Percy Jackson and the
Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan
For the
most part, I really liked the comic book art done by John Rocco and other
artists with a digital-painting style. Again, I am a big fan of the use of
spatial imagery and text to help students connect words with pictures. With the
help of the artists that imagined this illustration in the book, the student
can also begin to see words as images in which to bring a story alive in their
minds. Since words are abstraction of actual events, the graphic novel format
can be very useful in the classroom. I liked Riordan’s main character, Percy
Jackson, because he is a demigod/hero persona that enjoys reading. Through his
textbooks, Percy imagines himself as a son of Zeus, which sets a plot structure
in which reading becomes the crux of his adventures. More so, his reading
skills promote a positive role model for learning. In the classroom, the
graphic novel format not only allows students to better visual Percy and his
adventures, the entire book is based on this theme. I found this aspect of
Riordan’s characterization and plot structure extremely clever for students
needing inspiration to read. I feel that this book entices the imagination and
it provides a positive role model for students integrate visual imagery in the
text that accompanies each image. I feel the students would love to read this
book because of the mythic heroism that Riordan inspires through the premise of
reading.
Do you think that by introducing your students to this particular series that you could get them to develop an interest in mythology? Did you realize that all of the characters in this novel are gods of some sort? If you are familiar with the Greek and Roman myths then these stories begin to make more sense to you. Why, do you think, that your students in particular would enjoy this graphic novel? Do you think it is a "page turner" for them? Was the vocabulary of this particular graphic novel at the right level for your students? Would you have to introduce a lot of vocabulary beforehand? Would your students have an easy time comprehending what is happening in this story? I am curious to know why you like this genre for your students. Dr. Ries
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ReplyDeleteI felt that Chapter 10 expressed an impressive way of understanding how the Furies and “monster hags” could destroy a bus in the 21st century and teach Greek mythology at the same time. More so, students must now feel the fearful feeling that the lightning that destroyed the bus was from Zeus, and not “nature.” This blend of godly intervention and the modern reactions of Percy and his friends are impressively combined in the text. When Percy states: “This is not a good start” (Riordan 60) after being attacked by Furies and then by Zeus’ lightning bolt, the tension of the plot lures the student into reading more. This chapter makes a good page-turner because of modern presentation of young people (youth culture) that allows the student to imagine what it would be like living in a world of Greek myths. After reading this book, I found that Riordan informs the student thoroughly on Greek myths and culture, which makes it easy for them learn about the gods and their way of life. I feel compelled to use Greek myth because it allows creativity and history to come alive within the “hip” youth culture of the 21st century. I think that my students would definitely have an easy time with the illustrations, the clearly defined historical terms, and the modern environment in which Percy and his friends live in this book.