Superheroes

What kid hasn't wished he or she had superpowers at one time or another? Well, with these books, kids can indulge their desires to fly around, striking fear into the hearts of evildoers.

A new picture book called Mighty Max by Harriet Ziefert caught my eye, and I really enjoyed reading it to one of my storytime groups. The story is about a boy named Max who runs around having fairly normal adventures, and when his dad yells, "You're not Superman, you know!" it makes Max imagine that his IS, in fact, Superman. The art is charming, looking very childlike with bold colors that pop off the page.

Elementary school kids who are reading chapter books might enjoy the Melvin Beederman: Superhero series by Greg Trine, which starts with The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich. Melvin Beederman, graduate of the Superhero School, is sent to Los Angeles to be their resident superhero. He isn't perfect, but does his best until he accidentally mixes up his cape with a costume belonging to a girl named Candace. They team up and defeat the bad guys, ready for the sequel. The text is full of action and humor, and will appeal to boys in grades 2-4 especially.

Middle school kids will probably like James Patterson's action packed Maximum Ride series, which starts with The Angel Experiment. Max is a genetically engineered human-bird hybrid teenager with wings, and in the first book she must rescue her kidnapped flock member, Angel, from the clutches of the evil School that created her and the rest of her flock. Max is a very likable heroine who can almost always muster up some sarcastic humor in the face of difficulty, making the books highly amusing.

So, if the mood strikes you, put on your masks and capes and head on over to the library!