Hero

When Zach Harriman's father dies, Zach learns two things: His dad was the world's secret superhero, and now he, Zach, is expected to take over the role. His mentors torture him with cryptic advice, in the best Harry Potter tradition, rather than just telling him what's going on. Narrator Dan Bittner sounds believable as a 14-year-old kid and is even passable as a young girl. Zach's aged mentor is also credible, as is his "uncle," who may or may not be evil. Bittner makes the book exciting, even though it's a mere introduction to the character, who is only beginning to understand his great strength and speed by the end of the work. The next installment of HERO may see Zach live up to the role. M.S. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

October 25, 2010
Sportswriter and novelist Lupica (Million-Dollar Throw) offers a change of pace from his previous sports stories for younger readers, deftly reworking the traditional superhero origin story into a moving tale of adolescent growth. Shortly after his father dies in a plane accident, 14-year-old Zach Harriman discovers that his father was more than just a highly placed government adviser; he might have been a superhero. As he investigates his father's death, he meets an old man named Mr. Herbert, who claims that Zach has magic within him, and Zach soon discovers that the mild hints of power he'd shown—a sixth sense about danger and an ability to heal quickly—are only the tip of the iceberg. Lupica nicely coaxes sympathy for characters who are immersed in privilege (only Zach's friend Kate, who lives with her housekeeper mother in Zach's huge Fifth Avenue apartment, doesn't exude wealth), instead focusing on Zach's grief, his conflicting emotions over his discoveries, and his uncertainty over who to trust. As superhero stories go, it follows a classic arc, but Lupica's characters avoid cliché. Ages 10–up.