7 Books for fans of Percy Jackson

The Storm Runner, by J.C. Cervantes
Rick Riordan knows there’s a demand for more incredible mythological middle grade, and so he launched the Rick Riordan Presents series last year. Starting with the Aru Shah books, the various series allows authors from different cultural backgrounds to write about the mythologies of those cultures, and my friend, they are all fantastic. The latest? The Storm Runner, which blends Mayan mythology with prophecies and a very good dog named Rosie. Zane’s favorite thing to do is hike the dormant volcano near his house with his dog Rosie. When a new girl shows up at school and tells him that he’s part of a prophecy—one that will release an ancient, evil Mayan god—he doesn’t quite believe her… until she turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them, and Zane is left with no choice but to save Rosie and the world.

The Serpent’s Secret, by Sayantani DasGupta
What if your destiny were to travel to another dimension and slay demons? What if you discovered you were the daughter of an evil king? In The Serpent’s Secret, Kiranmala just wants to get through sixth grade, but the universe is determined not to let that happen. After a rakkhosh tries to kill her, she discovers that another dimension exists—one where she’s a princess, and there’s magic, and she’s going to have to solve riddles and battle demons to save her parents. Perfect for fans of both the Percy Jackson books and Ms. Marvel, The Serpent’s Secret is a fun adventure that kids won’t be able to put down.

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez
The next Rick Riordan presents title is Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, and I cannot wait to read it. When Sal and Gabi first meet, it’s as enemies: she knows that he put a raw chicken inside her friend’s locker, even if she can’t prove it. But when Gabi realizes that Sal can conjure things larger than a chicken—like, say, his dead mother—it unlocks a world of potential. A world that could put their own at risk. Carlos Hernandez’s funny, magical romp releases this March, but you can save yourself the trouble of running to the bookstore on release date by pre-ordering now.

The Gauntlet, by Karuna Riazi
How dangerous can a board game be? The game that Farah gets from her aunt looks totally harmless, if not beautiful—an old, wooden board game with stunning artwork. But when it pulls her brother into its alternate universe, Farah and her two best friends must jump in to rescue him. If they survive, they can escape back to their world, and maybe free the other players trapped inside. But if they lose? They’ll join the ranks of players that live inside the game… forever. This is one of my favorite middle grade fantasies—a beautifully written, inclusive adventure.

Loki’s Wolves, by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr
You want more mythology? You got more mythology. The first of a trilogy, Loki’s Wolves dives into Norse mythology, making this particularly great for kids who couldn’t get enough of the gods in the Magnus Chase series. In Loki’s Wolves, Matt Thorsen knows he’s a modern-day descendant of Thor—after all, it’s in his name, and his South Dakotan town is full of kids descended from the gods. But when Ragnarok comes, the gods are long-dead, which means its up to Matt and his friends to assemble Thor’s hammer and stop the end of the world.

The Jumbies, by Tracey Baptiste
Let’s dive into some Caribbean fantasy with The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. Corinne La Mer doesn’t fear scorpions, boys, or jumbies—especially considering that jumbies aren’t real. But on All Hallows’ Eve, everything changes. There are strange gleaming yellow eyes in the forest, and a beautiful stranger named Severine is in town, bewitching Corinne’s father. In order to stop Severine from turning her island into a home for the jumbies, Corinne will have to work on her friends—and find some magic of her own.

The Last Day of Summer, by Lamar Giles
Books don’t have to be based in mythology for fans of Percy Jackson to fall in love with them. They just need to be adventures with humor and heart—and The Last Day of Summer, the debut middle grade from Lamar Giles, fits the bill. Otto and Sheed spend their summers bickering and solving mysteries in their small, strange town—but they don’t expect their skills to be put to the test of a magical mystery. When a mysterious man appears in town, using a camera to freeze time, Otto and Sheed need to use their sleuthing skills and work together to save their town, along with the help of strange new creatures, before time freezes forever.