Ready for short chapter books
Begin with Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom in prose.
Book Series · 18 Books
Heroes in Training Books
In order from Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom to Zeus and the Skeleton Army.
Young versions of Zeus and other Greek heroes train their powers, face monsters and Titans, and learn teamwork in humorous illustrated adventures.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read Heroes in Training
Read the eighteen chapter books in numbered order because the team, powers, and conflict with Cronus accumulate.
The four graphic novels retell chapter books #1–4 in full color. A child can choose prose or graphic format for those stories, but the visual line does not yet cover books #5–18.
Sources: Simon & Schuster's main series, Graphic adaptation series.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
Battles, kidnappings, the Underworld, monsters, skeletons, and Titans who threaten to eat people appear frequently, but jokes and wordplay soften the danger for elementary readers. The prose books target younger readers than the full-color adaptations.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Prefers graphic novels
Choose the graphic adaptation of Zeus for the same first adventure.
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$674
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2012
Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom
A young boy discovers he is the trueborn king of the Olympians and embarks on a quest to rescue his siblings and defeat the evil King Cronus.
112 pages· 10,888 words· Est. 2 hour read
4.3/7 Bookroo
$6.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Ten-year-old Zeus, tired of his mundane life and frequent lightning strikes, is thrust into an epic adventure when kidnapped by Titans. Armed with a magical thunderbolt, he must decipher its secrets to rescue fellow Olympians and challenge the tyrannical Cronus. Can Zeus embrace his destiny and become the King of the Gods?
In reading order
Heroes in Training Series
18 books · Published 2012–2021
#1
Sale price
$674
Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2012
A young boy discovers he is the trueborn king of the Olympians and embarks on a quest to rescue his siblings and defeat the evil King Cronus.
#2
Sale price
$674
Poseidon and the Sea of Fury
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2012
A young boy embarks on a quest to find a magical trident and rescue his friends from the clutches of the evil King Cronus.
#3
Sale price
$674
Hades and the Helm of Darkness
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2013
A group of young gods embark on a quest to retrieve the Helm of Darkness and rescue their friends from the Underworld.
#4
Sale price
$674
Hyperion and the Great Balls of Fire
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2013
Olympians dodge fireballs to uncover Hyperion's fiery mystery.
#5
Sale price
$674
Typhon and the Winds of Destruction
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2013
Young Olympians face a giant and a quest to save the earth.
#6
Sale price
$674
Apollo and the Battle of the Birds
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2014
Zeus faces a deadly bird swarm and a mysterious ally. Friend or foe?
#7
Sale price
$674
Ares and the Spear of Fear
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2014
Olympians face a giant snake and seek a powerful spear.
#8
Sale price
$674
Cronus and the Threads of Dread
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2014
Nine young Olympians must work together to rescue their captured friends and defeat the evil King Cronus.
#9
Sale price
$674
Crius and the Night of Fright
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2015
Ten Olympians embark on a quest to rescue Apollo's twin sister Artemis from the clutches of the Titan Crius.
#10
Sale price
$674
Hephaestus and the Island of Terror
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2015
A new leader may rise among metal-working warriors. Will Zeus be replaced?
#11
Sale price
$674
Uranus and the Bubbles of Trouble
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2015
Shipwrecked Olympians face a mysterious threat from the sea's bubbling waves.
#12
Sale price
$674
Perseus and the Monstrous Medusa
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2016
A hero confronts a deadly gaze that turns warriors to stone.
#13
Sale price
$674
Hermes and the Horse with Wings
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2017
A group of young Olympians embark on a quest to defeat the evil King Cronus and his minions, the Cronies, while also helping a young boy named Ron defeat a monster called the Chimera.
#14
Sale price
$674
Dionysus and the Land of Beasts
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2017
Zeus seeks a mysterious ally to defeat King Cronus. Can Dion's powers help or hinder their quest?
#15
Sale price
$574
Zeus and the Dreadful Dragon
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2018
Olympians must free allies from Tartarus to defeat Cronus. Can they trust them?
#16
Sale price
$674
Hercules and the Nine-Headed Hydra
Chapter Book · Ages 9–11 · 2019
Hercules seeks redemption by facing a deadly Hydra. Can he prevent war on Olympus?
#17
Sale price
$674
Alkyoneus and the Warrior Queen
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2020
Zeus and Hercules must escape a giant and win a golden belt.
#18
Sale price
$574
Zeus and the Skeleton Army
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2021
Zeus and friends must capture Cerberus, but face a ghostly army in the underworld.
The same first four adventures in full color
Heroes in Training Graphic Novels
4 books · Published 2022–2023
Four adaptations covering prose books #1–4. They retell rather than continue the series.
#1
#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1899
Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022
A young boy named Zeus embarks on a journey to rescue his friends and uncover the secrets of his past
#2
#2 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1899
Poseidon and the Sea of Fury (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022
Young Olympians face Titans and sea monsters. Can Poseidon conquer his fear of water?
#3
#3 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1899
Hades and the Helm of Darkness (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022
Hades faces his fear of dogs to tame Cerberus and navigate the Underworld's dangers.
#4
#4 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1899
Hyperion and the Great Balls of Fire (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2023
The sun blazes fiercely as young Olympians face fiery trials and a missing ally.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Heroes in Training series?
There are 18 books in the Heroes in Training series. It began with Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom in 2012, and the newest book, Zeus and the Skeleton Army, was published in 2021.
What order should you read the Heroes in Training books in?
Start with Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #18.
What ages are the Heroes in Training books best for?
The series is best for ages 6–11, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creatives Behind the Books
The people who bring Heroes in Training to life.
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