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Grade:

Transfiguring Adoption awarded this book 5 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 Sea Of Monsters by Rick Riordan:

“When Thalia’s tree is mysteriously poisoned, the magical borders of Camp Half-Blood begin to fail. Now Percy and his friends have just days to find the only magic item powerful to save the camp before it is overrun by monsters. The catch: they must sail into the Sea of Monsters to find it. Along the way, Percy must stage a daring rescue operation to save his old friend Grover, and he learns a terrible secret about his own family, which makes him question whether being the son of Poseidon is an honor or a curse.”

This book would be great for all families with adventurous readers ages 10 and up. Both boys and girls would be about to identify with the strong main characters and would be engaged with the fast-moving story line. Foster and adoptive parents can use this book (and series) as a bridge to encourage young readers. The story is fun, relatable and leads into good conversation topics without a lot of work.

After a stellar first book, the author has once again delivered a gem to young readers. The second book in the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series keeps the same lighthearted tone as book 1, but once again does not shy away from hard topics. Some of the topics you and your reader will see in this book are jealousy, betrayal, close mindedness, step-sibling dynamics, and stereotyping. While these topics are woven into the text a young adult reader may not pick up on them quickly. The author does a great job at mixing these heavy topics in subtly so casual readers may not notice them. As a dad of preteen boys, I love that I can talk to them about these situations and hear their ideas or thoughts without seemingly going into a deep discussion. The reader just thinks you are talking about the book, but you are helping them identify real-life issues they might see every day.

It is important for your reader to pay attention to the relationships between the main characters and how they are continuing to evolve. Encourage them to dive in a prepare to immerse themselves into the wild adventure that is The Sea of Monsters!

** Spoilers Could Be Ahead **

How Is This Relevant To Adoption & Foster Care?

Foster and adopted readers will identify with Percy and his goal to have a “perfect” family with his mom and dad. By the end of the book Percy gets what he wanted, but not what he expected. I think that foster and adopted readers can relate to this because what we want is not always what is best for us. Another topic that would relate to foster and adopted readers is how being different is treated among the demigods. It is interesting to see how they treat those who are different in the beginning of the book and how those some characters are treated at the end of the book. This shift could hit home for readers who look different than their current peers. Sometimes adopted and foster kids don’t feel like they fit in and they can be treated differently, but it only takes one person to change that.

Discussion Points:

• Discrimination/Racism
  Tyson is a cyclops and he is treated like a second class citizen by many characters in the book. Tyson is not bright but he is full of kindness and care for his friends and fellow campers. He knows he is different, but just wants to fit in and be with friends. Near the end of the book Tyson is treated more like a valued member of his quest and he is no longer treated poorly by the main characters. Our readers who are in mixed-race households or those with disabilities might relate to Tyson and his feelings of seclusion and overt hatred for something he had nothing to do with.
• Seeking and Accepting Help
  Grover is in trouble and finds that he is able to telepathically communicate with Percy through an empathy link. This comes in handy and he is able to ask Percy for help! Percy leaves camp and travel to the Bermuda Triangle to help save him and save the camp. Many of our readers have a hard time maintaining friendships or growing friendships into a more life long relationship so this could be a hard topic for them. If they have a friend who fits this category ask them how far they would be wiling to go to help them. Percy and Annabeth also come to the aid of Clarisse, which is very unexpected because up to this point she had not been a good friend to Percy and he caused some issues with her dad Ares. Many of our readers have someone or multiple people they think would not help them, but how would they respond if they did?
• Good Vs. Evil
  A common theme in all these books and books in this genre is that good normally wins out over evil. The good side may take losses, but they normally win in the long fought war in the end. Given our reader’s history and they might not feel like the good side always wins. It is normal to feel this way and we, as caregivers, need to help them lean into those feelings and show them that good can win more than evil.

Cautionary Points:

• Situations involving racism and closed mindedness
  Throughout this book Tyson is treated poorly by many of the characters because he is different. The negative treatment is derived from fear and stereotypes, but this is something that some of our readers may encounter daily. Being placed in a situation where you look different can be stressful, but to combine that with negative stereotypes can make the living situation unbearable. Something to point out to your readers is how Percy treats Tyson like he is not different and shows him the same love and compassion anyone else deserves.
• Abuse and neglect by a parent.
  Tantalus is a bad guy and he took out his frustration of the gods on his children. After stealing ambrosia and nectar from the gods he was banned from Olympus and ridiculed by his children for his acts of deceit. To seek revenge on all parties Tantalus invited the gods to dinner and served them a meal that was made from the flesh of his children. This level of abuse is rarely seen in our world, but this is an example that evil can exist anywhere. This is a part of the book that could stir up feelings in readers who have been abused or mistreated by bio-parents or other caregivers. Tread lightly and let your reader take the conversation where they want it to go. Assure them that their feelings are valid and they are safe with you.
• Being made to feel like a “traitor to your own kind”
  Tyson again is made to feel like he is betraying his “kind” by helping the half-bloods with their quest by another cyclops. This is a feeling that can arise in a mixed-race family quite frequently. Readers who are not the same race as their care givers may be made to feel like they gave up on “their people” because of who they were placed with. It is a common problem and something that needs to be addressed with your readers as well as making sure they do not lose their culture.
• Having to deal with loss and separation
  Grover is gone for a great portion of this book and he needs help. This is partially why the quest even takes place- in order to go and save him. Percy is worried about his friend and will do anything he can to help save him. Annabeth is dealing with the loss of her friendship with Luke as he continues to slide further and further to the bad side. Loss and separation anxiety go hand in hand for our readers. Many of them haven experienced a version of loss in their life and many of them experience many forms of loss frequently. It is important that caregivers recognize the feelings of loss and validate them when ever possible. It is a natural thing to desire closeness and friendship and to be upset when those things are snatched away.

Discussion Guide:

Chapter 1

1. Do you think the opening sequence of this chapter was a dream or was it something else?
   Caregiver Note: The chapter starts with Percy observing a frantic Grover running away from something big and smelly. Grover is frazzled and looking to hide from whatever is chasing him. Percy not only is watching this scene play out, but he can also feel Grover’s panic and smell the thing chasing him.

2. Why is Percy’s mom so excited about his last day of school?
Caregiver Note: This would mark the first time EVER that Percy has potentially made it through a school year without being expelled or causing a significant issue. It’s a big difference for him and his mom is very proud of the work he has put in this year. As a parent of an adoptive/foster student I am sure you can only imagine the day that you will go A WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR without a major incident.

3. What do you think is happening at camp?
Caregiver Note: Percy is told by his mom that he might not be going to camp as planned because of some recent events. Chiron doesn’t know if camp is safe for him currently. She doesn’t elaborate on what dangers may be lurking but tells Percy she will try to explain after school. We have all had to have hard conversations with our kids and expectations can be a killer when they are not met. Percy now must process danger he doesn’t understand only knowing that more information will come later that day. How would your reader react to something similar?

Chapter 2

1. Who is Tyson?
   Caregiver Note: Tyson is Percy’s new friend at school. He is homeless and has been given a scholarship to go the private school. He is also a very big kid, over six-feet-tall and very strong, but he is considered a “softie” because he gets upset very easily. Percy is Tyson’s only friend at school and Percy sticks up for Tyson. Some of our readers may identify with Tyson, they are the outcasts who don’t fit in and may only have one friend who wants to be with them.

2. Do you think it is hard for Percy not to react to bullies knowing what he can do?
Caregiver Note: Percy is consistently picked on by Matt Sloan, a school yard bully, and instead of reacting negatively like he would have previously he just blows it off and protects Tyson. It is interesting to see this change because he is very aware of his abilities and strengths, but he chooses to not use them and just take the abuse. Our readers may be able to defend themselves, but they might not feel comfortable because of their past. They know that even self-defense can lead to them getting in trouble.

3. Were you surprised at who showed up to save Percy from trouble? How about Tyson’s fighting skills?
Caregiver Note: Near the end of this chapter, Percy is attacked by a group of giants! He and Tyson put up a good effort trying to defend the other students from the monsters, but they are losing the fight. Suddenly, Percy is saved by Annabeth who helps dispatch the last giant, punch the bully, and tells Percy to grab Tyson and follow her out of the building. Tyson who is looked at a mostly gentle handles himself very well with the giants to Percy’s surprise. Maybe he isn’t exactly who he claims to be. Your reader might have a talent or skill that he/she hasn’t shown anyone before and when they become comfortable the ability sneaks out to everyone’s surprise or maybe they have kept a lid on their talent around their friends because they are afraid of being judged.

Chapter 3

1. Were you surprised how Annabeth treated Tyson?
   Caregiver Note: Annabeth returns to save the day, but once the trio is away from the school, she begins talking about Tyson like he isn’t even there. Her tone is very mean, and she is not impressed that Tyson is even present. Percy is flabbergasted at her reaction to someone who just saved his life. He doesn’t understand why she would be so mean to Tyson. Your reader may have felt like Tyson or even Percy at some point in their life. It isn’t easy to look or be different even who you don’t understand that you are different. On the other hand, they may have witnessed friends or even other adults treating people poorly and not really understood why.

2. What is the craziest ride you have ever been on?
Caregiver Note: (Fun Question) Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson get a ride to camp from the Grey Sisters’ Cab Company. These sisters share one eye and one tooth. They fight and barely pay attention to what is happening around them giving their passengers the feeling of a crazy roller coaster where death might be a possibility. Has your reader ever experienced anything like the Grey Sisters’ Taxi ride?

3. What location do you think Percy is seeking even though he has no idea? What do the numbers mean?
Caregiver Note: The Grey Sisters let slip that they know the location that Percy seeks even though he doesn’t even know he is seeking a location. He eventually gets them to give him a series of numbers with no explanation before exiting the cab. We aren’t given any more details because the trio find the camp under attack as they arrive. As parents we can relate to the Grey Sisters’ information, we sometimes know what our kids need or desire even before they do. We become experts at predicting their needs and then helping them discover them on their own or possibly leading them away from those choices that might not be safe.

Chapter 4 (Caution Point in this Chapter)

1. Would you have helped Clarisse?
   Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth charge up the hill to help defend the camp from two hulking metal bulls that breath fire hot enough to melt armor! Percy instantly goes to Clarisse’s aid and helps defend the camp’s border. Your reader may or may not agree with Percy’s choice. Clarisse is not normally the most kind to Percy and after the events of Book 1 the kids of Ares cabin are out to get him. Some of our kids can hold grudges for quite a while when they feel they’ve been wronged. Luckily for Camp Half-blood, Percy decided the safety and security of camp outweighs his personal feelings about Clarisse. Maybe this is something you can talk to your reader about if they disagree with Percy’s choice.

 2. How do you think Tyson feels when Annabeth is describing him?  (Caution Point)
Caregiver Note: So, turns out that Tyson is a cyclops! Which is why he can withstand high levels of heat and why he is so big and strong for a 7th grader. Percy and the other kids at school couldn’t see who he was because of the mist, but this would explain some of the things that were said about him by Annabeth previously. Annabeth tells Percy that Tyson is a homeless orphan and considered a mistake. They are misshapen and are normally tossed away to live in big cities by the gods. This description might hit home for some of our readers. They also might feel like they are mistakes and should be left to fend for themselves. They may also feel unloved and “thrown away” by the people who were supposed to care for them. Tread lightly and let the reader talk about how they feel.

3. What is the big deal about Thalia’s Tree?
Caregiver Note: Thalia’s tree was created about six years prior to the story when Grover, Annabeth, Luke and Thalia were coming into camp. The four of them were fighting off monsters and Thalia was mortally injured while defending the others. Instead of her passing away, her father Zeus, turned her into a tree to help protect the borders of Camp Half-Blood. The magical boundary emits from the tree and protects the camp from outside influences. Your reader may have something in their life that represents safety and security, imagine that item has been damaged or destroyed. This is what is happening at camp, the tree has been poisoned and its protections are failing. If your reader has an attachment an item that keeps them safe, have them tell you what it would mean to them if that thing was lost, damaged, or stolen. As a parent, I can only imagine the level of breakdown and outburst that would happen if my sons lost one of their prized stuffed animals, and they are teenagers!

Chapter 6

1. Have you ever been treated life a “half” sibling or not really part of the family?
   Caregiver Note: Okay, totally admit this is a minefield of a question, but this is exactly how Percy describes Tyson in this chapter. Tyson before was just a hapless case Percy felt the need to protect, now he is his half-brother and Percy wants to distance himself as far as he can from him. Our readers may feel like this even now. They may feel like the third wheel in your family and that they are more of a hindrance than someone who is fully accepted. Bio-children may treat them differently around their friends or they may not get the same things from grandparents or other family members, it is important that if they relate to Tyson you take the time to listen to their feelings. It could help lead to more connection within your family or at least more understanding,

2. Do you have a friend that you know what their thinking without talking to them?
Caregiver Note: Percy has another dream about Grover, but this one is very different than the previous one. In this dream he is talking with Grover and Grover is responding to his question like they are in person. Annabeth believes this may be an empathy link, but that is rare to have those happen. Our readers may have someone very close that they can communicate with and not utter a word. Sometimes this may be siblings who experienced some of the same trauma. If you are a caregiver to a sibling group, you may have witnessed your kids carrying on a conversation with gestures or grunts that you don’t understand. This is kind of an ‘empathy link’ because they may have learned to communicate this way out of fear or to not bring attention to themselves in a bad situation. As adults we know communication can happen many ways, but our readers may not understand these subtle nuances. This could be a good time to teach them some non-verbal cues that they can use in a group setting with you. This can increase trust in you and create a bond because it is like a secret language only your family knows!

3. What music or artist, that your parents like, would you choose to distract the birds? (Fun Question)
Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth use a Dean Martin CD to help distract attacking birds during the chariot race. When they are distracted the campers can dispatch them easily. Your reader may have some fun with this answer, or you could even show them a YouTube video of some terrible music you moved when you were their age. (I’m thinking 80’s hair-bands, 90’s boy-bands, or early 2000’s soft rock)

Chapter 7 (Caution Point)

1. Have you ever got what you wanted, but not how you wanted it?
   Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth trick Tantalus, Chiron’s replacement, into allowing a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece and rescue Grover in the process, but to their dismay he grants the quest to Clarisse. Like most pre-teens and teenagers, our readers think they are very clever. I wonder if they have ever tried something similar and had it granted, but they weren’t the ones to reap the benefits. This happens in the adult world more often but try to challenge your readers to think of a situation it has happened to them.

2. What did you think about Tantalus’s story about the king and the gods? (Potential Caution Point)
Caregiver Note: After declaring Clarisse to be his champion, Tantalus tells the campers a story about a king who was given the chance to dine with the gods at Olympus. After the meal, the king took some ambrosia and nectar home to try to recreate them for himself. When the gods found out they banned the king from Olympus and the king’s children mocked him for his actions. To gain his revenge, the king invited the gods to dinner and served them a stew made with his own children. For this act the gods tormented the king in the afterlife and he alludes to himself being this tormented king. This brief, but graphic, story might be a trigger for your reader. Tantalus is a bad guy; he rules out of fear and only goal is the destruction of the camp. Your readers may have their own experience with bad people, and it is important to understand their feelings. They may not read into the story at all and just think it is gross and mean, others might be reminded of something a bio-parent did.

3. Do you agree with Hermes about “never giving up on family”?
Caregiver Note: Percy meets Hermes on the beach near camp and he is given some thoughtful advice. Hermes essentially tells Percy he needs to go on this quest, even if he isn’t given permission, because he can save many lives along the way. Percy deduces that Hermes means Luke, his son, as well as Grover, the camp, and Thaila’s tree, among others. Percy tell Hermes that he doesn’t believe Luke can be saved, but Hermes tell him that he can never give up on family. Foster and adopted readers may not have a good idea of what family means. Many of them have had multiple families and they are battling inside to which is the real” one and which isn’t. A great reminder to them is every “family” they have experienced helped shape them into who they are, not all were great experiences, but those lead to better ones. Family is very important because these are people you can count on for the rest of your life and family isn’t always necessary blood.

Chapter 9

1. As we learn more about the gods, how do you feel about them? Do you agree with Luke?
   Caregiver Note: In the beginning of this chapter we hear another example of the gods and their need to get revenge when their orders are not followed. This book, like its predecessor, does not shy away from the bad things the gods have done out of anger, jealousy or revenge. Our readers may relate to Luke and the oppressed more than Percy because of their backgrounds, but also the gods are not very likable characters. Luke sees the gods only for their worst traits and is focused on their demise because of the wrongs they have committed. As our readers explain how they feel it would be wise to also point out that Luke chooses to ignore the good things the gods have done. Our readers may feel like this towards their birth parents. They can become bitter and live in the negative when the bio-parents are brought up, but our job as caregivers is to help them understand that people can still be good after their mistakes. No way would this excuse the things their parents did, but their relationship wasn’t only the bad things.

 2. If given the chance, would you choose to join Luke?
Caregiver Note: Luke offers Percy and Annabeth a chance to join his cause and help him destroy Olympus. His goal is to resuscitate Kronos and take over the world. He offers riches, power, knowledge, and dominion over the world once they win. Both Percy and Annabeth turn him down. Our readers may not be as quick to down the opportunity to join Luke. Many of our adopted/foster readers dream of riches or “security” because of the life they lived before coming into care. They also may feel like the world is fighting against them and the idea to exact revenge might be too good to turn down. (Mind you we are only about halfway into this book and their choice may change in the next 10 chapters)

Chapter 10

1. Do you think Chain Restaurants multiply or breed from monsters? (FUN Question)
   Caregiver Note: Tyson finds a Monster Donut shop in the middle of nowhere and Annabeth tells Percy that children of Hermes figured out how to link a business to the power of monsters. This way they could grow them very quickly across the country. Kind of a fun way to explain how Starbucks or McDonald’s seems to pop up out of nowhere! Brainstorm with your reader and try to think of monsters that might be tethered a large corporation.

Chapter 11

1. Why do you think that Clarisse chooses to go on her quest alone?
   Caregiver Note: Clarisse rescues our heroes from a monster and allow them to board her ship that is on the way to retrieve the Golden Fleece. She rebuffs Percy when he mentions the idea of teaming up with her to help on the quest and even tells Percy that she allowed her two friends to remain at camp to help protect it instead of joining her. Clarisse, like our readers, struggles with trust and pride. She doesn’t want other people to get any of her glory for completing the quest. Our readers can be like this on day one entering a new home or sometimes day 345, it really depends. Trust and pride are extreme emotions to work through and they take a lot of time to develop and work on. It would be a good idea to remind our readers that these quests are given to groups of three for a reason. The gods and counselors know that having support and working together is important to completing these tasks. Our readers need to be reminded of this daily as well. Even if you think you can do it alone, it may not be the smartest idea to do so.

2. What have you done that people didn’t expect you to do?
Caregiver Note: The ship’s boiler room is starting to fail. It is overheating and the soldiers on the ship cannot fix it due the extreme heat. Tyson volunteers to work on the machine because he is good with machines and since he’s a cyclops he is immune to extreme heat. Clarisse immediately questions Tyson because she doesn’t value his gifts or think he has much to offer. Our readers might feel like this on a day to day basis. Many of our extended family or friends may treat them like “broken toys” because of their history or what these people perceive their history to be. As caregivers we need to remind and encourage our readers to use and improve their gifts. Our readers can get a confidence boost by showing what they can do to others. We can help this by encouraging them and even sharing the praise we hear from those people.

Chapter 12

1. Would you be willing to do something dangerous if it meant saving your family?
   Caregiver Note: The ship carrying our heroes succumbed to the immense pressure and onslaught of monster by blowing up in spectacular fashion. Percy, Annabeth, and Clarisse were above deck when this happened and seem to have survived the catastrophe, but Tyson, who was working feverishly to repair the engine below deck, seems to have perished. Our readers may or may not be willing to take the same risk as Tyson. Foster/adopt readers tend to have a strong flight or freeze reaction when presented with a dangerous situation. This is a trauma response because they have learned to protect themselves in all situations. Those that have siblings may have a different response because they may feel like they had to take on the ‘parent’ role in the past. These readers might be willing to take a risk to save their brothers or sisters, but over time they may lose that feeling and differ to you to be the ‘parent.’

2. If you were Percy, how would you react to hearing more about his prophecy?
Caregiver Note: Annabeth gives Percy some more information on the prophecy concerning him. She tells him that the next child of the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades) would be a very powerful weapon when they turn 16. The half-blood would have the power to end the age of the gods or to stop the threat toward them. Percy currently is 13 and now is given a glimpse into his future or what his future may include, he has more questions, but there are no answers right now. Our readers could react to this news many ways. Caregivers could learn more about their readers by how they answer this question. A fear or trepidation response would be expected, and I think would be a common response. An apathetic response may cause you to ask more questions because they may not grasp the severity of the news. A boisterous or overly confident response may also be a cause for concern because the reader may not feel comfortable showing fear just yet. I think this response would be the second most common because our readers have a hard time showing weakness around others. Only when they are very comfortable will they be able to share fear responses with you. The key is to not push them to explain in depth, but for you to understand their response to the questions may only be one layer of how they feel.

3. Have you ever fallen for something that seemed “too good to be true”?
Caregiver Note: ***My quick reaction would be to explain this like the TV sales pitch infomercials. Your reader may not know what these are, but a quick YouTube search could fix that :-). Percy and Annabeth arrive at a spa and are whisked away to be pampered and prodded by the staff of the spa. Percy is shown a picture of what he could look like if he was to drink a specific beverage. This image had perfect skin, hair, straight teeth and looked like a model. Percy has some reservation, but in the end gives in to his vain side and drinks the “quick fix” drink. Turns out this drink was too good to be true and Percy is turned into a guinea pig. Our readers yearn to “fit in” and be “normal”, but what does that look like to them? If it is all just superficial fixes, they may want the quick fix, but changing our looks doesn’t automatically mean we will fit in or be accepted. This may be a good time to have a body image conversation. A good exercise I use with my kids is to have them investigate a mirror and tell themselves things that build them up. As humans we are quick to see our faults and those feelings are ten-fold when we are in middle and high school. Now multiply that by a thousand when it comes to foster/adopt kids. They have the same feelings of a ‘normal’ teen, but also don’t understand where they fit in at home sometimes or even what a family dynamic looks like. This question could lead to a bigger conversation and I encourage you to let it bunny trail to wherever it needs to go.

Chapter 13

1. What is the one thing that you recently discovered you are really good at?
   Caregiver Note: While escaping from the spa in a pirate ship Percy can sail a ship quite well. He is surprised, but then again, being the son of the sea god has its benefits when it comes to water vessels. When you ask your reader this question, push them to think of something that they realized in the last 30-60 days they were good at. It could be a game, subject, sport, hidden talent, or something very mundane. If they come up with a well-known skill explain to them that you are already aware of that and they are really good at it, but you wanted something new that maybe they just discovered. Our readers are creative with big imaginations it is likely they haven’t shared a recent triumph yet because they are unsure of their mastery of it.

2. What did you think about Annabeth’s explanation about her hatred of Cyclopes?
Caregiver Note: Annabeth finally gets to share her story about cyclopes and why she mistrusts them. It turns out that Luke, Grover, Thalia, and Annabeth were tricked by a Cyclops and because of the time spent escaping from the monster they were late getting into camp and that lead to Thalia’s demise near Camp Half-Blood. Our readers might be able to understand the hatred that Annabeth showed toward Tyson now that they know more of the story. It is important to remind them that Tyson isn’t the Cyclops who trapped the heroes on their way to camp and he shouldn’t be treated poorly because of who he is. Also, it may be interesting if our readers even believe this reason as the cause of Thalia’s demise. I think that there may have been more going on that could have made the group late and if it wasn’t a Cyclops, it could have been something else. Annabeth is still grieving over Thalia and the events leading to her ending, because of that she needs to blame someone or something and that thing was the Cyclops race. Does your reader have an ax to grind with a group of people or just one person concerning something that happened in the past?

3. What do you know what your fatal flaw is?
Caregiver Note: As Annabeth and Percy approach the Island of the Sirens, Annabeth instructs Percy to tie her to the mast and do not let her out until they are safely away from the sirens. She tells him that if she can survive the Siren’s chants, she will be wiser than she was before they came close to the island and she would learn about her fatal flaw. Percy plugs his ear, and does as he is told, but Annabeth manages to loosen her bindings and nearly is killed by the sirens. Percy saves her and once they are out of earshot of the danger, she tells him that her fatal flaw is hubris. She believes that she can do things better than anyone even better than the gods. Your reader may need help with this question, another way to pose it would be “What is the one thing that you would sacrifice your happiness to get?” Could be fame, fortune, love, acceptance, or many more things, but it will give you an idea about their trauma and where they are on their journey to healing.

Chapter 14

1. Do you carry any grudges?
   Caregiver Note: Annabeth uses a clever trick to rile up Polyphemus, the cyclops guarding the Golden Fleece, when hidden she begins to yell at him claiming to be “nobody”, this was the name Odysseus used to trick him before shoving a hot poker into his eye causing him to be mostly blind now. Polyphemus reacts with great anger as expected and becomes distracted. Carefully listen to how your reader answers this question, you may have explained what a grudge is, but you also may be surprised by their answer. Trauma has a way of showing us what we perceive to be right and wrong. Our readers will have a great idea concerning this and they may not be too kind to someone that has either wronged them or possibly not be held accountable for their actions. Younger readers may carry grudges toward siblings or friends. These are normally fleeting and often just disagreements that can be resolve quickly. Older readers may have some deep-seated issues that they refuse to let go or they may not know how to work through their grudge. As the caregiver you can help them navigate this and work it out.

Chapter 15

1. If you had a common goal, could you work with someone who is your enemy?
   Caregiver Note: Annabeth is momentarily captured by Polyphemus and it takes teamwork from Grover, Percy and Clarisse to help rescue her from him. This is not something you would expect, since Clarisse and Percy are not on good terms and Clarisse does not want him to steal her glory. Have your reader think of something that they might need help with and the only person available was someone they really didn’t like. Maybe they need help lifting something, cleaning, or something simple like reaching an object way over their head. We all need help at times and as we accept or seek others to help us we begin to build trust in them and in ourselves. Trust is a hard thing for our readers to build, they have been burned so many times by different people that they go through life expecting to be let down. Here, in order to save Annabeth, Percy had to trust Clarisse and Clarisse needed Percy to help defeat Polyphemus.

2. Have you ever been mistreated by someone you showed grace to?
Caregiver Note: Percy gets the best of Polyphemus and instead of killing him, he bargains for the Golden Fleece and decides to allow the cyclops to live. This turns out to be a bad judge of character because Polyphemus tries to kill Percy the moment he lets his guard down. Percy was thinking about Tyson when he misjudged Polyphemus- he didn’t want to hurt someone just because they were a monster, this turns out to be for the best because Tyson reappears and saves Percy from near death! I understand that this question can be a loaded one. It is likely that our readers have in fact trusted someone and gave them the benefit of the doubt before being burned by them again. The level of mistrust that foster and adopted readers builds from being mistreated and having their trust broken many times. Therefore it takes so long for them to regain trust for one person let alone a new “family.”

Chapter 16 (Potential Caution Point)

1. How would you feel if you were called a “traitor to your own kind”? (Potential caution point)
   Caregiver Note: Polyphemus just won’t go away… He tracks down our heroes as they are nearing their ship trying to escape with the Golden Fleece and an injured Annabeth. As he approaches, he tells Tyson that he is a traitor to his kind by serving humans. Our readers may get upset reading these statements. Some of them may feel this way if they are now in a multiracial home or possibly with a family that doesn’t practice the same religion. They may see people daily who look like them, but they are treated differently because of who they live with. Families that have mixed race children may understand this more than most, but younger readers may not be able to fully explain their feelings about this. It is a good idea to frame this question about how they might think Tyson feels about being called such a terrible thing. They may be able to speak out their own emotions but use Tyson’s frame of reference instead of their own.

Chapter 17

1. Why do you think Clarisse was surprised that Percy’s idea was to let her take the fleece to camp on her own?
   Caregiver Note: Clarisse shares the full prophecy with the group of heroes, and they figure out that she needs their help to buy a plane ticket to get back to camp. She must travel alone, but still requires help. Since this was her quest, and Percy should not travel through the air because Zeus may try to hurt him, he insists that Clarisse be the one to fulfill her quest. If placed in the same situation our readers may also seem surprised by this act from Percy. Foster/adopt readers tend to look out for themselves first and don’t expect people to do things for them. It is a trauma response and they also want to be self-sufficient due to the lack of trust. Their trauma reminds them that people are not very nice, and it is odd that someone is looking out for them. One of the best things we can teach our readers is that it costs nothing to be kind to one another. We do not have to have a motive or an agenda to care about each other and look out for people. Percy understands this and maybe Clarisse will start to get it too.

2. Tell about a time you were really clever?
Caregiver Note: As the group is captured by Luke and his servants, Percy uses an Iris message to call Mr. D at Camp Half-Blood. He then tricks Luke into giving up his entire plain and confirming he poisoned Thalia’s tree. Have your reader think about their most clever moment, it may be something simple a prank or could be something complex. Maybe their most clever moment would be telling someone about their abuse leading to a removal. Think about their story and if it applies maybe bring that up so you can affirm their decision to make a change.

Chapter 18

1. Do any of your friends act like the Party Ponies? (Fun Question)
   Caregiver Note: Percy, Annabeth, Tyson and Grover are saved by Chiron and the Party Ponies. These are centaur cousins of Chiron with a very laid back attitude. Does your reader have any friends we would consider “bros” like a laid-back surfer stereotype. Most everyone has that one really chill friend and the Party Ponies bring some comic relief into a tense situation.

2. When have you been forced to take a draw as an outcome?
Caregiver Note: Percy is told that the conflict with Luke must end in a draw this time. Basically, they are told to live to fight another day, but they did retrieve the fleece and can use it to restore Thalia’s tree at camp. Now they must rest up and heal so they are prepared for what is to come. Our readers may not think of many situations that end as a draw, but as their parent I am sure you are able to think of 10 to 15 each day. Maybe even more if they have siblings. My two youngest boys get into 20 fights before breakfast some days and most of the time there isn’t a clear winner or loser.

3. Do you have a legacy that you have to change for your future?
Caregiver Note: Chiron talks to Percy about the prophecy and explains further why he was asked to leave camp this summer. Chiron was asked to leave because Kronos is his father and his allegiance was in question. Your reader may have some things in their past that they are not proud of. Some of them may not know if their mother or father committed acts that might lead back to them, but we as caregivers are sometimes privy to that information. We must decide the right time to tell them their past and allow them to work through the repercussions of the news. This may be a good time to have the talk about our past not defining us.

Chapter 19

1. Tell me what you thought about Hermes idea of family.
   Caregiver Note: Percy is confronted by Hermes after arriving back at camp. Percy must tell him that even though he tried to talk sense to Luke it didn’t work. The way Hermes describes families hit home for me, he says, “Families are messy. Immortal families are eternal messy. Sometimes the best we can do is remind each other that we are related, for better or for worse… and try to keep the killing and maiming to a minimum.” While there is some humor mixed in this statement says a lot about the makeup of a foster/adopt family. We often need to remind ourselves that we are in this together and we are FAMILY. This can be difficult to see if we don’t all look alike or act the same way all the time, but no matter genes or blood we are all related and our bond is strong.

2. Is there something you wish could be explained or congratulated on by a parent?
Caregiver Note: Percy receives a letter from his dad, Poseidon. The letter is brief and only says ‘Brace Yourself’. It doesn’t explain Tyson, congratulate him on finding the fleece, or even just ask how he’s doing. Listen to the responses your reader tells you. It might get more serious but could also be insight into a wound you did not know existed. You could also frame the question to mean bio-parent or adopted/foster parent. The latter could get interesting in a deep or possibly angry way. The other could be more confusing or awkward if they do not want to talk to you about it. If the reader needs a different outlet consider having them write out their feelings out or draw something.

Chapter 20 (Caution Point)

1. How do you feel about Tyson ‘going home’? (Caution Point)
   Caregiver Note: Tyson is called indirectly to come back to Poseidon’s home and work with fellow cyclops in the forges. He would be an intern for the remainder of the summer learning to make weapons. Percy is jealous that Tyson gets to be that close to their father but is also happy for him. Depending on your reader they may have a much different reaction to this news. An adopted reader may wonder why they were never given the chance to go home. A foster reader could become angry because of Percy’s jealous behavior. Those are both acceptable responses and you, as the caregiver, may have to validate both within your home. Many of our adopted readers have trauma about bio parents and their previous home. They sometimes don’t understand why life is the way it is many years after the fact. They could be very happy with the adoption, but something inside still longs to go ‘home.’ Foster readers are just longing for normalcy and they don’t think your home is normal. They feel like an outcast and only their bio-parents can fix the feeling.

2. What do you think the ending means for the rest of the series? (Fun Question)
Caregiver Note: (Don’t ask until your reader finishes the book) The Golden Fleece works too well. It heals the tree, but it also heals THALIA. Now there are two children of the Big Three who can cause the destruction of Olympus, because Thalia’s dad is Zeus. This changes the prophecy that Percy was anticipating throughout this whole book. Your reader may have to wild and crazy ideas. Ask them to write them down and see if they were right. Try to have them write a small prediction about each main character for the next book. It may inspire them to want to read their next book even faster. There are 5 total books in this series to work through!

About the Author: Steve

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 training’s 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!