  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 07/01/2015 The Toronto Public Library has done a great job of creating a guide to research practices and intellectual property for students in the middle-grade set. Continuing the superhero theme evinced in the title, the book presents many of the explanations and tips about the appropriate use of print and Internet sources in accessible bites and engaging metaphors, linking each new skill to superhero attributes, such as strength, special powers, necessary equipment, and the ability to identify villains. Sidebars offer portraits of diverse young people who used good research practices to change their own and others’ lives, while quizzes complement the text and offer opportunities for readers to actively engage with the material. Whamond’s colorful cartoons are unabashedly silly while also depicting variety in both the superhero world and the reader’s own more prosaic surroundings. More straightforward, up-to-date, and detailed than most similar guides for the audience, this is a valuable book for students and a worthwhile purchase for both school and public libraries. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. School Library Journal - 06/01/2015 Gr 4–6—Full of minibios and magazine-style quizzes and relying on a fun, superhero motif, this volume is a research manual in disguise. Easy to grasp sections on evaluating sources, recognizing bias, and building critical thinking skills make this a standout among similar guides. Various practical study and tips such as KWL charts, recipe card bibliographies, and sticky note organization are also presented. Some sections—for instance, "What Kind of Leader Are You?"—seem out of place but do little to detract from the overall organization. While few students will pick up this book on their own, homeschooling families or motivated young researchers might find hints to help them fight a learner's "number one villain—ignorance." VERDICT This title will do best face out on displays and may need some shelf-talking help once filed with the rest of nonfiction.—Jennifer Wolf, Beaverton City Library, OR - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
 |