'Horton Hears a Who!' is quintessential reading

"Horton Hears a Who!" is one of Dr. Seuss' more memorable works. It sees Horton the Elephant trying to keep Whoville, a community living on a small speck of dust, safe from other animals who don't believe his claims that Whoville exists.

The prominent theme throughout the story is that "A person's a person, no matter how small." This is a powerful message of equality that rings true even now, let alone when Dr. Seuss published the book in 1954 as a call to treat Japanese people equally and show that he'd changed his previous anti-Japan views.

"Horton Hears a Who!" is a fun, impactful story for children to read, and adults could do with an occasional reading too, just to remind themselves of the message of equality. The idea of tiny people living on a speck of dust is also creative and trippy.

Likewise, I generally tend to like adaptations of the narrative, particularly the 2008 Blue Sky film. After all, who doesn't love a good Jim Carrey performance, or a bunch of characters singing their hearts out about how they "Can't Fight This Feeling" anymore?

In one medium or another, I'm sure you'll enjoy "Horton Hears a Who!"

The 'Serpent Tide' trilogy by K.L. Fogg

The covers of K.L. Fogg's "Serpent Tide," "Widow's Revenge," and "Diamondback Cave" (Amazon).

The "Serpent Tide" trilogy by K.L. Fogg is a fun realistic fiction adventure about a boy from South Carolina named Wesley Vandergrift discovering that he was separated from his real parents in a shipwreck and taken in by a desperate widow who's been posing as his biological mother his whole life.

And that's just one of many twists and turns discovered within the trilogy, hence why the first book is published with the subtitle "an extraordinary adventure of discovery." There's plenty of deception, kidnapping, and interactions with a celebrity wildlife adventure enthusiast not unlike Steve Irwin.

Wesley goes on several adventures that in some way revolve around Jack Mackey, the star of the in-story TV program "The Snake Stalker." And he goes on these adventures with his newfound biological family and his lifelong best friend Amanda.

Likewise, Wesley goes through plenty of coming-of-age experiences including dealing with bullies, dating, learning how to swim, learning how to drive, and choosing which religion he wants to follow, among other things.

I read the series after my sixth grade English teacher had us read along with an audiobook for the first book. The trilogy is perfect for kids and families of any age to read together.

In fact, I'd argue that the "Serpent Tide" trilogy would be the perfect book series to adapt into movies or a TV show rather than adding to the oversaturated market for reboots, remakes, and superhero content.

While "Serpent Tide" is relatively popular, there's not much of a fandom to speak of, so there's plenty of room for creativity and it would be something fresh and light with low audience expectations.

Either way, I highly recommend the series if you're looking for something easy to read that can entertain family members of all ages.

'Dark Celebration' makes a good point

The above video is a poem performed at the December 2008 White Plains Library Poetry Slam. The poem is called "Dark Celebration" and addresses the dark side of Thanksgiving.

Essentially, the poem recounts how some details of the first Thanksgiving were exaggerated and how, regardless of the positive side of the first Thanksgiving, the holiday has come to be a reminder "of a friendship that was betrayed" for Native Americans.

The poem, performed by a young girl, is a poignant reminder of how complex holidays like Thanksgiving are considering the negative impact of colonization. In light of that, I completely understand why many Native Americans instead observe a National Day of Mourning.

That said, many other Native Americans still observe Thanksgiving due to the more positive side of the holiday and its similarity to other Native American celebrations.

Regardless of whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or the National Day of Mourning, peaceful and respectful observations are key, and a moment of silence to remember those impacted by colonization would be ideal.

Review of 'Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong' issue 1

Photo of part of the comic book cover (DC).

I've always had an appreciation for comics because of the stories they produce. Today I decided to buy a comic for the first time, and I chose the first issue of "Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong."

I love DC content and I also love the MonsterVerse, so when I heard there was a new comic series featuring both, I was intrigued. And I wasn't disappointed.

Multiple plot perspectives were successfully woven together. Clark Kent pulls double duty cleaning up crime ahead of his planned vacation with Lois Lane and prepares himself to propose. Meanwhile, the Legion of Doom yet again plots to get rid of the Justice League.

When the Legion of Doom and the Justice League finally clash, it eventually results in an incident that brings the monsters from the MonsterVerse into their world, as shown on the cover.

Unfortunately, this first issue was used mostly to set the stage for what's to come, so the monsters are only featured in a couple of short sequences. I do like where the plot is going though, and I just may buy the entire series as it comes out.

The friendly banter between members of the Justice League, the romantic back and forth between Lois and Clark, and the antagonistic banter between members of the Legion of Doom were fun and engaging as always, which serves well for character development.

Likewise, there was an interesting preview of the first issue of the "Alan Scott Green Lantern" series included as bonus material.

If you're a comic book fan who enjoys both the Justice League and the MonsterVerse, this series may be for you.

My favorite Roald Dahl stories

Roald Dahl wrote children's books that have continued to inspire new film and Broadway adaptations even decades after his passing.

Dahl wrote books such as "The Gremlins," "James and the Giant Peach," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The BFG," "The Witches," and "Matilda," among others. Many of those have also been adapted into movies and Broadway productions.

No matter the medium, Dahl's stories are an integral part of many people's childhoods, for better or worse.

For example, I remember reading "The BFG" for elementary school, and not long afterward, people started referring to me as the BFG. Unfortunately, it was being used as an insult since I was the tallest child in school for a while there.

Regardless, the story is a good one, as are Dahl's other stories. I particularly love "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Matilda." While I didn't read the novels for either story, I've enjoyed them in every medium I've seen them in.

The "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" movie with Johnny Depp and the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" movie with Gene Wilder are both great in different ways. The new "Wonka" film with Timothée Chalamet also looks interesting.

Likewise, I have a special place in my heart for the 1996 "Matilda" film and I also enjoyed the 2022 "Matilda the Musical" film. I relate to Matilda's love for reading and I think it would be cool to have telekinesis. Not to mention I'm a sucker for a well-done musical.

Dahl's influence is a lasting one and it will be interesting to see how that continues in the future.

Review: 'Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman' vol. 1 issue 1

Variant covers of "Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman" vol. 1 issue 1.

"Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman" is a comic series dedicated to fleshing out the origin story of Agent 47 and his handler Diana Burnwood from the "Hitman" video game series.

I received a digital copy of volume 1 issue 1 as a bonus reward when I bought one of the more recent games. Today happens to be the anniversary of this issue's release in 2017, and looking back, there's plenty to like and plenty to critique.

For one thing, I enjoy the art style and character development.

One issue I have though is that Agent 47 and Subject 6 look a little too similar. I know that's part of the point since they're both cloned from the same DNA samples, but in some panels, I wouldn't be able to tell which was which if I hadn't gotten story context from playing the games.

And that leads into another point. While I enjoy the idea of fleshing out the characters' origin stories, much of what's in this issue is a rehash of flashbacks from the games. Or perhaps the games' flashbacks are a rehash of this issue, but still.

Likewise, while the jumps back and forth between Diana and Agent 47's stories would work in a more cinematic medium like a movie or a video game, I think those jumps are a bit disorienting in the written medium, even one that's as visual as a comic book.

I also have the original version of the comic where the year 1985 is mistakenly used instead of 1989, but I actually enjoy the idea of having that minor mistake in my copy since I'm sure copies with the mistake have become increasingly rare as revised copies have been printed.

All in all, the comic is interesting and I'm glad to have it, but there could be some improvements here and there.

William Faulkner's 'A Rose for Emily' is a great short story for the spooky season

William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" (1930) is a Southern gothic short story with a horrific twist that's perfect for the spooky season.

I've always appreciated how the story builds suspense, starting with a benign narrative about Emily Grierson's life and how she became an obligation for the town to look after.

Then slipping in subtle hints of what's to come through stories of how Emily purchased arsenic without explaining what it was for, how Homer Barron presumably "ran off" because he was never seen again after entering Emily's home, and then the smell of something rotting that caused the townspeople to sprinkle lime around her property.

When Homer's body is found, it almost shouldn't be much of a surprise. But even if you suspected his fate, the discovery of the single strand of hair that indicates Emily was sleeping next to Homer's dead body is a twist that can turn the stomach with thoughts of necrophilia.

"A Rose for Emily" is a well-written horror story that's been studied by many an English class due to its themes, structure, and character development.

There's even a great 1983 short film, seen in the video above, starring Anjelica Huston in the title role. And the short film sticks very close to the original story, so if you're not much of a reader, the short film is a great substitute.

No matter how you choose to experience it, "A Rose for Emily" is a timeless classic that's perfect to enjoy this time of year.

Recipe: My dad's twist on chili verde

When you're looking to make a meal for a family of five and money's tight, sometimes you just have to use whatever you can find around the house.

Fortunately, my dad has a lot of kitchen experience and creativity, which led to his twist on chili verde becoming a staple even during times of good fortune.

Traditionally, chili verde features things like slow-cooked meat, garlic, green tomatillos, and green chili. My dad's take is a little different since he used whatever he could find around the house, and it's more red than green, so it should probably be called chili rojo.

Ingredients

Photo of canned ingredients used in the chili verde.

The ingredients tend to change a little bit every time we cook, but the most recent batch of chili verde was made with the following ingredients:

Two (2) cans of mild Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce, 28 oz each.

Two (2) cans of diced tomatoes, 28 oz each.

Four (4) cans of chunk chicken breast, 12.5 oz each.

Three (3) cans of kidney beans, 15.5 oz each.

Normally, I'd suggest cooking the diced tomatoes as they are, but since my sister is sensitive to texture with certain fruits and vegetables, we blended them first. You can also swap out the chicken and kidney beans for whatever your personal meat and bean preference is.

And while onions weren't included in the most recent batch of chili verde, an average sized onion adds to the flavor profile.

We also cooked rice in our rice cooker with a ratio of two (2) cups of rice to four (4) cups of water. The water can also be swapped out in favor of chicken broth.

There ends up being a lot of chili verde left over even after the rice is gone with these measurements, but that's fine since the chili verde can be eaten on its own.

Cooking

Photo of a ladle held over the pot of chili verde.

The ingredients can all be added to the pot at the same time since the process of slowly cooking everything together is what really brings out the flavor. Likewise, you can choose whether you want to include the juices from each ingredient's can or not. Personally, I think it adds to the flavor.

There's no specific, consistent time frame for this recipe. The key is to heat the chili verde to your desired temperature at your preferred heat level. I admittedly tend to cook things on high to make the process faster, but I'm sure it tastes better when cooked on medium or low.

Likewise, things like this tend to be at their best when they've reached the point where they're bubbling, but that isn't expressly required if you prefer a slightly lower but still warm temperature.

And I definitely don't claim to be an expert on cooking rice. I've always just trusted my rice cooker, and I've never really figured out how long the rice cooker goes on average.

Serving

Photo of a spoon held over a bowl of the chili verde mixed with rice.

Once the chili verde and rice have finished cooking, we usually scoop the rice and ladle the chili verde at our own discretion rather than mixing the two together in one pot. I always thoroughly mix them together in my bowl though.

And that's really it. You can add other things like shredded cheese, sour cream, tortillas, tortilla chips, bread, and whatever else you might want at your own discretion.

I always enjoy eating this take on chili verde, and I made this most recent batch myself after consulting my dad about the ingredients and portion sizes. It's not exactly authentic or restaurant quality, but it's good and I hope anyone who uses this recipe enjoys it.

Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' is a classic twin swap tale

"Twelfth Night" is a classic Shakespearean tale where a woman pretends to be a man in order to make a living. The video above shows a rendition of the story.

Viola and her twin brother Sebastian are separated in a shipwreck, and when Viola is rescued, she disguises herself as a young man named Cesario in order to earn money. This leads her to work for Duke Orsino, who uses "Cesario" to help him woo a woman named Olivia.

The trouble is, Olivia instead falls for Viola's "Cesario" persona instead, and Viola falls for the Duke. There's also confusion when Sebastian reemerges and Olivia proposes to him thinking he's Cesario and they end up married.

After Sebastian and Viola reunite and the whole situation is sorted, the play ends with the Duke declaring his love for Viola. There was also a subplot wherein characters pranked Olivia's rude steward Malvolio into thinking Olivia was in love with him.

If any of that scenario sounds familiar, it's probably because "Twelfth Night" was later reimagined as the 2006 romantic comedy "She's the Man," which stars Amanda Bynes as Viola and Channing Tatum as Duke. The main difference is that Viola impersonates Sebastian rather than creating a new persona.

"Twelfth Night" is a funny, timeless romance story that's been reimagined dozens of times in all sorts of new and interesting ways. I even attended a Western version of the narrative at BYU once, complete with fake mustaches for the audience.

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A post shared by Autumn Nuzman (@autumn_nuzman)

Don't judge the image quality. I took the photo on my iPod touch in 2016. And I was way too tired from all the ETS college tours to care what I looked like.

Back to the point, I really like the story of "Twelfth Night" and how timeless it is. Yet another of Shakespeare's play to novelization to teen movie adaptations for the win.

Funny enough, it's also an example of how long dressing in drag has been a thing, even if the reasons for dressing in drag were different for Viola than for more contemporary cases.

No matter how you interpret the plot though, the story has clearly continued to be popular for a reason and I'd suggest checking it out for yourself. Which specific adaptation you choose is all up to you.

'Predator' comics and novels should be turned into a TV series

The original installments to the "Predator" movie franchise were overwhelmingly popular, and there have been a number of spinoff movies, comics, novelizations, and more.

In particular, there's a comic called "Predator: 1718" that explains how the pistol from the end of "Predator 2" was taken from a pirate, as shown in the Fact Fiend video above. There are also a number of other comics and novels that give more background into the culture of the Yautja.

I find all this fascinating, and if the franchise is going to keep pumping out content, I think they should make these comics and novels into either movies or an anthology TV series.

There's still so much demand, as shown with recent installments such as "Prey," that it would be worth tapping into a well-built mythos instead of coming up with content on the fly just to milk the franchise.

I'd also love to see an expansion of the mythos that was being built in "Prometheus" and how that comes into play with the "Alien vs. Predator" crossover franchise. That might even be a good time to reel Sigourney Weaver back in by letting the Aliens beat the Predators in at least one installment.

That's even more of a possibility if the comic book series "Fire and Stone" gets adapted.

There's so much potential with all the lore the comics and novels have built up, and I think a solid adaptation is exactly what Hollywood needs to bring the spark of creativity back in the face of all the current reboots, remakes, and revivals.

I'd definitely go see a "Predator" movie in theaters if it seemed to be building on the lore from the comics and novels.

A few of my favorite poems

Poems that tell stories or have a cathartic value, whether through imagery or a rhythmic flow, really speak to me. To best illustrate this, let's take a look at a few of my favorite poems.

The Raven

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is a classic narrative poem that continues to remain popular. The rendition in the video above is narrated by Sir Christopher Lee, which is perfect for the ominous vibe the poem gives.

Beyond Poe's talent for imagery and storytelling, the rhythmic flow of the poem has a wonderful effect, especially since most renditions feverishly speed up during the narrator's desperate pleas with the titular raven.

Reading or listening to a rendition of "The Raven" is one thing I'll never say "Nevermore" to.

I Give You Back

Joy Harjo has a number of great poems, especially in her book "She Had Some Horses." One of my favorite poems by the former poet laureate is "I Give You Back," also called "A Poem to Get Rid of Fear."

The video above shows the rendition that most resonates with me, but I also suggest watching one of her live performances of the poem. "I Give You Back" does feature some heavy topics, but those topics and the way Harjo delivers the poem are what makes the poem so cathartic.

Harjo has a way of presenting and preserving the culture of the indigenous nations she belongs to, which made her a fascinating poet to study in my multicultural literature class.

We Real Cool

One of my favorite poems that I learned in college is Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool," heard in the video above. The poem's meter has a rhythmic flow that can be deciphered when reading it, but hearing Brooks recite it is a real treat. Likewise, Morgan Freeman does a pretty good rendition.

"We Real Cool" is a jazz poem with a lot of great metaphors and imagery, as well as a solid narrative quality. Brooks' poem continues to serve as inspiration in poetry classes to this day.

"We Real Cool" stuck with me so much that I even created my own poem as an homage to it, though I haven't managed to get my poem published, which is unfortunate since it's the poem I feel the most confident about.

The impact of Anna Wintour on Vogue, pop culture

Anna Wintour at the 2005 New York Fall Fashion Week (Karin Bar).

Anna Wintour has been the editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988. She's been a constant in a world of passing trends, so much that her influence goes beyond the magazine itself.

Wintour was a real up and comer on various publications prior to joining the US edition of Vogue, and she was eventually used to take over and radically change Condé Nast magazines such as House & Garden and the UK edition of Vogue.

Even before working at Condé Nast, when previous Vogue editor Grace Mirabella asked Wintour what her dream job was during an interview, Wintour reportedly said, "Yours."

After her time at House & Garden, Wintour fulfilled that dream and succeeded Mirabella as Vogue's editor.

Wintour revamped the magazine by using less well-known models, mixing inexpensive clothes with high fashion, and changing the cover style from tight headshots taken indoors to outdoor shots that showed more of the body.

The best example of this change is seen in the first issue she published in November 1988, seen below. The cover shows 19-year-old model Michaela Bercu in a $50 pair of jeans and a $10,000 designer jacket.

Cover of the November 1988 issue of Vogue (Style).

Likewise, Wintour has inspired a variety of other aspects of pop culture. Namely, she is reportedly the inspiration for Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada," Edna Mode in "The Incredibles," Fey Sommers in "Ugly Betty," and even Willy Wonka in 2005's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

One way or another, Anna Wintour is synonymous with Vogue and the high fashion industry.

'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell is an interesting look at fanfiction culture

The book cover for "Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell.

"Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell is a novel about a fanfiction writer named Cath who's trying to adapt to life in college while dealing with social anxiety and growing apart from her twin sister.

Cath also makes some friends, most notably her roommate Reagan and her love interest Levi, both of whom frequently try to get Cath to come out of her shell. So essentially, it's a classic college coming-of-age story.

Likewise, there's somewhat of a story within the story since readers get to see snippets of the fanfiction that Cath is working on, which is slash fiction based on the fictional "Simon Snow" series. The "Simon Snow" series seems reminiscent of "Harry Potter" and the fanfiction Cath writes feels similar to a Drarry fic.

"Fangirl" is widely acclaimed for its accurate representation of fan culture, so much so that Tumblr chose the novel as its inaugural book club selection. And indeed, I felt like I could relate to aspects of the story, especially as someone who wrote fanfiction as a teenager.

Sometimes "Fangirl" even embodies the connotation of its name a little too well and fills me with twinges of cringe.

When Cath submits some of her fanfiction for a creative writing assignment, Professor Piper won't accept it because the purpose is to write something original. Cath then starts to argue that it is original because she's the one who wrote what she turned in, but that argument really doesn't work in this context.

While I've written many a fanfiction, I'd never submit any for a creative writing assignment. Why? Because while fanfiction is a great form of writing exercise, you didn't build the world or characters, so unless you know how to creatively repackage it à la "Fifty Shades," "The Mortal Instruments," or "After," it doesn't fulfill the point of the assignment.

Fanfiction can be a great outlet for people who like writing; if part of an existing story isn't finished or doesn't go the way you want, you can write what you want into existence, and it gives the opportunity to practice creative writing.

But it's just one form of creative writing, and usually college is meant to help you expand into other genres, so if your professor wants you to practice world building through original fiction or encourages you to write in other genres such as nonfiction and poetry, you shouldn't shoehorn your fanfiction into it.

Regardless of that aspect, "Fangirl" is very enjoyable because it provides an interesting look at fanfiction culture that's appealing to readers of all ages. Plus, the popularity of the novel spawned the creation of two spin-off novels based on Cath's fanfiction, "Carry On" and "Wayward Son."

If you want some insight into fanfiction culture and a feel-good, romantic coming-of-age story, I highly suggest reading "Fangirl."

'The Oracle Prophecies' by Catherine Fisher is underrated

Photo of my set of "The Oracle Prophecies" trilogy by Catherine Fisher.

"The Oracle Prophecies" by Welsh author Catherine Fisher is a trilogy of children's books that seems to be inspired by Greek, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian themes and mythology.

Facing a drought in "The Oracle Betrayed," the Archon—who acts as the human incarnation of this fictional world's god—is called upon to be sacrificed according to Hermia, who acts as Speaker for the god and is the most senior of the god's nine priestesses.

However, Mirany, who acts as Bearer of the god, discovers that this is a plot by Hermia and her lover General Argelin to control the land. Mirany, with the help of the Archon's musician Oblek and ambitious scribe Seth, must find the new Archon and keep him safe from Hermia and Argelin's influence.

The two novels that follow, "The Sphere of Secrets" and "Day of the Scarab," present further adventures experienced by Mirany, Seth, Oblek, and the Archon in their pursuit of ending the drought and restoring peace.

This trilogy was one of my favorites when I started reading for pleasure in sixth grade, hence why I obtained personal copies more recently, but I can scarcely find anything about the books beyond where to buy them, some Goodreads reviews, and a Wikipedia page for the first book.

Despite being an international bestseller, "The Oracle Prophecies" trilogy is underrated and has the potential to be so much more. I'd argue that it has the same entertainment value and feel to it as the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series, but with a slightly more mature tone and an exploration of a different cultural landscape.

In fact, I think "The Oracle Prophecies" trilogy is perfectly poised to be adapted for a TV show or a series of movies. The trilogy has an interesting world to explore, it's just underrated enough to keep audience expectations reasonable, and it's something that hasn't been rebooted ad infinitum.

Either way, I highly recommend the trilogy, especially for middle school aged children and teens. "The Oracle Prophecies" is a solid trilogy that scratches the itch for children's fantasy novels.

'The DUFF' by Kody Keplinger is worth reading even if you've watched the movie

The book cover for "The DUFF" is on the left (Poppy), and the movie poster is on the right (CBS Films).

"The DUFF" by Kody Keplinger is the inspiration for the 2015 movie of the same name. But the plot of the novel, while similar in spirit, is wildly different.

In the movie, Bianca (Mae Whitman) is told by her former childhood friend Wesley (Robbie Amell) that she's the "Designated Ugly Fat Friend" of her friend group, the person who people talk to in order to gain access to her prettier and more popular friends.

Bianca then receives his help getting a makeover so she can ask out her guitar-playing crush Toby (Nick Eversman) while avoiding mean girl Madison's (Bella Thorne) attempts to thwart their efforts. Toby then turns out to be "DUFFing" Bianca to get to her friends and Bianca ends up realizing she has feelings for Wesley.

In the novel, Bianca and Wesley aren't childhood friends and a lot of the plot focuses on them being enemies with sexual benefits. Also, Madison doesn't exist and Toby is actually a kind, nerdy boy who ends his relationship with Bianca amicably and compares their situation to "Wuthering Heights."

And while in the movie Bianca has a supportive functioning alcoholic for a mother, in the novel Bianca's mother is absent and sends divorce papers to her father, which causes him to relapse into alcoholism and become abusive until he goes back to Alcoholics Anonymous.

Despite the differences, I still appreciate the movie because it's similar in spirit and uses the same actress that Keplinger always pictured for Bianca.

I also appreciate how the movie added a lot of fun elements to the plot that maintained the quality of the movie even when the story differed from the book. The addition of Ken Jeong's character in particular was a highlight of the movie, as was the increased empathy and likability of Wesley.

One thing that sets the book apart from the movie is that it was written by a then 17-year-old Keplinger, so it accurately captures the teenage perspective in a way that can't necessarily be replicated by movie studios. As much as I liked the movie, the way the plot was changed and the insertion of characters like Madison feels pretty formulaic.

Overall, whether you've watched the movie version of "The DUFF" or not, I suggest reading the book that inspired it as well.

'Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon' is the perfect summer short story

What could better encapsulate summer than a story about teens at a summer camp playing capture the flag while looking for a date for the 4th of July fireworks, fending off ants, and finding buried treasure? Granted, it's a summer camp for Greek demigods, the ants are German shepherd sized, and the buried treasure is a bronze dragon, but still.

"Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon" is a short story from Rick Riordan's 2009 book "The Demigod Files," which takes place between books four and five of the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series.

Book cover for "The Demigod Files" by Rick Riordan.

The story details how Percy, Annabeth Chase, and Silena Beauregard end up having to save Charles Beckendorf from a giant anthill after Beckendorf tries to stop the Myrmekes (giant ants) from stealing the head of a bronze dragon that used to guard Camp Half-Blood. The other campers are scattered in the woods for capture the flag, so the trio are forced to find the dragon's body in hopes of using it to help them.

The story is a fun, adventurous tale that helps fill the gap between the fourth and fifth books in the series. It also helps flesh out the characters and their romantic story arcs, and it gives readers a chance to get to know Silena and Beckendorf better.

It's also nice to have a story set entirely within Camp Half-Blood since most of the main books only feature it briefly at the beginning before our protagonists take off for yet another quest.

Likewise, rereading "Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon" after reading "The Heroes of Olympus" series and "The Trials of Apollo" series is sure to be an interesting experience since both the dragon and the anthill are featured in those books.

The bronze dragon, later renamed Festus, is featured on the cover of "The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan.

"Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon" is one of my favorite short stories by Rick Riordan, and anyone who knows me knows the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series holds a special place in my heart since it's the first series I read for fun rather than as a school requirement. And this story definitely brings the fun along with some solid summer nostalgia vibes.