Mary-Jane Knight

This code-cracking book lets kids take part of an adventure while learning some non-fiction facts about the lost city of Atlantis. The main character, Amy James, explorer, asks for the reader’s help to put together clues to find out what happened to Atlantis. Amy hides away on the Neptune, a ship in 1885, to find the lost city. When Amy gets caught, she and the captain realize that their same goal might lead them to the lost city. They explore many places and think they found the lost show more ruins, but a storm prevents them from too much exploration of their discovery. Along the way, there is lots of information on the story of Atlantis, underwater exploration, ships during the late 1800s, sea exploration, legends of Crete, and other non-fiction information.

This book allows kids to interact with the book and to put their minds to work at solving the codes and puzzles involved in the story. It seems odd that the book ends with finding Atlantis and not being able to explore it. Even though it says they plan to come back and look at it more later, it makes it feel anticlimactic, although it could possibly be explained by the book being historical and it wouldn’t work with our historical narrative if they had actually discovered and been able to explore the city. Kids who are fans of history, codes, and puzzles will enjoy being part of an adventure even though the story itself isn’t as exciting as it could be. show less

I love Rick Riordan's writing style and characterization. I have always enjoyed mythology and he does a great job of bring any and all mytholgy to life in a fresh and new way. I find the characters to be engaging and to feel really real. His characters feel fresh and diverse without feeling like he makes them diverse just to have diversity. He does not belabor the point of their diversity it just is a fact of who they are and yet anyone who reads his books can feel included in show more representation. I love how he weaves the mythology into modern times so you feel like you are learning something as you are being entertained. show less

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide is a colorful, interactive companion book that gives readers a fun, easy-to-understand look into Percy Jackson’s world. Designed like a handbook for demigods, it includes character profiles, monster descriptions, maps, timelines, trivia, and behind-the-scenes details from the series. The layout is highly visual, featuring illustrations, diagrams, and lift-the-flap elements that make the book engaging for all ages.

This guide works show more especially well for fans who want to deepen their understanding of Camp Half-Blood, the gods, cabins, prophecies, and major events from the first five Percy Jackson books. It’s not a novel and doesn’t add major new plot points, but it enriches the reading experience with extra mythology details and fun facts.

Entertaining, informative, and perfect for browsing, The Ultimate Guide is an excellent companion for Percy Jackson readers, especially younger fans or anyone who loves world-building extras. show less

I love Rick Riordan's writing style and characterization. I have always enjoyed mythology and he does a great job of bring any and all mytholgy to life in a fresh and new way. I find the characters to be engaging and to feel really real. His characters feel fresh and diverse without feeling like he makes them diverse just to have diversity. He does not belabor the point of their diversity it just is a fact of who they are and yet anyone who reads his books can feel included in show more representation. I love how he weaves the mythology into modern times so you feel like you are learning something as you are being entertained. show less