Marcus Emerson
Roaring Books, 2018
320 pages
Grades 3-6
Adventure/Graphic Hybrid
Max Braver series #1
Max has always dreamed of being a superhero. After a summer spent watching old Batman reruns, he has an unfortunate encounter with a bully--who freezes him in a block of ice. When he emerges from his coma, he finds a mysterious man in his room. The man recruits Ben to join an exclusive and secret boarding school for superheroes. Ben is beside himself as his greatest dreams come true! Once at the school his roommate, Noah, who can burp fire, becomes an instant best friend. Penny, another new friend and possible crush, can talk to animals using her ukulele. All is not perfect, however. The original bully, who turned Max into an ice cube, is also a student, as well as his older sister, and a mysterious virus is attacking the student body, turning them into zombie-kids. Worst of all, Max is not discovering his superpower. After a few false starts he is beginning to believe that he may be a dud. Does he belong at the school after all?
This series, from the author of the popular Diary of a Sixth Grade Ninja series offers another hybrid action-filled romp. This series is sure to attract reluctant readers, especially those who love superheroes. The chapters are short and highly illustrated, perfect for Wimpy Kid fans. The action moves quickly with quirky characters, almost like reading a video game. I would not say that this is the best piece of literature to arrive on the market in the past several years, but it is good enough--and will certainly appeal to the target audience, turning non-readers into readers, making it "librarian gold". Once kids finish this first installment, two others already await, the third which came out this past March. The story itself goes a bit over-the-top and character development is a bit thin, yet readers will be able to easily follow the linear story and keep the cast of characters straight. Best of all, they will relate to and cheer for Max and care enough to dive into the next series installment. A "super" choice to recommend to kids who think they don't like to read.
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