Poseidon and the sea of fury

Gr 3-6-The book picks up where Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom (2012) left off, with Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon heading for the sea to find a mysterious trident while the Cronies, Cronus's band of henchmen, continue to pursue the young Olympians. As they face many dangers, including the Sirens and the titan Oceanus, Poseidon comes into his own, discovering the power he has at his disposal. Throughout, full-page cartoon drawings depict exciting scenes, such as the Sirens rising out of the sea. However, while the victory belongs to Poseidon this time around, Zeus maintains the main point of view, and his quests to learn about his history, and about the secrets his new friends are keeping, are central. Those secrets, of course, will be obvious to any reader familiar with Greek myths, as many kids are sure to be, but Zeus's struggle here is genuine. Like its predecessor, this book is funny and fast paced, and focuses on characters kids will be interested in, including the newest Olympian to join the team, Hades. His story is up next, and it seems clear that the series will continue to entertain as Zeus collects more Olympians, learns more about his true identity, and explores ancient Greece.-Heather Talty, formerly at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, New York City (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Providing a new take on the Greek myth of the rise of the Olympians and fall of the Titans, these lighthearted chapter books focus on the titular gods' journeys of self discovery. Accompanied by Zeus and Hera, Poseidon and Hades discover their true roles as gods. The books' humorous approach will appeal to younger readers, as will the cartoonlike black-and-white illustrations. [Review covers these Heroes in Training titles: Hades and the Helm of Darkness and Poseidon and the Sea of Fury.] (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHAPTER ONE Under Attack! A SPEAR WHIZZED BY TEN-YEAR-OLD Zeus's ear. He ducked his head but didn't stop running. Neither did his two companions, Hera and Poseidon. They were right behind him. "Halt in your tracks or you're dead meat, Snackboy!" a cruel voice boomed. He'd know that voice anywhere. It was Lion Tattoo. That was what Zeus had nicknamed him, anyway. He was the leader of the three half-giants who were after Zeus. They were soldiers in King Cronus's army and stood as tall as trees. Just three days before, they'd snatched Zeus from his cave in Crete and brought him here to Greece. He'd already escaped them--twice. But he might not be so lucky a third time. "When we catch you, we will eat you!" hollered a second voice. Blackbeard's. Another of the half-giants. Then the third one--Zeus had dubbed him Double Chin--added his two cents. "Yeah! And we'll chomp your friends for dessert! Ha-ha-ha!" He followed this up with a loud burp. A shiver ran down Zeus's spine. They were probably bluffing, though. Their orders were more likely to take him, Hera, and Poseidon back to King Cronus. So that the king could swallow them whole! They approached a ditch. Zeus jumped in and hunkered down, waiting for Hera and Poseidon to catch up. Within seconds Hera dropped in to crouch beside him. "We'll never reach the sea at this rate. Somebody else is going to find that trident thingie before we do. Do something, Thunderboy!" she hissed. Zeus liked the nickname she'd given him. But she sure did know how to make it sound like an insult sometimes. "Don't be so impatient. We'll get there," he told her. "We're on a quest, remember? You can't expect it to be fast or easy." An oracle named Pythia had sent them on this quest to search for a magical trident. Which was going to be a challenge, since none of them knew what a trident was. But they did know their destination--the sea. Excerpted from Poseidon and the Sea of Fury by Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.