson spin-off has the same mix of fast-paced battles, scary monsters, and humor. The three new heroes—Jason, Piper, and Leo—are in mortal danger multiple times and risk their lives for one another. These heroes are already in their mid-teens, so there's romance in the air between Jason and Piper, though nothing happens just yet. Just like the Percy Jackson series, The Lost Hero will get kids immersed in the details of Greek mythology ... and hopefully clamoring to learn more.
I guess it depends on what you consider bad language.
My kids were disappointed at the use of the Lord's name in vain throughout the book and have decided not to continue the series. Most people don't even think twice about that word any more, so it probably goes unnoticed by most who read this book, but my kids picked it out really quickly. (I'm not referring to the references of Gods, Goddess's and demigods, but the expression of OMG in one form or another.)
I read this when I was like 14 and I got bored with it. However, I do remember a lot of life and death type stuff, more so than the Percy Jackson Series. My nine year old sister is just finishing the Percy Jackson books and now she thinks she needs to read these. She's excited because its more demigod stuff omg. But I'm not sure she should read these, most reviews seem to say they were meant for middle schoolers. I would read some summaries before deciding if your child should have this 500+ page book in their head.
What's the Story?
Jason is pretty confused when he wakes up on a school bus on a trip to the Grand Canyon with no idea who he is or how he got there. Earnest Piper acts like Jason's girlfriend, and goofy Leo thinks he's Jason's best friend, but Jason can't remember either of them. Before he can ask many questions, all three are attacked by storm spirits and rescued by a Camp Half-Blood chariot. The newly revealed heroes have barely broken in their cabin bunks when they're called on a quest to rescue Hera (who knows who Jason really is) from dark forces stirring in the earth: giants and much more. Riding off in a metal dragon expertly fixed by Leo (Hephaestus' son, of course), the three seek out the nearly-as-dangerous wind gods to help find Hera. But Piper has another secret quest: Her father has been kidnapped by another giant who wants to trade her friends' lives for her father's freedom—a horrible choice to make.
The story setup isn't terribly smooth, and this is a denser read than the first few Percy Jackson books, but once the action heats up, that's easily forgotten.
It definitely helps to read thePercy Jackson series first. This spin-off uses the same camp that trains heroes and churns out three more intriguing demigods. Whether they're as likable as Annabeth and Percy is still up in the air, but it's a promising start.
Always a draw with Riordan's books is his sense of humor and ingenious mix of myth and modern. Aeolus makes a compelling argument for why meteorologists are wrong so often, and Medea makes for a divine charm-speaking saleswoman (ready to talk you into buying a wide variety of poisonous potions, right this way). This sense of fun and adventure makes every one of Riordan's books a quest worth undertaking.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about this series vs. Percy Jackson. Were kids as excited about this new series if they loved the Percy Jackson one? How is Jason different from Percy? How is he the same?
Talk about the mix of myth and modern. How does the author make it work so well? Did you learn anything about mythology that you didn't know before? Are there other myths that you're interested in exploring?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
