Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief — A Movie Review For Parents
Updated September 14, 2023
Overview
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a beloved children’s series written by Rick Riordan, that’s been the start of kids’ love for Greek mythology since its release in 2005. Percy Jackson is a 12-year-old boy who discovers he’s a little different from his peers at school — he’s half god and his father is Posideon, God of the Sea. When Percy’s mother is kidnapped by Hades (God of the Underworld), he’s told he’s been accused of stealing Zeus’s lightning bolt. But there’s one problem — Percy doesn’t actually have this lightning bolt.
This sends Percy and his friends on an adventure to convince Hades that he’s innocent and save his mother. From being a regular kid going to school in the city, to being an infamous thief in this mystical world, Percy has much to learn about himself and what he’s capable of.
For parents who are thinking about introducing this series to their kids, you can be sure it’s full of adventures and inspiring characters that’ll get any kid wrapped up in the story! But rest assured, we’ve got all the important details right here.
Harmful Content ❗️
Percy Jackson does not have any explicitly harmful content, as it’s an exciting and intriguing series written for a younger audience.
The book does include some slightly mature themes, such as struggles with family abandonment. Percy grows up without a true father figure and instead, grows up with his mother and step-father, Gabe. His step-father is described as “smelly” and is implied to be borderline abusive to Percy and his mom.
Language
The book has no offensive or adult language.
Sex
There’s little sexual content in Percy Jackson. Some of the Greek mythologies involve strange love stories about how gods breed with humans to create half-bloods, but nothing is ever described explicitly.
Violence
Throughout their adventures, Percy and his friends frequently encounter mythical creatures and have to fight their way to safety. Some of these scenes can be intense for some audiences, but overall the scenes are portrayed in a fantastical and non-graphic way.
Positive Value 💫
One of the biggest themes of the book is learning how to overcome self doubt and discover your strengths. Percy struggles to believe he is capable of being the hero that others expect him to be, but what ultimately motivates him is knowing he has the power to save someone in need. And in his adventures with Grover and Annabeth, he learns how important friendship and loyalty is, especially when it seems like the rest of the world is against him.
So, should my kid read it?
Yes! For ages 10 and up, this is a great series to fuel a kid’s imagination and interest.
