The Sword of Summer

Book Reviews and Summary
Personal Review: "In this thrilling novel, we get the best of Rick Riordan, a complex mashup between the Norse Gods and the modern world. Magnus Chase knows what it is to live life on the rough side. I mean he has been homeless for two years, and is only 16 years old. His mom was murdered by monstrous beasts, that sometimes haunt his nightmares. But, he has gone relatively unnoticed. Until people start looking for him. Magnus tries to take refuge (and steal food) in his Uncle Randolph's place. Except, Magnus' mom warned him to stay away from Uncle Randolph for reasons unknown. Uncle Randolph tells him he has a birthright to the weapon called the Sword of Summer. And Asgard, Odin, and the Tree of Life? All real. Ragnarök is right around the corner, and Magnus finds himself in the middle of the legendary event. Too bad he had to die to get there. For those who fell in love with Percy Jackson, this is the perfect fit. Riordan beautifully blend the world of the Asgardian gods with that of modern day Boston. This is a darker, more mature and grittier novel, a welcome change for those who grew up with Percy. Magnus is a splendidly developed character, one who relies on dark and sarcastic humor to help him along. Riordan makes this lesser known world of mythology something exciting and new, shining it with a new light. This is a book that has us clamoring for a sequel."

Booklist Review: "Magnus Chase is dead. Literally. To be honest, it's kind of an improvement; he's been living on the streets since his mother was brutally killed, and now, after a brief confrontation with one seriously creepy dude, 16-year-old Magnus finds himself deceased, spirited away by a Valkyrie to Valhalla with a host of people who have died heroic deaths. But even though his father was apparently a Norse god, Magnus still may not really belong. Worse, the apocalypse, Viking-style, is looming, and Magnus must find a mysterious, magical sword. Though leaving Valhalla could spell trouble, he escapes into the Nine Worlds with a handful of weird friends to find that sword before the bad guys do. But trickster-god Loki is pulling strings, and it may not be clear who the bad guys really are. Riordan has once again created a reluctant hero who finds himself out of his depth. He stays fairly close to the spirit of the original myths, twisting them for extra comedic effect Avengers fans may hardly recognize this blustery, red-headed, TV-binge-watching Thor. There's appeal for new readers, but Percy Jackson fans will also undoubtedly snap this up, and there's even some overlap: Magnus' cousin is Annabeth Chase. Buy extra copies, and prepare for the siege. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Norse myths are in right now, and Riordan has the magic touch, a combination that makes the extensive marketing campaign seem almost redundant."

http://www.buffalolib.org/vufind/Record/1981611/Reviews

Activities
Words are essential to how we communicate. They are what allow us to tell stories and listen to these epic tales. But words can be written in all kinds of ways. The Vikings used runes to tell their stories. Using the runes given, come up with your own magical tale. (pg. 15)

http://www.penguin.co.nz/files/Teachers%20Note/PEN0018MagnusGenericV1.pdf

Other Links
Disney Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udd_tbbtBhE

NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/books/review/rick-riordans-magnus-chase-and-the-gods-of-asgard.html