The Purrfect Plan by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue - ADVISABLE

The Purrfect Plan (Kate the Catsitter) by Colleen AF Venable, illustrated by Stephanie Yue, 218 GRAPHIC NOVEL Random House, 2024 22 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Katie is in 7th grade and loves being a super hero sidekick. Things are going pretty great until a new housing development implemented by the mayor threatens to displace poorer people and raise rents while taking away sunlight from existing properties. The Cheesy Justice team needs to find a plan to counter evil (and maybe 217 highly trained cats). 

In book #4, the storyline continues. It's helpful to have read them in order, but you could get the gist if you jump in late. Even though the protagonist is a 7th grader, the 217 cats makes it feel like it's for a younger audience. The characters are likable and there are themes of friendship, family issues, and saving animals that give it more depth. The art is colorful and bright and laid out in easy to follow squares. If you like super heroes and cats (lots of cats) this is your book. There are a variety of races portrayed in the book. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Secrets and Sidekicks by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue - ESSENTIAL

Secrets and Sidekicks (Katie the Catsitter #3) by Colleen AF Venable, illustrated by Stephanie Yue, 218 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Random House. 2023. $21 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

In a world of superheroes and supervillains, 12yo Katie is excited to do more sidekick training with Mousetress and her 217 super cool cats. All is not going smoothly for Katie though. She hasn't told her mother about being a sidekick, she has friend problems, and then there are pesky giant robots attacking the city. 

 The Catsitter series is deceptively good. Even though I am not a fan of cats, I end up liking these books. The fantastical side is balanced nicely with the real issues of belonging, relationships, trust, and self-discovery. Middle readers will find plenty to identify with. Katie and Mousetress are great characters and the story is engaging enough that I might like cats after all. Especially The Cuteness. Though races aren't specified, the Mousetress appears to be Black and there are a wide variety of ethnicities depicted. 

Michelle in the Middle

Miles Morales Suspended: A Spider-Man Novel by Jason Reynolds - OPTIONAL

Miles Morales Suspended: A Spider-Man Novel by Jason Reynolds, 310 pages. Simon and Schuster. 2023. $20. 

Language: PG (12 swears 0 F); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

16yo Miles is spending a day in in-school suspension, What starts out as a relatively simple detention turns into something far more sinister. Even though Miles' crush is also in in-school suspension, his spider senses tell him that danger is near. 

I pretty much love anything Jason Reynolds. However, I had a hard time getting into this book. It's a cross between poetry and novel, which didn't seem to fit the action genre and there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary schoolwork exposition. While it's beautifully written, it was confusing in places and the action didn't pick up until a third of the way in. Miles is Black Puerto Rican. 

Michelle in the Middle

How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez - HIGH

How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez, 416 pages. Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins), 2022. $19.

Language: R (149 swears, 24 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Astrid carefully plans her time, dividing it between college classes, labs, and volunteer hours that are leading her to med school (and the success of her five- and ten-year plans) and her boyfriend, Max, who brings needed joy and dopamine into her schedule. Every assignment, study session, test, meal, commute, roommate hang out, and panic attack is packed together for maximum efficiency. But Astrid didn’t anticipate finding out her boyfriend is a superhero and figuring in time for kidnappings.

Fernandez writes realistically but with a dash of ludicrousness. Astrid is so focused on her schedule and making everything fit, a quirk that is endearing even as readers watch it start to take over as her responsibilities increase. I love how Fernandez normalizes superpowers and superheroes in the world she created, so much so that it feels natural for Astrid to refer to her perfect sense of time as a superpower, and how readers get to see a new side of superheroing from the perspective of those without powers but who still deal with the consequences of supervillains. Overall, reading this book was fun and brought joy into my life.

Astrid is implied white, and Max’s skin is described as “tan.” The mature content rating is for underage drinking, mentions of substance use, innuendo, and mentions of condoms and sex. The violence rating is for blood, weapon use, and mentions of guns.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Best Friends for Never by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue - HIGH

 Best Friends for Never (Kate the Catsitter #2) by Colleen AF Venable, illustrated by Stephanie Yue, 218 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Penguin Random House. 2022. $21

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

12yo Katie is back and getting ready for school to start. Unfortunately, she is on the outs with both her best friend Beth and her new friends. Sidekick training is super boring and Katie is frustrated that the Mousetress is not clearing her name. Katie wants to fix a lot of things in her life but isn’t sure how to go about it.

Don't read book #2 before you read book #1. Though at first glance this looks like a realistically based graphic novel, the reader will need to buy into a world populated by a plethora of bizarre super heroes and sidekicks. The story is fun, but works best when exploring Katie’s relationship issues, which adds a dose of commonality and relatability. The pictures are bright and engaging, and if you don’t mind your world being saved by 217 genius cats, then this is your book.

Michelle in the Middle 

Sort of Super by Eric Gapstur - HIGH

 Sort of Super by Eric Gapstur, 234 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Aladdin (Simon), 2022. $21. 9781534480292 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG (mother leaving); Violence: PG (bullying, superhero fighting) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Middle school superhero Wyatt wants to help people, but his dad wants him to hide his superpowers. Younger sister, Adeline, who is super smart, has just moved up 2 grades to start in Wyatt’s class, which is lucky, because while Wyatt is a great executor, she is a great planner. Together, Wyatt and A+ (Adeline’s superhero name) solve a mystery of missing animals that their father, a police detective, has been trying to solve for weeks. 

 The colorful illustrations sold me on this book. I found the beginning a little confusing as to whether Wyatt was actually a superhero or just a kid with a great imagination, but to my 12 year old son, it was clear that Wyatt had superpowers. He loved the suspense, action, and overall the entire story. This debut graphic novel for this author had the feel of a Marvel superheroes graphic novel, but with younger teens. Overall, a book that I think many middle grade students would enjoy. 

Reviewer J. Rosskopf 

Map of Flames by Lisa McMann - ADVISABLE

 Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five) by Lisa McMann, 373 pages. Putnam (Penguin), 2022. $18 

Content: G (mild danger, deaths mentioned) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

For the last three years, Birdie and the other kids have been raised only by Louis, Birdie and Brix’s father. Now Louis is dead and they will have to figure how to survive in the jungles of Estero alone – five kids from 13 to 8. Then Birdie finds a hidden message and map from her father – and she needs to go across the bay and into the city, because her mother may still be alive. But Birdie and the others all have superpowers that they inherited from their supervillain parents, and Estero has no kindness for their kind. 

The set-up drags a bit, but with enough oddities and danger to keep interest. Once they reach the city, I did love watching the kids raised in a jungle try to cope with all the newness of a city. Perhaps we have a new group of superheroes. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

The Supervillain’s Guide to Being a Fat Kid by Matt Wallace - OPTIONAL

 The Supervillain’s Guide to Being a Fat Kid by Matt Wallace, 272 pages. Katherine Tegen Books, 2022. $14 

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (physical bullying, beating) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

 In a world with superheroes, sixth grader Max gets bullied every day because he is fat. He starts middle school hopeful that things will be different, but on the first day of school, the class bully and his friends see Max eating a cookie. They begin tormenting Max every day until, in desperation, Max writes to his favorite supervillian Master Plan, who is also overweight. Master Plan agrees to help Max with his problems as long as Max agrees to follow his advice exactly. 

Wallace has a funny story with an unexpected ending. Master Plan helped Max stop body-shaming himself and to do things that gave him power over his own life rather than stay a victim. However, Master Plan’s advice sometimes felt like a lecture to the reader rather than help geared toward just Max. Also, there was so much advice at the beginning of the book that the action got off to a slow start. 

Rebecca Reber, Middle School Librarian 

Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee - OPTIONAL

Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee, 432 pages. Marvel Press (Disney), 2021. $10 (paperback)

Language: G (0 swears, 0‘f’); Mature Content: PG (implied sex); Violence: PG_13 (zombies, fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Loki’s only friend in all of Asgard, is Amora, a sorceress in training.  When Odin sees a terrible vision in the God’s Eye Mirror, the pair actually destroy the mirror when they try to see the vision for themselves. Amora is banished to Earth, where her magic will eventually drain away and she will die. Years later, Odin send Loki to Earth, because he has received a plea for help – too many murders through what seem to be magical means.  Who should Loki find at the heart of the murders – Amora.

I will give Loki try, but I have had little success getting my students interested in books based on Marvels, Star Wars, or Star Trek. Loki has that spark of mischief and sarcasm that does appeal to a certain group of students. The book is good – I’m just afraid the interest level will be low.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero by E. Lockhart, art by Manuel Preitano - ADVISABLE

Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero by E. Lockhart, art by Manuel Preitano, 208 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL DC Comics, 2021. $17.

Language: PG (3 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

16yo Willow Zimmerman wants the city to better fund her high school, so she protests on the steps every morning before school. She wants to change things for the better, but she can't change what's going on at home. Money is super tight because her mom and sick, and even her late night job at the animal shelter barely makes a dent in the bills, let alone the food budget and mom's medical needs. But when a mysterious puzzle box arrives at her house it leads her to her mother's friend E. Nigma, who wants to give Willow a job, one that pays a lot more than the shelter. But it's not completely legal, and she will have to keep it all from her mom (who might not be too happy E. Nigma is back in their lives.) But when she and her dog are bitten by a monster "Killer Croc" Willow discovers she has super powers! 

I liked this origin story. I have to say, I didn't know who Whistle was, but I recognized other characters from the Gotham City like the Riddler and Poison Ivy. I look forward to following her other adventures. Comic book type violence and just a little swearing, it's best for middle school / high school readers.

Lisa Librarian

Shock Waves by Justin A. Reynolds and Pablo Leon - HIGH

 Shock Waves (Miles Morales) by Justin A. Reynolds, illustrated by Pablo Leon, 128 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Scholastic. 2021. $13

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Miles Morales is Brooklyn’s Spider Man, and he is trying to balance school, family, and his super hero gig. A devastating earthquake hits his mother’s birthplace of Puerto Rico and he sets out to raise money for the people there. Meanwhile, there is crime afoot that seems to tie into Miles’ school and family life and even his fundraising. 

I like that Miles has a Puerto Rican background and that his mother shares stories and words from her country. It’s refreshing that Miles has a strong family and two parents. Miles makes for a fun take on the Spider hero role and even gets advice from the Queens Spider Man. There’s a nice enough wrap up at the end to be satisfying but enough loose ends to make you want to read the next installment. A fun read for Spidey fans and nonfans alike. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

Stretched Thin by Nadia Shammas and Nabi H. Ali - OPTIONAL

 Stretched Thin (Ms. Marvel) by Nadia Shammas, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, 128 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Scholastic. 2021. $13

Language: PG (6 swears); Mature Content G; Violence: PG 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel) has too much on her plate. She is trying to maintain her schoolwork, her fanfic writing, her friendships, family, and her super hero skills. Kamala has a hard time asking for help, but when a robot invades the Avengers Tower, she has to draw upon her skills and her friends to save the day. 

 I like that Kamala’s family is from the Middle East and that her family is so strong. That is refreshing in YW lit. This is a fun read that shows the power of friends and family, though the plot is predictable. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue - HIGH

Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable, illustrated by Stephanie Yue, 218 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Penguin Random House. 2021. $21. 

 Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content G; Violence: PG 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12yo Katie is desperately trying to raise money to attend summer camp with her friends. She tries a variety of jobs until she gets a gig cat sitting not one or two cats, but 217 of them! These are no ordinary cats and their owner may not be who she appears to be either. Katie has to deal with unruly cats, their owner who may or may not be a super villain, and try to save a friendship by getting to summer camp. 

This is a delightful romp through a universe that has weird and wonderful super villains and heroes. I love that Katie and her mother have a great relationship and that friendships change and that’s okay. Katie grows as a character and I will definitely want to read the next book, though this one ended very satisfactorily. Humor makes this fun. Caution, if your couch goes missing, check for cats. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

Shuri: a Black Panther novel by Nic Stone - OPTIONAL

Shuri: a Black Panther novel by Nic Stone, 272 pages. Scholastic, 2020. $18 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

13yo Shuri has been asked by her brother, the Black Panther, the King of Wakanda, to make him a new Black Panther suit. Shuri knows that the high-tech Vibranium fabric needs the help of the Heart-Shaped herb, the herb that every king ingests to give him is super powers. There are only 5 days to Challenge Day – when anyone can try to take Wakanda’s throne. Unfortunately, the Heart-shaped herb is dying. If Shuri doesn’t move fast, there may be no herb forever. In order to find answers, Shuri and her Dora Milaj in training, K’Marah, will need to go outside Wakanda’s borders – where new friends and new dangers lurk. 

If the various Marvel books circulate well in your library, add this offering. I will probably cross my fingers for a paperback later, because they just haven’t found their audience here. The only grating note to Stone’s novel is Shuri’s mother – I don’t understand how she can see how important Shuri’s work is, and yet thwart her at every turn with her superficial orders. I would be happy with a Wakanda without the Queen Mother. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Mask by Kate Hannigan - OPTIONAL

 Mask (League of Superheroes #2) by Kate Hannigan, 255 pages. Simon, 2020. $18 Content: G (mild danger) 

 BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Akiko, Mae, and Josie are learning about their superpowers and also trying to discover what happened to the other supers. During a run to San Francisco, the girls see Akiko’s mom acting strangely – is she a spy? Akiko and the others need to find the truth and to do something to help the other Japanese who have been sent to internment camps. They have a lot on their plates – are the girls up to the task? 

Hannigan dives deep into to trying to teach WWII history while invoking the feel of the classic superhero origin stories. There are too many issues within the book – more focus would have been welcome. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia - ADVISABLE

Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia, 208 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. DC Comics, 2020. $17.

Language: PG (18 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Gar Logan is a senior in high school, still picked last in gym class and known for throwing out jokes, but no closer to the popular crowd than he was last year. When Gar makes some risky choices for his fifteen minutes of popularity, he knows it won’t last -- but he didn’t know the consequences.

Beast Boy has always been my favorite Teen Titan, and this modern version of his origin story was fun to read. Garcia keeps the ideas the same but puts Gar in a world with modern technology, giving it a twist for old fans and making him more relatable for new readers. One of my favorite parts is the side message Garcia tells about how to be a good friend -- Stella and Tank watch out for Gar, and he does his best to support them, too.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Avengers Assembly: Orientation by Preeti Chhibber - OPTIONAL

Avengers Assembly: Orientation by Preeti Chhibber, 176 pages, GRAPHIC NOVEL, Scholastic, 2020, $14.

Language: PG (10 swears); Mature Content G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL:  AVERAGE

Kamala Khan is an average middle school kid who unexpectedly gains super powers and fights crime in New Jersey.  Kamala gets a letter from Captain Marvel inviting her to an extracurricular superhero school to hone her skills.  Together with Miles Morales, aka Spider Man, and Doreen Green, aka Squirrel Girl, they team up to hopefully rise to the top of their class. 

I realize I am not the target audience, but this was a confusing read for me.  I didn’t know who Kamala Khan was previous to the book and it was assumed that readers knew her super powers origin story as well as Squirrel Girl’s and Spider Man’s.  Is there really a Squirrel Girl?  I thought it a little puzzling that Kamala goes by Ms. Marvel when there is already a Captain Marvel.  Told in a collection of blogs, texts, stories, notes and graphic art, it was a fun idea but sometimes difficult to follow.  The narrators kept switching as well as the format, so it took awhile to figure out who was narrating.  The frenetic pacing and visual style will likely appeal to tech savvy middle school students who are into Marvel comics. 

Michelle in the Middle

The Invasion by K.A. Applegate and Michael Grant - ESSENTIAL

The Invasion (Animorphs Graphix #1) by K.A. Applegate and Michael Grant, adapted by Chris Grine, 240 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Scholastic, 2020. $13. 9781338538090

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS –ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL:  HIGH

The Animorphs begin their adventures in this graphic novel adaption.  Five teens are on their way home through a construction site when they meet up with a wounded alien who gives them morphing powers before dying.  He wants to keep them safe from bigger badder invading aliens who want to use humans for hosts for their race. 

Whether or not you have read the Animorph series, you will probably enjoy the graphic novel version.  It’s a great way to be introduced to the series, and an awesome visual if you are already a fan.  Each of the teen’s personalities are brought forth, as well as the creepiness of the aliens they face.  I’m betting you won’t be able to stop at just book one. 

Michelle in the Middle

Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn - ADVISABLE

Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn, 192 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. DC Comics, 2020. $16.

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

She was sent to kill a man, something she had been trained her whole life to do, but, at the last moment, she couldn’t do it. Knowing she couldn’t return, she wandered through Gotham City, making a new home for herself. As she learns the differences between what her life was and what it is now, she will have to decide who she wants to be.

Kuhn captures the feelings of being lost and uncertain through the main character, Cassandra, who can’t even speak when we meet her. As the story unfolds before readers visually, readers get to experience the inner commotion with Cassandra until the triumph comes from self-discovery -- with the help of her friends. I love how easy it was to put myself in Cassandra’s shoes through that process, which helped me end the book feeling that I, too, can figure out my life. The violence rating for fighting, blood, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari - ADVISABLE

Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari, 368 pages. Disney, 2020. $19.

Language: PG-13 (42  swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (superhero violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS -ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Claire has been trying almost her entire life to become a part of the Warrior Nation – the group that supports Chicago’s superheroes as they fight crime. On the same day she reaches her goal, she also meets and is very intrigued by the newest Superhero – Joy, who is about to become Girl Power. Bridgette, on the other hand, has been part of Warrior Nation for years – as the girlfriend of Vaporizer, who originally was just her adorable boyfriend Matt before his superpowers manifested. When both girls are kidnapped, Bridgette is very blasé – until they realize that there is something different this time.  Someone is intent on taking down Warrior Nation – and it may be the ones without powers who will need to save the heroes.

Cestari writes a nice mix of romance and superhero adventure. And I especially loved the normals rescuing the supers. There are so many good superhero books for YA, but they don’t circulate well at my school – too bad for the students, who are really missing out.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS