SIDEKICKED by John David Anderson

Drew is a sidekick without a Super. He's The Sensationalist. His five senses are amped up to the extreme. He can smell what you had for breakfast, or find a friend by the sound of her footsteps, no matter where she is in the school building. And technically, he does have a Super - The Titan. But Titan retired ages ago and no one knows where he is. He's supposed to come to the aid of his sidekick if Drew is ever in trouble, but apparently hanging over a swimming pool of acid does not count because The Titan never showed up. Drew had to be rescued by someone else's Super.

When a presumed-dead super villain returns to the city and Supers get kidnapped and all the side kicks in Drew's training group are attacked, things look pretty dire. Can the last Super - The Fox - save them? Will The Titan finally come out of retirement when the city truly needs him?

This was a great superhero story - I love stories about superheroes!! Drew has a great heart and he's a good friend and he wants to make a difference. But his friends have some cool powers, and Drew wonders where he really fits in. The story really wrestles with the idea of good and evil, intentions, choices and revenge. There's lots to talk about with this book in a class setting or a book club. There's going to be a "companion" novel called Minion releasing June 24th that is already on my wishlist - there's a picture posted below. I can't wait to read it!

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 5.4

WEDNESDAY: The Invincible Iron Man

A simple origin story including Tony's capture, heart injury, and his work with Professor Yinsen. Nothing surprising, but a good introduction for kids. Good addition to a comic-loving home or a library collection.

3 out of 5 stars

TUESDAY: The Incredible Hulk

This book does a great job of addressing the character and backstory of Bruce Banner - a smart and shy boy pushed around by bullies - as well as the gamma ray accident (in the desert rather than a lab) that turns him into The Hulk.

This is a really nicely handled origin story, especially the emotional nuances of the character's dual nature.

4 out of 5 stars.

MONDAY: Captain America Joins The Might Avengers

In honor of the new Avengers movie that came out over the weekend, I'm going to highlight a few Avengers books this week instead of our usual schedule.

This starts with a brief history of Captain America and Namor (prince of Atlantis) who fought together against evil and then both disappeared. Years later, the Avengers show up, looking for the missing Hulk. They find Hulk and Namor together - and they both attack the Avengers. During the battle, they discover Captain America who joins them for an all-out battle with Namor.

This was a fun summary with a character I wasn't familiar with from the current versions of Avengers on TV and in the movies. This book makes some of the back story of Captain America approachable for young readers and it's just plain fun.

4 out of 5 stars

MONDAY: Sidekicks by Dan Santat

Summary

Graphic novel about an aging superhero and his pets who long to spend more time with him, so each one auditions to be his new sidekick.

Review

I know that summary is skimpy, but much more would give away too many of the goodies in this book. Everyone in my household has read it, and everyone loved it. Can't wait to see more stories about this group of animals friends.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: Readers 8 and up, graphic novel fans, superhero fans, librarians looking to build their graphic novel collection, classroom teachers building a library.

Cautions: none

MONDAY: Sidekicks

Summary 
Sidekicks opens on the premise of what happens when puberty and superhero tights collide, creating an embarassing situation for Bright Boy, sidekick to Phantom Justice. The wardrobe malfunction becomes a significant distraction for Bright Boy - and his alter ego, Scott. He's mortified by what happened, humiliated because people are calling him a pervert (when he knows he is really just a normal 13 year old boy), and resentful when his "mentor" Trent/Phantom Justice doesn't take him seriously about the need for a costume change.

All of this sets up the relationships of the primary characters and is crucial to the rest of the story. Phantom Justice and Bright Boy are back to fighting their nemesis Dr. Chaotic and his sidekick Monkeywrench when BB and MW find out they know each other. They go to the same school and even have classes together - oh, and Monkeywrench is a girl. Each of the teens discovers that their assumptions about eachother - and about their super hero world - aren't exactly accurate.

Review
I really enjoyed this book, although I discovered quickly that it wasn't going to be a good fit for my second grader, who was my original reason for buying it. The author did a great job of writing a realistic portrayal of the angst and conflicting emotions for Scott. Fun interplay between the characters. Fantastic twists and surprises. The ending could be setting up for a sequel (which I would immediately buy and read). Mythology is not overly complicated, and there are still some "holes" in the backstory that could be developed in future stories.


4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: Youth over 12 (Amazon ranks it for "young adults" and I agree. My local bookstore had it in the children's section - I think the cover art makes it seem like it would be for younger readers, but I wouldn't recommend that), readers who enjoy superhero stories with a romantic element

Cautions: a few swear words and the opening premise make this book most appropriate for teen readers.

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