A LITTLE BIT SUPER

A collection of 13 short stories by acclaimed authors for young people featuring kids who use real and imagined superpowers to positively affect their lives and those of others.

The kids in these entries are dealing with many common challenges: wanting to fit in, feeling shy, longing for real friendships, and developing courage. In Pablo Cartaya’s “2.4 Seconds to Sonder,” Maximiliano has become accustomed to fading into the background: His time-jumping abilities take him into the bodies of “random extras in history,” but he learns that “nobody’s life is random or pointless,” whether they’re noticed or not. In Nikki Grimes’ “Shift,” which is told in poetry form, Imara uses her shape-shifting abilities to try to blend in with the mean girls at her school, but this doesn’t make her happy. She learns an important lesson: “Who are they to say / I’m not perfect / exactly the way I am?” In Pam Muñoz Ryan’s “Matchmaker,” Sofia Delvechio uses mystical powers from her family’s matchmaking business to build a friendship network and help others. This collection of stories, which is divided into two sections—“The Power of Discovering Who We Are” and “The Power of Being Who We Are”—is broadly appealing; the diversity of characters, powers, and voices serves to highlight the protagonists’ inner lives and the importance that relationships play in helping them develop their senses of self. Final art not seen.

An engaging and imaginative look at the powers of childhood.