The Quest for the Golden Fleas (Zeus the Mighty #1)

by Crispin Boyer

Overview

Greek mythology meets cute talking animals in this first adventure in a hilarious new middle grade fiction series, starring Zeus the mighty ... king of the gods ... ruler of minions ... HAMSTER, and the crazy crew of critters of the Mount Olympus Pet Center.

Welcome to the Mount Olympus Pet Center, which sits high on a hill in Athens ... Georgia. The owner, Artie, has a soft spot for animals that need a forever home, and she has rescued a menagerie of creatures, each named after a powerful god or goddess. But these animals aren't just pets with cool names ...

Meet Zeus, a tiny hamster with a mighty appetite for power. His cage sits atop a high shelf so he can watch the other pets from above. But being king of the gods is a tough job: You've got to issue orders and decrees, make sure to stay in tip-top shape by running on your exercise wheel, and most importantly, lead your minions on epic journeys. And Zeus the Mighty has one giant task in front of him: Find the "Golden Fleas" and solidify his position before the other gods rebel.

Get ready to laugh, cheer, and learn with this adorable and quirky cast of characters in their unforgettable first adventure — a reimagining of the tale of the Golden Fleece.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426335471
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/22/2019
Series:	ZEUS , #1
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	141,252
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

CRISPIN BOYER has written more than 15 books for National Geographic Kids, covering topics that young readers find fascinating, from bugs to boogers, ninjas to knights, and sharks to cyborgs. His debut middle-grade fiction series Zeus the Mighty combines Boyer’s ability to entertain with lively characters and educate with historical facts. He lives in Hawaii with his family.

Editorial Reviews

"This book will be a hit with fans of mythology...Readers will appreciate the overlay of this mythological world atop the real-life operations of a pet rescue center and how Boyer manages to fit all the plot pieces together perfectly. Great characters, action, adventure, and lots of humor will make this title a popular read in elementary libraries." — School Library Connection

"A center for rescued pets becomes the stage for adventures of literally mythical import in this series opener ... lots of comical byplay ... A treat for proto–Percy Jackson fans.” — Kirkus Reviews


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From the Publisher

10/11/2019

Gr 2–5-At the Mount Olympus Pet Center, a toilet is the raging whirlpool monster Charybdis, a lettuce-munching cricket is the goddess Demeter, and a six-inch tall bombastic hamster is none other than Zeus the Mighty. Fueled by a mythology podcast called "Greeking Out," all of the pet center's residents imagine themselves as Greek gods and goddesses in this silly slapstick adventure. This playful twist on the myth of "Jason and the Argonauts" is full of wordplay, misunderstandings, and physical comedy. The episodic plot is a little convoluted, and the characters are one-note, although Zeus eventually learns the book's central lesson about friendship. VERDICT This humorous title is recommended for fans of mythology-based series fiction like Lucy Coats's "Beasts of Olympus" or Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams's "Heroes in Training."-Molly Saunders, Manatee County Public Libraries, Bradenton, FL

School Library Journal

2019-06-25
A center for rescued pets becomes the stage for adventures of literally mythical import in this series opener.

Convinced that they're the gods after whom they've been named by the Mount Olympus Pet Center's myth-loving owner (and Boyer drops hints that they're not wrong), Zeus, a rescued hamster, and allies Demeter, Athena, and Ares—respectively a cricket, a tabby cat, and a scene-stealing pug of big stomach but little brain—get out at night to face such challenges as the deadly whirlpool of Charybdis (a stuck toilet). After listening (not very attentively) to a podcast version of "Jason and the Argonauts," Zeus decides to settle a long-standing rivalry with a pufferfish named Poseidon by returning in triumph with the "Golden Fleas." Little does he know that the quest will take him into Uncharted Territory (the empty store next door) where shrieking harpies (bats) lurk….While all of this doesn't map very closely on the original yarn, it does offer opportunities aplenty for displays of courage, cleverness, and loyalty…as well as lots of comical byplay. Elkerton adds to both the comedy and the drama with vignettes and larger scenes of partly anthropomorphic animals in chitons and divine regalia, often looking dismayed or, in Ares' case, ever on the lookout for Mutt Nuggets. A closing section includes further information on the source story and Greek myths in general.

A treat for proto-Percy Jackson fans. (map, floor plan) (Animal fantasy. 8-10)

Kirkus Reviews