# 24- The Lightning Thief, the Graphic Novel (2010)

The Lightning Thief, the Graphic Novel (2010)

Rick Riordan

Adapted by Robert Vendetti

Art: Attila Futaki

Color: José Villarrubia

This graphic tale brings Riordan’s novel to life in new ways for intermediate readers. I appreciate this illustrated version, which cuts straight to Percy’s first encounter with Mrs. Dodds, who he thinks is simply one of his teachers. The novel takes much longer to get to the action.

The graphic format allows for Riordan’s more subtle details to be depicted through imagery for the reader. We understand that though Percy has difficulty reading, the Greek names in his book pop out clearly to him. Shadows of a centaur early in the book hint at the life forms that readers will encounter throughout Percy’s epic journey of self-discovery.

The artists have beautifully depicted the underwater scene where Nereid, a “spirit of the sea,” gives Percy 3 pearls to smash when he is in need of assistance. Nereid is a glowing princess among the blue hues reminiscent of twilight tones. Water and foam are also pictured throughout the text and on the book jacket, symbolizing Percy’s connection with the ocean.

It would be fascinating to investigate the differences between this text and the original novel, guiding students to think about the choices made in condensing the events of the book for graphic format. The illustrated version of the novel seems to have been influenced by the movie, depicting the lotus flower treats distributed to the teenagers while at the casino that make them lose track of time.

Students can better appreciate the modern depiction of the many mythological characters in the novel through a study of Greek myths as they read the text. This version may appeal to more reluctant readers. Its compact size is less daunting and more action-driven than the original novel, which can be slow at times.