Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams are amazing at fracturing myths and legends. This is no exception to that. The Heroes in Training series are lighthearted, fun retellings of Greek myths and legends. This is shorter than the Goddess Girl books coming in between 100-150 pages. Using the framework of the myths we know and love, Holub and Williams, twist these into tween friendly novels with their trademark humour.

Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom was a lighthearted fun retelling of the Titans and Olympians. Shorter than I expected though. Eager to read the next one. I liked Zeus and the "Cronies" and the humour was good. Pretty much what I expected from Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams. ( )

This is a long-running, one might even say endless, series that is extremely popular in my library. It's the perfect series for readers who really want to read Rick Riordan but can't handle the content or the reading level. I've never actually read one, but when I decided to use it in book club I had to make a hurried reading the night before!

Cronus and the Titans rule the world, Cronus having eaten anyone who could defy them. But one boy remains - ten year old Zeus. He has no idea of his destiny, just wishing that lightning would stop hitting him. When he gets kidnapped by hungry Titans, he decides maybe there are worse things than getting hit by lightning and is almost pleased when he grabs something for defense and it turns out to be a thunderbolt. He's not so pleased when he can't get rid of the thing! Along the way on his adventures he picks up some other ten year olds and together they set out on an adventure.

Black and white drawings add humor to this contemporary retelling of the Greek myths. This story is primarily for set-up of the series, so it introduces the characters, setting, and the general mythos. Adults and those familiar with Greek myths will immediately realize that Zeus is the missing Olympian and know pretty much where the story is going, but even if it's not a surprise it's still a well-written and humorous retelling.

Verdict: While I hate to recommend starting a series that is coming up on 14 volumes and shows no signs of stopping, you really do need this in your library - it's very popular and fits into a niche. Also, they're funny.

ISBN: 9781442457874; Hardcover edition published 2012 by Aladdin; Purchased for the library

So what happen is King Cronus has just ate a stone the kids inside the belly of the beast curve a massage out and shot it out of his mouth. Zeus is on Crete and is being dragged away. As the harpies carry him to Greece a lot of half-giants are chasing him. The harpies evenly land on Greece and say one word "Flea" as in run but Zeus thinks they are calling him small. Then Zeus realizes that they are saying run Zeus sprints the this big temple soon after the half-giants make it to the temple Zeus look for a weapon then finds a thunder bolt stock in a rock and grabs it half-giants standing in aw
at what Zeus just did and run scared next Zeus find a piece the the stone on the ground then this piece of stone and now has an armlet it can talk and it says Zeus has to find Poseidon Zeus think this is is his father but it is not sadly he then finds a giant camp he saw king Cronus. But went Zeus get caught just before the king tries to eat him whole he throws bolt down the kings mouth. ( )