percy jackson is my hero.

i had friends who HATED the movie.  said it was horrible.  said they almost walked out.
(and, they didn't even have kids with them when they went to see it.)
i had another friend who read the books and wouldn't let her kids read them.

my boys and my husband LOVED the books this summer.  it kept them reading for a LONG time.
i had no idea what they were about, but didn't think i'd love them.

my kids were watching the lightening thief from netflix one afternoon and it caught my attention.
there is a line, at the beginning, where they take this kid, Percy, who has failed out of school because he has dyslexia and ADHD and tell him something like, "You aren't a looser, you just haven't found your super powers yet.  You are part god, you have greatness within you."
this is TRUTH.
no, i don't believe in the greek myths... but i do believe that we are children of God.
all of us are "demi-gods"
we all have strengths and weakness and divinity and goodness within us.  we just need to discover our gifts. 
 i sat and watched the whole movie.
and, i LOVED it. (even if it isn't the same as the book.)

i decided to read the books.
just finished this morning.
i LOVED them.
LOVED them.
LOVED the ending
LOVED the HOPE the author gave for humanity.
loved the struggle between good and evil... in the world, and in each individual.
LOVED that the worldly struggle continues, even though most individuals choose good.
LOVED the message of unity amidst differences.
LOVED that the kids weren't smarter than their parents...
and even the mortal parents of the demi-gods could take care of themselves and remain parental.
Percy chooses life over immortality.  so did we.
many are "redeemed" as they sacrifice their lives for those they love.
gods love their children, even if they don't take away their trials.  love that.
and, although there are deep ties of friendship and love throughout the book, the most we get is a kiss at the end.  PERFECT for my boys.

But, one of my favorite parts of the book, came when i was reading about the books.
The author, Rick Riordan, started this book as a bedtime story for his son.
His son was just getting diagnosed with Dyslexis/ADHD.

This is what he said,

"When I was writing Percy Jackson, my own son was in the process of being tested for learning differences. He was having trouble reading, and some trouble focusing in the classroom. The teachers were wondering about ADHD and dyslexia. He was frustrated about learning to read, and we had to explain to him that the testing was designed to help the teachers help him, not to make him feel bad….
dyslexic/ADHD kids are creative, “outside-the-box” thinkers. They have to be, because they don’t see or solve problems the same way other kids do. In school, unfortunately, they are sometimes written off as lazy, unmotivated, rude, or even stupid. They aren’t. If they can get through their rough school years, they often go on to become very successful adults. Employers love them, because they come up with original, fresh ideas. Making Percy ADHD/dyslexic was my way of honoring the potential of all the kids I’ve known who have those conditions. It’s not a bad thing to be different. Sometimes, it’s the mark of being very, very talented. That’s what Percy discovers about himself in The Lightning Thief." www.rickriordan.com

This is what his SON, Halely, said about Percy,

Percy has changed my life,” says Haley [Riordan]. “You read a lot of books and none of them have a hero who is ­dyslexic or has ADHD – it’s always perfect people in a perfect world ­doing perfect things. Percy is, in fact, very flawed and he has to fight against that and at the same time fight monsters.”

(if you want to read more, read this article)

the only thing i didn't like about these books... they were a little too Harry Potter-ish.
but, for a younger audience.
i would recommend these books to young readers- especially boys who are having a hard time getting hooked in books.
yes, there is fighting, but it is good vs evil.  and good wins.
i like that.
and, i LOVED these books.