There were wonderful H. H. Richardson buildings near the last U.Fund Dreams Tour that I went to at the Children’s Museum of Easton.
Was it a lucky coincidence that the last stop of the U.Fund Dreams Tour at the Boston Book Festival included Rick Riordan speaking at H. H. Richardson’s finest work, Trinity Church?
Trinity Church on a sunny day.
The line was epic waiting for Rick Riordan at Trinity Church but there was room for everyone.
It’s a good thing that Trinity Church seats 1,300 people; the church was nearly at capacity with Percy Jackson fans, adults and kids alike! I got there an hour early and the line was already around the corner.
The interior of Trinity Church is equally as stunning as the outside.
Rick Riordan did not disappoint. He’s a natural storyteller, sharing stories of his youth, how he came to be a teacher and writer by way of reluctant reader. Percy Jackson was inspired by his own son, Haley, who also has ADHD and dyslexia. Riordan’s sense of humor was in full force; it’s easy to see why his books are so funny!
BoO! HoO! Is this Rick Riordan’s trying to make anyone cry? No! It’s Blood of Olympus, Hereos of Olympus!
My son will read anything by Rick Riordan. We got through his weird cyst operation by reading Blood of Olympus, the final chapter book of the Percy Jackson series. The funny parts made my son laugh which made the pre-operation room less scary while we waited for his turn to under.
After my son’s two and half hour surgical procedure in which the cyst, the size of an egg, was extracted intact, we kept on reading Blood of Olympus because my son found the hospital TV options boring compared to his book. That always makes me happy!
And, compared to what Percy Jackson and crew were facing, my son’s situation seemed pretty minor. They were, after all, fighting to save the world as we know it. We were just waiting for his incision to drain.
You might not have knon that Rick Riordan was a reluctant reader as a child. He learned to love reading through Marvel Comics. It paved the way for college for him, where he studied to become a teacher. As a teacher, he was a natural and engaging storyteller who went out of his way to entertain his students, which often included getting into costume. From teacher to parent, the significant leap here was his ability to make up stories for his son … which lead to Percy Jackson.
Rick Riordan’s journey shows that anything is possible. I love how the U.Fund Dreams Tours stresses this message of possibilities. I’m in their booth trying out the possibility of becoming a doctor.
Picture the Possibilities … I thought being a doctor would come in handy given my son’s operation!
I know that we, as parents, work hard to develop a love of reading for our kids; it helps pave the way towards college. Paying for college is another thing we all worry about. The 529 Plan is a tax-advantaged college investing plan worth considering.
You might want to think about setting one up now and adding it to the holiday gift wish list when the relatives ask what to get for your kids.
In addition, you can set up a 529 Plan for anyone including grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and godkids. The important thing is to get started; it’s never too late and every little bit helps.
My kids have savings accounts and they make deposits a few times a year. This year, I’m going to have them set aside half of their money for their 529 college fund and the other half for their savings account (which I match as an incentive to save). I’ll match their 529 college contribution too. It’s a good incentive for us all to remember to make frequent contributions to their college fund.
How about you? Do you have a college savings plan or incentives to save in place for your kids?
I’ve partnered with Fidelity & MEFA for this post in support of the U.Fund Dreams Tour. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
p.s. For Rick Riordan’s complete KeyNote address at the Boston Book Festival, please go to my YouTube channel. I have most of it recorded in 20 video clips.
p.p.s. When I posted that I was going to the Boston Book Festival and about my son’s surgery, Rick Riordan wished my son a speedy recovery on Twitter. I can’t tell you how much this delighted my son! Of course, he wanted proof that it was authentic so here it is:
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
I had no idea Rick Riordan was a reluctant reader! My son lives and breathes his books–and knows mythology inside and out because of them. Love that.
Hi Candid Kay,
I didn’t know that either nor that it was the DC and Marvel Comics that got him reading and helped inspire him to write the Percy Jackson series. I am now looking at comic books with more interest especially that suddenly my son is really into them because of that video game, Injustice. So glad you liked the post. I have most of his Keynote speech recorded in 2 and 3 minute clips on my YouTube channel. I labeled them to make it easy to choose what you want to see too. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4MtvQVGVFcnikXF96ikLA
Rick Riordan has captivated the kids and the MG market ith his wonderful books. Haven’t read any of his books, but Erik reviews all of them. Do girls read them too? I have a great granddaughter I’m trying to find chapter/MG for.
Hi Patricia,
My oldest daughter LOVED Rick Riordan and he’s universally popular with boys and girls but my middle kid, also a girl, does not care for action adventure books AT ALL and thinks Percy Jackson is boring. We always protest that she’s nuts but she much prefers realistic fiction and dystopian. To each her own!
How old is your great granddaughter and what does she like to read? I’d say 3rd or 4th grade is perfect for Rick Riordan though some of my son’s friends read it in first grade and there are tons of 8th graders who are hardcore devotees! I think his popularity is due to the range his books appeal too! Not too scary but adventurous. No sex but light romance. Not too violent. And funny! And with great characters! And very well paced!
Thanks for sharing this great post. It’s great to hear that the books helped your son get through a tough period. My kids and nieces and nephews have been so obsessed with the series that they got me hooked, too. So many inspiring Demi-gods to choose from as role models!
Best,
Pratt
Hi Pratt,
I love the Percy Jackson series too! My son gets mad at me for reading ahead! Thanks so much for your kind words!