Almost Super
Author: Marion Jensen
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: January 21st, 2014
ISBN13: 9780062209610
Hardcover: 256 pages
FTC FYI: I purchased both copies of these books.
Reviewed by Mindy
Summary
Savvy meets The Incredibles in this fresh, funny middle-grade debut about two brothers in a family of superheroes who must find a way to be heroic despite receiving powers that are total duds.
Each leap year, on February 29th, at 4:23 p.m., every member of the Bailey family over the age of twelve gets a superpower. No one knows why, and no one questions it. All the Baileys know is that it’s their duty to protect the world from those evil, supervillainous Johnsons.
Today, Rafter Bailey and his brother Benny are finally going to get their superpowers. Benny wants to be a speedy, and Rafter hopes he gets super strength so he can save the day just like his grandfather. But when their powers arrive, they are, well, duds. Rafter can light matches on polyester, and Benny can turn his innie belly button into an outie.
Suddenly Rafter and Benny’s world is turned upside down. Especially when they realize that Juanita Johnson, the villain in Rafter’s algebra class, thinks that her family are the superheroes and the Baileys are the villains.
What if everything Rafter thought he knew about superheroes turns out to be a lie? He may not have an awesome power, but with the help of Benny and an unexpected friend, he could just be almost super.
Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble
Searching for Super
Author: Marion Jensen
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: January 20th, 2015
ISBN13: 97800622009580
Hardcover: 256 pages
Summary
Rafter and Benny Bailey are back in this laugh-out-loud follow-up to Almost Super, which Kirkus Reviews called “fluent, funny, and eminently sequel-worthy,” perfect for fans of Pixar’s The Incredibles.
The superheroes of Split Rock are hunkering down, which is really just a fancy way of saying they’re hiding. Ever since those supervillainous Joneses took away their real powers, the Baileys and the Johnsons have been living in fear. But Rafter has had a taste of what saving the day feels like, and now he’s desperate to do something important.
So when he gets an opportunity to fight with a real superpower–as long as he promises not to tell his parents–he is going to take it, no questions asked. With the help of his brother Benny, his cousin Thimon, and his best friend, Juanita, Rafter Bailey is searching for super.
Filled with heart and humor, Searching for Super is a family adventure of heroic proportions.
Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble
My Review
This series will go down as an all-time favorite of mine. I loved it. I love, love, love middle grade fantasy books, and these books are why! (I know I say that a lot, but it’s true:) They are full of adventure, fun, humor, hilarious one-liners, super heroes with awesome super powers, and heart. What more could you ask for? Each book is full of fun twists and turns, but what I loved most in each book was the way the characters stuck up for one another and united with their love for family and friendship. I can’t summarize one book without giving the other away, but trust me, this is a series your kids and you will love.
5 out of 5 stars.
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