Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1
Percy Jackson introduces himself as a 12-year-old boy who always gets in trouble. He tells us how he almost got expelled from school for having done something wrong at a field trip. He warns us that the book is dangerous and that he is a "half-blood." Percy also talks about how he likes Mr. Brunner, the Latin and Greek culture teacher. He has a negative view about himself because Percy does not do well in school. He tells us that he has ADHD and dyslexia. The chapter ends with Percy "vaporizing" his scary math teacher, Mrs. Dodds.
Chapter 2
Strangely enough, nobody knows who Mrs. Dodds is at school. Percy feels like everyone is playing a trick on him. His grades get worse and worse, and Percy can't control his anger in class.
Chapter 3
While Grover, Percy's best friend, is in the bathroom, Percy heads home. Percy takes a cab to mom's apartment in Queens. Percy is greeted by Gabe, also known as Smelly Gabe. Gabe is Percy's stepfather. Gabe is having a poker party.
Chapter 4
Sally Jackson, Percy's mom, drives down fast on the road. Percy asks Grover how he knows his mom. Percy asks Grover if he is a donkey, and he says he is a satyr. Grover tells Percy that Mrs. Dodds isn't a myth. Percy is confused as to why nobody has ever told him about that before.
Chapter 5
Percy is nursed back to health by a pretty girl. She feeds him pudding that tastes like buttery popcorn. She asks Percy questions when she's alone with him. She mentions the summer solstice. Grover is being sorry for not protecting Percy. Grover gives Percy a present that looks like a shoebox. The present is the horn of a Minotaur. Grover takes Percy to the farmhouse to meet people that live there, Chiron and Mr. D.
Percy notices that the kids are wearing shirts that say "Camp Half-Blood". Those kids are camping. Chiron is Mr. Brunner. Mr. D reminds Percy of Smelly Gabe.
Percy Jackson introduces himself as a 12-year-old boy who always gets in trouble. He tells us how he almost got expelled from school for having done something wrong at a field trip. He warns us that the book is dangerous and that he is a "half-blood." Percy also talks about how he likes Mr. Brunner, the Latin and Greek culture teacher. He has a negative view about himself because Percy does not do well in school. He tells us that he has ADHD and dyslexia. The chapter ends with Percy "vaporizing" his scary math teacher, Mrs. Dodds.
Chapter 2
Strangely enough, nobody knows who Mrs. Dodds is at school. Percy feels like everyone is playing a trick on him. His grades get worse and worse, and Percy can't control his anger in class.
Chapter 3
While Grover, Percy's best friend, is in the bathroom, Percy heads home. Percy takes a cab to mom's apartment in Queens. Percy is greeted by Gabe, also known as Smelly Gabe. Gabe is Percy's stepfather. Gabe is having a poker party.
Chapter 4
Sally Jackson, Percy's mom, drives down fast on the road. Percy asks Grover how he knows his mom. Percy asks Grover if he is a donkey, and he says he is a satyr. Grover tells Percy that Mrs. Dodds isn't a myth. Percy is confused as to why nobody has ever told him about that before.
Chapter 5
Percy is nursed back to health by a pretty girl. She feeds him pudding that tastes like buttery popcorn. She asks Percy questions when she's alone with him. She mentions the summer solstice. Grover is being sorry for not protecting Percy. Grover gives Percy a present that looks like a shoebox. The present is the horn of a Minotaur. Grover takes Percy to the farmhouse to meet people that live there, Chiron and Mr. D.
Percy notices that the kids are wearing shirts that say "Camp Half-Blood". Those kids are camping. Chiron is Mr. Brunner. Mr. D reminds Percy of Smelly Gabe.
Chapter 6
Percy had done a pooper-scooper patrol in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. The campers were picking bushels of berries in the strawberry field. The campers grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. Mr. D was restricted for growing grapevines. He grew strawberries instead.
Chapter 7
The kids were forging their own swords at the metal shop. The satyrs were sandblasting a giant marble statue in the arts and crafts room. They returned to the canoeing lake, where the trail led back to the cabins. Percy follows the cabin to the mess hall. Percy's father is one of the Olympians. Annabeth's father is a professor at West Point. Her father teaches U.S. History. Year-rounders attract monsters. The borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. Mortals look into the strawberry farm. Back at the 11th cabin, everyone was horsing around, waithing for dinner. Percy doesn't believe in gods. Hermes' is Annabeth's father. It was Percy's first day at Camp Half-Blood.
Chapter 8
Each morning, Percy takes Ancient Greek from Annabeth. Chiron was going to teach Percy archery, but he wasn't good with bow and arrow. Percy might be a child of Hermes. Percy likes camp. Percy had his first sword-fighting lesson. Everybody from the 11th cabin gathered in a big circular arena. Luke is the instructor. Percy couldn't find a blade that would fit in his hands. Percy is fighting Luke. Percy is trying the disarming maneuver. Percy was sitting with Grover by the lake. Percy was resting from a near-death experience on the climbing wall. Percy asked Grover how his conversation was with Mr. D. Percy might be sent to stable-cleaning duty. Percy asked Grover about the four empty cabins. The three cabins were empty because the children were too powerful, and the 4th cabin was empty because Hera doesn't want to have children with other mortals. Percy is playing capture the flag. Chiron is on border patrol. Percy won capture the flag using his power.
Chapter 9
The next morning, Percy was moved to the 3rd cabin. He didn't have to share with anybody. Percy had lessons to do. Percy was having a worst dream. Percy has a quest. The quest was something that was stolen. The master bolt was stolen. Everybody thinks Percy is the thief. Percy has to find the bolt and return it to Zeus. Percy went to the house that had four floors. Eddie, the building super, delivered the worst line of all. The master bolt is hidden in the Underworld.
Chapter 10
Percy was leaving camp. The camp store loaned Percy $100 in mortal money and 20 golden drachmas. Annabeth was bringing Yankee caps that she got on her 20th birthday. She had a long bronze knife in her sleeve. Grover has fake feet. Percy got ordinary disposable ballpoint, black ink, removable cap as a gift from his father. Percy was heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cellphone. Chiron said cellphones were traceable by monsters. The bus comes. Percy sees Mrs. Dodds who is getting older but same evil face. The bus pulled to the staion. Percy went through the streets of Manhattan. There was darkness ahead.
Chapter 11
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover were walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank. Grover was shivering. Percy was in shock. Annabeth hasn't left Camp Half-Blood since she was seven. Annabeth's parents are Orphans. Aunty Em lets them in. Aunty Em had two sisters and they died. Annabeth's mother is the cursed Athena. Percy found $20 in the cash register.
Chapter 12
It is nighttime, and Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are going to sleep. They have to look for the great god Pan, who Aunty Em knew. Percy goes into the Underworld to bring back his mother. They barely got out of New York and they have no money. The rich local family's poodle named Gladiola ran away. Grover came across the Gladiola and they struck up a conversation. Grover was rewarded $200 in return.
Chapter 13
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover spent two days on the Amtrak train to head west. Percy spotted a family of centaurs galloping across a wheat field. Their reward money for returning the poodle is enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. Toward the end of their 2nd day on the train, they passed through golden hills. They pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. They had a three-hour layover before departing to Denver. They were going to ride to the top of the Arch with an elevator car. Percy hates confined places.
Chapter 14
Percy grabbed a cigarette from a garbage can. There were poor people in the Arch. Percy saw a woman, color of the water. Percy is being caught by a cop. Percy caused an explosion.
Chapter 15
The train rolled into Denver. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth found a do-it-your-self car wash. Camp Half-Blood is having issues. Percy talks to Luke and learns that the campers have all taken sides in the war between Zeus and Poseidon. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth go to a diner and the poor kids are starving. A big mean biker dude rolls into the diner. He sits next to Percy and rudely orders the waitress around. Percy is super-annoyed and angered. Percy left his shield in the tunnel of love ride. So they go to the waterpark. They find the tunnel of love ride which leads to an empty pool.
Chapter 16
Ares gave Percy a blue nylon backpack. The nylon backpack has fresh clothes, $20, golden drachmas, double stuff Oreos. Ares gave Percy information about his mother. She is kept hostage. Percy is at the zoo.Thalia, the daughter of Zeus has befriended the ones who got to Camp Half-Blood safely. Thalia and Percy are the two most powerful half-bloods in the century. Percy did fun things.
Chapter 17
Percy is going to Los Angeles. Percy is going to Santa Monica pier. He went through the Mojave Desert. He arrives at sunset. The Pacific Ocean was turning gold at sunset. Percy was standing in Montauk. Percy takes the bus to West Hollywood. Percy shows the bus driver the Underworld address slip he took from Aunty Em's garden Gnome Emporium.
Chapter 18
Percy stood in the shadows of Valencia Boulevard, looking at gold letters. Percy took the pearls out of his pocket, the three milky spheres the Nereid had given him in Santa Monica. Percy is going to find the master bolt and save his mom. He is going to the Underworld. Charon who is a doorman at the hotel won't let him. The elevator leads to the Underworld. Percy crosses the River Styx. Percy goes to Asphodel fields. Percy is playing with Cerberus.
Chapter 19
The Asphodel Fields are huge, swampy, and dismal. Percy can see the fields of punishment burning with rivers of lava and minefields and miles of barbed wire separating the different torture areas. Percy sees Elysium. Elysium is a lovely gated community with beautiful houses from every period in history, Roman villas and medieval castles and Victorian mansions. Elysium has a beautiful blue lake. In the middle of the lake are three Islands. Elysium is way less populated than either of the other fields. Percy realizes how few people in the world choose to do good things in their lives.
Chapter 20
Percy stumbles onto the Santa Monica Beach at sunrise. Percy walks for miles on the beach discussing what has just happened. Percy realizes someone other than Hades stole the master bolt and the helm of darkness and framed Percy. Percy sees Ares on his motorcycle with a baseball bat waiting for him. Percy accuses him of stealing the master bolt and the helm of darkness. Ares tells him he got someone else to steal the symbols of power. The backpack, Ares gave him in Denver was enchanted. Ares is busted. Ares and Percy start fighting one-on-one.
Chapter 21
According to L.A. news, the explosion at Santa Monica beach had been caused when Ares fired a shotgun at a police officer. He accidently hit a gas main that had ruptured during an earthquake. Percy is no longer a delinquent in the eyes of America. Reporters feel so sorry for him that he collects money for his plane tickets home. Zeus is angry that Percy is riding in his territory. In New York, Percy tells Grover and Annabeth to get back to Camp Half-Blood quickly and safely to let Chiron know the whole story. Percy is going to hand deliver the master bolt to Zeus. He walks into the lobby of the Empire State Building and asks the front desk how to get to the 600th floor. Percy shows the guard the master bolt and the guard frantically hands him a special key. Percy sees a narrow bridge towering over Manhattan, leading to a mountain of clouds. Percy makes his way up to Mount Olympus. Percy enters the throne room. Poseidon and Zeus were arguing.
Chapter 22
Percy was the first hero to return alive to Half-Blood Hill. The campers threw Percy a big party in his successful quest. The Ares cabin is super-mad at Percy for making a fool out of their dad. Percy goes to sleep in his cabin. He is home.
Percy had done a pooper-scooper patrol in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. The campers were picking bushels of berries in the strawberry field. The campers grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. Mr. D was restricted for growing grapevines. He grew strawberries instead.
Chapter 7
The kids were forging their own swords at the metal shop. The satyrs were sandblasting a giant marble statue in the arts and crafts room. They returned to the canoeing lake, where the trail led back to the cabins. Percy follows the cabin to the mess hall. Percy's father is one of the Olympians. Annabeth's father is a professor at West Point. Her father teaches U.S. History. Year-rounders attract monsters. The borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. Mortals look into the strawberry farm. Back at the 11th cabin, everyone was horsing around, waithing for dinner. Percy doesn't believe in gods. Hermes' is Annabeth's father. It was Percy's first day at Camp Half-Blood.
Chapter 8
Each morning, Percy takes Ancient Greek from Annabeth. Chiron was going to teach Percy archery, but he wasn't good with bow and arrow. Percy might be a child of Hermes. Percy likes camp. Percy had his first sword-fighting lesson. Everybody from the 11th cabin gathered in a big circular arena. Luke is the instructor. Percy couldn't find a blade that would fit in his hands. Percy is fighting Luke. Percy is trying the disarming maneuver. Percy was sitting with Grover by the lake. Percy was resting from a near-death experience on the climbing wall. Percy asked Grover how his conversation was with Mr. D. Percy might be sent to stable-cleaning duty. Percy asked Grover about the four empty cabins. The three cabins were empty because the children were too powerful, and the 4th cabin was empty because Hera doesn't want to have children with other mortals. Percy is playing capture the flag. Chiron is on border patrol. Percy won capture the flag using his power.
Chapter 9
The next morning, Percy was moved to the 3rd cabin. He didn't have to share with anybody. Percy had lessons to do. Percy was having a worst dream. Percy has a quest. The quest was something that was stolen. The master bolt was stolen. Everybody thinks Percy is the thief. Percy has to find the bolt and return it to Zeus. Percy went to the house that had four floors. Eddie, the building super, delivered the worst line of all. The master bolt is hidden in the Underworld.
Chapter 10
Percy was leaving camp. The camp store loaned Percy $100 in mortal money and 20 golden drachmas. Annabeth was bringing Yankee caps that she got on her 20th birthday. She had a long bronze knife in her sleeve. Grover has fake feet. Percy got ordinary disposable ballpoint, black ink, removable cap as a gift from his father. Percy was heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cellphone. Chiron said cellphones were traceable by monsters. The bus comes. Percy sees Mrs. Dodds who is getting older but same evil face. The bus pulled to the staion. Percy went through the streets of Manhattan. There was darkness ahead.
Chapter 11
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover were walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank. Grover was shivering. Percy was in shock. Annabeth hasn't left Camp Half-Blood since she was seven. Annabeth's parents are Orphans. Aunty Em lets them in. Aunty Em had two sisters and they died. Annabeth's mother is the cursed Athena. Percy found $20 in the cash register.
Chapter 12
It is nighttime, and Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are going to sleep. They have to look for the great god Pan, who Aunty Em knew. Percy goes into the Underworld to bring back his mother. They barely got out of New York and they have no money. The rich local family's poodle named Gladiola ran away. Grover came across the Gladiola and they struck up a conversation. Grover was rewarded $200 in return.
Chapter 13
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover spent two days on the Amtrak train to head west. Percy spotted a family of centaurs galloping across a wheat field. Their reward money for returning the poodle is enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. Toward the end of their 2nd day on the train, they passed through golden hills. They pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. They had a three-hour layover before departing to Denver. They were going to ride to the top of the Arch with an elevator car. Percy hates confined places.
Chapter 14
Percy grabbed a cigarette from a garbage can. There were poor people in the Arch. Percy saw a woman, color of the water. Percy is being caught by a cop. Percy caused an explosion.
Chapter 15
The train rolled into Denver. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth found a do-it-your-self car wash. Camp Half-Blood is having issues. Percy talks to Luke and learns that the campers have all taken sides in the war between Zeus and Poseidon. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth go to a diner and the poor kids are starving. A big mean biker dude rolls into the diner. He sits next to Percy and rudely orders the waitress around. Percy is super-annoyed and angered. Percy left his shield in the tunnel of love ride. So they go to the waterpark. They find the tunnel of love ride which leads to an empty pool.
Chapter 16
Ares gave Percy a blue nylon backpack. The nylon backpack has fresh clothes, $20, golden drachmas, double stuff Oreos. Ares gave Percy information about his mother. She is kept hostage. Percy is at the zoo.Thalia, the daughter of Zeus has befriended the ones who got to Camp Half-Blood safely. Thalia and Percy are the two most powerful half-bloods in the century. Percy did fun things.
Chapter 17
Percy is going to Los Angeles. Percy is going to Santa Monica pier. He went through the Mojave Desert. He arrives at sunset. The Pacific Ocean was turning gold at sunset. Percy was standing in Montauk. Percy takes the bus to West Hollywood. Percy shows the bus driver the Underworld address slip he took from Aunty Em's garden Gnome Emporium.
Chapter 18
Percy stood in the shadows of Valencia Boulevard, looking at gold letters. Percy took the pearls out of his pocket, the three milky spheres the Nereid had given him in Santa Monica. Percy is going to find the master bolt and save his mom. He is going to the Underworld. Charon who is a doorman at the hotel won't let him. The elevator leads to the Underworld. Percy crosses the River Styx. Percy goes to Asphodel fields. Percy is playing with Cerberus.
Chapter 19
The Asphodel Fields are huge, swampy, and dismal. Percy can see the fields of punishment burning with rivers of lava and minefields and miles of barbed wire separating the different torture areas. Percy sees Elysium. Elysium is a lovely gated community with beautiful houses from every period in history, Roman villas and medieval castles and Victorian mansions. Elysium has a beautiful blue lake. In the middle of the lake are three Islands. Elysium is way less populated than either of the other fields. Percy realizes how few people in the world choose to do good things in their lives.
Chapter 20
Percy stumbles onto the Santa Monica Beach at sunrise. Percy walks for miles on the beach discussing what has just happened. Percy realizes someone other than Hades stole the master bolt and the helm of darkness and framed Percy. Percy sees Ares on his motorcycle with a baseball bat waiting for him. Percy accuses him of stealing the master bolt and the helm of darkness. Ares tells him he got someone else to steal the symbols of power. The backpack, Ares gave him in Denver was enchanted. Ares is busted. Ares and Percy start fighting one-on-one.
Chapter 21
According to L.A. news, the explosion at Santa Monica beach had been caused when Ares fired a shotgun at a police officer. He accidently hit a gas main that had ruptured during an earthquake. Percy is no longer a delinquent in the eyes of America. Reporters feel so sorry for him that he collects money for his plane tickets home. Zeus is angry that Percy is riding in his territory. In New York, Percy tells Grover and Annabeth to get back to Camp Half-Blood quickly and safely to let Chiron know the whole story. Percy is going to hand deliver the master bolt to Zeus. He walks into the lobby of the Empire State Building and asks the front desk how to get to the 600th floor. Percy shows the guard the master bolt and the guard frantically hands him a special key. Percy sees a narrow bridge towering over Manhattan, leading to a mountain of clouds. Percy makes his way up to Mount Olympus. Percy enters the throne room. Poseidon and Zeus were arguing.
Chapter 22
Percy was the first hero to return alive to Half-Blood Hill. The campers threw Percy a big party in his successful quest. The Ares cabin is super-mad at Percy for making a fool out of their dad. Percy goes to sleep in his cabin. He is home.