Quotes from Rick Riordan

For me, writing for kids is harder because they're a more discriminating audience. While adults might stay with you, if you lose your pacing or if you have pages of extraneous description, a kid's not going to do that. They will drop the book.

I get letters from college kids who have read Percy Jackson when they were younger who tell me, 'I just passed my Classics exam.' The books are accurate enough that they can serve as a gateway to Homer and Virgil.

I don't teach anymore, but I can still clearly see fifth period after lunch - that's a real tough time to teach. And I tried to imagine writing a story that would appeal to those kids - even when they're tired, even when they're bouncing off the walls.

I wanted my students to leave my classroom loving reading and wanting to read more, and if they left my classroom thinking that reading is boring, then I haven't done my job.

Kids ask me questions. You'd think after doing this for four years, I would have heard every single question anyone could think of to ask, but no, every time, they surprise me, they ask me something I never thought of before.

Apparently, word of the chicken man incident hadn't spread quite yet.

A real man's weapon is his mind.

No man may be completely invulnerable.

The first lesson every child of Athena learned: Mom was the best at everything, and you should never, ever suggest otherwise.

It's just Annabeth mom jeez!

"Aphrodite," she said. "Venus?" Hazel asked in amazement. "Mom," Piper said, with no enthusiasm.

But not like this: not with the house just an afterimage, and my mom a spirit, and my dad...recycled." "Carter Kane, Chapter 41

Your mom is a rainbow goddess?" "You got a problem with that?" "No, no. Rainbows. Very macho.

Like some helpful person (hi, Mom) has tried to "'clean'" it, and suddenly you can't find anything?

She reached into her coat pocket and felt two things she hadn't expected.... One was a wad of cash... she brought out the money. Leo whistled. "Allowance? Piper, your mom rocks!

Chiron insisted that we talk about the Labyrinth in the morning which is like 'Hey, your life's in mortal danger. Sleep tight!

sorry,no thanks,if i was going to die it could wait until tomorrow morning.

You know what would help this boy?" Demeter mused. "Farming." Persephone rolled her eyes. "Mother-" "Six months behind a plow. Excellent character building.

Mugged by my own mother.

Can't this thing go any faster?" Thalia demanded. Zoe glared at her. "I cannot control traffic." You both sound like my mother," I said. Shut up!" they both said in union.

Holy mother!" "Hmph. More like holy father. I'd think you'd know the difference." -Hephaetus

Besides, you're a cat. It's your nature to think you're the center of the universe.

They're not so bad. They just need some attention. ...Like pets. Or my brother.

Mrs. O' Leary is my pet. I couldn't let you stick a sword in her rump, now, could I? That might've scared her.