The film version of the first Percy Jackson adventure is due to hit our screens in February 2010, and promises to be one of the big family adventure releases of the year. It is directed by Chris Columbus, stars Pierce Brosnan, Uma Thurman and Sean Bean, will no doubt feature amazing visual effects and promises to bring the books themselves to a far wider audience than they have already reached.

Rick Riordan is an award-winning mystery writer. He lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Rick's first novel featuring the heroic young demi-god, was the overall winner of the Red House Children's Book Award in 2006.