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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 Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan:

“Percy Jackson isn’t expecting freshman orientation to be any fun, but when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears, pursued by demon cheerleaders, things quickly go from bad to worse.

Time is running out for Percy. War between the gods and the Titans is drawing near. Even Camp Half-Blood isn’t safe, as Kronos’ army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop them, Percy and his friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth — a sprawling underground world with surprises and danger at every turn.

Along the way Percy will confront powerful enemies, find out the truth about the lost god Pan, and face the Titan lord Kronos’ most terrible secret. The final war begins… with the Battle of the Labyrinth.”

The target audience appears to be children that are middle school age and up. I believe this book would be great for all families with teen or preteen boys and girls. This book is good for foster and adoptive families because it is engaging, full of action, and doesn’t shy away from hard topics. Percy and his friends deal with the loss, awkward romance relationships, jealousy, and trust issues throughout this book. These topics like many others are prevalent with foster and adopted pre-teens and teenagers.

In this five book series this one might be my absolute favorite. The book is full of action and mystery, but also breaks down a lot of emotional and physical feelings our foster and adopted readers deal with everyday. There is danger lurking around every corner and it is consistently building the story to the big finale of book five! I think it might be impossible to finish this book and not want to jump directly into the next book right away. The author does a great job in convincing you to be connected with each character effortlessly and you feel like you are also walking along the labyrinth with our group of heroes!

Keep close attention to the relationship that is developing between Percy and Annabeth. Their story and feelings are becoming entwined and appear to possibly becoming romantic. The key here would be Percy and his ability to read between the lines with Annabeth’s emotions.

DO NOT GIVE AWAY THE END!!!

** Spoilers Could Be Ahead **

How Is This Relevant To Adoption & Foster Care?

In this book our heroes deal with loss quite a bit. it could be a loss of opportunity, lost friendships, loss of direction, and loss of life. Our foster and adopted readers deal with loss more than the average teen and it can be nice to see how to deal with it. Caregivers can use these examples to show their readers safe and unsafe ways to deal with loss.

This book also deals with the trials and tribulations around young love and the role that jealousy can bring into a relationship. Readers should be able to pick up on character traits and feelings quite easily and identify the problems the characters are dealing with in thier relationships. these examples can be used to describe a situation they might be dealing with or one they have dealt with in the past.

Cautionary Points:

I did not identify any caution points in this story. The hard topics are all presented easily and should help as conversation kick starters between the reader and caregiver.

Discussion Points:

• As we get older how do our friendships and relationships change?

  Percy and Annabeth have been friends for 4 years and their friendship is starting to turn into a romantic relationship. This complicates things, which is expected, but also makes things a little more clear as well. Percy’s relationship with Grover is also changing. They are still friends, but also know the other can do many things on their own without having to be there for the other one. Challenge your reader to think about their relationships with friends in school. Ask them how those friendships have changed in the last 3 years, or even in the last year. Then ask them how has them how your relationship with them has changed in the past year.

• How do you handle loss?

  As mentioned above, loss a a big part of this story. Take time to answer this question for yourself before asking your reader. What are your coping skills when dealing with loss and are they healthy? Understand yourself and be honest this way you can provide guidance to your reader who is still developing coping skills and may need examples of healthy things to do when the feelings of loss come up.

• How do you show others that you trust them? Are you someone that can be trusted?

  Throughout these books our heroes have to trust one another for safety, security, and emotional health. The open up to one another, they follow each other into dangerous situations, and they count on friends for guidance through tough situations. Your reader may need help with examples and you can provide them with things you do to show them you trust them. Things like using tools, higher level chores (cooking, mowing the grass, babysitting), or just giving them home alone time are excellent examples of showing you trust your reader.

Discussion Guide:

Chapter  1

1. What do you expect a Freshman Orientation to be like? If you have been through it, was it at all like you imagined?
   Caregiver Note: The book starts off with Percy being dropped off at Freshman Orientation. This is just a meet-and-greet with school officials to get ready for the next school year, but Percy doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to schools. He tends to leave behind a lot of damage to both his reputation and the school itself. Your middle school readers could be dreading this moment. Starting high school is a big step in becoming a young adult and some may not be ready to take the jump. This would be a good time to ease their worries and bring them back down to earth. The reason for freshman orientation is just so they get acquainted with the high school and teachers nothing super scary about it. If your reader is in high school, try to pick their brain on what they were expecting and what happened. This is great insight for you to use and help their younger siblings.

2. Have you ever met someone while on a trip and then ran into them when you are back at home?
Caregiver Note: While at orientation, Percy runs into Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who he originally met at the Hoover Dam while on a quest to save Annabeth and Artemis. Percy is beside himself because this girl could see through the mist and now, he is seeing her at his high school orientation! So, I know this happens sometimes that you are on vacation and meet a family to come and find out they live fairly close or even in your home town. It can be unsettling to have it happen to you, but it can also be a cool thing if you were able to build a friendship with the person while on vacation. As unlikely an event that this can be, ask your reader how they would react if this happened to them. Would they be weirded out, excited, or nervous? Sometimes we aren’t the same person while on vacation because nine times out of ten we will never see those people ever again.

3. Have you ever blown a first impression? How did you recover?
Caregiver Note: Percy and Rachel were being attacked by monster posing as cheerleaders and just as he was going to dispatch the last one a group of new freshmen entered the room with his mom’s new boyfriend. To a normal mortal it appeared that this crazy person was attacking a helpless cheerleader and trying to burn down the band room of their new school. Basically, Percy’s nightmare scenario about his freshman orientation can true, but to make matters worse he just looked like a homicidal maniac in front of his mom’s new boyfriend. That was a rough first impression. Since your reader is a young adult, I am sure they have had a situation or two where they looked terrible in front of someone the first time they met. Awkwardness tends to follow young adults around like the plague and unfortunately it can’t be avoided. Hopefully they can laugh about the situation now, but if it is still a rough topic try to bring some humor into the conversation about a time you also botched a first impression.

Chapter 2

1. Have you ever inadvertently made a crush angry? What did you do and how did you resolve it?
   Caregiver Note: ****TEENAGE DRAMA ALERT**** Percy runs into Annabeth while escaping the events at the school with Rachel right behind him. This awkward meeting is ended with Rachel writing her phone number on Percy’s hand and then he runs off with Annabeth. Annabeth doesn’t seem all that keen on the idea of Percy hanging out with another girl and it makes for a very tense quiet ride to camp. Annabeth seems jealous of Rachel and Percy is aloof about the whole situation. He likes Annabeth a lot, but also doesn’t see anything wrong with how he was acting with Rachel. As parents and caregivers, I am sure you have heard your fair share of pre-teen or teen drama. It seems to permeate every situation and the meanings behind everything a crush does is dissected to the bone. Most of the time you can look back and see that your reaction was crazy and uncalled for, but jealousy is cruel and makes us do dumb things. Many foster/adopt readers have a hard time reading these cues and come off as aloof, but they are just simply not paying that close of attention. I have found that teens with a trauma background have a hard time with small details and only see the big picture because that is was is obvious. They have been conditioned to only seek the surface emotions because life around them changes so quickly.

2. Have you ever been to a familiar place, but everything felt a little off or weird?
Caregiver Note: Percy arrives at camp with Annabeth and something doesn’t seem right. Some things are still the same, but there is a different feeling about the camp, and it is making Percy uneasy. Our readers can be creatures of habit and routine. They thrive when things are predictable and the same and tend to falter when things change instantly or become unstable. This is a trauma response and it is very normal. Our readers grew up in a place where things weren’t stable or predictable. They were always on high alert and hyper-vigilant at all times in their previous home. Therefore, a small change to a routine can be disastrous to their day. Readers with a trauma background all have experienced this but may need some help with examples. You could prompt them with a recent change and see if they can expound further on how that made them feel.

3. Have you ever been given a task that seemed impossible?
Caregiver Note: Grover is dealing with a tribunal council of satyrs who are unhappy about his claims to have heard Pan, the Lord of the Wild, speak to him at the end of the previous book. The council is sure that Grover was lying to gain recognition and they are unhappy with the strife he has caused with his search for Pan. To make matters worse the council gave Grover one week to produce proof that he heard Pan speak to him. This is a monumental request because no one had been able to find Pan for thousands of years. Our readers may think every task is impossible. Part of that is being a teenager and not wanting to do what your parents ask you to do, but the other part is there experience level. Some mundane tasks can seem impossible to someone that doesn’t have any concept of the task at hand. Cleaning a bedroom in 30 minutes can seem like being asked to build a replica of the Statue of Liberty. I am sure your readers can relate to Grover and might be able to shed some light on expectations you have or had that they felt were too much.

Chapter 3

1. Would you be willing to explore the Labyrinth? Why or why not?
   Caregiver Note: Annabeth and Grover tell Percy that there is a complex maze of tunnels just below the surface of our world that connect every major city to each other. This maze was built in ancient Greek times and could be a fast way to travel from place to place undetected. The only downside is that it is very dangerous and could make you go crazy or be lost forever. However, this may be the last hope that Grover must locate Pan and it would also be a great asset for Luke to be able to move his armies quickly and attack the heroes where ever they may be. Your reader will be in two camps here, either fearless or reserved. The fearless reader will strap on their shoes and head out with the clothes on their back and no worries. The reserved group would have a ton of questions and still might not be able to make up their mind. Before asking the question try to guess which group your reader would fall into. I would have one that would be gung-ho right away and another who might go but would need me to answer a thousand questions first.

2. Who is Mrs. O’Leary? Would your Parents let you take her home? (Fun Question)
Caregiver Note:(short answer would be No) Mrs. O’Leary is a very large hell hound. She was domesticated by a half-blood who is helping train campers and help Chiron at camp while Mr. D is off helping Olympus. Also, when I say that she is large I am talking like the size of a tank large. If you are not reading the book with your reader just coyly ask this one and play it off like the reviewer is setting you up to take on a new pet… This will get the reader laughing and they might even play along that you will let them keep a dog the size of a bus at home!

3. Have you ever stumbled upon something that was very valuable?
Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth were being corned by three scorpion monsters and stumbled into a hole that saved them from the monsters, but also turned out to be an entrance into the Labyrinth! This is a big find because it proves the theory that Luke is trying to find an entrance into Camp to get around the magical protections. This is a good time to remind your reader that not everything has the same value to everyone. At first, Percy just thought they found a hole in the ground, but Annabeth knew the true value of their discovery. This reminds me of the Antique shows where people have things appraised or sell stuff where they have no clue on the actual value. A 10-dollar teapot could be worth thousands of dollars because it was once owned by George Washington! Your reader may think that they “stumbled” upon your family and they found true gold or value that can not be measured. Other could have found a hand me down from a birth parent that has no real monetary value but is priceless in terms of memories.

Chapter 4

1. When was the last time you argued with a best friend in public? Why were you arguing? Was anything resolved?
   Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth are arguing about the possibility of a quest into the labyrinth in front of “the war council” which is several high-ranking campers, Chiron, and Quintus. This would be routine for many of them, but Percy and Annabeth don’t normally disagree so fiercely and publicly. The point of contention is going into a place where they have little knowledge and trying to navigate something that they have only read about isn’t enough for Percy, but Annabeth with her book knowledge believes she has what it takes to lead the quest. Your readers are either teenagers or pre-teens and most certainly argue on a constant basis. Whether or not they do it with friends around group of people is another story. Make sure you see if you can understand why they were arguing. This could give you insight into your readers thoughts and opinions on different topics, but make sure you ask the follow up question about resolution. A major skill young readers need to develop is the ability to resolve conflict with words not actions. Even if it was just an understanding to agree to disagree and the fight is done is a resolution. Talk about ways to resolve arguments effectively and safely so your teen has more knowledge when this happens again.

2. Have you ever experienced kindness from an unexpected person?
Caregiver Note: Percy goes looking for Annabeth because he doesn’t have the patience to wait for the Oracle to deliver a prophecy about the Labyrinth quest, but before he finds her, he hears Clarisse. Upon further investigation Percy sees that Clarisse is taking care of Chris Rodriguez, a deserter who was lost in the Labyrinth. Clarisse is showing a level of empathy and caring that Percy couldn’t imagine that she had to Chris and he is astounded by her level of tenderness. Readers with a foster/adopt background may have many examples of this for you. One of the biggest reasons for this is their life before coming into care. They may have not understood what a true parent relationship was and when they come into care having someone take care of you and be aware of your needs is a big culture shock. After they share their stories challenge them to come up with ways they could show kindness to friends, family or random strangers. Having empathy and kindness towards others can do wonders for your own personal well-being and is something that I believe everyone should do each day.

 3. When was the last time you were skeptical of a person?
Caregiver Note: Percy is given a special dog whistle by Quintus after deciding to join Annabeth on her quest to the Labyrinth. One the surface this seems like a kind gesture, but Percy is aware that Quintus has been poking around the entrance to the Labyrinth himself and the last time he was given a gift before a quest he nearly ended up dead. So, Percy takes the whistle, but makes the conscious choice to never use it. This should be an easy question for your reader. Teenagers are skeptical, mix that with e trauma level of being in the foster system and you will compound the feeling by a thousand. Readers with a trauma background have trust issues and want to know the motives behind people’s actions before trusting that they are being sincere. Trauma readers don’t believe sincerity is real and are worried about being manipulated. It is okay to talk about those feelings with your reader, but also to remind them that your home is a safe place and they don’t have to worry about manipulation there.

Chapter 5

1. Tell me about a time when you did something that wasn’t worth the cost.
   Caregiver Note: You may need to explain this one a little further to your reader. Luke is given ultimate power and what appears to be immortality from Kronos, but in exchange he must bow down and follow orders that he doesn’t agree with. It seems that Luke, with all this new-found strength and power, doesn’t want to be told what to do by a leader and would rather lead himself. Our readers may think in terms of money when this question is first brought up and that is okay. I remember buying the “incredible growing dinosaur sponge” as a kid and expecting it to grow 10 feet tall, when it grew 10 times its original size to about 4 inches tall…. That was a letdown, but not what this question is getting at. Explain to your reader that everything has a cost. It could be time, money, strength, rest, or happiness, but we weigh the cost against the value and either partake in the task or we do not. It is important that we understand what we are giving up and what we are getting with each decision. For example, going to play outside could mean that you miss out on watching TV or playing video games, but it is also a great way to exercise!

2. What would you do to be able to speak to someone that you lost?
Caregiver Note: Percy is checking in on Nico and sees him attempting to summon heroes who have passed into the underworld to gain knowledge on how to bring back his sister Bianca. Nico is pulling out all the stops to make this happen and is being guided by a mysterious ghost who may not be as helpful as he seems. If your reader has lost a bio-parent this could be a touchy question, because they may do anything and give up everything to just have a conversation with that person again. The same goes if they have lost a friend their age. I would imagine that if your reader has lost someone that close to them, they would do anything to just speak to them once again. This would be another great place to bring up the costs of the decision and what it might mean they would lose if they were able to make this come true.

3. Who do you think is the spy in Camp Half-Blood? Why that person? (fun question)
Caregiver Note: So, it appears that the camp has another spy for Luke and Kronos reporting back the days events. Percy was able to overhear Luke in a dream saying that the campers were preparing a quest into the labyrinth just as they had hoped would happen. Percy thinks that Quintus is this spy, but who does your reader think it is. Quintus is the easy answer and the most obvious but push them to see if they can think of anyone else that may want to betray the campers. This fore-thinking skill is something that is vital to develop and build on. These books help develop that skill greatly and many of our trauma affected readers lack this skill. They do not understand cause and effect and trying to predict an event can help them build this skill. Please make sure you ask them to defend their answer.

Chapter 6

1. Are you afraid of the dark or tight spaces? Would you go into an under-ground labyrinth?
   Caregiver Note: Our group of heroes descended into the Labyrinth and were lost in the first 100 feet. The maze is dark, constantly changing, and nearly impossible to navigate. Many readers with trauma backgrounds may have a fear of the dark, which is very common, a dark confusing maze may seem like hell to them. To add in frequent tight spaces and not being able to tell where you are going and it would seem like a place I would never want to go… Some of our readers are adventurous may be ready to go right now, these readers love the adrenaline that comes with facing fears, but it is good to understand that they might still be afraid. The adventurous readers are ones to watch because they may put themselves into unsafe places instead of admitting fear. Fear means weakness and weakness is something that these readers will fight tooth and nail to never admit to.

2. Have you ever been under pressure to make a decision? How did you handle it? Did you make the right decision?
Caregiver Note: While in the Labyrinth, our heroes are greeted by Janus, the god of doors and decisions. He is intent on making Annabeth choose between two doors saying that one will lead the group to their destination and the other while result in certain death, but it is Annabeth’s decision to make. Our readers often feel pressure to make choices that we think are easy and have no meaning, but to them each choice may lead to life or death. Trauma affected readers may have been in a situation where a wrong choice could have led to physical punishment, ridicule, or shame. With this history our readers will try their hardest to not make any choices. This can be frustrating for friends and caregiver alike, but it is a habit that can be unlearned. Try offering your read easy choices each day. Keep the options to no more than 3 and make sure both options could be beneficial. As your reader builds confidence, they will become more comfortable in those situations.

Chapter 7

1. Tell me about a time you were brave. Were still scared while showing bravery?
   Caregiver Note: Our group of heroes come out of the Labyrinth and end up in Alcatraz of all places. They stumble on what appears to be an interrogation between two monsters. The interrogator is a demon that is like the bogey man for Cyclops and Hundred-Handed Ones. When this demon leaves the cell, Tyson rushes on to help the captive and free him even though he is terrified of the demon. Our readers may not believe they are brave ever. Trauma affected readers can be self-deprecating and have low self-esteem, but you know their story and I am sure you can point out many times where they were brave. It could be speaking up about abuse from a parent or caregiver. It is also okay to be scared and brave at the same time. Sometimes bravery is facing your fears and it may take that act of bravery to beat that fear.

2. Tell me about a time that fear got the best of you.
Caregiver Note: Our heroes rescue Briares, a Hundred-Handed One, and while they are trying to escape back into the maze, they are confronted by the monster that was torturing Briares. Hundred-Handed Ones are normally very large and strong like cyclopes, but Briares is so terrified that he refuses to fight, and Tyson must step up to distract the monster while the others escape. This question could be something that triggers a darker memory for your reader, but it could also be a question that allows them to let their guard down and open up. Our readers have all been crippled by fear, but they may be even more afraid of being vulnerable around people. It might be good for you to explain a time where you were afraid, and it caused you to clam up or hesitate.

Chapter 8

1. Have you ever met your hero? Did they live up to your expectations?
   Caregiver Note: Tyson and the heroes are trying to get Briares to join the fight against the Titans and help them at Camp Half-Blood, but he is downtrodden and broken. Briares believes he is worthless and not able to help anyone, so he leaves the heroes in the labyrinth to forge ahead without his help. This is a crushing blow to Tyson because Briares is or was his personal hero. It would be interesting to see who your readers claim as their hero. Would it be a relative, celebrity, sports star, teacher, or another person? If they have met their hero, the follow up question is a good one to see if their idol actually holds the same place in their world. If they have not, ask them if they think they would feel the same way about the person if were able to meet them.

2. Tell me about a time that you were so excited that you failed to follow directions and things didn’t go well
Caregiver Note: Percy has another prophetic dream about Daedalus and his son Icarus. In the vision Daedalus and Icarus are trying to escape from their captors using metal wings that Daedalus invented. Daedalus is adamant that Icarus must be careful and treat the wings correctly or things will end badly. Icarus understands the precautions, but when they make their escape the excitement of freedom makes Icarus forget the precautions and he ends up plummeting into the sea when the wings break. Our readers can know every precaution and danger point when embarking on a new process, but then forget them right when they start the process. Adults do this too and it is our job to challenge our readers to think ahead and remember what safety measures need to be taken. My family calls this safety imaging and we use multiple if/then scenarios to drive the points home. Since cause and effect relationships are hard for trauma impacted readers this is a good way to help them develop the skill.

3. What is the grossest chore you have ever done? (Fun Question)
Caregiver Note: The heroes stumble upon a monster dude ranch that raises mythical animals for the gods and the highest bidder. The owner of the ranch is holding Nico hostage and planning on selling him to Luke. Percy offers to clean up the stalls of a hundred flesh eating horses to save Nico. These stables are filthy and covered in poop. Percy makes a deal to clean the stalls by sunset or the owner can keep the entire group including Nico, but if Percy completes the task everyone is free to leave. I’m sure you have a experience where you had a gross chore that needed to get done, but it was not something you want to ever do again. Maybe share stories with your reader to see who has the grossest one. Most teen or preteen readers would get a kick out of that.

Chapter 9

1. Do you have a special skill that makes some tasks easier for you than it would be for other?
   Caregiver Note: Percy was able to clean the stalls by using sea shells and channeling saltwater geysers to wash the horses. The land the camp was built on was previously underwater and Percy, being the son of Poseidon, was able to channel that underground sea and complete his task without getting eaten. Your reader might not think they have a special skill, but maybe they are faster than others or able to think quickly. These could make some tasks go faster for them than other people. It would be a good reminder for your readers who think they have no special skills to help remind them where excel. Confidence in our readers can be low or fleeting and someone telling you that you are good at something can give that a boost

2. Have you ever had someone back out on a deal? How did that make you feel?
Caregiver Note: After Percy completes his part of the deal in the amount of time he was given, the ranch owner decides he doesn’t want to honor the commitment made. Instead he wants to sell the heroes to Luke and get both his stables clean and the money he would get in return. Your readers first thought may be that this is extremely unfair. I am sure they have examples when another person backed out of a deal. If they have siblings, it happens every day! The key to this question is the follow up. Key in on their feelings and try to turn the feelings around to have them understand that is how you feel when they do not do what they say they would do or how a sibling or friend might feel if they act this way.

3. What is the strangest thing you have done to convince someone of something?
Caregiver Note: Percy is desperately trying to convince Nico that he is on his side and did not cause Bianca to die on their previous quest. Finally, he tells Nico that he can help him summon Bianca from the underworld to show him that he is telling the truth. Nico is hesitant because he has tried to summon her before with now luck, but Percy believes that Bianca will show up if he is with Nico. Trust is something that our readers long for. They want a relationship where they are trusted and can also trust those around them. The problem is many trauma-affected readers protection instincts lead them to lying often, because they do not know what to expect if they tell the truth. This instinct is a hard one to break and may not ever totally be cured. As your relationship grows the trust should grow too, but it is important that we, as caregivers, give our readers grace because we understand why the lies are being said. It doesn’t make it easier to hear or be lied to, but your reaction will help break down those walls.

Chapter 10

 1. Have you ever held a grudge? What did you do to move on?
Caregiver Note: Percy helps Nico conjure Bianca from the underworld and she tries to speak truth to Nico. She names his fear, anger, and feelings of betrayal and she takes all the blame. She says that he should be angry with her not Percy, the choices that were made were hers and Percy had no part in it. Foster and adopt readers hold grudges and not necessarily with the right person. Instead of being mad or angry with bio-parents for the events or abuse leading to removal they tend to take anger out on the foster parents because they are the nearest targets. It is the same with a sibling relationship. Instead of being angry at an abusive brother or sister they may blame a parent or another sibling that didn’t stop the abuse or behavior. This is a good example of naming emotions and those responsible for them. This is a common practice with all foster and adopt readers and something we as caregivers need to do routinely. It can help our readers start to identify their own emotions and how they feel.

2. Would you be able to lead an attack on one of your favorite places?
Caregiver Note: Luke is gearing up with his monster allies to attack Camp Half-Blood and he has a special part to play in the destruction of the camp. This attack has been talked about previously, but now seems to be more eminent and Luke seems to be aggravated at being reminded of his role to play. Trauma affected readers can often get attached to the strangest places, but I know from experience that my readers love camp and the freedom they get to have while away for a week. Camp is somewhere they can go to be themselves without friends and family from home. They have a fresh start every summer and love the opportunity that gives them. This sentiment is shared by other readers and I think it would be tough for my readers to lay waste to a place they found refuge in. As caregivers we understand the pain and low Luke has felt and our readers might get that too, but I wonder if they could go along with something that would be this destructive.

3. Tell me about a time when you acted out because of jealousy. What did you do? Was there a consequence for your actions?
Caregiver Note: Percy had another dream of Daedalus in his workshop and this one was about his interaction with Perdix, his nephew. Perdix is proving to be just as smart as Daedalus and has great ideas about what can be done using machines and magic. Daedalus is becoming jealous of Perdix and believes that he is there to replace him. Daedalus gives in to these feelings and it leads to him killing Perdix. Many of our readers have not had the ‘normal’ childhood experiences of kids their age. This can lead to jealous feelings when friends or siblings get to experience things they could not. Jealousy can rear its ugly head in many of our lives and a lot of it comes from fear. Fear we will be replaced, fear we will miss out, fear our partner will leave, or even fear of the future can lead to us acting out of jealousy. When your reader explains their story try to decipher what they were afraid of at that moment. Ask them about that fear and see how they respond. It is important as caregivers that we learn to see the underlying feelings that are producing the surface level behaviors. This is something we, as caregivers, must learn to improve every single day.

Chapter 11

1. What do you think about Hephaestus’s story about Hera?
   Caregiver Note: Our heroes meet Hephaestus in his work shop to ask him for help finding Daedalus and completing their quest. Hephaestus share a story about being thrown from Olympus by Hera because of how he looks. The story that is told to most people is that Zeus was the one that committed this act, but Hephaestus claims that Hera was the one that tossed him out. His looks didn’t fit in with the “perfect” image Hera wanted to portray with her family. Our readers with a trauma background might feel like Hephaestus when it comes to their bio-family. It could be stronger if the bio-family has new children that they are able to keep. As their current parent or caregiver, it is important to remind them that they are special and chosen by you. Prior relationships can be tough for everyone involved but focusing on the past won’t help us progress in the present and build our future. Our mantra with our boys is we are building a team and our team is strongest when we are together. If a team member slacks on their responsibility the team weakens, but if we all do our part the team can grow strong and succeed. Not one person is better than the other and if we all don’t do our part the group fails.

2. What would make you split from you friends if you all we on a quest?
Caregiver Note: Grover and Tyson split off from Percy and Annabeth to search for Pan because Grover suddenly picks up the nature god’s scent and must pursue him. Annabeth is strongly against splitting up she knows that Grover has to pursue Pan and Tyson will keep him safe. This question could be an indication on your readers main motivation. I suspect some readers will answer food, girls, books, video games, or an exciting experience, but others may go the deep route and bring up bio-parents, bio-siblings, or lost loved ones. Any way they answer it you will get a glimmer of their mindset and what they would drop everything for. This is vital information for you because you now know something that you can use to bring positive change to their lives. For example, if food is a motivation maybe look for a cooking class, if its sports try to find special camps, if its books look for authors they may like and find new ones together!

Chapter 12

1. Who is Calypso? Why is she important? Can you relate to her?
   Caregiver Note: Calypso is a daughter of Atlas and sister of Zoe Nightshade a main character from book three who perished in the battle with Atlas. Calypso has been banished to an island that appears to be no where and every where at the same time and her course of action is to care for any demi-gods who appear on her island and she may never leave because she supported the titans in the first war with the gods. Calypso visitors are given the choice to either join her on the island for eternity or leave without ever being able to return. No one has taken her offer and she is tired of the rejection. Some foster and adopt readers might relate to Calypso if they had been to multiple foster homes before being adopted or if they are in foster care currently. They seem to be stuck in the same spot and yearn to share their lives with someone else, but no one steps up to take the plunge. The rejection and loss can become too much to handle and some readers may have contemplated never being adopted. Aging out of foster care for our older readers is a fear and as a caregiver it is one that I cannot begin to imagine what it must feel like.

Chapter 13

1. Who do you think is going to help Percy and Annabeth in the Labyrinth? Why would Annabeth be upset about this?
   Caregiver Note: Hephaestus told Percy that he needed help to navigate the Labyrinth and that Daedalus’ string wouldn’t be the best option for them. Instead he would need a mortal to help him like heroes of the past had used. Percy knows exactly who he must ask for help and Annabeth is not to pleased about the plan.  The first question here is referring to Rachel Dare the character from chapter one who helps Percy escape from his new high school. This character can see through the mist and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time to help Percy. Annabeth is not happy about this because she is jealous of Rachel. Her quick encounter with her led her to believe that Rachel had feelings for Percy or Percy had feelings for Rachel. Jealousy can be a prominent feeling in our readers minds, and it shows up in many ways. Our reader can be jealous of friends, siblings, cousins, and even complete strangers because they feel like this missed out on experiences growing up or they don’t feel confident asking for extra things they want because they feel like they don’t deserve them. As caregivers we must instill confidence and trust in our readers that we will provide for them and that they can ask for things they may want, but it doesn’t mean they will get them every time. It is a hard feeling to break, but it can be done!

2. Did Minos get what he deserved? Why or why not?
Caregiver Note: Percy has another prophetic dream to provide back story on the history between Minos and Daedalus. In this dream we discover the Daedalus has escaped from Minos and has been away for 10 years. In order to find him Minos hatches a task that is nearly impossible, and Daedalus solves the riddle knowing that it is a trap. Minos is killed trying to capture Daedalus and he vows to haunt Daedalus from the underworld for the remainder of his time. We can all agree that Minos is a bad guy and may have deserved to die, but we also have to acknowledge that Daedalus took matters into his own hands instead of letting nature or the law take its course. Our readers may have a vengeance side and want to seek revenge on their enemies or the enemies of their friends. As caregivers we must try our best to calm the vengeance that rests in them and explain that retribution isn’t the best path to closure. Revenge can bring a fleeting peace, but it also brings heartache, shame, and pain to the you. It is imperative that we teach our readers to rely on the powers that be to handle things out of our control and choose to turn the other cheek instead of lowering ourselves to their level.

3. When was the last time you were jealous of someone?
Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth meet up with Rachel Dare and ask her to help them navigate the Labyrinth so they can find Daedalus and stop Luke from attacking the camp. During this conversation it is very obvious that Rachel and Annabeth both do not like the idea of working with each other. Annabeth is jealous of Rachel and protective of Percy and Rachel seems to have an interest in Percy too and knows Annabeth is a road block. Jealousy is a gross and ugly emotion. It normally brings out the worst in us and can make us say or do terrible things to each other. Foster and Adopted readers are not different, but they sometimes can be jealous over things other readers wouldn’t understand. For example, a trauma affected reader may be jealous that another reader has both birth parents at home or that they can see siblings when ever they want. Our readers have had to deal with adult issues as children and it is normal for them to be jealous of a friend’s ability to just be a kid. As caregivers we must validate those feelings, but also help our readers express them constructively. This can be a hard road to travel and if you find yourself in this spot I suggest looking into some materials by Karen Purvis or Bryan Post. Both authors have extensive research into emotional issues caused by trauma and good way to help tread the waters that come with these feelings.

Chapter 14

1. If you could see through the mist, would you help Percy and Annabeth in the Labyrinth?
   Caregiver Note: Rachel agrees to help our heroes navigate the Labyrinth and is greeted by a skeleton of a cyclops that has been strung up and displayed as soon as they enter. The labyrinth is full of dangerous creatures, death traps, and strange situation around every corner. Even if I could see through the mist, I don’t think I would want to venture into that unknown place! My readers are full of bravado and have a strong sense of pride. These two emotions lead to them making dangerous and rash decisions which lead to consequences they did not see as possible before they started. Is your reader cautious or adventurous? Do they have any issue with pride or authority? As caregivers you already know which of your readers would jump at this adventure and which would run the other way screaming and that is very important. It is crucial that you know how to meet both readers where they are. We must remind our adventurous readers to be cautious of potential pitfalls and our cautious readers may need a nudge out of their comfort soon from time to time. Neither group is better than the other, but our main goal is to help each of them grow to be better people in the long run.

2. Have you ever been given a gift you didn’t fully trust?
Caregiver Note: Percy is given a dog whistle made from a special ice from the underworld. The gift was from Quintus and is used to call Mrs. O’Leary a giant hellhound that Quintus had domesticated. Percy doesn’t trust Quintus and the last time he was given a gift it nearly killed Grover, but the heroes are trapped, and Percy is forced to summon Mrs. O’Leary. Luckily the whistle works, and the group is saved! We have gone over trust issues with each book and sometime several times. In my home trust issues with my adopted readers comes up 3-5 times a week and that is a good weak. With the level of trauma, the readers have experienced it is natural to not trust those around you and as caregivers we must understand that some behaviors we see are caused by prior mistrust. I am wondering if your reader didn’t necessarily trust the first thing you gave them. Maybe they thought it was a quid pro quo situation and they waited to see what the payment had to be. As they receive gifts and know that they come from a place of love the trust should follow, but trust is fickle and needs to be worked on all the time.

Chapter 15

1. Have you ever been determined to not give up on someone even though they deserve it?
   Caregiver Note: Early in this chapter Annabeth and Percy argue about Luke and his true intentions. Annabeth argues that because Luke wanted to spare her in the arena that there must still be something good in him. Percy doesn’t believe that at all and has lost all faith in Luke. Our readers may have people in their lives that have hurt them or a family member terribly, but they still want to give them the benefit of doubt and will not give up on them. It is a combination of love, loyalty and hope that makes our readers believe so much in these people. An abusive parent or sibling could be changed, a family member or friend might finally kick their habit and the reader can still be there for them. Unfortunately, these feelings take time to hash out, the reader needs to figure out the situation for themselves and come to terms with the outcome. As a caregiver, you can support the reader to a point, but also make it abundantly clear that you in no way support the third parties’ choices. You may even disclose that you are not fond of the other person and their actions but be careful because this can look like a line in the sand to your reader. They may start to rebel against you and anytime this person changes for the better you reader will throw it in your face. The key here is to stress that you want to help the person but can’t encourage the actions to continue for the sake of your reader.

2. What do you think about Rachel’s statement “Boys are so Blind.”?
Caregiver Note: Percy is caught between two forces and he has no idea what is going on around him. In his opinion, Annabeth is harping on Rachel for no reason and she is starting to turn on him too, but Rachel understands that Annabeth is jealous of her and Percy is oblivious. The answer to this question will depend on two things, the gender of your reader and their overall maturity. Male readers may just think that Annabeth is crazy, and they may have stories about girls they know that act a similar way towards them. Female readers might just nod and then go on about a boy they know who is this kind of “blind”. As caregivers we must be the listening ear and sometimes the voice of maturity when it comes to dealing with the opposite sex. It is a good assumption that you, as an adult, can relate to both sides of this argument. Teenage boys are oblivious to the feelings and motivations of girls and teenage girls can get frustrated at the sheer aloofness of their male counterparts. Tread lightly and let the readers talk about how they are feeling. Probe for examples and listen.

3. Who is Quintus really? Were you surprised by his reveal? (Fun Question)
Caregiver Note; Not much substance here, but it turns out that Quintus is Daedalus’ fifth automaton body! He had perfected the science and art of transferring his consciousness into a machine and that is how his is able to live forever and change his appearance.

Chapter 16

1. Who do you think Rachel’s parents are? (fun question)
   Caregiver Note: We know that the relationship between Rachel and her parent is strained to say the least. She has reluctant to talk about them to anyone and told Percy and Annabeth that she could be gone for over a week before anyone would notice. What is surprising is that in this chapter Rachel walks up to a random chauffeur and convinces him to take her, Percy and Annabeth with him to the city leaving behind his client. This is a fun question that will be answered in the book soon, but I think these quick questions are great ways to encourage and develop your readers imagination and fore-thinking. Plus, who wouldn’t want to be able to walk up to a random person and convince them to drop everything to help you!

2. What do you think about Luke’s sacrifice? Do you think part of Luke is still alive?
Caregiver Note: It is discovered that Luke has given Kronos his body to inhabit now that he has been fully restored. Kronos is now Luke and Luke is now Kronos. This analogy can be used to help you identify with your reader who may have changed course recently and is on a destructive path. Sometimes we allow ourselves to be taken over by the things we covet the most. It could be food, control, drugs, or even love that convince us to be give in to urges that have been inside us for a long time. Luke craved power and revenge and Kronos used that to gain literal control over him. If your reader is starting to give in or breakdown to these earthly desires this might be a good way for you to bring up that it isn’t too late to change course. It would also be interesting to see if they think that Luke is 100% Kronos or if he might still be inside trying to right his mistakes. A redemption story is something that can bring us together and is something that we all as humans strive for. We want to be redeemed from our past mistakes and make the situation right again.

Chapter 17

1. Have you ever had your heart broken? How did you heal?
   Caregiver Note: Percy must explain to Annabeth about Luke’s choice to give himself over to Kronos. Annabeth is beside herself and noticeably upset about the new events. She was friends with Luke for a long time before he went to the dark side and still believes there is some good left in him. Percy can not understand her feelings because he only knew Luke briefly before he flipped and by that time, he was already a double agent. Our readers sometimes have friendship or relationships with people we, as caregivers, would hope they would move on from. We look at the relationship with a bird’s eye view seeing everything that is visible and coming to our own conclusions. Our readers are at ground level and only see what they want to see. It makes no difference to them if their attitude and demeanor change around the other party, they know what they know, and we wouldn’t understand. The best course of action here is to let the situation play out as safely as possible and only intervene is the safety or your reader, your family, or the other party is at risk. If you push the relationship to end with no cause your reader will defy you.

2. What have you been searching for? What will you do if you find it?
Caregiver Note: Grover and Tyson finally meet up with Percy, Annabeth and Rachel in the Labyrinth. They descend into an undisturbed cave and are face to face with the god Pan. This is a major event because satyrs have been searching for Pan for 2,000 years and Grover has now found him. The downside is Grover must now report back that Pan has passed on and the chore of saving the wild is up to all of us now. This is a major blow to Grover because he has dreamed for his whole life for this moment and now, he must deliver news to the council that he necessarily cannot prove. Everyone is searching for something, it could be a family, spouse, job, school, or just what to have for dinner. For caregivers, it is a good plan to understand what your reader might be striving for. This way you can possibly help guide them toward their goal in some cases. This could also mean that you celebrate with them if they find the long sought-after need.

Chapter 18

1. Have you ever felt like you must pay for someone else’s mistakes?
   Caregiver Note: Rachel finally shares some information about her dad and tells Percy how much she disagrees with his practices and why Pan told her that she would not be responsible for her parents’ actions. Rachel’s dad is a large land developer and his job has him buying large tracts of the “wild” and developing it into sub-divisions and business districts. Our readers may feel like they are in a situation currently because someone else made a mistake. Being removed from your family can seem like a punishment and the readers may not feel like their parents or prior caregivers are being held responsible. As caregivers we must remind our readers that they were removed because their prior situation was not safe, and the reason they are with you is because you are safe. We also must reiterate that the removal was not their fault and their bio-parent or prior care giver is responsible for the removal.

2. Who is the last person you would expect to save you?
Caregiver Note: During the battle to defend Camp Half Blood, Daedalus and Briares (the Hundred-Handed one) arrived through the labyrinth with Mrs. O’Leary to help fight Krono’s army! Both characters seemed either defeated or resigned to their own fate and did not want to join this fight before, but both characters stated that they felt they had to prove something to themselves by helping our heroes. I think it would be interesting for you to answer this question too. You may not wish to share the person with your reader, but who would come to your rescue and be least expected. Trust is something that can be lost quickly and take years to gain and our readers are shining examples of that. However, I think many adults are also hesitant to trust or forgive too. Trust and forgiveness are hard emotions to model for our readers, but it is essential that they see you show grace and forgiveness, or they may never learn how to show these feelings themselves.

Chapter 19

1. How do you deal with loss?
   Caregiver Note: The chapter opens with campers shrouded and on funeral pyres. It is a somber time for all involved and something that even Percy doesn’t want to experience again. The pain and heartbreak is described vividly and seems to be felt by all the characters involved. Loss is one of the biggest factors of trauma and our foster/adopt readers have experienced more loss than your average adult. They could have lost bio-parents and family, foster families, teachers, counselors, pastors and friends to just name a few groups. Every time they moved houses, they would develop 10-15 new relationship and if they moved again, they would experience the loss of all those people. Therefore, our readers have trust issues, they do not know what will happen next and it become hard to develop relationships after losing so much loss.  Caregivers must remind themselves of their readers continued loss and the fear that it can bring. Many actions and outbursts can come from fear and its take a strong reminder to know if this is an anger response or a fear response.

2. Tell me about a time when you felt like you didn’t belong.
Caregiver Note: Nico says goodbye to Percy and explains that he needs to seek out answer to questions that have been mounting. He doesn’t fit in at camp and couldn’t answer any of his burning questions there. As much as it pained Percy to agree with him, he had to. Since Nico was a child of Hades, he didn’t have a cabin and he didn’t have any peers either. Our readers can sometimes feel this way too and maybe that is why many of them run away from foster homes or immediately move out once they turn 18. They are seeking answers and never felt like they fit in where they were. It’s not about hate or the situation, but simply about them not understanding who they are. These situations are tough for readers and caregivers, but if they are done safely, they can be necessary for both parties. Separation can mend fences and force bonds to grow stronger, it can also allow each party to understand the others true worth to them. It is okay to rest in the uneasy places for awhile and slow play a tough situation.

3. When you read. “A kind action can be just as powerful as a sword,” how did it make you feel? Can you explain it in your words?
Caregiver Note: Dionysus shows Percy that he cured Chris Rodriguez from his bout of madness, and they watch Chris and Clarisse enjoy a camp fire together. This surprises Percy because Mr. D is normally an unhappy guy around half-bloods, but Mr. D says the above statement and it is something our readers should have written any place they will read it daily. Revenge and retribution are common among trauma readers. They want to get even and right the wrongs that have happened to them, but not normally using words or kindness. The idea of giving grace and kindness to enemies is a foreign concept because our reader learned that you deal with frustration and anger with pain and malice. It is our job as caregivers to retrain their brains and show them that you can do more by just being nice to a person than you could ever do with your fists. Violence begets violence and it will never solve the whole problem. It is a tough lesson to learn, but a very important one.

Chapter 20

1. Tell me about a time that you stood up to an authority figure. Was is the right thing to do?
   Caregiver Note: Percy and Annabeth are approached by Hera and she lays out that many of their triumphs and lucky breaks in the labyrinth were because of her. Percy confronts her about their encounter with Geryon and that she didn’t pay for Nico’s safe travel through the ranch. Hera admits that Nico is not wanted and not desirable to her. This enrages Percy who tells Hera that in the future he would rather not have her help because she doesn’t care about people only about her perfect image. Now I am sure your reader hasn’t had the chance to shout down a goddess, but in their mind standing up to a parent or a teacher may rank high on their list. Many of our readers have seen or experienced injustice and know what it right and wrong. As caregivers we should encourage our readers to develop their voice and use it appropriately. We must walk alongside them and show them that standing up for the hurt and broken is the right thing to do and there is a right and wrong way to do it. Readers can be reminded that their cause will gain more traction if they show respect even when fighting injustice.

2. What do you think about Paul asking Percy’s permission to marry his mom?
Caregiver Note: At Percy’s 15^th birthday party Paul, his mom’s boyfriend, asks Percy’s permission to marry his mom. Percy is at first wondering why he is being considered and Paul says that he understands that Percy is under a lot of stress and having a difficult time, so he wanted to talk with him before asking the question. Our readers may not understand the significance of asking permission to marry a person and you may have to give a bit of a history lesson about guys asking fathers to marry daughters. The practice seems antiquated but remembering the gross human that Sally’s first husband Gabe was, it seems like the right way to go about it.

3. What do you think that Nico meant by the only way to defeat Luke?
Caregiver Note: At the end of the book Nico shows up and drops a bomb on Percy that he knows how to defeat Luke and it’s going to take a lot. This ending makes me want to jump the next book immediately, but it is a great ending to be able and push your readers imagination. Once again, I will encourage you to have your readers write down their predictions for book 5. This is the LAST BOOK for the series so have them write predictions for the story and to pick 3-4 characters and try to guess their fate. Save the prediction and see how well they did with book 5 The Last Olympian!

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.