Synopses & Reviews
Batman has Robin, Wonder Woman has Wonder Girl, and Phantom Justice has Bright Boy, a.k.a. Scott Hutchinson, an ordinary schoolkid by day and a superfast, superstrong sidekick by night, fighting loyally next to his hero.
But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.
Praise for Sidekicks
*STARRED REIVEW*
“Scotts present-tense narration keeps pedal to the metal from start to finish, and readers will be quickly won over as the two super-strong, super-fast, super-likable protagonists face both inner conflicts and a Dark Knight-ish villain as deeply psychotic and scary as he is super powerful. Look for more twists than a pretzel factory and a possible sequel.” -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*STARRED REVIEW*
“A delightfully clever take on superheroes with this unpredictable adventure. Engaging territory as Ferraiolo reveals the storys true depths.” -Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An exciting, lightning-paced superhero plot that is also a thoughtful examination of superheroism.”
-The Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books
“Ferraiolo starts the cape-flying action right from the opening pages. Ferraiolo is delightfully unafraid to inject irreverence into the superhero formula, adding plenty of humor to the high adventure high jinks.”
-Booklist
Review
"Capes, X-ray vision, tights and cheesy superhero spoofs run amuck. Despite a few half-hearted attempts at realism, the book reads like a complicated yet quick-moving adult novel." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"The story tackles love, friendship, and the eternal struggle to come to terms with who we really are in a tactful, interesting, and well-developed manner." School Library Journal
Review
"Filled with complex, inexorable villains and dogged, disillusioned heroes, this reinvention of the superhero genre spans glory and angst, isolation and romance for a larger-than-life coming of age." Horn Book Magazine
Review
"Moore's casting of a gay teen hero in a high-concept fantasy marks an significant expansion of GLBTQ literature into genres that reflect teens' diverse reading interests; given the mainstream popularity of comics-inspired tales, the average, ordinary, gay teen superhero who comes out and saves the world will raise cheers from within the GLBTQ community and beyond." Booklist
Review
"Complex emotional themes and fast-paced action sequences lay the base for Perry Moore's debut novel, Hero. Set in what can be best described as a vibrant modern-day comic, Moore's fantastical universe is filled with heroes, villains, and of course, The League, the ultimate band of world saviors. Moore, executive producer of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is no stranger to emotional complexities and imaginative settings, and his success is proven throughout this novel." Sarah Miller, Powells.com (read the entire Powells.com review)
Synopsis
Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a high school basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom's mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast.
The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him: First is that he's gay. The second is that he has the power to heal people. Initially, Thom had trouble controlling his powers. But with trail and error he improves, until he gets so good that he catches the attention of the League and is asked to join. Even though he knows it would kill his dad, Thom can't resist. When he joins the League, he meets a motley crew of other heroes, including tough-talking Scarlett, who has the power of fire from growing up near a nuclear power plant; Typhoid Larry, who makes everyone sick by touching them, but is actually a really sweet guy; and wise Ruth, who has the power to see the future. Together these unlikely heroes become friends and begin to uncover a plot to kill the superheroes.
Along the way, Thom falls in love, and discovers the difficult truth about his parents' past. This is a moving, funny, and wonderfully original novel that shows that things are not always what they seem, and love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.
Synopsis
Batman has Robin, Wonder Woman has Wonder Girl, and Phantom Justice has Bright Boy, a.k.a. Scott Hutchinson, an ordinary schoolkid by day and a superfast, superstrong sidekick by night, fighting loyally next to his hero.
But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.
Synopsis
The last thing in the world Thom Creed wants is to add to his father's pain, so he keeps secrets. Like that he has special powers. And that he's been asked to join the League the very organization of superheroes that spurned his dad. But the most painful secret of all is one Thom can barely face himself: he's gay.
But becoming a member of the League opens up a new world to Thom. There, he connects with a misfit group of aspiring heroes, including Scarlett, who can control fire but not her anger; Typhoid Larry, who can make anyone sick with his touch; and Ruth, a wise old broad who can see the future. Like Thom, these heroes have things to hide; but they will have to learn to trust one another when they uncover a deadly conspiracy within the League.
To survive, Thom will face challenges he never imagined. To find happiness, he'll have to come to terms with his father's past and discover the kind of hero he really wants to be.
About the Author
Perry Moore grew up in Virginia. His father, a Vietnam veteran, inspired the character of Hal Creed. Perry is the Executive Producer of
The Chronicles of Narnia, and his book about the making of
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was a
New York Times bestseller. With his partner, Hunter Hill, Perry wrote and directed his first feature film,
Lake City, starring Sissy Spacek.
This is Perry's first novel. He lives in New York City.