Rick Riordan Presents: Myths From Around the World!

April 11, 2022

The Greek myths are a permanent fixture in Western culture. Generations have delighted in the exploits of Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, and more. Author Rick Riordan continued the tradition of passing down these stories with his marvelously successful Percy Jackson series for young readers.

However, the world is full of many wonderful mythologies that do not get the same attention as the Greek gods. Riordan sought to change that and created a platform for diverse authors to share the stories of their own cultures, resulting in “Rick Riordan Presents”—a series of novels that explores different traditions written by the authors who grew up immersed in them. These books are a great way to introduce kids to the mythologies of various cultures while having fun discovering new heroes and villains.

Below are some of the fabulous works in “Rick Riordan Presents,” which includes some pretty unique figures, including the Mayan God of Chocolate!

The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes – For Zane Obispo, having one leg shorter than the other makes you stand out…so does finding out you are a Half-God who shouldn’t exist. When Zane is forced to release the Mayan God of Death from imprisonment, he must defeat him without the other gods discovering his identity. (Mayan)
City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda – When minions of the Plague God, Nergal, show up looking for Sikander, his entire world is turned upside down. It turns out the Goddess Ishtar is the mother of his classmate, Belet. Gilgamesh is in Central Park. And Sik must stop Nergal’s plague from destroying Manhattan. Oh, and he just might be immortal. (Mesopotamian)
Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee – Min is a Fox—someone who can transform into anything. When her brother appears to desert the Space Forces to search for the Dragon Pearl (a magical object that can terraform worlds), Min leaves her home for the stars to search for him. Can she find the truth about her brother and keep her Fox identity secret? (Korean)
Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse – Nizhoni Begay can see monsters. And when one abducts her father, she seeks the help of the Diné Holy People to rescue him. Discovering that the mother she believed abandoned her was a Monster Hunter, she vows to succeed where her mother failed. (Navajo)
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia – Tristan Strong is still recovering from the death of his best friend, Eddie, when he chases a strange creature that has stolen Eddie’s journal. Falling through a newly formed hole in the sky, Tristan lands in a mythical realm being torn apart by the void. He joins with John Henry and Brer Rabbit to find the one thing that could heal the wound—the trickster Anansi’s story box. (African and African American)
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi – When Aru Shah lights the lamp at the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, she unwittingly releases the evil Sleeper. Discovering she is the reincarnation of one of the legendary Pandava brothers, she must now find the tools that will defeat the Sleeper and save the world. (Indian)