Some book series never quite leave us, even long after we read the last page. For me, no series captures this feeling quite like Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I checked the first book out of my school library when I was 10 years old. Five books and a lot of laughs later, I still carry its story and characters around with me. It may seem odd that a series written for children could have such a lasting impact, but I’m not alone. The Percy Jackson series has sold over 180 million copies since its 2005 release. It has also spent over 780 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. The series’ cultural impact can only be compared to other phenomena like Harry Potter or Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
With such wild popularity, it was only a matter of time before fans got the book-to-screen adaptation they were waiting for. After a failed movie adaptation, Percy Jackson was picked up by Disney+ for a series adaptation. The first season came out in 2023 and garnered over 13 million views in its first week. It was quickly renewed for a second season, with the first episodes now available to stream on Disney+.
If you haven’t already renewed your Disney+ subscription, now is the time to do so. Now is also the time to add the book series to your budding reader’s holiday gift list. Percy Jackson is a powerful series about loyalty, friendship, and chosen family. Here are all the reasons why it should be your household’s new favorite series to read (and watch) together.
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When 12-year-old Percy Jackson discovers he’s the son of a Greek God, he must travel from his apartment in New York City to Camp Half-Blood—home of the demigods. Then, he must undertake a quest beyond anything he could have ever imagined.
It features diverse kids we can all relate to
Finding diverse children’s books that actually reflect the world around us can be quite the struggle for parents. Luckily, in Percy Jackson, diversity is a given. Percy is a 12-year-old kid from a working class family in New York City. He deals with bullying in school and a nagging feeling that he just doesn’t fit in. When he finds out his father is a Greek God, he’s whisked away into a world of demigods and mythological creatures. Kids like him are able to read or watch and wonder if something so magical could happen to them.
This representation doesn’t end with Percy. From racial diversity to LGBTQ+ characters, Percy Jackson shines a light on heroes of all backgrounds—and this diversity is reflected in the show’s casting. Leah Sava Jeffries, a young Black actress, plays Annabeth Chase, Percy’s best friend and eventual love interest. Aryan Simhadri, a young actor of South Asian descent, plays Grover Underwood, Percy’s other sidekick and best friend. Other key characters, such as Thalia Grace and Luke Castellan, are also played by actors of diverse backgrounds, allowing young viewers to see themselves in the characters they love.
This has always been at the forefront of author Rick Riordan’s mission for the series—to show that demigods can come from anywhere. Kids, regardless of where they come from, are the superheroes of Percy Jackson.
Neurodivergence is a given—and a superpower
When Riordan started writing Percy Jackson, it was as a bedtime story to his son, who was struggling to cope with his dyslexia and ADHD in school. As Riordan told the story, he made it clear that Percy—along with all of his fellow demigods—also has dyslexia and ADHD, but it isn’t an ailment. In fact, it’s part of what makes Percy, Percy. In the series, ADHD and dyslexia are key signs that a child may be a demigod. Their brains are hardwired for ancient Greek, making reading increasingly difficult. The magical abilities that thrum through their veins also make it difficult to sit still and pay attention.
This may seem like a meaningless detail, but being neurodivergent is often looked down upon, especially in schools. By including these attributes for his characters, Riordan makes being neurodivergent not a burden, but something to be proud of—a symptom of a larger-than-life destiny.
And with Riordan at the helm of the writer’s room for the Disney+ series, this detail has not been overlooked. The opening scene of the television series features Percy struggling to complete a worksheet as the letters crisscross and blur before his eyes. For children who deal with these struggles every day, seeing a hero like Percy encounter the same barriers can be an unexpected boost of confidence.
Friendship and loyalty are the heart of the series
Since reading Percy Jackson over 10 years ago, nothing has stuck with me more than the strong friendships built across the series. With Annabeth and Grover at his side, Percy is never truly alone. Whether he’s facing off with a Greek God or holding up the weight of the sky (literally), his two best friends have got his back. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover guide each other through, even when things are at their most bleak. Despite other famous trios like Harry, Ron, and Hermione from Harry Potter having their time in the limelight, I’m partial to the Percy Jackson trio. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover may just be my favorite book friendship of all time.
Similar to being neurodivergent, Riordan makes sure readers know that loyalty to their friends is not a feature of his characters to be overlooked. In fact, Percy’s fatal flaw—decreed by the Greek Gods themselves—is loyalty. Percy would sacrifice himself in a second to save his friends and family, and this unwavering loyalty turns out to be his kryptonite at multiple points throughout the series. For kids reading or watching, this idealized version of friendship becomes not just a plot point, but something to treasure and hold onto in their own lives.
In the second season of the series adaptation, viewers will see themes of friendship pop up over and over. Most notably, Percy travels through the Sea of Monsters to save his best friend, Grover. Watching as a family can be an excellent jumping-off point for conversations about the lengths we’d go for our loved ones.
Greek mythology is made modern (and cool)
Set in a world where Greek mythology is the center of everything, Riordan gives classic Greek myths modern twists that are easy for young readers to understand and remember. Hermes, the messenger God, appears as a mailman or delivery driver to the kids. Ancient quests like retrieving the magical Golden Fleece or navigating Daedalus’s labyrinth span locations such as California and Las Vegas. Magical creatures such as hippocampi are nicknamed “seaponies” by Percy. These modern attributes make stories that are thousands of years old feel not so distant for readers and viewers. As a result, we can all more easily place ourselves in Percy’s shoes.
Fans have already seen these plot points appear in the television series. Viewers gained a peek inside Mount Olympus—perched atop The Empire State Building—at the end of season one. More locations and Greek Gods await in season two. I’m personally excited to see Circe’s island, the home of the goddess of sorcery. I’m a bit of a Roman and Greek history buff now, having read this series so many times—and it’s all thanks to Riordan’s quest to make Greek mythology accessible to kids.
There’s so much more to love
If your mission is to turn your kid into an avid reader, Percy Jackson is the ideal catalyst. After the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series, Riordan wrote another series, The Heroes of Olympus, which spans five books and features new characters along with fan-favorites Percy and Annabeth. I may love that series even more than the original. Though it’s still kid-friendly, its themes are more mature and emotional, making it suitable for older middle schoolers and high schoolers.
If you still can’t get enough, Riordan’s body of work doesn’t end there. He’s written an array of Greek-myth spin-offs from the Trials of Apollo to Egyptian (The Kane Chronicles) and Norse (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard) mythology novels. Every series features that trademark Riordan twist on classic myths. They also all have diverse, relatable kids at their hearts. It’s fair to say that I spent the better half of my childhood nose deep in a Rick Riordan novel. He is just that good.
In this five book series, seven demigods—including Percy and Annabeth—face a prophecy beyond anything they could have imagined.
When Greek God Apollo loses his status as an immortal, Rick Riordan’s widely loved characters return to Camp Half-Blood to help the god return to Mount Olympus.
Sadie and Carter are thrust into the world of Egyptian Gods in this three book saga you will not be able to put down.
Living on the streets after the disappearance of his mother, Magnus Chase doesn’t expect to find out he’s the son of a Norse god. And he certaintly doesn’t expect to be thrown into a war of the gods.
Maybe one day, all of these series will see the book-to-screen adaptations they deserve. But until then, Percy Jackson is the best (and only) way to start. Whether you read or watch, I cannot possibly recommend this series enough. It truly encapsulates the magic of childhood and fantasy on every page—you won’t want to miss out.
Rebecca Smith, Editorial Intern
As editorial intern, Rebecca works with The Everymom team on updating existing content, photo sourcing, pitching original articles, and more. She’s passionate about creating authentic and diverse online content, and is thrilled to help women of all ages feel represented by contributing to The Everymom.
