Extraordinary Ernie and Marvellous Maude by Frances Watts

ABC Books, 2008. ISBN 9780733321924 $12.05 65p.
(Ages: 7-10) This delightful little chapter book, aimed squarely at middle primary kids, will raise a laugh or two, amid lots of chuckles, as Ernie, a less than athletic boy, applies to be a superhero. The Superhero Society has been told to attract new members, and Ernie is their only candidate. As an apprentice, he must find a sidekick and go out and do heroic things. And his sidekick, Maud, a sheep, along with Ernie manages just that. Their overwhelming the bullies in the school, saving Emma and her book, makes wonderful reading, and will attract the most reluctant of readers.

I thoroughly enjoyed this little tome, it has lots of ingredients beloved by kids, a reluctant hero, a hero who is ordinary, a boy standing up to the bullies in his school, characters who are believable and likeable, and a touch of the impossible. Both main characters are engaging and appealing, and I look forward to the next books in this series, Ernie and Maud.
Fran Knight