Percy Jackson: The Titan's Curse

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Titan’s Curse

By Rick Riordan

About the book:

When Percy Jackson gets an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he will need his powerful demigod allies, Annabeth and Thalia, at his side, his trusty bronze sword Riptide, and . . . a ride from his mom.
The demigods rush to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two powerful half-bloods whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The titan lord Kronos has devised his most treacherous plot yet, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.
They're not the only ones in danger. An ancient monster has arisen -- one rumored to be so powerful it could destroy Olympus -- and Artemis, the only goddess who might know how to track it, is missing. Now Percy and his friends, along with the Hunters of Artemis, have only a week to find the kidnapped goddess and solve the mystery of the monster she was hunting.
Along the way, they must face their most dangerous challenge yet: the chilling prophecy of The Titan's Curse.

About the guide:

This guide includes discussion questions and projects intended to extend the use of the novel into classrooms, book clubs, and literature circles. It should promote discussion on the themes of the novel including friendship, adventure, choices, fate, sacrifice, revenge, and hope.

About the author:

Rick Riordan is the multi-award-winning author of the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults and the national bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series for children.

For fifteen years, Rick taught English and history at public and private middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Texas. In 2002, Saint Mary’s Hall honored him with the school’s first Master Teacher Award.

Discussion Guide:

1. Explain how the heroes of the story all come together at Grover Military Academy. What is the result of this episode and how does it set up Percy’s quest for the whole novel? Which goddess is involved in the battle?
2. Why does Bianca make the choice to become a huntress of Artemis? Do you know anyone who would be willing to make this choice? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this decision?
3. Who is in charge of Camp Half-Blood? Why was he sent there as punishment? Describe the location and purpose of the camp.
4. Why are Percy’s nightmares an important aspect of the story? What two things do they reveal? Would you like to receive information this way or would you be able to trust its meaning?
5. Explain in your own words the prophecy of the Oracle. Make predictions about who you think will succumb to the threats listed there. Do you think the heroes completely understand the prophecy or not?
6. How does Percy join the quest? Is he originally supposed to be on it? Why not? What promise does Nico exact from Percy before he leaves on the quest?
7. What trap does Artemis fall into because of her weakness? What flaw or weakness would someone be able to exploit in you? Are all people fatally flawed?
8. Describe the major events in Washington, D.C. With whom and where do they battle? What is Luke’s goal? How does in conflict with Percy’s? What reward does Percy take away from this battle?
9. Which monsters in the novel are your favorites? Which one would frighten you most? Why? What types of transportation do the heroes use in this novel? Which one would be your favorite way to get around?
10. What happens in the junkyard? Would you be willing to sacrifice your own life to save a friend? How did she make this decision? What brave thing did she do?
11. While the Olympians offer guidance and occasionally a cool weapon they do not get directly involved in the quests of mere mortals. Why?  What would happen if the gods and goddesses were always involved in these battles?
12. How was Thalia tempted by power? Do you think most people could resist ultimate power or not? Why?
13. Which heroes in the Greek Myths never gave credit to the women who helped them? Do you think Percy would do something similar or not? What act proves that he is different than the demigods that came before him?
14. Who is The General? To whom is he related? How does this prove fateful for one of the quest’s heroes? What is The General’s burden? What two people carry it for a time?
15. In the end, what happens on the Mountain of Despair? What results from this battle? Who must Percy disappoint? How does he take the news? Does this set up conflict for the next book? How?

Projects:

Music:

Create an I-pod playlist for Percy and his hero friends that will inspire them  throughout the book. In a short journal explain why you chose particular songs to represent specific scenes or battles in the story.

Social Studies:

Read at least two different versions of a single Greek Myth (Persephone and Demeter for example). Then, create a venn diagram to compare the details of the two stories.

Or-

Using a map of the United States trace the timeline of the book and mark major events from the plot of The Titan’s Curse.

Science:

Dr. Chase, Annabeth’s mortal father, reconfigured celestial bronze into bullets. Research the properties of one element off the periodic table of the elements and then design a weapon for Percy, Thalia, Annabeth, or Grover. What qualities of the element would be best exploited for its use? Would it have any weaknesses?

Or-

Many of the Greek Myth monsters are combinations of real animals and mythical ones. These combined creatures make ferocious opponents! Design your own Greek Myth monster by combining an actual animal with qualities of a mythical beast. Be sure to turn in both your description and an illustration of your beast.

Art:

Choose your favorite Olympian and then design the perfect home for them. What qualities would be necessary to insure your god or goddesses ultimate comfort? What requirements would be necessary to meet their massive appetite for wine, say, or their knack for starting trouble. You can use whatever materials you like to bring this project to life but be as detailed as possible.

This guide was created by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, a reading specialist and author of Reaching for Sun from Bloomsbury. Visit her website to find hundreds of guides to children’s literature.

Cont. next page…
Language Arts:

Fill out the following prediction guide chart as you read The Titan’s Curse. Each prediction should be based on facts gleaned from the story, your knowledge of story structure, and your understanding of the Greek Myths.

Chapter	Major Events	Predictions
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

On the back write a prediction for the next book in the Percy Jackson series.

The Shadow Thieves

By Anne Ursu

About the book:

Charlotte and Zee uncover a mystery that is leading all of their friends to become seriously ill. Their quest for the cure leads them to a not-so-mythical Underworld, where they face rhyme-loving Harpies, gods with personnel problems, and ghosts with a thirst for blood. They discover on their journey that the fate of every person- living and dead- is in their young hands.

In her dazzling debut for young readers Anne Ursu weaves a tale of myth and adventure, danger and magic that will keep readers engrossed until the very last secret is revealed.

About the author:

Anne Ursu was raised in Minnesota and currently lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with her husband and cats. The Shadow Thieves is the first in a trilogy. For more, visit www.cronuschronicles.com

Pre-reading:

What do you know about the Greek myths? Why do you think these stories have been passed down for thousands of years? What is the underworld in mythology? Who presides over it?

Discussion Guide:

1. Describe Charlotte, both her physical appearance and her personality. How does she get along with her parents? Her peers? Would you be her friend? How would she fit in at your school? What are her strengths and weaknesses?

2. Why is Zee sent to his cousin’s house? How do kids from Charlotte’s school treat him? Why?  Is his presence good for Charlotte? Why? How does their friendship develop over the course of the novel?

3. Where is the door to the Underworld? Why do you think the author picked this location? Who is the Messenger? Who are the men in the tuxedos?

4. How is Hades portrayed in this modern story? How have things changed in the Underworld since its beginning? What does this inspire Philonecron to attempt?

5. What is Zee’s relationship with his grandmother? What do grandparents offer that parents can’t? What is your own best memory with a grandparent? How does Zachary seem to expand and open up only when he’s with his grandmother?

6. Why don’t Zee’s parents believe he has anything to do with the sudden illness? Would your parents believe you? What would you do?

7. What is the Piper Flu? Who is getting it? What is really happening? Why are they attacking children only?

8. How does Charlotte describe Mr. Metos? How is he involved in the story? What happens to him? Why is he destined to be a part of the story?

9. Are you familiar with the original Greek myths? How does this affect your reading of the text? How does Ursu play with the original characters and settings of the myths? Which original myth is your favorite? Why?

10. Reread page 311 that describes Zee bringing the army to life. What does Zee feel for the first time in his life? How can power corrupt and control people? Do you think power is more important or more intoxicating than fame? How are fame and power connected? Why do people become obsessed with them?

11. Explain the major events in the Underworld. What happens to Philonecron and his army? Which scene is your favorite? Why? In the end, how do some things remain the same there?

12. The novel is peppered with a wide cast of mythological beasts. Which one is your favorite? Why? Does this novel inspire you to read the original myths as well?

Activities:

Create a map of the Underworld. Use as many details from the book as you can and don’t forget to add in the beasts.

Fill out the following character charts as you read.

The Mortals:                     Description:                          Conflict:                           In the end:

Charlotte
Zee
Grandmother Winter
Mr. Metos

The Immortals:

                                           Description/Powers               Important because..          In the end…

Philonecron
Hades
Persephone
Charon

Music:

The Harpies like to rewrite nursery rhymes to reflect their more modern tastes. Rewrite another nursery rhyme or tune for another one of the Underworld’s beasts. Common tunes might include Mary Had a Little Lamb Frére Jacques or London Bridges.

Art:

Design the costumes for the movie adaptation of the novel. Sketch garments and choose colors and even fabrics.

Or, choose a scene to design instead. You can sketch, paint, or use the computer to create your setting. 

Language:

Rewrite one of the ancient Greek myths into a modern story.

The Night Tourist

The Night Tourist

by Katherine Marsh

About the book: Jack Perdu, a ninth-grade Classics prodigy, lives with his father on the Yale University campus. Smart and introverted, Jack spends most of his time alone, his nose buried in a book. But one winter evening, a near-fatal accident changes Jack’s life forever.

His father sends him to see a mysterious doctor in New York City—where Jack hasn’t been since his mother died there eight years ago. In Grand Central Terminal, he meets Euri, a girl who offers to show him the train station’s hidden places—the ones only true urban explorers really know about. Eight flights below the station, however, Jack discovers more than just hidden tracks and mysterious staircases. He has stumbled upon New York’s ghostly underworld. This, Jack believes, is his chance to see his mother again. But as secrets about Euri’s past are revealed, so are the true reasons for Jack’s visit to the underworld.

Masterfully told, The Night Tourist weaves Classical mythology together with New York’s secret history and modern-day landscape to create a magical adventure, full of unexpected twists and page-turning action.

About this guide:

This guide includes discussion questions intended to provoke thought and insight into the themes of the book which include friendship, acceptance, myth, grief, despair, risk, forgiveness and hope.

About the author:

Katherine Marsh taught high school before she moved to New York City and started writing for Good Housekeeping and Rolling Stone. Her nonfiction stories about the city have appeared in The New York Times and other publications. She is currently the managing editor of The New Republic magazine, where she edits articles on politics and culture. A native of the Empire State and a Yale graduate, she lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two cats.

Discussion guide:

Pre-reading:

Read a version of the Orpheus myth from Greek Mythology before reading the opening chapter of the novel. What do you think is the lesson about life and death that is woven in this story? Does Orpheus learn to appreciate his own life more? Can true love outlast even death?

Questions to consider:

1. After you read chapter one create a news release or front page article explaining the events of chapter one. Be sure to answer all five of the journalistic questions and get quotes from witnesses at the scene.
2. Describe the incident in Jack’s father’s study. What does it reveal about their relationship that he doesn’t tell his father about it? Would you tell your parents? What is Jack afraid of? Jack’s father also isn’t forthcoming about his real reasons to sending him off to New York City. Would you be suspect if your parents treated you similarly?
3. Do you, as a reader, trust Euri as she leads Jack deeper and deeper into her world? Why do you think Jack follows? What does she offer to show him? What could you show a visitor to your own neighborhood or city? At what point, if any, in the story would you have turned back? Why?
4. Jack finally realizes that he has entered the underworld of New York City. What are the three major powers and rules which will rule his time there? What will happen if he is discovered? Would you be willing to risk death to explore this world and speak to a lost loved one or not? Explain your position.
5. List the characters that Jack and Euri meet while in the underworld. Compare their human life with their existence in the afterlife. Who do they learn the most from? Why? What famous person would you most like to run into in the afterlife? Why?
6. What is the most exciting part of their adventure together? How does their relationship change over the course of the novel?  How did you feel about Euri’s fate? Is it fair? How does Jack deal with this loss too?
7. Jack and Euri try to solve the mystery of what happened to Jack’s mother. What does the asterisk mean? Why are the dates incongruent but eventually make sense? What does Jack learn from his mother?
8. Euri explains her death as an “accident.” Was it? Does she regret her decision? What does she miss most about life? What do we learn about her life and her family? How does Jack feel about Euri’s suicide? Does he have more empathy for Euri than his mother? Why or why not?
9. Who (or what) are the villains in this story? Which one would you be most afraid of? Why?
10. Compare this story with the classic greek myth