Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Chapter 5: I Play Pinochle with a Horse
Written by Krystal

Percy dreamed as he drifted in and out on consciousness. A young girl nursed him to health and when he finally woke for good, Grover was there to greet him. Everything looked normal and Percy began to believe that everything was just a nightmare. It was Grover’s thanks and praise, for saving his life, which gave it all away.

Grover had gone back to the location of the fight to retrieve the Minotaur horn. Percy and Grover share a moment of sadness for Sally’s death as Grover helps Percy with a drink. Percy’s grief melted away as he tasted the warm chocolate-chip cookies his mother made for him as a child. Afterwards, they headed to meet Mr. D and Chiron outside.

As Percy and Grover wrapped around to the other side of the house two men and the girl came into view. Behind them was a vast landscape filled with buildings that like ancient Greek architecture, kids were playing volleyball with satyrs, and others riding horses with wings. Grover introduced Mr. D and then Chiron, who turns out to be Mr. Brunner. Annabeth heads off to check on Percy’s bunk and the boys all sit down for some talk and pinochle.

Read the rest of the summary HERE.

Memorable Quotes:

Grover: “You saved my life,” Grover said. “I…well, the least I could do…I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this.” (Page 58)

Percy: My mother was gone. The whole world should be black and cold. Nothing should look beautiful. (Page 59)

Grover: He sighed. “And how do you feel?”
Percy: “Like I could throw Nancy Bobofit a hundred yards.” (Page 61)

Mr. D: “Young man, names are powerful things. You don’t just go around using them for no reason.” (Page 64)

Mr. D: “Well,” he told me, “it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. I would expect all civilized young men to know the rules.” (Page 65)

Chiron: “Exactly,” Chiron agreed. “If you were a god, how would you like being called a myth, an old story to explain lightning? What if I told you, Perseus Jackson, that someday people would call you a myth, just created to explain how little boys can get over losing their mothers?” (Page 68)

Chiron: Chiron winked at me. “Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits.” (Page 69)

Percy: “You’re Dionysus,” I said. “The god of wine.”
Mr. D: Mr. D rolled his eyes. “What do they say, these days, Grover? Do the children say, ‘Well, duh!’?” (Page 70)

Questions for discussion:

What do you think of Rick Riordan’s explanation as to why there is Greek architecture all over the world?

How would you feel if you were Percy and you learned that everything you thought was a myth was real?

Read and discuss more HERE.