The extraordinary adventures of Ordinary Boy series by William Boniface
Title 1: The Hero Revealed. HarperTrophy,
New York, 2007. ISBN 780060774660 Title 2: The Return
of Meteor Boy. HarperTrophy,
New York, 2009. ISBN 780060774691 Ill. by Stephen Gilpin
(Ages 9-12) These are graphic novels in reverse - action packed
adventure stories of 'superheroes' in prose, sprinkled with
clever illustrations. However, these are heroes with a difference
- they have many and varied creative powers, eg Halogen Boy, whose
glowing ability depends on his sipping of apple juice; Plasma Girl, who
can transform into a jellylike substance; Stench, notable for clearing
the room with his gas, and Tadpole who can stick his tongue out twenty
feet. They form the Junior Leaguers from Superopolis, along with
Ordinary Boy, who has no powers, except lots of smarts.
In the first book, the Junior Leaguers hunt for a missing collector
card and become entangled with Professor Brain Drain, who can empty a
mind by touching a head with his finger, and his adversaries, the
League Of Ultimate Goodness, led by the super superhero Amazing
Indestructo. The evil Professor plans to drown Superopolis in collector
cards. There are a twists and turns and cliff-hangers aplenty as the
Junior Leaguers face one amazing scenario after another. There are
shades of the real manipulative world of marketing when Tycoon reveals
his plans and students learn the economics of supply and demand via
card collecting. They learn that superheroes can have feet of clay and
everyone has a contribution to make.
In the second book in the series, Ordinary Boy travels back 25 years to
save Superopolis from destruction by a meteor, and learns what happened
to the mysterious, vanished superhero, Meteor Boy. Even more wierd and
wonderful characters are encountered along the way and there are
surprises at every turn.
The readers who enjoyed the Captain Underpants series will enjoy this
creative, humourous and entertaining series - there are three so far.
If read by, or to, parents the adults and children alike will enjoy the
creative powers, as I did, and all will enjoy trying to solve the
mysteries. A very 21st century band of Enid Blyton sleuths!
If children need
to read plenty in order to gain fluency and sophistication to graduate
to more demanding books, then this is the stuff to give them at this
age. The vocabulary will extend but not frustrate them. A must
for all primary school libraries!
Kevyna Gardner