Kids Books - Adventure Books

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

By Rick Riordan

There are five books in the Percy Jackson series, and many more books in the series Heroes of Olympus, which is kind of the sequel series to Percy Jackson. Today I will be reviewing the first book. The first book is good, I guess, it's okay. But it didn't appeal to me that much. *SPOILERS BELOW So basically the story centers around a kid named Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson has been expelled from every school he's been to so far because of accidents, like landing the whole class in a shark tank in the aquarium. When his current school, Yancy Academy, goes on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with his class, including his nemesis, Nancy and his best friend, Grover. His teacher, Ms. Dodds, turns out to be one of the Furies. The Furies are demons, basically, in Greek Mythology. His other teacher, Mr. Brunner, gives him a sword that can be disguised as a pen, called Riptide. Percy defeats Ms. Dodds and sends her back to Tartarus, which is the ultimate-horrible-place-to-go-when-you-die- place. Percy and his mom drive to Montauk Beach, but is met by Grover, who gives them a warning to go back. However, while driving, they are attacked by a Minotaur (monster that is half-bull, half-man.) He takes Percy's mom and Percy kills the Minotaur, before falling with exhaustion. Later, he and Grover are rescued and taken to Camp Half-Blood. While at Camp-Half Blood, Percy discovers that he is a demigod, a son of a mortal and one of the gods/goddesses in Greek Mythology. He also learns that Grover is a satyr (a mythical creature with horse-like features) and that Mr. Brunner is a centaur (half-horse, half-man). He also meets other demigods, like Annabeth, who is a daughter of Athena, Luke, who is a son of Hermes, and Clarisse, who is a daughter of Ares. Since no one knows who his god parent is, they place him in the Hermes cabin. Later, when they play a game of Capture the Flag, a trident appears above Percy, revealing that he is the son of Poseidon. Percy learns that Zeus, the king of the gods, thinks Poseidon used Percy to steal Zeus' lightning bolt, Zeus' chief weapon. The Oracle (a fortune-teller) tells Percy to return the stolen lightning bolt to Zeus to prove that he didn't steal it. Percy then has to go on an odyssey to find the lightning bolt with Annabeth and Grover. Percy, Annabeth and Grover defeat several mythological creatures, including the demon Medusa, who has snakes for hair. Now here's where it gets super confusing - at least for me. The trio find Hades, god of the dead, who has taken Percy's mom because he thinks Percy stole the Helm of Darkness (Hades' most powerful weapon). He says if Percy returns the Helm, Hades will return his mother. Percy realizes that Ares has all the stolen items. The backstory behind that is that when the lightning bolt was stolen, Zeus sent four of the most agile, quick, young and smart gods out to search for it, Apollo, Artemis, Athena and Ares. Only Ares found the true thief, Luke (the son of Hermes) but didn't turn him in. Instead Ares took the lightning bolt and the Helm of Darkness to start a war between the gods (because Ares is the god of war.) Percy challenges Ares to a duel, and surprisingly, wins. After getting all the items and returning them to their rightful owners, (and freeing his mother), Percy, Annabeth and Grover return to Camp Half-Blood. At Camp-Half Blood, Percy doesn't know that Luke is the thief (because Ares left that detail out) but Percy gets it quick enough when Luke tries to kill him with a scorpion. It is also revealed that Luke is a servant of Kronos, the King of the Titans, the enemy of the Gods. After all that, Percy decides to not stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, only in the summer and to spend the rest of the year with his mother. Okay, here it is. There's a lot of five-star reviews, and I like this book. But it isn't one of my favorites because for one, the characters seem a bit one-sided. Percy's brave, Annabeth's witty, Grover's loyal. That was pretty much everything interesting about the characters. That kicked it down one star. The imagery and world building - amazing. Up one star. Descriptions were pretty good. Up one star. Managed to make my emotions go up and down and all around. One star more. One star less because it was so confusing and generally, I couldn't understand it near the end even though I have a solid base of Greek Mythology. It is a good book, I just feel it could use some improvement. But let's just say this - it's a book that stuck with me through and through and basically, it's worthy of putting on a special shelf on my bookcase. ~FelicisOwl

Number the Stars

Number the Stars

By Lois Lowry

This.. this... is a beautiful story about trust, believing in yourself, the horrors of war.. and most importantly, it's about the friendship between Annemarie and Ellen, and how families can get through the most horrible of crises if they just.. believe. This book takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark in the middle of World War II. The king is Christian X, who is loved by his people.. but unfortunately, King Christian X couldn't stop soldiers from Germany to be stationed in Denmark. It was either the soldiers or war, which King Christian X knew he couldn't win. In this time, Annemarie and her family are living a moderately peaceful, normal life.. until their normal life is shattered by a new law - that all Jewish people must be captured. One by one, the Jewish people start going missing, and Annemarie and her family need to protect Annemarie's best friend, Ellen, who is Jewish. So Ellen is disguised as Lise, Annemarie's oldest sister who died in the hands of Germany. But when a German soldier comes to investigate and Ellen is almost caught, Annemarie and her family know that the only way to save Ellen now is to take her (through a boat) safely to Sweden. But they learn people are being caught on boats going to Sweden.. but they will have to risk it. Annemarie MUST deliver a very important package to her uncle (who is driving the boat) that might save Ellen's life.. before it's too late! Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors, because she can write brilliant masterpieces.. honestly, I think this book is possibly her best yet. It's cleverly written so that it can make readers cry, laugh, rejoice, and feel horror, without missing a beat, constantly throughout the story. I felt like I was experiencing the pain of Annemarie, the fear of Ellen, and the author made me feel like I was basically in the story, watching the events happen. Oh, and the ending.. is very touching.. possibly one of the best endings I have read in any book. I would definitely recommend Number the Stars to any reader that understands the value of life, family, and friendship.

Warriors #5: A Dangerous Path (Warriors: The Prophecies Begin)

Warriors #5: A Dangerous Path (Warriors: The Prophecies Begin)

By Erin Hunter

I just got this book and finished it. Like if you love the summary plz. I worked really hard on this. Here is a summary of it: Fireheart has been made deputy, and Sandstorm is in love with him. But, at the last Gathering, Tigerclaw, the traitor of Thunderclan, has been made leader of Shadowclan! This was the last thing Fireheart wanted, especially after the fire that overtook them. Because Bluestar had breathed smoke, Fireheart had to go in her place. Once he tells Bluestar what happened at the Gathering, Bluestar gets really mad. Over the next period of moons, Bluestar believes everyone have become traitors as well, even Fireheart. The clan is falling apart. The bad thing is, a darkness is laying in the woods waiting for the perfect chance to strike. Food goes missing. Bluestar loses her mind. The hunters have become the hunted, and there's almost nothing they can do to stop it. 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯...

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: The Illustrated Edition (Harry Potter, Book 1)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: The Illustrated Edition (Harry Potter, Book 1)

By J.K. Rowling

I have always loved the Harry Potter book series. It is not only full of magic, adventure, joy, creativity, and Voldemort, it is a timeless classic that everyone knows the story too. When I heard that they were creating a picture book version to it, I was blown away and had to get my hands on it. The book has the same plot and words as the original, except now add color and art to the long list of traits I mentioned in the beginning. In case you don't know the plot to the book this is a simple breakdown of what happens; Harry Potter is not a normal boy whose parents died when he was a baby. He has weird talents that are unexplained like how he has a lightning scar, can talk to snakes and can make random things happen just by thinking about it. He lives with his awful Aunt, Uncle, and cousin who gives him the Cinderella treatment and always are rude to him. For heaven's sake, they made him sleep under the stairs. One day, Harry Potter gets a letter addressed to him with his exact location(under the stairs and everything), but the Dursleys won't let him open it after they see a red crest seal on it. They toss it into the garbage. As the days pass hundreds of letters are being sent and owls are appearing at his door, but still, the Uncle is taking all of them and not allowing Harry to see any of them. To avoid any more letters reaching them, Uncle Dursley decides to send all of them to a shabby house on a small island in the middle of the sea. This day happens to be Harry's 11th birthday. All of a sudden, a giant knock hits the door and they all startle themselves awake. It turns out to be a giant named Hagrid who explains to Harry that he is a wizard and has been accepted into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After that, he leaves his family, goes school supply shopping with Hagrid, and takes a train to the school. When he gets there he meets a lot of new people and makes best friends with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasely who are in the same house as himself. He also learns what truly happened to his parents and it turns out to be a villain named Voldemort. He killed them and tried to kill Harry too, but his mother sacrificed herself instead and made a bond that destroyed Voldemort. After that day, Harry Potter gained the title of The Boy who Lived. People think that Voldemort is still out there resting so he can come back for revenge. And like all foreshadowing is, the fact turns out to be true. But we don't know that yet. They start hearing noises coming from around the top floor of the school so Harry and the gang go there to check it out. They see a giant 3 headed dog whose name is Fluffy. After this day, they have Hermione do some research and figure out that the dog is guarding a magical stone called the Sorceror's Stone which can give someone youth and that the owner of the dog is Hagrid. Their only lead is the suspicious Potions teacher, Severus Snape who somehow is always seen at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing. During this time, they got more information, saved Hermione from a troll, and met a few ghosts. Back to the present. Now that they had figured out that the owner of the dog was Hagrid, they all go to HAgrid's hut and trick him into giving them valuable information. Then they venture back into the attic with Fluffy and play soft music that makes him fall asleep for as long as they need to get past him. Then they go through the little latch underneath Fluffy and find a mysterious room in which there are puzzles they have to solve in order to get to the stone before Voldemort does. They solve a key riddle, plays chess with themselves being hit if they fail, and finally come into the room in which they find the stone. In the room, Harry Potter comes face to face with Mr. Qiurell the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who is actually a reincarnated version of Voldemort. So he and Voldemort have an epic face-off . . . .

The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth

The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth

By Norton Juster

Milo is a boy who doesn't like thinking. Then, one day he finds a mysterious package in the apartment. When he assembles it, he finds out that it's a tollbooth! When he drives his car through it, he gets transported to a very strange place. There, you can sell words and eat letters! Soon, he meets Tock, the watchdog who's. part watch, and the Humbug. Milo agrees to go on a quest to get the princesses of Rhyme and Reason back to the Kingdom of Wisdom, which has been suffering in their absence. But their castle is at the top of a mountain full of demons! How will Milo get to them? I liked this book because it was really witty, and the Humbug was especially funny. But how does Milo know how to drive?

Stellaluna

Stellaluna

By Janell Cannon

I am a fifth grader. This book is not that great in my opinion. I'm more of a horror and mystery person myself, but if you take interest in a sad story that ends in happiness then I guess it would be good. Also the art is pretty good and the story line is ok. In conclusion, this book is not that great and the only reason I rate it a two is, because of the art.

Star Wars Ahsoka

Star Wars Ahsoka

By E.K. Johnston

The Ahsoka in this book is not the same Ashoka as the one in the Clone Wars that we all know and love. But surviving a war, leaving the only family you know, and then hearing they've all been brutally slaughtered can change a person. As we begin this action-filled story, we find former Jedi padawan Ashoka Tano carving out a miserable existence on the remote planet Thabeska, posing as Ashla, a mechanic who works hard and doesn't ask questions. But when the empire reaches its hand to the remote Thabeska, Ahsoka fearfully runs. She finds an almost-home on Radaa, a non-exciting farming moon that seems obscure enough. Until the Imperials decide to land on the planet and take over, taking Ashoka by surprise. She is torn between revealing herself and pretending to be Ashla. She and her new family must decide whether to rebel or to watch as everything and everyone they love is destroyed. After reading this book, I don't feel like it can stand on its own. I would love to see it become a series, like some of the other Star Wars series I've read. Star Wars: Ashoka didn't lack any of the grit and harsh reality of how cruel the empire truly is, and I liked it for that. This book was a really interesting read that I recommend to all Star Wars fans!

The Ark, the Reed, and the Fire Cloud (The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz, Book One)

The Ark, the Reed, and the Fire Cloud (The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz, Book One)

By Jenny L. Cote

SingingBooksH

This book is so amazing! Readers can experience the miracles of God on Noah's Ark from the authors perspective. I absolutely adore the characters! In many ways they face the same challenges we face today. They set an example of how we should handle different situations the way God wants us to handle things. I recommend this book to people who are interested in the biblical times, and animal lovers.

Peter Pan

Peter Pan

By J.M. Barrie

I absolutely love this book. J.M. Barrie is a masterfully clever writer. I read this book years ago, and re-read it every year. It is a beautiful tale, beautifully told.

The Blood Of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 5)

The Blood Of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 5)

By Rick Riordan

The final battle. The one we've all been waiting for. Riordan once again does an absolutely, utterly fantastic job with giving the characters depth. The seven are all on board the Argo II, and are heading towards Rome to stop the end of the world. Jason, the blond Superman whose mother died when he was two, and went missing from his family that included Thalia Grace. His character isn't as fleshed out as the others, but what we do know: He's afraid of breaking the rules, doing the wrong thing that will eventually cause the end of the world. We can all relate to this; Jason is perfection that has taken on a human form. Percy, all of our faves. the one we know most, has played as a pawn for the Gods Of Olympus like Jason. After losing his memory thanks to Hera, he is part of the huge plan to unite the two camps. His fatal flaw is not being able to let his friends take a blow, and this will cost him soon enough. He wants nothing more than to enjoy a quiet life with Annabeth, but it looks like the Fates have a different idea in mind for him. Although he has lots of boiling emotions inside, he hides it with all of that slapstick humor on the outside. Which brings us to Leo. He's the dude that could possibly become the new favorite, constantly cracking jokes, building things, and making awesome tacos. He has a dark past, too. His mother died in a fire when he was young, and he has always felt resentment and hate against the Fates for that. But you couldn't possibly tell, with all of the constant wisecrackers he dishes out. He may be scrawny and a little too obsessed with mechanics, but in the end, he's a very lovable character. But he's the 7th wheel. He'll never be able to fit in, and that is what disturbs him a lot during the mission. Frank, the shapeshifter, the clumsy dude with the baby face. Looking at him, you wouldn't think that he's been through that much, but his mom died at war when he was small. Also, his life depends on a stick. That's what you get for being able to shapeshift like the definition of awesomeness. Annabeth is the wise girl, the tactician of the team. She ran away from her house at seven, and has constantly gotten more powerful and wiser since then. Only second to building and architecture than Leo, is able to get absorbed into the laptop Daedalus himself had given her, and like Percy, just wants to spend a quiet life with him. She's really annoyed at Hera for taking Percy away, and her resentment may be a danger to the team later. Hazel has been given a second chance at life and intends to use it to the fullest. But rescuing the world might mean dying again, and she is afraid of this. She's a brave warrior, nevertheless, with a sick cussing supersonic horse that can reach the speed of sound. Piper, the girl whose ashamed of her heritage. She never wanted to be a daughter of Aphrodite, and tries to downplay her beauty with eccentric styles. However, there's more to her story than just that. The world is at risk of ending, and everything she'd ever known and loved would be gone. And the fact that she can't exactly fight is also what she thinks makes her a misfit on her team. All she has is a charming voice, a blade that shows gruesome scenes, and a cornucopia that is hardly worthy of respect. She's afraid of failing her team, and not being able to participate the right way. And Nico, the 8th. He isn't exactly a part of their mission but he will be helping Reyna and Coach Hedge transport a mad golden statue, the Athena Parthenos, across the Atlantic, using his power of shadow travel. He's in danger of fading away, but he doesn't care what happens to him as long as he's able to save the world. Reyna, the girl that has experienced a lot of heartbreak. Hera transported Jason to the other camp without warning when she was trying to get him. And Percy turned her down when she proposed. "No demigod shall heal your heart", Aphrodite had said. And now she has to transport the Athena Parthenos across the Atlantic with Coach Hedge and Nico. But it's worth sacrificing her life to save the world. She is Roman to the core. And lastly, Coach Hedge, the violent satyr with a soft heart. His wife, a cloud nymph, is pregnant, and he is ready to save the world, no matter what comes in his way. All of these demigods (and a satyr) area brave group working to save the world together. They will do anything to save their precious world, even if it means sacrificing their lives. But will they also be able to stop the Romans in time as well as Gaea? Octavian poses a serious threat to them in addition to the Evil Mother Earth, and makes things even more difficult than anyone could have imagined. Riordan's best novel yet; it's a crackling page turner. Don't miss this one. 5/5!

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