The Mark of Athena / Rick Riordan / 586 pages

Riordan does it again!  In this title of the Lost Heroes series, we see Percy, Annabeth, Piper and Leo from Camp Half-Blood joining forces with Jason, Frank and Hazel from Camp Jupiter to find the missing statute of Athena that will help them to defeat Gaea and close the Doors of Death.  Riordan uses humor, action, adventure, incredible contraptions, bravery against unbelievable odds and fears to create a story that will have kids turning pages at lightning speed.  Kids use intelligence as well as their demi-god gifts to defeat the forces of evil.  Read somewhere that one college student wrote to Riordan and credited the author with being able to pass his Mythology Exam, and I believe it.  The only problem is waiting for the next book to arrive because Riordan always leaves the reader hanging and thirsting after that next adventure.