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Grade:

Transfiguring Adoption awarded this book 4 Hoots out of 5 based on how useful it will be for a foster/adoptive family. [Learn more about our Hoot grading system here]

From the Cover of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan:

“All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos’ army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows.

While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhoon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.”

The target audience for this book would be readers 12 and up. Just like previous installments in this series this book would be suitable to be read as a family and can be used to model many day to day situations that foster and adoptive families encounter on a daily basis. Overcoming adversity, teamwork, dealing with defeat, loss and the feel of what’s next are significant themes that are addressed in this book and younger readers may not fully grasp the levity that is being conveyed by the author. If your reader is younger, I would strongly recommend reading this book as a family so any questions that come up can be discussed when the hard hitting topics are discussed.

This is the final book in the five book Olympians series featuring Percy Jackson and it is packed with action! If your reader has already read the first four novels in this series they will devour this book because it will answer so many sought after questions and give them a jumping off point to dive into different series involving the same characters in the author’s vast library of work. Think of this novel like you do Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There is action, loss, periods of adversity, plenty of full circle moments and ends with a subtle cliffhanger that will lead your reader into a new five book series with these characters.

Before reading this book it is a great idea to look over the previous reviews for books 1 through 4 to get an idea of character development and also what characters are present throughout the series. It is important to see the change in Percy from book 1 to book 5. He goes from a troubled youth to a hero in a few short years. This change can be used to show our readers that with the right influences and attitude great changes can happen in a short time period.

** Spoilers Could Be Ahead **

How Is This Relevant To Adoption & Foster Care?

Foster and adoptive readers will love the action and pace of this novel. It reads quickly and leans into the chaos of battle. The author is great at making readers feel exactly how the characters feel. We feel pain, sadness, anxiety, joy, triumph, and relief while reading these pages. This alone is enough to foster/adopt parents to love this book and author. You can use this book to help your readers describe feelings and name them when they come up. As mentioned before this is the last book of a five-books series that features a boy with a troubled background growing into a HERO. Many of our readers have had trouble in their lives and to know that if you make the right choices you can turn things around quickly is a great reminder.

Discussion Points:

• Self Sacrifice
  Percy is put in a situation like many other main characters in other series where he has to be the hero. We all want to be hero’s when given the chance, but when push comes to shove is it really something we could do. Asking a teenager to be a savior is hard for anyone to grasp and it is ok to say that you wouldn’t be ready at 15-16 to sacrifice everything.
• Making difficult choices
  We all have to make choices or decisions daily. Sometimes the right way isn’t easy, but it is still the right thing to do. If doing the right thing was always easy no one would ever break the rules and get into trouble. Short cuts and loop holes aren’t always bad, but what are you losing by taking the easy way out. Teens may forget to appreciate other values in challenges than just quickly completing a task and need help looking around for silver-linings and opportunities.
• Living up to our fate
  The idea of fate and destiny are brought up in this book series quite often. Percy was destined to save the world or end it based on his actions. Teenagers will believe that they have one “destiny” and if it doesn’t work out the way they have planned they have failed. As caregivers we know that life can take twists and turns and still lead us to the final goal, but maybe not on our timeline. Your foster/adopted kids may be the biggest example of that. Consider who you talk about goals or fate with your reader, remind them that the journey is what is important as this will be something for your teen to consider. If we reach our end goal, but refuse to take time to appreciate the journey, what is the point?

Cautionary Points:

• There are battle scenes between Kronos’s army and the half-blood teenagers that can be intense, but not graphic.
  This is one level above cartoon violence. It is a war scene similar to the last Harry Potter book and some of the same types of battle scenes are described. The imagery used by the author isn’t graphic, but could have some emotional triggers due to the chaotic nature of a fight. The battle scenes aren’t described as gory or violent, but there is mention of lasting injuries and fatalities. The characters use swords, blades, and bows/arrows during the fight, but most of the fighting is hand to hand combat.
• The loss or perceived loss of friends or family members may be a trigger for some readers.
  Just like in other books in this series some characters may not make it to the end of the series. There is a lot of unknown danger presented where you aren’t sure if someone has died or if another group is in danger. The suspense that is built into the frenetic scenes may be too much for some readers to handle and might want to incorporate breaks.
• The intense pressure that Percy is under may be too much to handle for some readers and should be given breaks.
  This is a novel that can take a little longer to read than the others. Since it is wrapping up a series there is a lot of action and suspense built into chapters. This may lead to your reader not wanting to put the book down or it could be overwhelming. Remind them to take it slow and that taking a brain break to discuss a chapter is totally fine!

Discussion Guide:

Chapter 1

1. Have you ever been in a situation where you liked two people at the same time? How did you work through that situation?
   Caregiver Note: We open the book with Percy spending time at the beach with Rachel. He is still thinking about Annabeth, but also likes the fact that he feels comfortable around Rachel and she seems to like him too. He described Rachel as someone who is easy to talk to and someone who shares their feelings clearly unlike other people he knows. As our readers get further into Middle School and High School, they will start to have romantic thoughts and relationships. They might be confused about relationships or must choose between two or more options. Young love is a mess and it is full of drama, but we as caregivers can be the beacon of light for them. We model good relationships at home with our spouse and give our readers good examples of what a true partnership means. A true partnership isn’t 50/50 it is 100/100 and our reader might not have many good examples of that from prior homes. Keep this in mind when they start walking down this path and do your best to walk alongside while steering away from pitfalls.
2. How do you think Kronos knew that Percy was coming to his ship well in advance? Who is the spy in their ranks?
   Caregiver Note: Near the end of the chapter, Kronos lets slip that he knew the demi-gods were going to attack his ship for weeks leading up to this moment. They knew the plan and where exactly they would attack! This must mean one of two things: 1. The camp has another spy set on betraying the “good” side or 2. Kronos can now look into the future and be two steps ahead of his enemies. Odds are the first option is our choice here. Ask your reader to predict who this spy is and have them write it down. Just like in my other reviews I encourage readers to predict the future events. This helps them grow as readers, but also makes the book more interesting and engaging!

Chapter 2

• Tell me why or why not you believe Beckendorf died a hero.
  Caregiver Note: Percy is found floating in the ocean by Tyson and brought to his dad’s palace to recuperate. When he wakes up, he is told that the Princess Andromeda was blown up by Beckendorf and it appears he did not survive the explosion. Percy is guilty because once again a fellow camper died, and he survived. There are two ways to look at Beckendorf’s actions: 1. His sacrifice was heroic, and he was responsible for slowing down the advancement of Kronos and his army or 2. His sacrifice was unnecessary and didn’t do much in the grand scheme of things except hurt or kill half-bloods who were brainwashed by Kronos or Luke.  Our readers may lean to option 1, because being a hero or savior is something many readers strive to be. Past trauma may have made them feel helpless and scared, but the opportunity to be a hero could possibly make up for those past actions. Whatever their answer, please push them to explain their choice.

4. If you were Percy, would you have tried to stay and fight next to Poseidon?
   Caregiver Note: After recuperating from his injuries sustained from the explosion of the Princess Andromeda, Percy is told by Poseidon that he must return to camp to help there. Percy wants to help in the sea, but Poseidon insists he go back to the mainland to fight the battle there. Percy does follow his directions but is not pleased about it. I think our readers would react like Percy. The chance to prove themselves to a parent who was vacant in their lives for a long time may be too much temptation for them to turn down. Poseidon, being responsible for a change, did the right thing by reminding Percy of his obligations to the other people in his life. As caregivers, we are constantly tasked with making the sensible decision for our readers and having to defend those choices daily. This stems from a lack of trust from our readers and the desire to follow their gut. Both take time and patience to understand completely.
5. What do you think the Full Prophecy is?
   Caregiver Note: When Percy is leaving his father’s palace, he is told to ask Chiron to share the full prophecy with him. Poseidon is referring to the Great Prophecy which basically says that a child of the big three gods will have the power to fortify or destroy Olympus when they turn 16. Now we are told there is more to the premise of the last four books! Quiz your readers and get their imagination flowing about the rest of the prophecy. We are only in chapter 2 and we have a great chance to dig deep into the rest of this book!

Chapter 3

6. Tell me about a time you had to deliver bad news.
   Caregiver Note: Percy arrives at camp and there is excitement to see him and hear about the outcome from his attack on Kronos. Unfortunately, Percy must break the news of Beckendorf’s passing and the minimal damage they were able to inflict on Kronos during their mission. It will be interesting how your reader interprets this question and what “bad news” they had to deliver. All of our readers have been given bad news in some way or form. Being removed from a bio-parent, foster placement, adoptive placement, or a school system are very common forms of bad news. Even small consequences like chores or a timeout/in can be the end of the world causing fights with our readers and this is completely normal. This is the reason I am interested in their responses because our readers hate getting bad news, but does that mean they hate giving it? This is a question to ponder and maybe something to bring up with them to reframe a “bad news” conversation.
7. Looking back at the last four books, what spoil of war would you have kept if you were Percy? (fun question)
   Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth are in the attic of the Big House looking for the great prophecy when Percy finds the scimitar used by Kampê in the battle of the labyrinth. Keeping a trophy from a battle is common among our heroes and the Attic of the big house is where many of them are cataloged and stored. Depending on your readers memory of the series their answer could range from the Minotaur horn from book one or maybe Rachel’s hairbrush from book four! The possibilities are endless, and you should encourage your reader to have fun, but also ask them to explain their choices.
8. How would you react after hearing the full great prophecy?
   Caregiver Note: By now you and your readers must be aware of the Great Prophecy and what it means to our heroes. Basically, up to this point the whole book series is based on a child of the big three gods causing havoc in the war with Kronos during their 16th birth-year. A demi-god will have the power to shift the tide of the war to Olympus or Kronos, but now there is more to the prophecy. Not only will this demi-god have all the responsibilities, but it also mentions that the hero could be killed. This question was asked in book one, but under a different context. In that question I broke down that our readers normally fall into two groups, heroes or followers. Trauma affected readers will either jump into battle without question or hang back in the crowd hoping they aren’t seen. Both types have advantages and downfalls. Our heroes are reckless and act on nothing but impulse to hide their fear and our followers hang back taking little to no action because of the crippling fear. The “hero” may save the day or get hurt trying while the follower will be safe but tend to second guess their inaction later. What group does your reader fall in and can you ever see them switching sides? Fear is a tricky feeling to master for anyone and our readers have a lot of fear to overcome. Think of this when you see your reader challenged by something and try to either coax them out of their shell or reign them in when needed.

Chapter 4

9. What do you think Rachel’s dreams mean and are they important?
   Caregiver Note: We open the chapter with Percy seeing a vision of Rachel talking to her dad about headaches and that Percy won’t be able to join them on their trip. She is irritated with Percy, but he notices that Rachel has drawn a picture of a young boy that looks like Luke and another that appears to be the Empire State building surrounded by lightning! These dreams and headaches that Rachel is having are a major plot point and it would be interesting to see what your readers think about it. If they predict something, have them write it down and see if they were right. If they don’t navigate that path on their own, ask them what they think could be causing the headaches or bad dreams.
10. Have you ever been jealous of another person’s friendship? How did you handle yourself?
    Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth are working together to finish their daily chores as quickly and efficiently as possible. During this time Annabeth starts to bring up their relationship and Percy, being as aloof as ever, decides it is a good time to ask a question about Rachel. To sum things up, Annabeth likes Percy and Percy likes her, but Percy also likes Rachel and he is not the best at making decisions. Annabeth and Rachel tolerate each other because of shared interest, but they are far from best friends which is expected. This question should give you insight into your readers’ relationships or friendships. It may also help you to understand their maturity level depending on their answer. We have ALL done or said something dumb when jealous, but as we get older, we become more trusting and the jealousy fades. Sharing common experiences with your readers can help you bond and show them that you didn’t have it all figured out either and it takes time to develop.
11. When was the last time you called in a favor? What was the favor?
    Caregiver Note: Percy approaches Clarisse who is currently at odds with the Apollo campers over a spoil of war from a recent battle. She is so angry that she has instructed her entire cabin to stay out of any fighting until reparations have been made. Percy tries to intervene and reminds Clarisse that she owes him a favor for saving her in the Sea of Monsters. Clarisse again refuses this request and storms off. Our readers have issues with asking for help. Given their past issues and possible abuse at the hands of adults it is understandable that they wouldn’t trust people to help them or even want to ask. It is common in our house when asking for help to say, “hey can you do me a favor?” This statement models that your reader is needed, and they can be helpful without having to do a lot. I think it also helps our readers grow confidence in themselves, because since you are asking them to do something you must already believe they can do it. Simple modeling can be a great tool when raising teenage trauma affected readers. When they see or experience something it seems to stick more than just being told what to do and when to do it.

Chapter 5

12. Have you ever felt exiled?
    Percy and Juniper are trying to locate Grover and have enlisted a satyr on the high council to help them. The satyr however refuses to help because Grover has been exiled from his council. Grover shared some unsettling news with the council the previous summer about Pan, the nature god, dying and they have yet to come to terms with the news. This question might be hard for younger readers and you may have to explain what exiled means, but I am confident many of our readers have felt this more than once. Foster care is a form of exile. Your reader was removed from their home and placed in a location where they were uncomfortable and scared. If your reader has been in multiple homes before coming to yours, imagine the pain or fear that must sit on their shoulders daily. This is a question that you ask and then let them talk. Give your reader space to vent and let out whatever they have pent up. Ask follow-up questions when needed and soak in the information.
13. If you were Percy, would you blame yourself for Beckendorf’s death?
    Caregiver Note: Nico tells Percy that he spoke with Beckendorf in the Underworld, since he is a child of Hades it’s totally normal, and Beckendorf does not blame Percy for his death. Also, he is choosing to stay at Elysium instead of trying to reincarnate so he can wait for someone to join him in the Underworld. I can only imagine that this takes a big weight off Percy’s shoulders. Given his abilities and heroic exploits he may feel like he could have or should have saved Beckendorf. Our readers also may blame him for the death or hold him partially responsible. Others may see it as a personal choice to enter a dangerous situation. The answer you get will give you insight into your readers thoughts on personal responsibility. This is something you can start to hint at too. Beckendorf made a decision and knew the risk of death or injury was a possibility. Personal responsibility is hard for all young teens and some younger adults and foster/adopt readers are no different. They do not want to be at fault or at least not the only one at fault. This is a constant struggle and something that can take years to build the habitat of owning your actions.

Chapter 6

14. When was the last time you envied someone?
    Caregiver Note: Percy and Nico shadow-travelled to meet May Castellan, Luke’s mom, at her home. (**side note** ask your reader about shadow travel! It sounds fun!) Percy’s first thought about Luke’s childhood home is that it looks too good to be true. It is a small home, but it has a yard and looks “normal.” He can’t fathom why Luke would want to leave this house and is envious because he’s lived in cramped apartments or school dorms his entire life. The idea of desiring a yard to play in could be something that our readers can relate too and something that they never had until coming into care. This is something that many of us take for granted and we must remind ourselves that our readers had so little that even the trivial things to us are huge to them. The idea of having their own room or even their own bed is another common thing our readers might not have had before coming into care. Let your reader bunny trail wherever this question leads them and just listen.
15. Would you ever leave someone you love in order to save them from danger? (Potential trigger)
    Caregiver Note: While Percy and Nico are visiting with Luke’s mom, they notice that there are a few things that are off about her. She has piles of Tupperware containers filled with sandwiches, Kool Aid pitchers stacked to the ceiling and countless pans of burned cookies all around the kitchen. She also refers to both boys as Luke and appears to have something affecting her eyes. During this conversation May reveals that she can see through the mist and Luke ran away, as a third grader, to keep her safe from monsters that lurked around the home. Our readers can be very protective of those around them and will often fall on the sword to protect a treasured family, even if that family member is abusing them. Your readers may think that being adopted or even staying in foster care might be a way to make their birth parents’ lives easier. This can be a hard conversation to have because there is a lot of pain in the question but try to read between the lines and assure your reader that whatever is or was affecting their bio-parents wasn’t their fault and wasn’t something they could fix.
16. When was the last time you were surprised to have someone on your side?
    Caregiver Note: After meeting with May Castellan, Percy and Nico travel to New York to see Percy’s mom. The reason for their visit is to gain her blessing over whatever Percy is planning to do in order to fight Kronos and Luke, but she is reluctant. Percy knows that he could push her a little more, but instead he stepdad Paul speaks up and convinces Sally that Percy is acting bravely, and he shares his admiration for Percy’s actions. Having a “father figure” speak kindly about Percy isn’t something he is used to and something he’d never expect considering his dad is distant and his previous step dad was a troll, but he relishes the kindness and vows to be as safe as possible. Many of our readers may not have had one parent or the other be present in their lives much and to move into a situation with two parents can be surreal. It can also be weird to have anyone fighting for you instead of fighting with you if their past experiences were anything like a typical trauma afflicted reader. Do your best to understand your reader’s past and try not to brush off any kindness as “no big deal” because to them it is a big deal and they aren’t used to it.

Chapter 7

17. What do you think Percy is doing in the Underworld?
    Caregiver Note: Percy and Nico venture into the Underworld and they are going to something that involves the River Styx. Ask your reader this question before they finish this chapter. The first part of this book moves quickly, and they may have already deduced what Percy and Nico’s plan is, but maybe they have not picked up on the plan just yet. When they tell you what they think will happen, be sure to follow up and see if they were right. The answer to this question will be clear at the end of the next chapter and this is a good way to keep their interest and build confidence in their critical thinking skills.

Chapter 8

18. If you had to pick one spot on your body to be your weakest, what would you choose?
    Caregiver Note: Percy is going to take a dip in the River Styx! This swim, if successful, will grant him the ability to be invincible except for one weak point that tethers your soul to the mortal realm. Achilles, the great warrior in Greek History, was dipped in the river by his mother and she held him by the ankle which made his heel the weak spot. Percy chooses to wade into the river with the idea that he is being tethered with a bungee cord in the small of his back. This area will be his weak point if the act is successful. Think of your answer to this question and compare with your reader. Would you choose a foot, back of your knee, maybe an arm pit? Try to have some fun with the idea, but also challenge your reader to defend their pick. These fun questions can be helpful for our readers to start defending a choice. In the grand scheme the spot your reader picks is not important, but being able to explain and defend their choice is a great skill to master!
19. Do you think you could handle having unlimited strength and power?
    Caregiver Note: Percy emerges from the River Styx and initially appears to have been burned all over, but quickly regains his composure fast enough to defend himself and Nico against a small army gathered together by Hades. Percy lays waste to the entire group and even manages to pin Hades down with his new-found power. Many of our readers come from a background of pain, helplessness, and suffering. Some have been abused, witnessed abuse, or even been forced to be an abuser. These memories don’t go away and the feeling of being weak and helpless don’t go away either. If given the opportunity to become immortal and all powerful, I think most of our readers wouldn’t think twice no matter the cost to them. As the caregiver we must acknowledge our readers feelings of pain and helplessness, but also work to channel those feelings into positive outcomes. Maybe it’s teaching them self defense techniques that focus on discipline and respect or even allowing them to start a fitness routine to help build muscle and get stronger. There are ways for us to help our readers find their power and voice as they mature and we can grow alongside them on their journey.

Chapter 9

20. Is being a teacher or trainer different from being a leader?
    Caregiver Note: Percy has asked all the half-bloods from camp to meet him at the Empire State Building in New York, Which also happens to be the entrance to Olympus. Percy expects Chiron to lease the group of teenagers to Olympus, but Chiron tells Percy that he is their teacher and trainer, but not the leader. He continues to say that since Percy requested the gathering he is the one that should be leading the charge. This is an interesting question because on one hand you would expect these people that are in charge to be the natural leaders, but in reality it is their job to teach us how to lead. The same can be said for parents. We are the authority, but our main goal is not keeping the peace. Our goal should be helping our readers develop their voice and ability to become leaders of men and women. At some point we, like Chiron at this moment, have to take the leash off our readers and give them the ability to take the reins.
21. What was the last petty thing you did?
    Caregiver Note: As the heroes approach Olympus, Annabeth sees a statue of Hera and she expresses her extreme displeasure of the Goddess. Percy asks her what Hera has been doing and since her sacred animal is the cow she has been sending cows to San Francisco to stalk Annabeth. This is a really mundane and petty curse, but is also kind of funny. The cows may or may not hurt Annabeth, but the will for sure cause her some inconvenience. You may have to explain the meaning of petty to your readers, but I am sure they will get the idea if you bring up this story. My readers are living the pettiest life they can with each other. Having two teenage boys can be the reason and they are constantly trying to outdo each other. While their pranks or jabs are not going to cause harm they are causing damage to their relationship. As caregivers we have to caution these attitudes and explain that being this way can hurt long term relationships. The acts themselves seem benign and harmless, but over time they just become mean and breed feelings of hate. You can not expect your readers to quit being petty entirely, but you can try to push them to also do things that build up their friends or siblings too. Balance is the key to a good relationship.
22. Tell me about a time you had to sacrifice something to help someone else. (Potential Trigger)
    Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth are confronted by Hermes while on Olympus and Percy calls out Hermes for not being more present in Luke and his mom’s lives which he believes has led to this whole fiasco. This accusation angers Hermes, but also makes Hermes become sad because Percy would never know what sacrifices he had to make in order to keep Luke and May safe. Our readers are no stranger to sacrifice and suffering. Given time, each could write an entire book on things they had to sacrifice or sacrifices someone else made for them. Given the history of your readers this question could cause them to clam up because these topics are hard to talk about. Maybe your reader willingly took the abuse for a sibling, or maybe they had to choose to separate from their siblings in order to allow them to be adopted. These sacrifices can be tough and are things that many adults have never had to live with. Now try being a 12 or 13 year old and having this pain and weight on your back. Sit back and listen to your reader allow them to process and take the time they need for this question.

Chapter 10

23. If plan 23 were actually a thing, what statue would you activate first?
    Caregiver Note: Annabeth is told to activate plan 23 by her mom Athena, this means that she uses a series of commands to bring the statues in NYC to life and hope that they fight on their side in the coming war. Depending on where you live and what statues are around or where you have vacationed will determine your reader’s answer. Will they go big and get the Statue of Liberty or maybe a cool statue of a cat they really like in a nearby park? Have fun with this question because the book is getting darker and more ominous as we progress. These “fun questions” are a gentle reminder to see light in the darkness and that the practice can be used in everyday life. When battling a particular dark topic or if there is a tense air surrounding your family it is nice to be able to share a laugh or smile to remind ourselves that we are in this together and no matter the outcome we are here for each other.
24. If you were Percy, would you save New York or would you try to save your friends and family?
    Caregiver Note: By this point it is safe to assume that Kronos is attacking NYC and the Gods are out trying to fight Typhoon leaving the city of Manhattan to be defended by 40 or so Demi-gods. Percy being the one in charge now has to coordinate a battle plan and implement it on the fly or he can run away. So we all know that the hero isn’t going to run away, but if given the chance would your reader turn tail and take off. It would be common for trauma affected readers to lean toward self-preservation and do whatever they can to save themselves and those closest to them. While some of our readers would relish the challenge to fight for others and defend against evil! Where does your reader fit in? If their response surprises you try asking follow up questions to understand why they made the choices they did.

Chapter 11

25. Have you ever been over confident? What did you do and how did it end?
    Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth arrive just in time to help the Apollo Cabin defeat the Minotaur and push back a great portion of the monster force threatening the city for this bridge. Just as the battle is ending Kronos appears and starts to advance on Percy and his group of Demi-gods. Percy, being invincible, decides he will lead the attack head on and runs into the fray. During the fight Percy is nearly wounded by a blade, but Annabeth saves him from a deadly blow to his back by throwing herself in front of the attacker and being wounded. Our readers, like many teenagers, can teeter between overconfidence and a lack of confidence in a snap. When they are feeling confident, there is nothing that can stop them and they are invincible, but also tend to not think of the consequences of their actions. When the readers are overly cautious they are hard to be talked into anything and have given up well before attempting the act. For a caregiver the key is to try and help your reader find a middle ground. Being cautiously confident isn’t a bad thing. It shows that you are able to do some things, but also know your limits. The key is to be able to push those limits safely and grow your confidence. This doesn’t mean that your reader won’t try to “send it” every so often and it doesn’t mean that they will never lock up because of fear. The goal is that those events are the abnormalities not the rule.

Chapter 12

26. Who is the one person you would trust to know your weak spot? Why?
    Caregiver Note: Annabeth saves Percy during a battle by protecting his back during a battle. She takes a direct blow from an attacker but protects Percy from what could have been a fatal blow. When Percy is finally able to see Annabeth, he shares that the small of his back is the weak point in his armor. He is not supposed to share this information with anyone since it is the only way he can be killed. This question can be helpful to you as the caregiver, because it gives you the insight to know who your reader’s confidant is. This information can be used to help them cope with some feelings they might not feel you can understand and can also give you an idea of the sounding board they have in their life. If the confidant isn’t someone you’d deem as trustworthy it can raise flags and, on the flipside, it can be assuring to know that your reader has chosen someone who can be a good influence. (With most of my questions the “Why” follow up is implied, but with this one I encourage you to really get an answer to why your reader picked this person to trust.)
27. After reading about what happened to Nico’s mother, is your opinion of the gods better or worse?
    Caregiver Note: Percy sees the past and gets an idea about what happened to Nico and Bianca’s mother at the height of World War II. Hades is seen pleading with their mother trying to get her to come to the underworld with him to keep her and the children safe. She refuses and is ultimately killed by Zeus because Hades had defied an order to turnover his children to Camp Half-Blood. If you haven’t been made aware in the last four books, the gods are terrible. They are murderous, vengeful, jealous, vile, self-centered and just bad eggs all around. Your reader may not be surprised by this turn of events since the gods have done many deplorable things in this book, but it would be interesting if they were able to give them the benefit of the doubt or see why they act so terribly. Someone could point out that Zeus did what he did to prevent another major war or catastrophe caused by a child of the big three. Others can point that even if it was a means to an end there is no excuse to harm someone else out of fear. Prod your readers into sharing their opinions.

Chapter 13

28. Have you ever refused to back down from a fight?
    Caregiver Note: Percy is asked to speak with a titan on behalf of Kronos to discuss bringing a truce to the war. Percy is not willing to lay down his weapons and give in to Kronos even though it is a fight he is most likely going to lose. Sometimes as caregivers we give our readers easy out decisions. My favorite phrase might be “do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?” This gives them the choice knowing that I am willing to continue the argument, but in the end, they may not get the outcome they are hoping for. At this point my readers know they have 2 choices. They can drop the fight or press on. Most of the time they drop it and we move on, but sometimes they are entrenched and want to argue. I engage this argument for two reasons, 1. They are passionate about their argument and feel the need to fight for what they believe is right, and 2. Having these discussions helps them build cognitive thinking skills that can be used later in life. Disagreements are not bad, and we need to teach our readers with a trauma background that you can disagree with someone without fear of physical or emotional abuse. My only advice is to make sure ground rules of mutual respect are laid out clearly and don’t throw mud at each other.

Chapter 14

29. How much of our actions are caused by the things other people did to us? (Potential Caution Point)
    Caregiver Note: Percy and Thalia are discussing Luke and his upbringing. They are arguing that because Hermes, Luke’s father, wasn’t present in his life Luke was destined to make bad choices when given the opportunity. Percy argues that if Hermes had been there for Luke the current situation could have been different. Thalia argues that Luke’s choices are his own and have no bearing on what Hermes did or didn’t do. Proceed with caution knowing this question could result in an explosion. Some readers with trauma backgrounds may blame many or all their issues on the bio-parents’ actions during their early years. It is common for our readers to shed the blame of their choices to anyone else and they may side with Percy in this debate. Had their parents been more present, treated them better, or cared for them their lives could have been different. While a lot of that is true it doesn’t totally absolve them of any consequence for their actions. As our readers get older, we must instill a feeling of personal responsibility in them. We, as caregivers, can not allow them to shed blame to others without acknowledging their part. This is a hard habit to break and something that takes a lot of time and therapy, but our readers are not broken. They can handle the hard work that it will take to make this monumental change.
30. What happened to May Castellan? Could you have tried to do what she did?
    Caregiver Note: Percy has another dream that explains what happened to Luke’s mom. It turns out that May heard the story of the Oracle and decided to try to host the spirit inside of her. This hadn’t been done since the Oracle was cursed by Hades and hasn’t been attempted since. Long story short, it didn’t work and explains why May has visions of the prophecy and has trouble controlling her mind at times too. The risk taken by May is one that I know I wouldn’t have been able to take. She tried to take on the force of the Oracle without understanding the consequences of the action fully. She knew that if she succeeded, she wouldn’t be able to see Hermes again and it may impact the way she would be able to raise Luke for the future.  Still she pressed on and tried to do something that hadn’t been done in many years. This thought pattern does remind me of our readers. Many times, like other teenagers their age they want to experience something for themselves. They don’t want to hear about how you felt or what anyone did. They want to do the thing and find out how it feels for themselves. I think our readers are sometimes more curious than their peers because they grew up more sheltered from normal things. The best we can do as caregivers is educate and be there if the action goes terribly wrong or unbelievably right.
31. Tell me about a time when you were the leader of a large group of people. How did you do?
    Caregiver Note: The second battle has begun, and Percy is once again leading the charge. With the invulnerability from the River Styx he can take on all foes and lead the group of heroes against Kronos and his army. As a leader, Percy takes on the biggest foe every time and just asks his cohorts to hold the line while he handles the heavy lifting. Leaders come in all sizes, shapes, backgrounds, and ages and it is important that we as caregivers tell our readers that they can lead those around them just by doing the right thing. We can do this by simply telling them or by being an example of doing what is right. I also believe while we teach our readers to lead, we also need to teach them that failure is just as important. I believe that our readers can set unrealistic expectations that they must never fail. As caregivers we know that we fail everyday and failure brings understanding.

Chapter 15

32. When was the last time you had to stand up to a friend? Did it go well?
    Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth are strategizing about how to continue the battle against Kronos, but also trying to reconcile how they are going to fight Luke, who Kronos is currently inhabiting. Percy is concerned that given the relationship between Luke and Annabeth, she may not be able to confront him in battle. Annabeth has those concerns too, but also knows that she will be fighting Kronos, not Luke and is less concerned about the prospect of facing him down. Standing up against people who like our readers is extremely difficult. Teenagers want to be accepted and are not fans of rocking the boat. Standing up to a friend is a huge risk because it puts you on an island and you may lose your relationship. However, it could also strengthen a relationship if the other party is receptive. No matter the outcome our readers need to feel empowered to speak the truth and deal with the consequences of that truth. This might mean losing friends, but if they are not handling themselves in the right way the relationship might not be worth having in the first place.
33. Tell me about a time when a bad situation was made 10 times worse.
    Caregiver Note: Percy is suddenly transported to a birthday party by Mr. D. Since Mr. D is the god of wine, he is also invoked when parties are established which is the reason for the odd meeting pace. Mr. D is well aware of the troubles the heroes are facing in NYC and has some information that will make matters worse. If Kronos and his army succeed, the world as we know it will cease to exist. Since the gods are tied to western culture if they are defeated or Olympus falls our culture will fall as well. So now instead of just trying to save NYC and his friends from Kronos, Percy now has the weight of the whole world on his back. Bad news can sometimes follow us around like a puppy. Just when we think we’ve gotten away it sticks its head around the corner and comes bounding up to meet us again. Our readers, like many their age, have a hard time dealing with bad news or unfulfilled expectations. If you then pile on with more bad stuff then they can become harder to deal with and sometimes just give up. As adults we do this too and are not immune to wallowing in our own pity party at times. The key here is to teach our reader, and ourselves, to find a positive aspect of their current situation. Sure, life may suck at this very moment, but what is one good thing that happened today? Positivity is contagious and can help us replace bad ideas or situations quickly. Keeping a positive outlook on life, even in the bleakest of moments, is a skill that we all need to sharpen every day.

Chapter 16

34. Tell me about a time when you had to do something nice for someone who didn’t deserve it.
    Caregiver Note: Nico is desperately trying to convince Hades to join in the fight against Kronos with the gods. Hades is reluctant to help because he never felt included at Olympus and he is carrying a significant grudge over the events that led to the death of Nico’s mother. Like Hades, our readers carry a lot of baggage with them everywhere they go. This baggage will sometimes prevent them from doing things for people because prior experiences were not something they want to relive. As caregivers we must push our readers that we must be able to live our lives in the present and not the past. We are not asking our readers to forget the past, but we are asking them to consider that the person who needs help may be different than they were before or that the current situation is different from their experience. Living life while still focused on the past will prevent anyone from advancing or growing into a better, more well-rounded person. My goal is to acknowledge the past, agree that it was less than ideal, find a reason that this time is different from prior experience, and lastly follow up after the act is performed to gain insight if my reader has taken steps to move on from the prior event.
35. What Is the bravest, or stupidest thing, you have ever done? What did you learn?
    Caregiver Note: Near the end of this chapter we see Clarisse and her Ares cabin mates descend on NYC to help in the fight. The Ares cabin had vowed to sit this one out because of a disagreement about spoils of war and they had kept their promise up until this moment. During the fight it appears that Clarisse is injured by a monster, but the person wearing Clarisse’s armor is taller and thinner. Out of nowhere, the actual Clarisse shows up, defeats the monster and goes to the aid of Silena Beauregard who was impersonating her. If your readers are over the age of 12 it is safe to assume that they have done something that was reckless, unplanned and just dumb. I would love to tell you that this is a one-time occurrence and they will gain insight and be enlightened, but in all honesty it will get worse. The best thing to take away from this question is the follow-up one that needs to be asked. We all do really dumb things all the time, but if we learn something from them it can be looked at as a win.

Chapter 17

36. Tell me about a time you redeemed yourself.
    Caregiver Note: It is discovered that Silena stole Clarisse’s armor so she could lead the Ares cabin into battle. Knowing that the cabin mates would only follow Clarisse she made a calculated decision to plunge herself into a dangerous situation and lost her life because of it. Just before she passed away she came clean as the spy in the Demi-gods’ ranks. She agreed to help Luke to help prevent the loss of life of her fellow campers and couldn’t get away because she feared being outed amongst her friends. Her final act was that of redemption and is it agreed that she died a hero even after her betrayal. It is likely that your readers have done something to themselves or someone else that they feel like redemption is needed. Maybe they hurt someone or themselves, maybe they told lies, stole, or treated someone terribly. Being redeemed or given grace when we do terrible things can help heal wounds we didn’t know we had. As caregivers, we must also remind our readers that even after grace is given the reader must still live with their memories and those that were hurt won’t forget either. Changing your behavior is a long process and it is not easy. It can happen though and people will eventually forget your transgressions if you make the effort to change your behavior. Readers with trauma may have a hard time understanding this concept. They grew up in a home or situation that if an act was apologized for it should be forgiven and never spoke of again. Their prior caregiver or abuser may have apologized many times for terrible acts, but never changed. This is a learned behavior and as much as it sucks to remind someone of their past actions it is necessary to help them begin to change.
37. When was the last time you saw someone’s “True Colors”? What did they do?
    Caregiver Note: Annabeth is distraught by the passing of Silena and learning about how she was used by Luke to spy on the camp, leading to the loss of many lives and the destruction of many things Annabeth loves. In her grief, she lashes out at Percy hoping that he is happy that she finally saw Luke for who he is now. Obviously Percy isn’t happy that it took death, chaos and destruction for Annabeth to see the real or current state Luke is in, but he doesn’t fight her in her state of brokenness. Our readers have been let down plenty of times. If your reader spent time in the foster system, you can assume that it has happened more times than they could count. At the same time our readers want to trust people around them are safe and will provide for them. Sometimes it takes a terrible act for them to understand that this person isn’t who they thought they were and that is heartbreaking. This question could involve many people over the course of time and that is okay. Let your reader work out their grief, this may be the first time they have vocalized it and getting it out can be enough to know that they aren’t carrying that grief alone anymore.

Chapter 18

38. Have you ever had to stand up for what was right?
    Caregiver Note: The last battle has begun and Kronos is advancing toward the Empire State Building and Olympus. His army is poised to take out Olympus and win the fight, but Nico along with Hades is leading another attack on Kronos. Hades was finally convinced by Nico to enter the fight and help defend his home against his father. Even though he routinely disagrees with his siblings he can agree that their father is one of the worst. If your reader has siblings with shared experiences of trauma they may relate to this sentiment. Sometimes they may not like their siblings, but their bio-parent might have been a worse adversary at times. Standing up to someone with this much authority takes bravery and courage. Imagine living in fear of a person for years and finally speaking for yourself or someone else close to you. The fear you must overcome to say what you mean and possibly be willing to take up arms against this authority is remarkable. (Note: make sure you specify that speaking up for yourself is different from abject defiance. Standing up for what is right is much different than questioning authority. This is something that many teens need to learn and it’s a hard lesson to teach.) As a caregiver we need to empower our readers to be bold, but do it in a respectful way. If our readers are bold and contemptuous they may be viewed as a problem and their message falls on deaf ears. However, if the reader is defiant and explains why their views are different than those in charge they may gain more ground.

Chapter 19

39. Tell me why you think Luke made the decision to become Kronos.
    Caregiver Note: This question is more of a lead up to my next question, but it does need to be asked. We are near the end of the book and this portion of the series and we have learned a lot about Luke, the Demi-gods, the gods, and the titans. The simple answer is that Luke felt forgotten or left behind by his godly father. Another less common reason should be that Luke was the leader of Cabin 11. This is where the unclaimed campers and the children of Hermes resided every summer. So for years Luke had to see multiple campers go unclaimed or be claimed by lesser gods with no cabins so they were forced to live with the children of Hermes. That amount of pain can wear on a person overtime and being the leader of the cabin Luke would see and feel it everyday. He legitimately hated the gods and had a good reason to hate them. Now that we have come to the end of Luke’s fate it will be nice to reflect on his journey over the last five books and get an idea of the person he really was.
40. Do you believe that a person can be fully redeemed?
    Caregiver Note: Nearing the end of the battle with Kronos, Luke gains some control from inside the titan and is able to fight him alongside Percy and Annabeth. Annabeth reminds Luke that he promised to never hurt her and he finally begs Percy to give him a knife so he can end the fight. Percy gives the blade to Luke, showing an incredible amount of trust, and Luke stabs his body in the weak spot he determined when bathing in the River Styx. Luke ends the battle by defeating Kronos and is determined to have died a hero. Even after this heroic end, it is interesting to know if your reader agrees that Luke is a hero. After they answer this question, you can try to take it one step further and dig a little deeper into their life. Maybe a good friend betrayed them, a family member caused them a great amount of pain, or a bio-parent made them endure countless bouts of abuse. Ask them if those people can be fully redeemed. Choose the person or people based on your readers maturity and understand that you don’t want to go too deep to cause a shut down. The basis of these hard questions is to allow them to open up slowly and be able to develop a confident voice when talking about the hard stuff. Also be fully aware that this question may cause some ripples and unearth some forgotten trauma. If that happens allow your reader to work though this and possibly share the findings and fall out with a counselor if your reader regularly sees someone.

Chapter 20

41. What would you want as a gift from the gods?
    Caregiver Note: All the heroes that participated in the defense of Olympus are given gifts to show appreciation for their sacrifice and bravery! Annabeth is made chief architect of Olympus, Tyson is made a General and given command over the legion of Cyclops, and Grover is given a seat on the Council of the Cloven Elders. Our readers like gifts. Ok, most people like gifts, but the readers who have been in foster care may enjoy gifts more than average. This could be because they didn’t receive many gifts from their bio-parents or they never really got what they wanted. Birthdays and Christmases are a big deal because our readers get to be celebrated and shown love through tangible things. Challenge your reader to explain their answer and give you some good reasons for the gift they chose.
42. Tell me about a time when you were selfless.
    Caregiver Note: Percy is given the opportunity to receive the greatest gift the gods can bestow on a mortal. They offer him a reasonable gift and assume that he will choose to become a god. This is something that they can do and it would mean that Percy would be immortal and powerful. Percy has a different idea for his gift from the gods. His choice is that the gods no longer allow Demi-gods to remain unclaimed and that each of the minor gods also have a cabin located at camp half-blood. He wants to end the feelings of being forgotten and lost by a parent among our heroes and wants to prevent another uprising because Demi-gods are angry with their godly parents. You may have to explain what selfless means, but if you use it in context with Percy choosing to help his fellow Demi-gods instead of himself. Selflessness isn’t something that comes natural to a teenager and it is a trait that we hope will be learned as we mature, but sometimes it doesn’t happen. It is imperative that your readers see you model this behavior in your life by caring for others, speaking out against the wrongs of this world, and be willing to sacrifice your pride to defend others. The world we live in can be a dark and lonesome place, but we can help bring light and change it one day at a time.

Chapter 21

43. Do you believe in fate? Why or why not?
    Caregiver Note: Percy notices Hermes standing by himself and decides to strike up a conversation with him. His main intent was to apologize for believing Hermes was a terrible father for not saving Luke or intervening in the recent affairs of his wayward son. Percy now understands that Hermes knew Luke’s fate, the good and the bad, and he couldn’t have intervened or may have caused bigger problems. We all have a destiny or a fate and most of the time we do not know the plan. If your family believes in a higher power most of them speak of a plan for all of us. This is similar to the fate the gods have mentioned throughout this book. The plans for us have been laid and we must travel down those paths until we reach the end, but not spoilers along the way. Our readers, also like many other teenagers, do not like the unexpected. Expectations breed comfort and safety, but our lives can not be 100% safe and comfortable or we’d never really live. We all have plans to prosper and plans to suffer, life is a balance and our hope is the good outweighs the bad. If your reader has a strong faith background then the notion of fate is something they may be aware of. If your family doesn’t have a faith background, read more on destiny and what great philosophers talk about our future.

Chapter 22

44. What is the best way to travel: Pegasus or Hippocampi?
    Caregiver Note: This is just a fun question based on the events early in this chapter. Rachel convinces Blackjack, Percy’s Pegasus, to give her a ride to Camp Half-Blood from NYC. Percy has to convince Rainbow, Tyson’s Hippocampi friend, to give him, Annabeth and Nico a ride to camp to stop Rachel from doing something terrible. Basically the choice is to fly or take a boat, both sound fun, but come with their own issues.
45. What did Rachel do? Who is she now? Would you have taken such a risk?
    Caregiver Note: So Percy, Annabeth, and Nico were too late to stop Rachel from beginning her personal quest of becoming the next oracle! This is a huge step for her because it hasn’t been done since the mid-1940’s and anyone who tried, including Luke’s mom, suffered a terrible fate due to a curse placed by Hades. Luckily the transition worked and she is now the Oracle of Delphi. Rachel can now give quests, lament prophecies, and see glimpses of what is to come in the world. As mentioned before our readers can be adventurous or very safe depending on the day or even the hour. Sometimes they can take on the world, other times they don’t want to leave their blankets. It is interesting to ask similar questions to put them into the characters shoes. Hopefully none of your readers will defeat the Minotaur, be possessed by future-telling spirits, or have friends who are half goat (although you may wonder), but it is fun to wonder how they think they might react to a similar situation.

Chapter 23

46. How do you imagine your life will be different in a year? In 3 years?
    Caregiver Note: Camp got extended an extra two weeks. (Basically every kid’s dream growing up!) The time was spent catching up and also cleaning up from the battles fought. Also new and unclaimed campers were joining their ranks daily. New cabins were being erected and life was moving forward. Grover tells Percy he will be gone more often, Rachel is going to an all girls private school, and Annabeth is shifting focus on designing cabins and helping rebuild Olympus! As we grow older life tends to move quicker. One day you are in middle school and just like that you are graduating and going to college or starting to find your path in the world. It is always a good idea as caregivers to challenge our readers to think ahead. These plans won’t always come to fruition, but it is good to know that our readers have a plan and know what it will take to get there. Plus if you know you can help guide them along the path and remind them that the short term sacrifice will lead to a long term reward. The future is scary to a young teenager, but if they know they have a solid foundation to help them along the way it can be less daunting.
47. Where do you think Percy’s story goes from here?
    Caregiver Note: Rachel was able to deliver the next Great Prophecy near the end of this statement and while this troubled Percy, he was comforted by his friends. Basically they told him not to worry since the last great prophecy took roughly 60-70 years to come to fruition. This is a great way to end the book because who doesn’t love a cliffhanger! There is another five-book series that picks up with this one and includes more heroes too! Let your reader’s imagination fly and see how excited they get. Maybe then let them know about the next series! My goal with these reviews and discussions would be to get more kids excited to read! These novels are fun, exciting, and easy to read that can be a jumping off point to a lifetime of reading!

48. Did you enjoy this series? Did it end like you thought? How would you change the ending?
Caregiver Note: Reflection time! I think it is a great idea to reflect after finishing a book, movie, video game, or even a board game with your readers. Ask them if they liked it and if they could change anything what would they change. This not only helps with their imagination, but also with forward thinking and reflection. These are skills that foster and adopt readers can sometimes develop late and these questions and scenarios help them define those skills.

About the Author: Steve Madole

I am an adoptive dad of three boys living near Grand Rapids, MI with my wife, our cats and dog. We also fostered many other children in the last 5 years! I have done many trainings with the Dr. Karen Purvis Institute and try to keep up on different trauma training’s monthly. My whole family nerds out on comic books, video games, movies and regular books! We often read a lot of the same comics and books which can lead to some awesome conversations!

**Transfiguring Adoption is a nonprofit organization seeking to nurture growth in foster and adoptive families by giving a HOOT about their families. Transfiguring Adoption does not intend for its reviewers nor its review to be professional, medical or legal advice. These reviews and discussion guides are intended to help parents to better be able to connect and understand their children who come from traumatic backgrounds.