Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes by Greg James and Chris Smith

Ill. by Erica Salcedo. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408884553
(Age: 8+) Recommended. Theme: Adventure, Humour. A fast-paced humorous adventure with likeable heroes and outrageous capers, this is another cracking adventure for Murph and the Super Zeroes battling a truly evil supervillain and one not so evil sidekick. I am impressed with this sequel. It jumps straight into the action, as the Super Zeroes thwart a jewel thief with ease. It keeps up the pace with an exciting premise and twists and turns every few chapters, moving the story forward. The Super Zeroes think they're in for a quiet second year at the School, but the most dangerous supervillain (or Rogue Hero) of them all has other ideas. No-one has been able to go near Magpie in 30 years for fear of having their power stolen, so when Magpie summons Kid Normal to his top-security prison cell, The Alliance seizes the opportunity to glean new information on his crimes. The visit seems unfruitful, and frankly, a massive let-down, but Murph is convinced there must be more to know. A nonsense poem and a bit of digging lead the gang on their most important mission yet.
The book strikes a great balance between plot and Greg and James's (authors) wonderful brand of humour. The jokes fit in very well and add much needed lightness and fun. They have managed to continue to narrate in their unique style.
A great story to read aloud to children. Character development is another appealing element of "Kid Normal". Murphy and his friends all mature significantly. They learn actions can have serious consequences and build on their friendships formed in the debut book. We also learn much more about the adults of the Kid Normal Universe and their pasts as well. Even grumpy, shouty Mr. Flash gets the chance to show he's not a totally unreasonable buffoon. This makes the book rich and well rounded.
Overall, a fabulously fun story.
Donna Isgar