SOTW 1 and the Percy Jackson series??

[pamodd]

This is our first year homeschooling, and I am doing doing SOTW 1 with my advanced reader 2nd grade (7 yo) son.

 

I'm looking for corresponding literature/good reads and was wondering if the Percy Jackson series would be appropriate age-wise?

 

Thanks in advance!!

[Farrar]

I think so. I read the first one to my kids for fun at age 7. There's some pretty mild romance mentioned and a couple of gross out things, some evil characters and a lot of mentions of the behavior of the gods - some of which is negative with drinking or affairs, but that's in the myths too - it's all in the context of a children's book and dealt with pretty mildly in my opinion. They're mostly just enjoyable, but they do reinforce the mythology and get kids excited about it.

[Angel]

Tales from the Odyssey series by Mary Pope Osborne! It begins with The One-Eyed Giant. They are way below my dd's reading level, about Magic Tree House level, but she still loves them.

 

ETA: Dd has read all of the Percy Jackson books and so have I. If you don't have a sensitive dc, then I would say you are fine. If I had the time, I would do it as a read aloud so you could discuss it some.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Angel

[Starr]

I think the Percy Jackson series is more fun after you know something of the myths and gods. We read D'Aulaire's book of Greek Myths and Black Ships Before Troy and the Adventures of Odysseus. Have fun.

[redsquirrel]

My sons would have found Percy Jackson a bit too intense at that age. There is also teen romance and slang that might go over the head of a 7 year old.

 

Now, my son fell in love with Percy Jackson when he was a 5th grader and still reads all the Riordan books as they come out.

 

I agree that the Mary Pope Osborne Odyssey books are great for that age. My boys both love them. I don't know if it is still available, but I also got the audio version.

 

IMHO, at the age of 7 it is the time to really dig deep into the myths themselves. D'aulaire, the Osborne series, possibly Black Ships Before Troy. There are lots more versions of the Greek myths for that age. When kids are older they can have lots of fun learning about what you can do with those myths. That is when Rick Riordan comes in handy. I think at 7 the Riordan stories are going to become confused with the more classical retelling of the myths.

[Starr]

Don't worry about finding enough to read while studying the Ancients. Bookstores and libraries are full. :)

[crazyforlatin]

Percy is fine for that age, and I agree that it's more fun after reading Greek myths, although I'm sure many kids have been inspired by the series to do further reading on their own.

 

The Kane Chronicles, by the same author, is about Ancient Egypt, and Dd enjoyed the three books immensely, probably more than the Percy Jackson series.

 

Then there is the Lost Heroes of Olympus series, a spinoff of Percy, with the third book coming out soon.

 

I'm wondering when the author will be covering Mesopotamia.

[pamodd]

I'm SOOO glad you suggested The Kane Chronicles! We just finished The Red Pyramid, LOVED it, and it fit perfectly since we're still talking about Egypt. The audio book was fun too.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I second D'Aulaire's.

 

My boys loved this book and this book, too.