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My Brother Is a Superhero

by David Solomons (Author)

My Brother Is a Superhero
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Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
cms Common Sense Media Review

The award-winning #1 international bestseller that's perfect for fans of The Last Kids on Earth and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Luke Parker was just your average comic book fan until his boring, teacher's pet, helps-old-ladies-across-the-street brother Zack got turned into a superhero. Luke can't believe the unfairness of it all--he's the one with the encyclopedic knowledge of everything from Ant-Man to Wolverine! At least he can help Zack--aka Star Guy--with all the important parts of becoming a superhero, like using his newfound powers and deciding whether or not to wear a cape.

But when Star Guy gets into super-size trouble, it's up to Luke--and his intrepid neighbor, Lara--to rescue his big brother and, with a little luck, help him save the world.

* "A non-stop action-packed, laugh-out-loud winner of a story." --School Library Journal, starred review

"A loving tribute to the genre consumed with capes, masks, supervillains, and great responsibility." --Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will enjoy the deadpan narration that reveals the unexpected difficulties of being a modern-day superhero." --Publishers Weekly

cms Common Sense Media Review
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Kirkus

A loving tribute to the genre consumed with capes, masks, supervillains, and great responsibility.

Publisher's Weekly

Eleven-year-old Luke is a huge comic-book fan, so when an ill-timed bathroom break results in his 14-year-old brother, Zack, receiving superpowers from a visiting alien (instead of Luke himself), he is understandably upset. But Zack—whose brand of nerdiness only extends to math, not comics—needs help navigating his new identity as Star Guy. Comic-book devotees like Luke will appreciate references to familiar characters (Zack initially christens himself Starman until Luke reminds him, “There’s already a Starman. You’ll probably get sued”), but all readers will enjoy the deadpan narration that reveals the unexpected difficulties of being a modern-day superhero—like getting to a crime scene when you’re too young to drive. When Luke’s classmate Lara decides to unmask Star Guy, Luke tries to stop her, but the real danger is the villainous Nemesis, a threat to not one but two universes. In his first children’s book, screenwriter Solomons demonstrates that he’s equally at home with high-octane comic-book action and more ordinary topics like the pain of being overshadowed by an older sibling, superpowered or otherwise.

School Library Journal

Starred Review
Gr 4–6—It was just plain bad luck (he had to pee) that 11-year-old superhero-loving Luke wasn't present when the spaceship hovered next to the tree house and the alien turned his 15-year-old studious brother, Zack, into a real superhero. Zorlon gave Zack three glowing stars on his chest, six unnamed powers, and a warning, "Nemesis is coming." Luke is jealous and furious that he wasn't chosen. His brother knows nothing about being a superhero—he won't even wear a cape! Now it's up to Luke to teach Zack, aka Super Guy, how to act like a superhero, to help him discover his powers, and to find out who or what Nemesis is, all while keeping Zack's new identity a secret. This becomes harder than just keeping his mouth shut as their nosy neighbor, Lara, is determined that she and Luke will discover Super Guy's true identity. Throw in Zach's crush on Lara's older sister, trying to be a superhero while keeping your parents clueless, being kidnapped by a fiendish comic book store owner while trying to save the world, and you're got a non-stop action-packed, laugh-out-loud winner of a story. The main characters are finely drawn and their voices are authentic. The format of the book with its font size and generous white space make it accessible and appealing.
VERDICT A great book that will charm reluctant readers as well as anyone who has ever dreamed of being a superhero. It also makes for a fun read-aloud.

Review quotes

"Luke's narration is pitch perfect, providing just the right amount of snark, admiration, and cleverness...A hinted-at sequel will be eagerly anticipated by readers, who will want to return not only for the whizz-bang superhero stuff but also for the memorable and carefully developed sibling dynamic." —BCCB

David Solomons
David Solomons is a screenwriter whose first feature film was an adaptation of Five Children and It(starring Kenneth Branagh and Eddie Izzard, with gala screenings at the Toronto and Tribeca Film Festivals). His latest film, Not Another Happy Ending, closed the Edinburgh International Film Festival.My Brother is a Superhero is his first novel for children. He was born in Glasgow and now lives in Dorset with his wife (and novelist) Natasha, and son, Luke. Follow him at @DavidSolomons2.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780147516053
Lexile Measure
780
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Puffin Books
Publication date
June 20, 2017
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV008020 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Superheroes
Library of Congress categories
Brothers
Comic books, strips, etc
Superheroes
Cartoons and comics
Comic book fans
Waterstone's Children's Book Prize
Winner 2016
British Book Industry Awards
Children's Book of the Year 2016

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