In the Trenches

November 1, 2016
Superhero brothers must face off against a particularly nefarious foe: their history teacher.White siblings Hudson and Tucker contracted superpowers after receiving secondhand items, purchased at a yard sale, imbued with magical abilities. However, all of the articles sold at the sale contained powers, and their once-meek history teacher Mr. Motstander (known as Trench when he's wearing his insidious-looking gas mask) has become hell-bent on acquiring every item to make himself supremely powerful in order to vanquish all evildoers--but absolute power corrupts....The brothers soon find the other kids who have possession of the additional items and meet Elvira, a black goth girl who purchased chunky, knee-high boots that allow her to run with superspeed, and Ethan Chen, a Chinese-American boy who acquired a harmonica that allows him to talk to fish and breathe underwater. Together the group must defeat Trench before he and his army of golems wipe out their island community. With a diverse cast, a uniquely crafted world, and an interesting examination of both superhero tropes and the meaning of good and evil, this sophomore effort is not only a lot of fun, but also thought-provoking. Following a somewhat scattershot first volume, Hansen has taken control of his narrative; those put off by the previous offering should certainly give this one a try. The heroes may be secondhand, but the story is quickly becoming first-rate. (Graphic adventure. 9-12)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-Brothers Tuck and Hudson each have a magical weapon: a scarf that can stretch to impossible lengths and an umbrella that allows the user to fly. With the help of their talking squirrel friend Steen, Tuck and Hudson become the superheroes Stretch and Brella, protecting their neighborhood against the forces of evil. As this volume opens, the heroes return from a quick trip to the future. That time line is a disaster: without Stretch and Brella around, the world has fallen under the rule of a menacing man named Trench, who wields multiple magical items in this alternate reality. Tuck and Hudson return to the present knowing they have to track the items down, fast. The brothers find a new ally in Elvira, a girl who wears magical boots, and while they race against the clock, Hudson becomes involved in his first romance. The book hits the ground running, and while newcomers may not be lost, they will have to quickly acclimate to Tuck and Hudson's world. The artwork is magnificently detailed, right down to subtle facial cues. This is a wordy graphic novel, with the longer conversations oozing with characterization. Younger readers looking for a whimsical book will be immediately thrown. Despite the childlike presentation, the actual writing is more in line with a serious DC title, making this suitable for more sophisticated middle graders. VERDICT A recommended purchase for libraries with Stretch and Brella's debut adventure. Hand it to those ready for some serious storytelling.-Matisse Mozer, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2016
Grades 3-5 After a wizard's yard sale, brothers Tuck and Hudson wind up with a magical umbrella and scarves that give them superpowers. In this second volume, the brothers get a glimpse of a dark totalitarian future brought about by the mysterious Trench, who has started taking control of the wizard's other power-imbuing objects. The time-traveling brothers must now search out these items before Trench can ever truly wield the power of all those objects. Things get desperate as the tale careens toward a cliff-hanger ending, and Hansen doesn't shy away from the darker tone, but the generous story leaves ample room to deepen its charactersa cast expanded both racially and genderwiseand develop their relationships in meaningful ways. Likewise, the sprawling battles never detract from the moral struggle (well pitched for the age group) or the emotional investment. Visuals nimbly capture the fight sequences and cast the emotional moments in an appropriately warm glow or raging heat, all in soft lines and a muted palette that help this series' aesthetic stand out in a crowded field.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)