John Rocco

A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, Can we do this anonymously? Because I don't need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week. So begins Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic--and sarcastic asides--to the classics. He show more explains how the world was created, then gives readers his personal take on a who's who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus. Percy does not hold back. "If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that." This novel-sized paperback, complete with an insert of full-color illustrations by Caldecott Honoree John Rocco, is portable and friendly, and the ideal way to introduce young readers to the classic stories. Praise for Percy Jackson's Greek Gods "Percy's gift, which is no great secret, is to breathe new life into the gods. Closest attention is paid to the Olympians, but Riordan has a sure touch when it comes to fitting much into a small space-as does Rocco's artwork, which smokes and writhes on the page as if hit by lightning. . .The inevitable go-to for Percy's legions of fans who want the stories behind his stories." -Kirkus Reviews"The age-old stories are endlessly strong, resonant, and surprising, while the telling here is fresh, irreverent, and amusing. Percy's voice. . . John Rocco illustrates the myths with drama, verve, and clarity. A must-have addition to the Percy Jackson canon." -Booklist Online"Combining the sarcasm and wit of Percy Jackson with the original Greek myths is a great way to hook tweens and teens on the stories without boring them. The beautiful illustrations by John Rocco enhance each story. . ." -VOYA show less

Fun, gorgeously illustrated guide to the Greek gods, if a bit snarky for my tastes, since I'm a few decades older than this book's target demographic. (Though, given the amount of violence and implied sex in some of these stories, the book is not always for younger readers either.) And since Percy, unlike with Riordan's other books, is talking about events that happened thousands of years before he was born, it's distracting and jarring to hear him make all these references to pop culture show more and modern technology. But I suspect that if I'd read this in high school I would've been more inspired than annoyed, and getting to learn more about the Greek myths outweighed the snark factor, at least for me. show less

Have you ever endured a long power outage? Remember how you kept flipping the light switch out of habit, forgetting that it didn’t work? It’s possible that author John Rocco has never experienced the sweat and misery of a Southern summer blackout (with kids); but even so, his boldly illustrated new book offers an upbeat perspective on how power outages can bring families and neighbors together by turning off all the distractions.

A little girl living in an urban apartment building with show more her family can’t seem to find anyone to play a board game with her – until everyone’s busyness grinds to a halt with the loss of electricity. The sparse, simple-but-almost-lyrical narration and the comic-book style pictures describe the family’s adventures in shadow puppets, the “block party in the sky” that they discover when they step out onto their roof, and the goodwill neighborliness happening on the street.

Enjoy this book in the dark, with a flashlight, with all your screens and electronic sounds shut down. You may decide, like the main character, that sometimes it’s a good decision to turn everything off. show less

I liked this book better than the one about Greek Heros (Not entirely sure why). Riordin had to deal with some sensitive material in this book (Namely nonconsent) But I think he did it in a way that is okay for kids to read. Those Greek gods were crazy. Overall a good book and I would recommend it. I learned a lot. 4.5 out of 5 stars.