An Online Interview with Rick Riordan
Did you share the Percy Jackson novel with any of your students before it was published?
Yes. My nine-year-old son was the first one to hear to story, and I also read the manuscript to him first. When he said it was great, I wanted to be sure it would interest older kids — the middle school ages that I taught. I picked a few of my sixth, seventh and eighth graders and asked them if they’d be willing to “test drive” the novel. I was nervous! I’m used to showing my work to adults, but I had no idea if kids would like Percy. I finally understood what it must be like for them, turning in an essay to me and waiting to get their grades back!
Fortunately, the kids really liked it. They had some good suggestions, too. They helped me pick the best title for the book. They also had some good ideas on how Percy should act if he had ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). One student helped me refine the way Percy’s sword, Anaklusmos, worked.
I’m very glad I showed the novel to kids first. After all, that’s who it’s written for.
