The Sword of Summer
FlumeAward – The Sword of Summer The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
I love Rick Riordan’s mythological tales. His characters are well developed and the story is always interesting. He must do a ton of research. I think this book would definitely appeal to both girls and boys. My only concern is that our library shelves these books in the Children’s Room under Juvenile Fiction. Not sure how other libraries classify them, but that could be a turnoff for teens. That being said, it is read by all ages. If you are looking for a book that would appeal to reluctant readers, it would be a good fit for the Flume. – Barb Ballou, Whipple Free Library, New Boston
I’ve been on a crusade to put Riordan in the teen section since his Heroes of Olympus series -with the teen characters and dating and whatnot, there’s no reason why these should keep being put in the children’s section. That being said, I’m 2/3 of the way through listening to this one, and, even though it’s yet another spin on mythology in the modern world, I’m enjoying it immensely. Magnus Chase is a homeless teen in Boston when he is killed while fighting a Norse god, and is whisked off to Valhalla. The only tie-in with previous series so far is that Magnus is Annabeth’s cousin (from the two Percy Jackson series). The Norse mythology is fascinating, sending up common perceptions based on recent movies. It’s a classic quest novel, and very accessible to teens of any age, boys or girls. -Kirsten Rundquist Corbett, Sandown PL