With a cameo from Batman himself, this origin story presents an entertaining new team of supers.
Setting their debut superhero graphic-novel series for kids in the suburbs of East Gotham, Quinn, Lunetta, and Gil introduce readers to an unlikely DC Comics duo.
Sloane MacBrute and Piper Pájaro are both 13 but are otherwise very different from each other. Piper is Latinx, the brown-skinned daughter of scientists working in Antarctica; she lives with Abuela and Uncle John, a police officer. She also has superstrength and can lift a small car. Sloane is white and happens to be the granddaughter of the Bear, the notorious goon; she is also a robotics genius. When her recently laid-off mother’s health declines, Bear dispatches Sloane, as her supervillain alter ego, Gray, to steal a device from a research facility. Piper, who moonlights as the superhero Hummingbird, learns about a threat to the device her parents created, so she shows up to protect it. The late-night mission goes awry, and the device somehow causes both girls to switch bodies, forcing them to work together to switch them back and thwart the Bear. Co-authors Lunetta and Quinn’s quick dialogue, narration, and pacing are successful, and from Abuela, readers hear Spanish peppered throughout the story. Gil’s illustrations are dynamic, filling spreads with noir-toned purple and dark-blue hues. Panels cut from aerial views and zoom into the fast-paced action, building momentum.
With a cameo from Batman himself, this origin story presents an entertaining new team of supers. (Graphic adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4012-9325-3
Page Count: 144
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and...
Catrina narrates the story of her mixed-race (Latino/white) family’s move from Southern California to Bahía de la Luna on the Northern California coast.
Dad has a new job, but it’s little sister Maya’s lungs that motivate the move: she has had cystic fibrosis since birth—a degenerative breathing condition. Despite her health, Maya loves adventure, even if her lungs suffer for it and even when Cat must follow to keep her safe. When Carlos, a tall, brown, and handsome teen Ghost Tour guide introduces the sisters to the Bahía ghosts—most of whom were Spanish-speaking Mexicans when alive—they fascinate Maya and she them, but the terrified Cat wants only to get herself and Maya back to safety. When the ghost adventure leads to Maya’s hospitalization, Cat blames both herself and Carlos, which makes seeing him at school difficult. As Cat awakens to the meaning of Halloween and Day of the Dead in this strange new home, she comes to understand the importance of the ghosts both to herself and to Maya. Telgemeier neatly balances enough issues that a lesser artist would split them into separate stories and delivers as much delight textually as visually. The backmatter includes snippets from Telgemeier’s sketchbook and a photo of her in Día makeup.
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-54061-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
Like the pathfinders, readers will be crying, “Plus Ultra!” and hoping for the next adventure.
Five intrepid, young pathfinders explore the environmentally volatile Windrose Valley in search of a fabled treasure.
Deep in Windrose Valley awaits an adventurous summer at Camp Pathfinder, founded by a renowned, eccentric pioneer named Henry Merriweather. Merriweather’s fixation on finding the legendary Windrose treasure serves as a grand catalyst for the campers’ quest. The eclectic group of campers—newcomer Kyle, history buff Beth, zany magician-in-training Harry, cheerleader/math queen Vic, and tinkerer Nate—sets off, running all over town to find Merriweather’s baroque tile markers. Eventually, their efforts lead them to the Merriweather Estate, where the campers slowly uncover the mystery behind the Moon Tower catastrophe. Shortly after the bizarre incident, Merriweather disappeared, and the town’s fortunes failed. As the adolescent pathfinders near the trail toward the Moon Tower and inch ever closer to the treasure, they learn more about the mythical Merriweather and his infamous obsession. Sedita, Seraydarian, and Hamaker’s series debut zips along nicely, mixing cryptic teases with affable characters. Though the quieter moments rarely make much of an impact, the authors’ exposition-heavy worldbuilding incites enthusiasm for the campers’ endeavor. The hints of magic in the snappy illustrations add another layer of allure. Featuring flashes of time slips and a racially diverse cast, this graphic novel hits all the right spots for the inevitable sequel.
Like the pathfinders, readers will be crying, “Plus Ultra!” and hoping for the next adventure. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: April 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-425-29186-3
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
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