Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8)
Author: David Gerrold
The Ghoulunatics – The Vault-Keeper, the Old Witch, and everyone’s favorite, The Crypt-Keeper are back to offer their twisted takes on “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” the “Twilight”series, and Guitar Hero! The cover-featured Stinky Dead Kid stars in two tales - - one that explains exactly how he became a Stinky Dead Kid, and another in which he battles “Guitar Demon,” a popular musical toy that’s become possessed by an evil entity. There’s also the trenchant tale of teen love involving a girl and a vampire, “Dielite,” and the riotous return of the ever-doomed Thomas Donnelly in his most bizarre tale yet!
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series #4), Vol. 4
Author: Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to diabolical.
In this latest installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop them, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth-a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. Full of humor and heart-pounding action, this fourth book promises to be their most thrilling adventure yet.
Publishers Weekly
Percy Jackson's fourth summer at Camp Half-Blood is much like his previous three-high-octane clashes with dark forces, laced with hip humor and drama. Opening with a line for the ages-"The last thing I wanted to do on my summer break was blow up another school"-this penultimate series installment finds Percy, Annabeth and the satyr Grover furiously working to prevent former camp counselor Luke from resurrecting the Titan lord Kronos, whose goal is to overthrow the gods. When the heroes learn that Luke can breach Camp Half-Blood's security through an exit from Daedalus's Labyrinth, they enter the maze in search of the inventor and a way to stop the invasion. Along the way they encounter a lifetime supply of nightmare-inducing, richly imagined monsters. Grover's own quest to find the lost god Pan, meanwhile, provides a subtle environmental message. Percy, nearly 15, has girl trouble, having become something of a chick magnet. One of Riordan's strengths is the wry interplay between the real and the surreal. When the heroes find Hephaestus, for instance, he's repairing a Toyota, wearing overalls with his name embroidered over the chest pocket. The wit, rousing swordplay and breakneck pace will once again keep kids hooked. Ages 10-up. (May)
Children's Literature
Percy Jackson should have known that even something as ordinary as freshman orientation wouldn't go as planned. When your father is the god Poseidon, your life has a way of becoming dangerous and adventure-filled. Meeting up with his demigod friends, Percy heads to Camp Half-Blood to find that this once safe haven is now threatened by Kronos. When Percy and Annabeth discover an entrance to the Labyrinth, they find that Luke could use this maze to invade Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth must lead the group as they search for Daedalus, who invented the Labyrinth and could hold the key to defending Camp Half-Blood. But the Labyrinth is confusing and the party soon gets lost. They meet various gods and mythical creatures as they search for Daedalus. They must also face challenges such as cleaning Diomedes's stables and answering the trivia of the Sphinx (who has abandoned riddles) before finding their way out of the Labyrinth, only to have a battle waiting for them at Camp. Riordan creates a masterful weaving of Greek mythology and traditional fantasy in this latest book in "The Olympians" series. Fans will enjoy the latest adventures of their favorite characters, and those picking the book up for the first time will have no trouble falling into this magical world. Reviewer: Amie Rose Rotruck
VOYA
Half-blood Percy Jackson undertakes another perilous quest in the fourth book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. The army of the evil Titan Lord Kronos, led by the traitor Luke, plans to crush Camp Half-Blood and then Mount Olympus itself. Percy and friends, including fellow half-blood Annabeth and mortal Rachel Elizabeth Dare, must brave the Labyrinth, a maze that runs beneath the United States. At the Labyrinth's center, the heroes meet Daedalus, the Labyrinth's architect, an anti-hero whose motives and true identity are surprising. Percy and his fellow campers beat back Kronos's army during a final battle at Camp Half-Blood, but the war between Kronos and the Olympians is far from over. Many story lines are left for the next book. Riordan's ingenious method of integrating Greek mythology with the modern world again creates a book replete with exhilarating action, droll humor, and captivating intrigue. Although the quest format is far from new for Riordan, he easily manages to keep the material fresh, and the reader engaged by drawing on the plethora of Greek myths at his disposal. Riordan's plots and subplots are wonderfully planned, and his host of teen fans can expect a few twists toward the book's end. Add to the above a budding love triangle among Percy, Annabeth, and Rachel Elizabeth Dare and the result is a well-crafted novel worthy of this fine series. Teen readers will need to have read the first three books. Reviewer: David Goodale
School Library Journal
Gr 5-9- The battle starts, literally, with an explosion and doesn't let up. After Percy destroys the high school band room battling monsters called empousai who have taken on the form of cheerleaders, he has to hide out at Camp Half-Blood. There, Grover's searcher's license is going to be revoked unless he can find the god Pan in seven days. An entrance to the Labyrinth has been discovered, which means that Luke, the half-blood turned bad, can bypass the magical protections and invade the camp. Annabeth insists that she must follow a quest to locate Daedalus's workshop before Luke does. Percy is disturbed by visions of Nico, the son of Hades, who is summoning forth the spirits of the dead with McDonalds Happy Meals. Percy, Grover, and Percy's Cyclops half-brother follow Annabeth into the maze not knowing if they will ever find their way out. Riordan cleverly personifies the Labyrinth as a sort of living organism that changes at will, and that traverses the whole of the United States. Kids will devour Riordan's subtle satire of their world, such as a Sphinx in the Labyrinth whose questions hilariously parody standardized testing. The secret of Pan is revealed with a bittersweet outcome that also sends an eco-friendly message. Like many series, the "Percy Jackson" books are beginning to show the strain of familiarity and repetition. However, the overarching story line remains compelling, and the cliff-hanger ending will leave readers breathless in anticipation of the fifth and final volume.-Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ
Kirkus Reviews
The fourth and penultimate volume of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the best one yet. Here, 14-year-old demigod Percy must find a way to thwart Kronos's plan to reassemble his body and rally the evil forces of the underworld. Percy, quest-partner Annabeth and mortal Rachel Elizabeth Dare enter the Labyrinth and encounter all manner of wondrous beings: the vampiric empousai, snaky dracaenae, Laistrygonian giants, Calypso, the Sphinx, a Hundred-Handed One, Hephaestus, Daedalus and Kronos himself, newly transformed. Riordan keeps Percy busy falling in love with Calypso, battling evil Antaeus, causing Mount St. Helens to erupt and finding the long-lost god Pan in a crystal cave in this romp that rivals Rowling for inventive, magical storytelling. The often-philosophical tale zips along with snappy dialogue, humor and thrilling action, culminating in a climactic battle between gods and Titans. This volume can stand alone, but no reader will be able to read just one. Look no further for the next Harry Potter; meet Percy Jackson, as legions of fans already have. (Fiction. 9+)
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