CAPTAIN NOBODY

Ten-year-old Newton Newman’s big brother Chris is the town football star, and Newt tends to be forgotten in the glare of the spotlights on his beloved brother. After Chris is badly injured at the most important game of the season, Newt is left to deal with his fear and worry for Chris. He gets by with the help of his best friends JJ (a fantastic fiction fan) and Cecil (a wannabe drummer), who talk him into going trick-or-treating, challenging each to dress as their hero. Out of desperation and a bit of luck, Newt dresses as “Captain Nobody.” He decides to wear the outfit all the time and begins to be noticed. After inadvertently foiling a robbery attempt, saving the class ferret and averting an airplane tragedy, Newt is able to hang up the superhero suit. Opening with a cliffhanger, this novel will speak to those kids who feel left out, not part of the “in-crowd.” The whole premise is entirely implausible, but the humor and compassion are sure to appeal to reluctant readers. (Fiction. 9-12)