Rick Riordan has written a great series of books about a half-mortal half-god hero named Percy Jackson.  He is a teenager who lives in New York with his Mom and leads a pretty normal life, right up until "mythical" creatures start trying to kill him.  Now his story comes to the screen in The Lightning Thief (also the title of the first book).  With any luck the whole series will make it to the screen; this is the first book only.  Due in theaters on Presidents Day (February 15, 2010).