The Eye of Zeus (Legends of Olympus #1)

Tweenage trials are taken up a notch in Adams’s Greek mythology–based series opener. As 12-year-old Phoebe Katz is shuffled from foster home to foster home, the only constants in life are peculiar coincidences and Carl, her caseworker, who found her as a baby on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. At her latest school, Dexter Academy, Phoebe makes two friends, book smart Damian Rodina and brave Angie Spaciacolli, but even their friendship can’t ward off trouble. When another incident sends the trio to a statue of Athena, Phoebe learns she’s a daughter of Zeus, and that a prophecy has foretold that she will destroy Olympus. The god Ares kidnaps Carl, however, and Phoebe and her friends have no choice but to travel to ancient Greece. Once there, everything Phoebe does seems to prove the prophecy. But if she can complete six trials, the prophecy might just be surmountable. Robin Thompson’s gray-tone illustrations are dynamic, enlivening the group’s journey as they face myriad gods, demigods, and monsters. Though fans of Percy Jackson will note the abundance of similarities, Adams’s quick pacing and witty dialogue still make this a worthwhile entrée into Greek mythology. Ages 8–12. [em](Apr.) [/em]