School for Sidekicks

Gr 4–6—Evan Quick is a self-proclaimed superhero geek in a world where superheroes (called Masks) and villains (Hoods) are real. Evan has never wanted anything more than to become a true superhero but, despite checking daily, has never shown any discernible supernatural abilities. So when Hoods attack a museum during his class field trip, and he somehow manages to save his idol Captain Commanding and survive an unsurvivable death ray, Evan is surprised to find himself in a secret Academy for Metahuman Operatives, aka the School for Sidekicks, where he discovers that the world of Masks and Hoods is not at all what he thought. The story's pacing is a bit uneven, and the multitude of character names, superhero aliases, and descriptions of cryptic superhero technology can get a bit muddled. Evan, however, is a likable protagonist, and the story is infused with equal measures of wit and action.