2021 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards: Silver Winner in Young Reader:
Fiction (8-12 Years)
"This charming and brilliant novel is superbly plotted and will win over
readers . . . Phoebe's voice is dead on and authentic, as are those of
her friends. The author's masterful prose and style serve the story
instead of merely taking center stage . . . This author and novel are
ready for prime time and the big time." --Publishers Weekly, BookLife
Prize Critic's Report
Meet Phoebe Katz, a twelve-year-old foster kid from New York City who's
been bounced around the system her entire life. Things happen around
Phoebe, but it's not like they're her fault! But when a statue of Athena
comes to life, Phoebe gets the stunning news she's the daughter of Zeus,
has a twin brother named Perseus--and was sent away from ancient Greece
as a baby to stop a terrible prophecy that predicted she would one day
destroy Olympus.
Athena warns Phoebe to stay in hiding, but when the vengeful god Ares
kidnaps her beloved social worker, Phoebe has no choice--she has to
travel back to ancient Greece and rescue him! There, Phoebe and her
friends Angie and Damian discover a new prophecy, one that may fix
everything. The catch: Phoebe has to collect talismans from six Greek
monsters, including the fang from a nine-headed hydra, a talon from the
Nemean lion, and a feather from the sphinx. No problem for a girl with
the power to call up lightning bolts and change the weather! But can
Phoebe collect them all and stop the prophecy before she destroys
Olympus?
