This is the animated cover of the Lightning Thief published in 2007.
Percy begins the series as a twelve-year-old boy with dyslexcia and ADHD, who has been expelled from every school he has ever attended. When his class takes a field trip to the Metropolitan Museu, his pre-algebra teacher Mrs. Dodds transforms into a Fury and attacks him. Percy's Latin teacher Mr. Brunner throws Percy a magic sword named Anaklumos (or the English translation, Riptide). In the ensuing battle Mrs. Dodds is sent to Tartarus.
Soon after, Percy and his mother go to Montanuk and his friend Grover Underwood comes to tell them to leave immediately. They drive away in the midst of a terrible storm, and in the chaos a Minotaur grabs Percy's mother. Hades, the god of the underworld, saves Percy's mother by transporting her to the underworld in a blinding flash of light, while Percy kills the Minotaur and takes one of its horns. Exhausted from the strain of the battle, Percy falls unconscious and wakes three days later at Camp Half-Blood, healed by nectar and ambrosia custard. Grover reveals himself to be a satyr, and Mr. Brunner reveals himself to be Chiron the centaur. Being of unknown parentage, Percy is initially placed in the Hermes cabin, named for the god of messengers, travelers, and thieves. After several water-related incidents, a trident mark appears above Percy's head, showing that Poseidan has claimed him as his son.
The oraclex tells Percy that he must find and return the stolen lightning bol before the summer solstice. The god Zeus believes Percy is responsible for its theft, and Percy begins a journey to find the lightning bolt and clear his name. He is joined by his friend Grover and , a daughter of Athena. After defeating several monsters, including Medusa herself, they find Hades whose helm of darkness has also gone missing. Hades accuses Percy of stealing his helm and threatens to kill Percy's mother and release the dead back into the living world. Percy uses magical pearls, a gift from a Nerid, to save themselves from Hades, and they soon discover that Ares is in possession of the bolt. Percy challenges Ares to a duel and wins the lightning bolt upon his victory. Lord Hades realizes that Percy did not steal his helm of darkness, and returns Percy's mother safely.
After the bolt is returned to Zeus, Percy's friend Luke Castellan reveals that he was behind the theft and sends a scorpian to kill Percy. Percy is poisoned by the scorpion but is able to drag himself back to the camp where the other demigods nurse him back to health. It is later revealed that Luke Castellan was tricked by the Titan lord Kronos into stealing the lightning bolt of Zeus, but Ares captures Luke in the process. However, Ares frees Luke because the theft of the lightning bolt promised war, the very element of Ares' existence. In the end Percy returns the lightning bolt to Zeus and peace is restored.
Soon after, Percy and his mother go to Montanuk and his friend Grover Underwood comes to tell them to leave immediately. They drive away in the midst of a terrible storm, and in the chaos a Minotaur grabs Percy's mother. Hades, the god of the underworld, saves Percy's mother by transporting her to the underworld in a blinding flash of light, while Percy kills the Minotaur and takes one of its horns. Exhausted from the strain of the battle, Percy falls unconscious and wakes three days later at Camp Half-Blood, healed by nectar and ambrosia custard. Grover reveals himself to be a satyr, and Mr. Brunner reveals himself to be Chiron the centaur. Being of unknown parentage, Percy is initially placed in the Hermes cabin, named for the god of messengers, travelers, and thieves. After several water-related incidents, a trident mark appears above Percy's head, showing that Poseidan has claimed him as his son.
The oraclex tells Percy that he must find and return the stolen lightning bol before the summer solstice. The god Zeus believes Percy is responsible for its theft, and Percy begins a journey to find the lightning bolt and clear his name. He is joined by his friend Grover and , a daughter of Athena. After defeating several monsters, including Medusa herself, they find Hades whose helm of darkness has also gone missing. Hades accuses Percy of stealing his helm and threatens to kill Percy's mother and release the dead back into the living world. Percy uses magical pearls, a gift from a Nerid, to save themselves from Hades, and they soon discover that Ares is in possession of the bolt. Percy challenges Ares to a duel and wins the lightning bolt upon his victory. Lord Hades realizes that Percy did not steal his helm of darkness, and returns Percy's mother safely.
After the bolt is returned to Zeus, Percy's friend Luke Castellan reveals that he was behind the theft and sends a scorpian to kill Percy. Percy is poisoned by the scorpion but is able to drag himself back to the camp where the other demigods nurse him back to health. It is later revealed that Luke Castellan was tricked by the Titan lord Kronos into stealing the lightning bolt of Zeus, but Ares captures Luke in the process. However, Ares frees Luke because the theft of the lightning bolt promised war, the very element of Ares' existence. In the end Percy returns the lightning bolt to Zeus and peace is restored.