‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians'; ‘The Heroes of Olympus'; ‘The Kane Chronicles'; ‘Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard'; ‘Trials of Apollo'Series by Rick Riordan
(“Jackson” and “Kane,” Grades 3‒7; “Heroes,” “Magnus,” and “Trials,” Grades 5‒9)
We have appreciated these books because, in addition to being exciting adventure stories, they also have immersed our kids in the mythology of different cultures (Greek, Roman, Norse, and Egyptian), leading to really fascinating dinner-table discussions of culture, religion, geography, and power. We also appreciate that the characters represent a diversity of races, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities. And unlike many other popular kid books, Riordan is a clever and pithy writer. His lessons on mythology never feel like lessons but are weaved creatively into the fabric of the story. The action moves at a brisk pace, the characters are both admirable and relatable, and our kids regularly see connections between what happens in the books and what is going on in the world around us.