JUST LIKE CLICK

In Grubb’s middle-grade novel, a boy finds that it’s not easy being a kid—and it’s even harder if you’re also a superhero.

It’s the summer before he starts sixth grade at Black Butte Ranch in Oregon, and he feels as if everything in his world is changing—especially since his beloved Great Gramp died. Nick and his grandfather invented Click, a superhero character, and the boy still loves working on a Click comic book. He’s a huge fan of comic-book hero Superman, but his old friends left their love of superheroes behind and got into team sports, and Nick’s dad wishes his son would do the same; meanwhile, Nick’s mom has him doing book reports over summer break. As a result, Nick feels like nothing he does is good enough. On top of everything else, Nick’s dad is about to lose his job and move the family to a big city. What nobody seems to notice is that Nick has unusual gifts: He’s an artist who has a great understanding of animals, and he has a big heart. The summer takes a turn for the better when he makes some new friends who like him for who is. When the townsfolk discover that someone has been going around doing good deeds at night, Nick relies on his friends to help him keep his identity a secret. Each chapter opens with a clever and beautifully drawn full-page grayscale comic by Tisdel starring Click and a cast of characters inspired by Nick’s life. The story is compulsively readable, as the pace is dynamic—sometimes exciting and other times tender and contemplative. Nick’s character is easy to relate to in a story that highlights his creativity, self-doubt, grief, patience, and genuine dedication to serving others. The prose is never patronizing and always deeply engaging, with descriptive passages that put the reader in Nick’s shoes; one feels his attachment to his home and to his developing relationships. Each character has their own distinct voice, backstory, and sensibilities, all filtered through Nick’s perspective.

A skillfully written and illustrated tale about an imaginative tween.