Books to Read If You Love Percy Jackson

If you love Percy Jackson books check out these!

So you have already read all five books of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. You breezed through the five Heroes of Olympus books. The trilogy of Magnus Chase was a piece of cake to read. You got sucked into The Trials of Apollo and read some of the supplemental books but you still want more tales of gods and heroes! Ok, I forgot you also read the Kane Chronicles and its stories of Egyptian mythology.

Where do you go from here?

Harry Potter? Been there done that.

Luckily, in the last couple of years. Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan has been working with a diverse group of authors to help provide an endless selection of Percy Jackson-like god and heroes style books that appeal to middle grade readers. Rick Riordan writes:

“Our goal is to publish great middle grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage. Over the years, I’ve gotten many questions from my fans about whether I might write about various world mythologies, but in most cases, I knew I wasn’t the best person to write those books.”

Many of the new titles and series that fit under the “Rick Riordan Presents” umbrella are inspired by sacred legends and folklore that have not normally seen on middle grade sci-fi/fantasy shelves. The new titles have been part of a move towards greater cultural diversity in middle grade fiction. These titles are not only fun adventure stories but also give us a chance to learn some about the cultural backgrounds of heroes in these stories.

Here are some fun Rick Riordan Presents titles that you can get at your Fresno County Public Library branch:

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (Tristan Strong #1) by Kwame Mbalia

Seventh-grader Tristan Strong is grieving over the loss of his best friend died in a bus accident. The only thing he has left of his best friend Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. While staying at his grandparents’ farm a sticky creature appears and steals Eddie’s journal. Tristan chases the creature only to find himself accidentally transported to another world called MidPass where monsters are hunting the people of our world. This novel weaves together Western African mythology and African-American folklore to create a modern tale for middle grade fantasy fans.

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe (Sal and Gabi #1) by Carlos Hernandez

Sal is an inspiring magician whose talent goes beyond the normal sleight of hand. Gabi is out to prove that Sal planted a raw chicken in her friend’s locker even though nobody saw anything. Gabi begins to discover that Sal’s magical talent is greater than making raw chicken appear and disappear. This adventure with Cuban influences reaches beyond space and time and the consequences of those who try to manipulate it. Winner of the 2020 Pura Belpre Award for best Latino/Latina writer whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava #1) by Roshani Chokshi

Middle grader Aru Shah is struggling to fit in with her wealthy classmates so she stretches the truth. When not at school she is helping her mother at the Museum of Ancient Indian Art. When some of her classmates test one of Aru Shah’s tall tales and confront her at the museum. Unfortunately, a fib about a cursed lamp turns out to be true releasing the Sleeper an ancient demon who is tasked with the God of Destruction. Aru must stop the demon by finding the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers who are the protagonists of the Hindu epic poem Mahabharata.

--Guest Post by Mr. Eric