How to Save a Superhero

September 15, 2021
A fifth grader really has her work cut out for her to save her mom's new job, a particularly surly resident of a Pennsylvania retirement home, and maybe the whole world to boot. Thanks to a profound education in human nature and foibles gained at the hair salon of her Granny Lu, now two years dead, map-loving Addie is well prepared to navigate both her 11th school and Happy Valley Village, where her footloose single mother has landed a job. The fly in the ointment is nasty Melinda Sloat, HVV's autocratic director, whose expansive building schemes wait upon the death and/or senility of the estate's landowner, Mr. Norris. But it isn't long before Addie begins to suspect that there's more to the crotchety, seemingly declining Mr. Norris than meets the eye. Sure enough, her mom's discovery of a stretchy blue body suit hidden in the bottom of his closet touches off a quiet investigation that quickly spirals into a terrific scramble of stunning revelations, secret meetings, dirty dealings, rising stakes, desperate schemes, and even face-offs with mysterious strangers in black cars capped...ta-da!...by a last-second rescue that will definitely dazzle readers sorry to leave Addie's suddenly not-quite-so-ordinary world. Behind an uncommonly savvy, redoubtable protagonist, Freeman stocks her cast with a diverse array of equally vivacious characters, including as lively and hilarious a group of resident seniors as ever was. Main characters read as White. A clever, lively romp. (Fiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from October 4, 2021
After her beloved grandmother dies, map-making fifth grader Adelaide “Addie” Munroe and her capricious single mother Tish, who are cued white, leave Granny Lu’s house in Mount Repose, Maine, to move in with Nice Uncle Tim and his family in Pennsylvania. Now at her 11th school due to frequent moving, Addie spends most of her time at Happy Valley Village Retirement Community, where Tish has a monthlong probationary period as a new companion. Soon, Addie meets mysterious, grumpy Mr. Norris, a new resident with remarkable skills: he allegedly swims like a “hurricane,” can easily lift hundred-pound weights, and emits coughs strong enough to blow people off their feet. Addie and her two new friends—WWE-obsessed, seemingly white Dickson and cheerful recent Iraqi emigrant Marwa, whose mothers also work at Happy Valley—wonder whether Mr. Norris is a superhero. Trying to find out the truth, especially after an overly friendly journalist starts asking questions about him, leads to trouble, wild escapades, and a thrilling climax. Featuring a cast whose distinct personalities are clearly built out, Freeman’s imaginative, suspenseful, and well-paced novel of intergenerational friendship will keep readers guessing. Ages 8–12.

January 7, 2022

Gr 3-5-Addie and her mom, Tish, have just moved again. Being a fifth grader and moving 11 times isn't something Addie's proud of. Missing Granny Lu, who passed two years ago, Addie is hoping to put down roots in a new place. Her mom has a month to prove herself at her new job, working in Happy Valley senior living home where a host of memorable residents keeps Addie entertained everyday after school. One such resident is Mr. Norris, who seems to have an old superhero suit in his bottom drawer. Events begin to occur that don't have a natural explanation and Addie and her two friends, Marwa and Dickinson, become suspicious that Mr. Norris just might be a real superhero. They're not the only ones on a quest to find out the truth however, and the appearance of a suspicious relative brings about even more questions for the trio. What ensues will keep readers turning the pages right up until the end. Freeman delivers on the mystery, adventure, and fantasy in this middle grade novel. Most characters are cued as white. VERDICT A solid purchase for libraries seeking additional superhero fiction with a twist of playful mystery.-Tracy Cronce

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.