Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Monsters invade Camp Half-Blood in exciting sequel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 16 parent reviews
Based on 101 kid reviews
Kids say the book provides a mix of enjoyable humor, character development, and adventure, although some find it to be slower and less engaging compared to others in the series. It features action and mild violence, making it suitable for young readers, but some reviewers feel it lacks the excitement and complexity present in the earlier installment.
- humor and action
- character development
- slower-paced
- suitable for young readers
- mild violence
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In THE SEA OF MONSTERS: PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS, BOOK 2, Percy makes it to his last day of the school year and he's excited to go back to Camp Half-Blood the next day. Then everything goes wrong. Laistrygonians (man-eating giants) join the dodge ball game and the fight that ensues puts flaming holes in the gymnasium. His friend Annabeth arrives in time to whisk Percy and his school friend Tyson off to camp in a cab driven by the Fates. The creepy old ladies drive like maniacs through New York with their shared eyeball and dump them in the middle of a battle with fierce mechanical bulls. This is how Percy discovers that camp isn't the safe-haven it used to be. The enchanted tree protecting the boundaries has been poisoned and the monsters are pouring in. The only thing that can save the camp is a quest. And because the quest will lead them straight into the dreaded Sea of Monsters, Percy, son of the sea god, would be the perfect one for the job. So, of course, Clarisse, Ares' daughter and Percy's least-favorite demigod camper, is chosen to go instead.
Is It Any Good?
Young demigod heroes fight mythological creatures in this thrilling, fresh, and funny seafaring quest. It's full steam ahead in this sequel to The Lightning Thief, which will launch many more Percy Jackson sequels and spin-off series. The journey through monster-infested waters will remind the older classics fans of Odysseus' quest -- same monsters, Sirens, and man-hating sorceress -- but without all the pathos and 10 years of wandering. Instead of 10 years, Percy and Annabeth have mere days to save their friend Grover and return to camp with a certain magical object of lore. And then there's the added complication that they're banned from leaving camp at all -- this is Percy's rival Clarisse's quest, and crossing any child of Ares is always a bad idea. But when Percy gets a surprise visit from Hermes and some magical parting gifts, he knows there was no question he would be going.
While this story could have stuck to monster madness action, it has a heart, too. Percy has to accomplish something almost more difficult for a middle schooler than fighting a giant cyclops: staying loyal to someone uncool in the face of peer ridicule. Author Rick Riordan, a former middle school teacher, really gets the social monsters kids this age must deal with and how sometimes they have to make the wrong choices in order to learn. He also writes about Percy and Annabeth's friendship with a true understanding for the awkwardness of first crushes. After The Sea of Monsters, readers are sure to want more of both the wild mythical monsters and relatable characters. Luckily for them there's a lot more to come in the world of Percy Jackson.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Percy's relationship with Tyson in The Sea of Monsters. Why is it so hard for him to be friends with someone not considered cool? Why do half-blood campers laugh at him when he's with Tyson? How does Percy react at first? How does he feel about himself? How does he react after the quest? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? What did you do?
What is hubris? Annabeth says it's her "fatal flaw" after listening to the Siren song. Would you choose to do what Annabeth did and listen to the Sirens to know your own weaknesses? What would you do with the information if you did?
What do you think of the series so far? What have you learned about Greek mythology? Will you read more of this series? What about the other spin-off series? Why do you think there are so many Percy Jackson books out there? What do kids love about them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Book Characters , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( Middle School ) , Animals ( Ocean Creatures ) , Pirates
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Disney Publishing
- Publication date : August 1, 2006
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 12
- Number of pages : 279
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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