The Sword of Summer

The Sword of Summer

• Genre: Fiction; middle-grade fantasy
• Originally Published: 2015
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 630L; grades 5-9
• Structure/Length: 72 chapters and epilogue; approximately 544 pages; approximately 15 hours, 21 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The Sword of Summer is the first book in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan. The central conflict follows Magnus Chase, a teenager living on the streets of Boston, who discovers that he is the son of a Norse god. When he learns of his destiny to prevent the end of the world (known as Ragnarok in Norse mythology), he embarks on a quest to find the Sword of Summer and prevent chaos from unfolding in the Nine Worlds. Along the way, Magnus encounters a diverse group of friends and mythical creatures. The novel explores heroism, mythology, and the bonds of friendship.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Death, including death of a parent; violence; gore, including dismemberment; brief profanity

Rick Riordan, Author

• Bio: Born in 1964; American author known for his popular middle grade and young adult series that draw from mythology and folklore; celebrated for his ability to make mythology accessible and entertaining for young readers
• Other Works: Percy Jackson & the Olympians series (starting with The Lightning Thief, 2005); The Kane Chronicles series (starting with The Red Pyramid, 2010)
• Awards: Goodreads Choice Award for Middle Grade and Children's Fiction (2015)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• All Decisions Have Consequences
• The Inequality of Hierarchies
• There Are Different Ways to Fight

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Explore background information on Norse gods and Ragnarok to increase their engagement with and understanding of The Sword of Summer.
• Read/study paired texts and other brief resources to deepen their understanding of the themes All Decisions Have Consequences, The Inequality of Hierarchies, and There Are Different Ways to Fight.
• Demonstrate their understanding of Norse mythology and the characterization of Magnus in The Sword of Summer by creating a plan for Magnus to continue delaying Ragnarok.
• Analyze the significance of various elements of the novel, such as symbolism, motifs, plot detail, imagery, characterization, and tone; construct essay responses tying these to the novel’s meaning.