Percy Jackson completes his first quest. (June 21)

For an American equivalent to Harry Potter that relies more on magical powers than on political drama and reading newspapers, try the Percy Jackson books.  Percy learns that the ancient Greek gods (and the monsters that go with them) are alive and well in the modern world, and he must find his place as a demigod in that world by completing his first quest--to retrieve Zeus’s stolen Master Bolt.

This book utterly rocks its ability to place ancient creatures in modern settings Auntie M’s Garden Emporium, anyone?

How to Commemorate:

• Go swimming.
• Learn some Greek. (Try Mango Languages form your local library.)
• Play capture-the-flag. 
• Visit the Empire State Building (or another building of Greek design in your city).

*Share your photos and celebrations on our Facebook or twitter pages.

Works Cited

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

*Note: Read the book. Do not watch the movie.

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Happy Birthday to Hazel Levesque (17 Dec 1928)

Hazel was born to her fortune-telling mother Queen Marie and Pluto.  Yup, that Pluto, god of the underworld and all wealth.  As a demigod child of Pluto, Hazel was able to call for precious gems and metals out of the ground, but unfortunately they were always cursed and caused harm to anyone who owned them. Queen Marie eventually moved them both from New Orleans to Alaska for… well, a plan that didn’t quite work out.  Okay, it killed them both horribly.  But Hazel was brought back to life in the 21^st Century and trained at Camp.  So that worked out, right?

Her last happy memory before entering the underworld was on her birthday in New Orleans when her friend Sammy took her riding on a horse and then to a picnic.

How to Commemorate

• Ride a horse.
• Have a picnic.
• Draw with colored pencils.

Share your photos and celebrations on our Facebook or twitter pages.

Works Cited    

Son of Neptune

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