  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 06/01/2015 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.—Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2015 It’s the ultimate indignity: being a true comic book aficionado, a superhero buff through and through, and then finding your brother is the one granted magical powers while you were in the bathroom. It is almost too much for Luke to bear, and his older brother Zack is darn lucky that Luke is mostly able to set aside his jealousy and help him learn to be a true superhero, especially since neither has any idea what Nemesis, the terrible thing awaiting Earth, even is. It’s a real treat that this superhero adventure, complete with capes, discussions of good and evil, and a worthy, if unexpected, villain, is also a thoughtful, kind look at sibling rivalry and the ways in which it can be both productive and destructive. Luke’s narration is pitch perfect, providing just the right amount of snark, admiration, and cleverness to keep readers in the loop without resorting to all of the intellectualizing or overthinking his older brother applies to everything. 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. AS - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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