The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy, Book 1: The Hero Revealed
Recommended for ages 8-12
Imagine growing up in a city where everyone has some sort of superpower. Everyone, that is, except you. That's the situation for the main character in The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy: The Hero Revealed. It's the first in a series by William Boniface. Here's why I think it deserves more attention.
Ordinary Boy, who lives in Superopolis, doesn't have any powers, so he just wears jeans and a t-shirt, unlike his friends and the rest of the citizens, who wear tights, capes, bodysuits, and other outfits that match their super capabilities.
He and his friends are part of a team called the Junior Leaguers. The other members are Halogen Boy, who glows brighter depending on the amount of apple juice he's been drinking; Tadpole, who can stick his tongue out twenty feet; Plasma Girl, who turns into a jelly-like substance; and Stench--yup, you can guess why he got his name!
When a set of new collecting cards comes out, the group rushes to buy some and tries to collect the entire set. To their horror, they discover an evil secret about the last card they need. The rest of the book details their search to find that last card, and all the adventures they encounter in the process.
The comic-style illustrations throughout the story are great. Heroes have broad shoulders and square chins, and villains are evil and bizarre, like the mysterious Professor Brain-Drain, who wears a lab coat, un-see-through glasses, and a colander on his head.
This reads like a comic book story, although it isn't presented in comic book format. It's like a chapter book, with lots of clear, intriguing illustrations, such as a picture of Ordinary Boy's father, Thermo, setting a teddy bear on fire in his hand. It really makes you wonder what the heck could be coming up next.
Reluctant readers and boys especially will love the non-stop action and crazy cast of characters. There is a complex story line full of surprises, which keeps them wanting to read more. And with such interesting town folks in the city of Superopolis, you know there have to be more and more adventures to come.
I'm really surprised this isn't as popular as the Captain Underpants series, because it's much more imaginative and less silly. Kids who like the animated movie The Incredibles will enjoy The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy: The Hero Revealed by William Boniface.
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