METROPOLIS GROVE

Best friends Duncan and Alex are the only two kids living on their block in the small town of Metropolis Grove.

So when fellow middle schooler Sonia moves in down the street, they are thrilled to make a new friend. At first, everything goes well. Sonia is full of energy and enthusiasm, which Alex and Duncan appreciate. But conflict brews when Sonia claims that when she lived in the actual Metropolis, she saw Superman fly past her window. But Duncan says that he doesn’t believe in Superman. When the three friends stumble upon a fort in the woods that’s full of Superman-related paraphernalia, Sonia is convinced that this must be Superman’s suburban hideout, but Alex and Duncan are not so sure. Sonia decides to investigate on her own and discovers a secret that, when she reveals it to Alex and Duncan, becomes a true test of their brand-new friendship. The three protagonists represent a diverse group of friends: Sonia has brown skin, and her sari-wearing maternal grandmother suggests South Asian heritage; the illustrations of Alex imply that she is probably Asian American; Duncan presents White. As is typical of a superhero tale, the storyline is predictable if fast-paced, and while the characters are likable, they are drawn in broad strokes. Abetted by Broome’s colors, Brockington’s clean panels effectively communicate both action and humor as the plot progresses.

Should appeal to readers looking for a different kind of superhero story.