The Lightning Thief

Chapter 1
1. What does Mrs. Dodds teach?
2. How does Grover and the rest of the class react when Percy asks about Mrs. Dodds later in the story?
Chapter 2
1. Why does Percy decide to study for the Latin exam even though hes given up on his other subjects?
2. After the Latin test, what do you think Mr. Brunner was trying to say to Percy? Why does Percy react angrily to
Mr. Brunner?
3. What responsibility does Grover claim to have, and why does this strike Percy as strange?
Chapter 3
1. Why does Percy leave Grover at the bus station? What would you have done in his place?
2. Describe smelly Gabe: what does he look like, how does he treat Percy and his mother, what does he spend his
time doing, etc.
3. What new information does Percy learn about his dad as he and his mother are roasting marsh mellows?
4. Describe Percys dream. What do you think it means?
Chapter 4
1. What happens to make the car crash (who or what is responsible)?
2. What is Grover from the waist down? What is the actual term for this called?
3. What does Percys mom tell him to do when they get out of the car and why does Percy disobey?
4. After the monster disintegrates, what gets Percy moving when all he wants to do is collapse?
5. What happens to Percys mother?
Chapter 5
1. What does the blond girl ask Percy as shes feeding him pudding?
2. Why does Grover say he retrieved the Minotaur horn?
3. According to Chiron, what is the big question that everyone wants answered? Take a guess: whats the answer?
Chapter 6
1. What does Percy notice about the farm house as he walks away from it? What bothers him about the attic?

2. Where does Percy have his first real encounter with Nancy and what happens?
3. Percy says the Clarisse reminds him of Nancy Bobofit. Is Clarisse like Nancy? Why or why not?
Chapter 7
1. Who are Annabeths parents?
2. Why does Luke feel bitter?
3. What does Percy wish for as he puts his dinner into the fire?
Chapter 8
1. Why are the counselors having a hard time deciding who Percys Olympian parent is?
2. Why does the story about Thalia make Percy feel hollow and guilty?
3. What game does the entire camp play?
Chapter 9
1. Why does Percy feel miserable once he gets his own cabin?
2. Why does Zeus think Percy stole the bolt?
3. According to Chiron, what evidence suggests that Hades stole the lightning bolt?
4. What does Percy have to do in the attic?
Chapter 10
1. What warning does Chiron give about Lukes gift?
2. What are some of the reasons Annabeth gives for why Poseidon and Athena dont get along?
3. Percy says hes not going on the quest to retrieve the lightning bolt. Whats his real reason for going?
Chapter 11
1. Did you guess Aunty Ems true identity before Percy did? If so, what clues gave her away? What is the main thing
she sells in her store?
2. Why does Annabeth say they have to kill Medusa? Why cant they just run away?
3. What does Percy do with the head of Medusa?
Chapter 12
1. What new information do you learn about Grovers past and how it relates to Annabeth?

2. Who do think is talking to Percy in the dream? Who is this voice from the pit?
3. If you were offered the choice in Percys dream to save your own parents life or complete your quest and
prevent a terrible war what would you choose?
Chapter 13
1. What new information does Annabeth tell us about her father in this chapter?
2. Describe the Chimera and who saves Percy from it?
3. How would the battle have been different if there were no mortal spectators in the Arch?
Chapter 14
1. Why does Percy feel ashamed that Poseidon saved him?
2. What message does the woman in the water bring to Percy? What is her warning?
3. What does Percy learn by overhearing the reporters outside the Arch?
4. What happened to the family that was in the Arch with Percy?
Chapter 15
1. Who is Iris and how does he/she help Percy and the others?
2. Why does Annabeth want to leave as soon as Luke appears in the mist?
3. What does Ares say that convinces Percy to help him?
4. How does Grover save the day?
Chapter 16
1. What news does Ares give Percy about his mom?
2. Percys dream has three different partswhat does he see in each scene?
3. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth are attracted to different types of games at the Lotus Casino. What does each one
like, and what does this tell you about their personality
Chapter 17
1. What creature is Annabeth deathly afraid off? (These creatures seek out the children of Athena.)
2. Who is the spirit in the sea? What does she give to Percy?

3. What happens at Crustys Waterbed Palace, and why cant Percy simply fight Crusty?
4. How does Percy find the address for the Underworld and where is it located?
Chapter 18
1. How does Percy finally convince Charon to take them into the elevator?
2. Describe the entrance to the Underworld?
3. What does Percy realize about monsters at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 19
1. What do you have to do to enter the Isles of the Blest?
2. Describe the guards at Hades palace.
3. How do Grover and Annabeth prove themselves to be real friends of Percy?
Chapter 20
1. Ares says the best kind of war is when relatives fight each other. Why would this be the most vicious kind of
fight?
2.

How does Percys ADHD keep him alive in the fight?

3. Why is it important that the Furies witness Percys battle?

Chapter 21
1. What are some of the things Percy sees on his way through Olympus?
2. Describe Poseidons appearance:
3. Who says, a heros fate is never happy. It is never anything but tragic and what do you believe it means?
Chapter 22
1. What happens to Grover in this chapter? Speculate: Will he come back in another book?
2. What is unique about backbiter, Lukes new sword?
3. Did Annabeth take Percys advice?
4. What did you think about the novel? Did you hate it, enjoy it, want to read the next one?