School Library Journal Review

Gr 5-8-Kids have seen their favorite superheroes on the big screen, the small screen, and at the end of a game controller. Now, they can read about them. Though brief, the books manage to pack a punch without sacrificing the characters' personalities. No previous Marvel Universe knowledge is required, so avid and new readers can enjoy the graphic format. First, Spider-man battles the ultra-cool, lime-green Living Brain. He then becomes the hunted. Stars is the first installment in a series in which Spider-man fights alongside Captain America. This one gets a little preachy-but it is Captain America, after all. Spidey lightens the mood by quipping, "...I'm going to steal everything you said for my social studies essay!" In Hearing Things, Jean Grey must learn to control her powers despite her teen angst. The artwork in all the books is serviceable. Spider-man's body can get disproportionate and his head appears alien in a few panels, but the Living Brain makes for a dazzling cover. While the slim volumes look like they're packaged for beginning readers, the vocabulary, combined with references to topics such as information control, bullying, and steroids, makes it clear that these books are geared toward an older crowd. Don't worry, though; the humor keeps them from being didactic.-Sadie Mattox, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.