The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (kid's book)

I've been hearing about this book for a while now and finally, after reading Vampirates, I thought I'd give this one a try.  WOW. It was fantastic. It completely lived up to the hype I'd heard about it. I couldn't put it down.   Rick Riordan knows how to keep your attention - probably due to the fact that he has been a middle school teacher for several years. This book was interesting and funny and sad and everything good.   The funniest part for me: when the hero and his co-questors attempt to enter Hades, only to discover that it looks like a toll plaza on the Jersey Turnpike and there are three lines to enter: two regular lines and one EZ-DEATH (which is the one moving fastest, of course).   My chief disappointment is that this is book one of a series, and I only checked out the first one from the library. Now it's Sunday and the library is closed, and none of the books are available on Kindle or I'd download the second one right now and start reading! Dag nab it.