Demigods and Monsters: Your Favorite Authors on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series [Paperback]

Rick Riordan (Editor), Leah Wilson (Editor)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up

The #1 New York Times bestselling Percy Jackson series--including The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, and The Battle of the Labyrinth--features a twelve-year-old dyslexic boy who discovers he is the son of a Greek god, the target of mythical Greek monsters and the center of a prophecy that could change the balance of power in the world forever.

In Demigods and Monsters, YA authors take on Greek gods, monsters and prophecy, to add insight and even more fun to Riordan's page-turner series.

It's fresh, funny essays include:

* The pros and cons of having a god as a parent * Why Dionysus might actually be the best director Camp Half-Blood could have * What it takes to be one of Artemis's Hunters * How to tell a monster when you see one * Why even if we aren't facing manticores and minotaurs, reading myths can still help us deal with the scary things in our own lives * Why so many monsters go into retail--and why they're never selling anything a demigod really wants

The book also includes an introduction by Percy Jackson series author Rick Riordan, that gives further insight into the series and its creation, and a glossary of ancient Greek myth, with plenty of information on the places, monsters, gods and heroes that appear in the series.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Which Greek god makes the best parent? Would you want to be one of Artemis' Hunters? Why do so many monsters go into retail--and why are they never selling anything a demigod really wants?

Spend a little more time in Percy Jackson's world--a place where the gods bike among us, monsters man snack bars and each of us has the potential to become a hero.

Find out:

* Why Dionysus might actually be the best director Camp Half-Blood could have * How to tell a monster when you see one * Why even if we aren't facing manticores and minotaurs, reading myths can still help us deal with the scary things in our own lives

PLUS, consult our glossary of people, places and things from Greek myth: how Medusa got her snake hair extensions, why Chiron isn't into partying and paintball like the rest of his centaur family and the whole story on Percy's mythical namesake (could it hold clues to Percy's fate?).

Rick Riordan is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. He lives in San Antonio with his wife and two sons.

About the Author

Rick Riordan is #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and the author of the upcoming first installment in The 39 Clues series. For fifteen years, Riordan taught English and history at public and private middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Texas. He lives in San Antonio with his wife and two sons.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Smart Pop (February 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933771836
• ISBN-13: 978-1933771830
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #43 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Greek & Roman

More About the Author

Leah Wilson is Editor-in-Chief of the Smart Pop imprint of Dallas-based publisher BenBella Books. She graduated from Duke University in 2003 with a degree in Culture and Modern Fiction, and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Fall season premiere schedules make her a little giddy.

(Her author blog is the main blog for Smart Pop's website.)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, June 21, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Demigods and Monsters: Your Favorite Authors on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series (Hardcover)

Love for Percy Jackson is sweeping readers everywhere -- and not just teens. Other authors love him as well, and they have something to say about him! DEMIGODS AND MONSTERS is a book of essays penned by other authors covering all things Percy Jackson.

Jenny Han gives godly parental report cards and asks if you could pick one parent out of the god realm, who would you choose? Rosemary Clement-Moore writes a lesson in recognizing monsters, for beginners, of course. Ellen Steiber attempts to answer why Dionysus isn't a poor choice for the director of Camp Half Blood. Nigel Rodgers writes a glossary of "Who's Who?" in Greek Mythology.

Cameron Dokey, Paul Collins, Carolyn MacCullough, Elizabeth M. Rees, Sarah Beth Hurst, Elizabeth E. Wein, Kathi Appelt, and Sophie Masson also write essays that are humorous, clever, odd, and just plain great.

Percy Jackson fans will love this book.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rick Riordan Rocks!, March 22, 2009

By 

M. Moore (Yokosuka, Japan) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Demigods and Monsters: Your Favorite Authors on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series (Paperback)

We recently bought Demigods and Monsters. It had the author's spin on Greek Gods and monsters as well as other authors' opinions. I liked the essay on grading the parents and parent-gods. It also had a helpful glossary of gods, heroes, myths, and monsters. It is a must-read for followers of the Percy Jackson series. Both the adult and kid in this family thoroughly enjoyed it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed the life lessons some of the authors discussed., July 11, 2011

By 

A. Hoffenberg "-Smash Attack" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Demigods and Monsters: Your Favorite Authors on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series (Paperback)

The Percy Jackson books are some of the best middle grade fiction I've ever read, and I think Rick Riordan is a god in his own right. He owns that market, and it is well deserved. When SmartPop offered to send me some of their catalog for review, I jumped at the chance to read other authors' thoughts on Percy and friends. Rick Riordan's introduction was very interesting and heartfelt. He created Percy, flaws and all, to validate his son's dyslexia and ADHD. His introduction was the best part of the book, and quite uplifting.

I enjoyed the life lessons some of the authors discussed. Topics included finding your identity while remaining unique and not conforming, as well as embracing and working with your differences and disabilities instead of letting them rule you. Some brought up the message that everyone is flawed, even heroes, and that sometimes disabilities can be advantageous. Good messages all around.

One essay titled Eeny Meeny Miney Mo(m) analyzed what it would be like to have the Greek Gods and Goddesses as parents. That was a pretty fun analysis. One author lectures the reader on how to spot a monster. And for those that need a refresher, the book also has a Glossary of Ancient Greek Myths.

Unlike The Girl Who was on Fire essays, which I found excellent, this set of essays did not win me over as much. I think it was because the essays were less on Percy and the books and more on Greek mythology. Don't get me wrong. I love Greek Mythology. A lot. But I wanted a more direct focus on Percy and gang, and not just comparisons and such. Not that the essays weren't great and interesting, but just not what I expected.