The Lightning Thief

By Rick Riordan

Grades 6-8; Genre – Fantasy; GRL W; AR pts: 13.0

Mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking out of the pages of twelve-year-old Percy Jackson's textbooks and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now, he and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Describe Percy Jackson. Percy’s 12 years old, in 6^th grade, has a rough life, went to a boarding school in upstate New York, is a half-blood, always gets in trouble on field trips, smart, knows a lot about mythology, he has dyslexia and attention deficit disorder p.1
2. Who's Percy's Latin teacher? Mr. Brunner p.2
3. Who's Percy's best friend? Grover p.3
4. Describe what happened when Mrs. Dodds took Percy into the museum alone. She told him to confess and he would suffer less pain, then she turned into a hag with bat wings, claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs. She attacked Percy, but he fought back and killed her with a pen that turned into a sword from Mr. Brunner p.12
5. How did everyone react when Percy went out of the museum and asked where Mrs. Dodds was? They didn’t know who he was talking about and that there wasn’t a Mrs. Dodds at the school p.14

Chapter 2

1. Why did Percy go down to Mr. Brunner’s office and what did he hear? He wanted help studying for the Latin test; Mr. Brunner and Grover talking about Percy, the incident at the museum and how Percy was in danger p.19
2. Why did Percy think it was ironic when Grover said he had to protect him? All year long he’d been fighting bullies for Grover and here Grover was supposed to protect him p.24
3. What did Grover think the snipping of the yarn meant? That Percy was going to die p.28

Chapter 3

1. Describe Percy’s mom. Her name is Sally Jackson; her parents died when she was 5 years old; her uncle raised her; she saved money to go to a good writing program at college, but her uncle got sick and she had to quit work and high school take care of him; with no money left and no degree, she met Percy’s dad; they weren’t married, but he got lost at sea; she worked hard to get her high school diploma; worked at a candy shop in Grand Central station p.29
2. What does Percy know about his father? Kind; tall, handsome, powerful and gentle; black hair like Percy’s p.38
3. Why did Percy’s mom send him away for school? She thought it would be far enough away to keep him safe; he’s been in danger at every school he’s gone to p.40
4. Why did Grover get after Percy’s mom at the cabin? She shouldn’t have taken Percy to the cabin, but didn’t know what had happened to Percy at school to know what danger he was in p.42

Chapter 4

1. What type of creature is Grover? A satyr p.45
2. Describe the creature after Percy? A Minotaur at least 7 feet tall; arms and legs were big with muscles; wore no clothes but white underwear; course brown hair started at his belly and got thicker as it reached his shoulders; his neck a mass of muscle with fur leading up to his enormous head; had a snout as long as Percy’s arm; snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring; cruel black eyes and sharp black and white horns p.50
3. What happened to Percy’s mother as the Minotaur grabbed her? He squeezed her around her neck and she turned into a shimmering golden form and vanished in a flash of light p.53
4. How did Percy defeat the monster? He jumped onto his head and held onto his horns; he pulled back on one of the horns and snapped it off; he was on the ground and as the Minotaur ran by Percy stabbed him in the side with the horn and the monster disintegrated like crumbling sand and blew away in the wind p.54

Chapter 5

1. How long had Percy been unconscious from the fight with the Minotaur? 2 days p.59
2. What did the drink with a straw and umbrella taste like and how did it make Percy feel? Percy’s mom’s chocolate chip cookies; like he could throw Nancy Bobofit 100 yards; he was full of energy p.60
3. Why did Mr. Brunner or Chiron go to Yancy Academy? Grover had found Percy and thought he was special, so he went to see for himself and he taught him p.64
4. What did Mr. D and Chiron explain to Percy while playing pinochle? The Greek Gods and everything in Greek mythology is real p.68
5. What type of creature is Mr. Brunner? A centaur p.74

Chapter 6

1. Why was Grover getting chewed out by Mr. D? He was supposed to be a protector, but Percy saved him from the Minotaur and it didn’t look like he had much courage p.76
2. Describe Camp Half Blood. Large area with strawberry fields, a canoeing lake, stables, large barn, lots of cabins, javelin range, a sing-along amphitheater, archery range, and an arena where there are sword and spear fights p.79
3. What did the twelve cabins represent? Each of the 12 gods p.80
4. What was Annabeth’s explanation for Percy’s dyslexia and ADHD? He was meant to read Ancient Greek; he’s impulsive and wasn’t meant to sit for a long time because he has battlefield reflexes; his attention problems are because he sees too much, his senses are better than regular mortals p.88
5. What did Percy do in response to Clarisse trying to shove his face into the toilet? He made the water shoot out of the toilets and showers and push her and her friends out of the bathroom p.91

Chapter 7

1. Why do half-bloods live at the camp and how long do they stay? For safety, depending on their parent-god; monsters may chase and kill them; they stay depending on if it’s safe to out into the world p.96
2. Where is Olympus located? Empire State Building on the 600^th floor p.99
3. Define the word prophecy and explain why Annabeth is so intent on finding “the one”. Prophecy: a prediction; Chiron was told by the Oracle that she wouldn’t be able to go on a quest until someone special came to the camp p.102
4. Why did Percy change his drink to a blue cherry coke? In honor of his mother, since she made food blue for him p.104

Chapter 8

1. How did Percy receive strength to knock the blade out of Luke’s hand? He poured water over his head; the water made him stronger and his senses keener p.110
2. Tell Thalia’s story. She was a daughter of Zeus, but he’d broken an oath to not have any more children, but Hades found out and sent his worst monsters after her. She almost made it to the camp, but had her keeper take the other two half-bloods and save them while she tried to fight the monsters p.114
3. Describe the interaction between Percy and Clarisse and her gang during Capture the Flag? They ganged up on Percy; she electrocuted him with her spear and one of her gang sliced his arm with their sword and pushed him into the water; Percy received strength and he defeated Clarisse and her house mates p.121
4. Who is Percy’s father? Poseidon the Sea God p.126

Chapter 9

1. Describe Percy’s dream and what type of figurative language is it an example of? He was running to stop two gods from fighting, but the wind kept pushing him back, there were palm trees and buildings different from New York, the ground shook and evil laughter coming from beneath the ground said “Come down, little hero. Come down.”, the ground split and Percy fell in; foreshadowing p.130
2. What are Poseidon and Zeus fighting over? a lightning bolt; Zeus’ master bolt; Zeus is blaming Poseidon for stealing it p.135
3. Why does Zeus think Poseidon had Percy steal his lightning bolt? Poseidon and Zeus were fighting at winter council and the places where the bolts are created is in the ocean; Poseidon just revealed that Percy was his son and Percy was in New York City during the winter solstice p.136
4. What did the Oracle tell Percy? You shall go west and face the god who has turned; You shall find what was stole, and see it safely returned; You shall be betrayed by one who calls you friend; and you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end p.141
5. How is Annabeth appearing out of thin air? She has a magic baseball cap she wears to make her invisible p.148

Chapter 10

1. What was the gift Luke had given to Percy for his quest and why did he give them to Grover? Luke’s flying shoes from his dad; Percy shouldn’t take to the air since Zeus had control of the air p.151
2. What gift did Mr. Brunner give to Percy and where had he gotten it from? The pen sword called Riptide; he got it from Poseidon to give to his child p.153
3. Why did Percy’s mom marry and stay with Gabe? To protect Percy; Gabe smelled so human it covered up Percy’s half-blood smell and protected him from the monsters p.158
4. Explain the interaction between Percy, Grover, Annabeth and the Furies on the bus. They were all on the bus, the furies started to go to the back of the bus, Percy put on Annabeth’s magic hat and crept up and hid in a seat while the Furies passed; Percy got to the front of the bus, but the Furies were after Annabeth and Grover since he’d disappeared; Percy grabbed the steering wheel and made the bus crash into a tree; he took of the hat and the Furies came after him; he pulled out Riptide and defeated two of them; Mrs. Dodds was left and the kids were able to get away with lightning striking the bus and the kids running into the woods p.163

Chapter 11

1. What was the business the three characters came to as they exited the woods and how did Grover feel about it? Aunty Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium; a strange business that had a forest of statues on the front lawn; he thought it was strange and smelled monsters p.171
2. Why wasn’t Percy anxious to leave the shop like Annabeth and Grover? His food had made him sleepy p.176
3. What creature was Aunty Em and describe her? Medusa; she had a head of snakes and she turned people to stone when they look her in the eyes p.180
4. What did Percy send to Olympus and why? Medusa’s head; because he was angry at them p.186

Chapter 12

1. What did the Furies say that confused Grover and Annabeth? Instead of saying where is he, they said where is it? P.192
2. What was Percy’s dream in this chapter? Percy stood in a dark cavern before a large pit; spirits of the dead tried to pull him back, but Percy felt compelled to walk to the very edge of the chasm; the pit was black and seemed bottomless, but Percy could feel something huge and evil trying to rise from the abyss; a voice spoke to him calling him a little hero and that he was too weak and young, but would do; it also said he’s been mislead and to barter with it and he would give Percy what he wanted and he saw his mother before she died; the voice told Percy to help him rise and to bring him the bolt to strike a blow against the gods; the spirits of the dead whispered around him to wake up; Percy felt the thing in the pit wasn’t trying to pull him down, but was using him to pull itself out p.194
3. What did Grover find to help them travel west? A poodle they could return to its family to get the reward money to pay for train tickets p.195

Chapter 13

1. Why did Annabeth run away from home? Her dad and stepmom treated her like a freak and wouldn’t let her play with their mortal children, if anything dangerous happened with monsters they would look at her like, “how dare you put our family to risk” p.201
2. Describe a time Athena and Poseidon worked together? Athena invented chariots and Poseidon created horses out of the crest of waves p.202
3. Describe the creature the chihuahua turned into. He turned into a Chimera: a rabid, fire-breathing, poisonous creature with a head of a lion and the body and hooves of a goat, a serpent for a tail with a ten-foot long diamondback growing out of its behind p.207
4. Why did Percy jump from the arch into the river? To escape the Chimera; Echidna tempted him to do it; he was hoping the water would help him heal and that he would find his sword p.210

Chapter 14

1. What did Percy realize as he was underwater in the river? He could breathe and he was dry p.213
2. What did the messenger tell Percy? His dad wanted him to go to the beach in Santa Monica before going to the Underworld; to not trust the gifts; his father believes in him p.214
3. Why is Percy wanted by the police and being talked about on the news? He is being accused of hurting his mom, hurting the three old women on the bus, and for causing the damage to the arch p.217

Chapter 15

1. How did Annabeth call Half-Blood Hill from Denver? They created a rainbow and threw a Drachma in to the goddess of rainbows, who carries messages for the gods, and asked to be connected p.220
2. Who came to eat dinner with Percy, Annabeth and Grover and why? Ares; he wanted Percy to get his shield at a waterpark p.227
3. Why didn’t Ares want to retrieve his shield himself? It was a trap Hephaestus made to make Ares and Aphrodite look like fools p.236
4. How did Percy and Annabeth survive the prank? Percy made water come through the pipes and take their boat on the ride; they then jumped to safety with Grover trying to slow their fall p.238

Chapter 16

1. What information about Percy’s mother did Ares tell him? That she’s not dead, but being held hostage p.244
2. How did Percy, Annabeth and Grover travel to Las Vegas? In a big semi with animals in the back p.245
3. What did Percy dream of in this chapter? At first, he was in school in a straight jacket trying to take a test with Thalia next to him in the same situation. The straight jacket melted off Percy and he went to give Hades a piece of his mind. He found the same voice talking to someone else about him and the bolt. The voice realized Percy was there with them and gave him a dream of his quest and he saw his mother frozen in golden light and he was turning into a skeleton p.252
4. What casino did the kids go in and what happened to them in there? The Lotus Hotel and Casino; they were given a room and card with unlimited money and then showered and ate; they enjoyed all of the cool things and perks of the casino and Percy started talking to people and realized they didn’t know how long they’d been there and wasted 5 days in there p.258

Chapter 17

1. What was Annabeth’s piece of evidence that they were on the right track by going to the Underworld? Percy saw spirits of the dead in his dream p.269
2. Who did Percy talk to in the sea at Santa Monica and what did she tell him? The same messenger he met in the Mississippi River, a Nereid; She told him that they’ve been watching him grow up with interest and that Poseidon can’t play favoritism to him so can’t help Percy directly; she gave him three pearls to use in times of great need and gave advice on how to beat Hades p.271
3. What happened in Crusty’s Waterbed Palace? Crusty is the owner and put Annabeth and Grover on a bed. The bed had ropes come out and tie them down. Then more ropes came out grabbed them and began to stretch them out to fit 6 feet long. Percy distracted Crusty and tricked him into lying onto one of the beds and gave the word to make the ropes tie him up, then he loped off his head p.277
4. How did Percy and his friends find the location of DOA Recording Studio? On a billboard coming out of the waterbed store p.282

Chapter 18

1. How did the kids get past Charon? Percy bribed him with a lot of Drachmas p.286
2. As the kids traveled in the elevator on the way to the Underworld, how did the spirits of the dead and Charon change? The spirits of the dead went from wearing normal clothes to gray hooded robes and Charon transitioned to wearing a black robe, his eye sockets were black empty sockets and the flesh of his face became transparent p.288
3. Who is Cerberus and what was the “plan” to get past him? The creature/dog guarding the Underworld; to throw a stick and hope he plays fetch to leave the entrance p.293
4. When the plan didn’t work what did Annabeth do? She found a red ball she’d gotten from the water park and told the creature to sit and threw it to him. Grover and Percy got through, then she threw it again and the three heads fought over it, so she could sneak through as well p.295
5. Why did Annabeth shed tears? It reminded her of her own dog and taking him to obedience school; She was sad about Cerberus and that she couldn’t help him p.298

Chapter 19

1. Describe the Field of Asphodel. A huge area with a million people whispering and milling around, standing on black grass with clumps of black poplars, a light moist swampy breeze p.300
2. Why did Annabeth and Percy have to chase Grover? His shoes started flying on their own and he sped ahead of them p.303
3. Where did the shoes lead them to? A huge dark cavern with a chasm that was in Percy’s dream p.304
4. Why did Hades send the Furies after Percy? Hades thought Percy had stolen his magic helm p.312
5. Why had Hades taken Percy’s mother? To barter with Percy to get his helm back p.315

Chapter 20 

1. What god did the kids run into after arriving on the beach? Ares p.321
2. Who stole the lightning bolt and helm and why? Ares; to start a war between the three gods p.322
3. How did Percy win and what happened to Ares? Percy was able to stab Ares in the heal and make him bleed Ichor, his godly blood, an evil came and stopped Ares from killing Percy, then he disappeared in a flash p.330
4. How did Percy get the helm to Hades like he promised? He gave it to Mrs. Dodds since she works for Hades p.331

Chapter 21

1. How did Percy convince the guard at the Empire State Building to let him see Zeus? Showed him the lightning bolt p.336
2. Who was sitting on their thrones as Percy reached Olympus? Poseidon and Zeus p.339
3. Who’s in the pit that’s been in Percy’s dreams? Kronos p.344
4. What was on Percy’s bed and what did he decide to do with it? Medusa’s head; leave it for his mom as a weapon to turn Gabe into a statue if needed p.350

Chapter 22

1. What did the letter from Percy’s mom say? She made Gabe a statue and sold him to an art gallery; got a new apartment and is going to go to school the next semester; she had put a down payment down for a good private school in NYC if Percy wants to go p.355
2. Where was Grover heading? On a quest to look for the god Pan p.357
3. Who is the friend that has betrayed Percy? Luke p.365
4. Where did Annabeth and Percy decide to live during the winter? At their homes with their families p.374