IF YOU COULD HAVE A SUPER POWER...

A boy uses his superpowers to help others in Duncan’s children’s book.

After 9-year-old Mitch’s aunt Evie asks, “If you could have a superpower, which one would you choose?,” he develops the ability to turn invisible and fly while leaving his physical body behind, like an astral projection. Using these powers, he witnesses a boy named Kyle steal a pencil case from a classmate. He soon finds out that Kyle stole it as a gift for his sad sister, and that his family lives in a shelter, on the run from his abusive father. Mitch befriends the troubled boy, and Mitch’s family grows close to Kyle’s mom and sister, as well. Although Kyle still faces challenges—he’s often absent from school, thinks about running away, and has dyslexia—his new friendship makes him feel more comfortable. Mitch continues to use his powers, keeping them hidden from everyone except Aunt Evie, who reveals that superpowers are a family trait (she communicated with animals at his age) that he’ll eventually outgrow. He notes that “maybe other kids needed help, too,” including a boy named Kenny, who’s orphaned and living with an ill-equipped uncle. As Mitch’s powers wane, he channels energy into his friendships, reading books, crafting stories, volunteering at a dog rescue, and other activities. Although Mitch’s circumstance is fantastical, it serves as a fine metaphor for how everyone can all use their unique abilities in order to help others in need. Duncan presents several portrayals of empathy and kindness that readers will find uplifting. The author also nicely models caring friendships and tight family bonds; the sense of solidarity between Aunt Evie and Mitch, for example, is particularly heartening. Although the tale is told mainly from Mitch’s viewpoint, it’s interspersed with italicized segments that effectively provide flashes of backstory and insight from others’ perspectives, including Kyle and Kenny. Bender’s colorful illustrations of various characters and events appear throughout; the chapter headings, in particular, seem to cleverly draw inspiration from comic books, with their bold black text and bright yellow shapes.

A compassionate superhero tale that highlights ways to help others.