SUPERWORLD

In a world populated by superheroes, it takes a normal boy to save society.

Noah, our energetic narrator, is the only unsuper person in Superworld: A meteor shower slammed into Earth and turned everyone into a superhero; everyone, that is, except him. And on his birthday, too! Even little sister Joy has become Psychlone, named for her twin powers of telekinesis and controlling the weather. The school’s curriculum is geared to superhero powers, but luckily librarian Mr. Almaraz helps Noah find refuge in reading. One day genius Hero Leader Professor Möbius warns Noah that the world in in grave danger—and Noah is the only one who can return things to normal. At first Noah turns Möbius down, leading to the unleashing of several loopy superheroes like Hugh-Mongous (his friend Hugh), Granimal (his grandma), and Hairstrike (his friend Tabitha). When Noah finally accepts his destiny, he’s guided by the all-knowing Möbius and aided by musclebound sidekick Mantastic. Spoiler alert: Noah prevails. Noah’s hyperpaced odyssey is a grab bag of obstacles fueled by nonstop puns and imaginative art that’ll keep readers swiftly turning the pages. The stylish, smoky, black-and-white illustrations take up about half of the book, accompanying every action-packed development and frequently involving images of comical crime fighters or Noah floating through space with a wide-eyed expression. Names and illustrations cue some diversity; Noah reads White.

Imaginative adventures sure to trigger both giggles and groans.