In this sequel to The Lightning Thief (Miramax / Hyperion, 2005) , Rick Riordan is at the top of his game as he creates a fresh, funny, reader-friendly fantasy. Seventh-grader Percy Jackson and the other residents of Camp Half-Blood are facing attack by an unknown enemy. Their adversary has compromised the magical borders of this Long Island camp for the half-human offspring of Greek gods and goddesses. As in Book 1 of the series, Percy and a few fellow demigods undertake a dangerous quest, this time to the Sea of Monsters, a journey that mirrors that of Odysseus. Riordan integrates classic mythology and contemporary life masterfully, rendering a composite of the two that is often laugh-out-loud funny. Messenger god Hermes is always on his cell-phone (after a brief break for an in-person chat, his voice mail lists 60 calls and 1,038 e-mails), franchise stores are actually linked to a Hydra (cut off one head and two more instantly emerge), and Circe runs a spa where she turns men into guinea pigs (more convenient and better smelling than real pigs, and “there is always a classroom in need of a new guinea pig”). Percy Jackson’s saga will inevitably invite comparison to Harry Potter’s adventures—the school/camp setting, a powerful enemy, a trio of friends, a reluctant, but gifted, young hero. Don’t let the parallels, intentional or not, detract from the unique strength of Percy’s story and its delicious offering of action-packed plot and unorthodox exposure to classical mythology. (Ages 10–15)

After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson—a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any "normal" friends. But things don't stay quiet for long...