[Profuse thanks to Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for the priviledge of reading an electronic review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Jane is a “blend into the background” sort of kid by choice. She keeps her head down. She avoids attention. Her grades are good enough to get by. And that is her focus – to get by.
But something is very different at school that January. Some kid is walking around dressed as a superhero, calling herself Captain Superlative. Who does that?! Kids will think she’s weird. They’ll call her a freak!
Captain Superlative catches Janey’s imagination, though. She watches the Captain help kids all around the school. She opens doors for the kid in a wheelchair and makes a study guide for the whole seventh grade to help with a tough test. And she stands up to the Queen Bee, Dagmar, when she bullies her favorite target.
Before she really knows what’s happening, Janey finds a little bit of the heart of a hero in herself. She steps out of the shadows and joins Captain Superlative as she tries to make a difference in the lives of every single person in the school. But when things turn rocky, Janey will have to decide if she’s going to run back to the shadows again or if she is brave enough to stand alone in the spotlight.
Review
If I could give more than five stars to this, I would! (In fact, I looked back and one other time I gave a book a 5+ rating. I think I have to do that again for this book.) This was spectacular! In fact, just before I read this, I read a book I thought would surely be a favorite for 2018, and after reading this book, I can barely remember what I liked about the last one. This one has just consumed me since I finished it. This book has everything I love – a fascinating story, amazing characters and tons of heart. But this went one step farther with a hint of a “message.” It’s subtle, and it is woven into the entire fabric of the book. And it is perfect.
Oh, how I love Janey. She exemplifies everything I love about middle school students. She’s full of heart and strength and fear. She’s trying to make her way through difficult situations and do the right thing. Sometimes she fails. But you understand her heart. You know where her choices are coming from. I wanted to hug her. A lot. She’s a delight.
This was an emotional one for me – at least a six-tissue read. It would be hard for me to read this out loud without crying. But this begs to be read out loud – to be experienced “together.” It’s a bullying story on one small level. But it is so much more! It’s about a culture of kindness, about finding your voice, and about then using it to help others. It’s about family and friendship and legacy and character. And it’s wholly superlative.