For Percy Jackson fans
Rick Riordan’s universe of demigods is a favorite in our house — from Percy Jackson to Magnus Chase. We’ve read the novels, the graphic novels, the short stories, and the non-fiction books on mythology. Now Riordan has an imprint that features mythologies of a wide range of cultures written by #ownvoices authors, which are also great. I particularly loved Rebecca Roanhorse’s Race to the Sun and Carlos Hernandez’s Sal & Gabi series. But what if you have exhausted all of the Rick Riordan and Rick Riordan presents offerings? Never fear! Here are books that should appeal to those looking for humor, adventure, and the power of the gods.
Gods of Manhattan series by Scott Mebus (started in 2008)
A teen has powers that allows him to see the hidden magical world of Manhattan, ruled by gods such as Babe Ruth and Alexander Hamilton. A curse has imprisoned spirits in Central Park, and Rory may be the only one who can break it.
Arlo Finch series by John August (started in 2018)
Percy Jackson meets scouting in this exciting series. When Arlo moves to a new town, he joins the Rangers, whose vow extols loyalty, bravery, kindness and truth. With his two new friends he discovers that the woods are full of magic. Arlo may be the only one who can solve the mystery and save the town.
The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole by Michelle Cuevas (2017)
When a black hole follows Stella home from NASA headquarters, she keeps it as a pet. But taking care of something that consumes everything in its path quickly becomes complicated. When the black hole “eats” Stella’s little brother, she goes on an adventure to save him while facing the grief that she’s been avoiding. An Alice in Wonderland for a new generation.
The Book Scavenger series by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman and Sarah Watts (started in 2015)
Though without magic or mythology, the questing spirit of this book makes it a good choice for Riordan fans. Emily loves books and puzzles, so she’s thrilled when she discovers a mystery connected to the Book Scavenger online game. In the game, users hide books out in the world and create puzzles for searchers to solve to find the locations. Fun to try to solve along with the characters.
The Kingdom of Fantasy series by Geronimo Stilton (started in 2003)
Geronimo Stilton is a mouse with an empire of books. Kid and I particularly liked the Kingdom of Fantasy series. They have all the graphic fun of Stilton’s others, with wacky fonts and spot illustrations. These are great in particular for younger readers who are still adjusting to novels — perhaps someone whose siblings are reading Percy Jackson? In this series, Geronimo discovers a magical world in which he is a knight and must complete a series of quests. Great, fun stories that my kid loves to read over and over again.