PERCY JACKSON: BOOK CLUB – CHAPTER 2

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Chapter 2: Three Old Ladies Knit the Socks of Death
Written by Krystal

Percy was used to unusual things happening to him, but the prolonged period of Mrs. Dodds nonexistence was beginning to wear on him. He almost began to believe that Mrs. Kerr had indeed been their pre-algebra teacher since Christmas. He hadn’t had much time to think about what had happened during the day, but at night Mrs. Dodds haunted his nightmares. The strange weather had continued and made Percy cranky, causing him to get into more fights with Nancy. When his grades began to suffer and Percy snapped, the headmaster sent a letter to Mrs. Jackson informing that he would not be welcome back next year. Of course Percy was happy to be going home, but he’d miss Grover and Latin class, and as exams approached it was the only class he cared about anymore.

Read the rest of the summary HERE.

Memorable Quotes:

Percy: Every so often would spring a Mrs. Dodds reference on somebody, just to see if I could trip them up, but they would stare at me like I was psycho. (Page 16)

Mr. Brunner: “Will have to be resolved without him, Grover. Let him enjoy his ignorance while he still can.” (Page 19)

Percy: The only person I dreaded saying good-bye to was Grover, but as it turned out, I didn’t have to. He’d booked a ticket to Manhattan on the same Greyhound as I had, so there we were, together again, heading into the city. (Page 23)

Percy: There were no customers, just three old ladies sitting in rocking chairs in the shade of a maple tree, knitting the biggest pair of socks I’d ever seen. (Page 25)

Grover: “Tell me they’re not looking at you. They are, aren’t they?”
Percy: “Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those socks would fit me?”
Grover: “Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all.” (Page 26)

Questions for discussion:

What do you think Grover and Mr. Brunner were talking about the night before the exam?

Why do you think Grover panicked the minute he saw the three old women and what does the snipping of the yarn represent?

Read and discuss more HERE.