Percy Jackson: The Lightning thief! I NEED HELP PLEASE HELP What changes does Rick Riordan make to the original myth of Medusa? Do you think those changes made sense or should he have kept the myth the same? Explain.

uh im sure it is here is one universal truth about reading selections for an English class: No matter what book you select, somebody will object. For this reason, it’s a good idea to have a rationale prepared for any novel that might cause controversy. If you choose to use Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, here is a rationale you are welcome to share with parents, principals, curriculum gurus, etc. Feel free to modify it to fit your needs.

A Rationale for Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief

Grade Level and Audience

The Lightning Thief is a light-hearted fantasy about a modern 12-year-old boy who learns that his true father is Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Percy sets out to become a hero by undertaking a quest across the United States to find the entrance to the Underworld and stop a war between the gods. The novel provides a high-interest, humorous introduction to the Greek myths. It works well if taught in conjunction with mythology, which is a core component of most English state curriculum frameworks. The novel can also be taught at any time after the introduction of Greek mythology, to draw on students’ prior experience as per standard three of the Standards for English Language Arts of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Rick Riordan, the author, has fifteen years experience as an English/language arts teacher at the middle school level. He designed The Lightning Thief to be appropriate reading for ages nine through fourteen.

The novel offers an excellent chance for students to explore the Classical heritage of Greece as it applies to modern civilization; to analyze the elements of the hero’s quest rendered in a modern-day story with a first-person narrator to whom students can easily relate; and to discuss such relevant issues as learning disabilities, the nature of family, and themes of loyalty, friendship and faith.