The Nameless Hero

June 15, 2013
When the substitute librarian tries to kill you on the last day of school, it doesn't bode well for summer break. Seven months after narrowly defeating the supervillain Vex (Joshua Dread, 2012), Joshua Dread, secretly superpowered sixth grader (whose parents are the Dread Duo) is looking forward to a quiet summer with his normal best buddy, Milton, and their superstrong friend, Sophie. Their plans are thwarted when Joshua and Sophie receive invitations to Gyfted & Talented, a summer camp for superpowered teens. Unfortunately, Joshua's parents (the Botanist and Dr. Dread), who have scaled back on villainy since finding out Sophie's dad is their archnemesis, Captain Justice, think camp sounds like a good idea. Milton forges an invite, and the trio arrives to find it's a training camp that intends to put together a group of superteens. When they go on their first mission with costumes and new supernames, it's nearly a disaster. Joshua saves the day and becomes the darling of the media as the titular "Nameless Hero" (long story). When the secrets of Gyfted & Talented start to come out, things really get weird and dangerous. Bacon's second features more superteen angst, celebrity problems and wry to goofy humor. The battle with the bad guy at the end is a bit of a letdown, but there's no denying preteens will like this believable superworld that the obvious promise of the third installment will take them back to. A superpowered thumbs up. (Fantasy. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2013

Gr 4-6-Joshua Dread was looking forward to a relaxing summer-or at least as peaceful as things can get for the son of the world's greatest supervillain duo. Instead, he and his two friends are off to Gyfted & Talented, an exclusive, invitation-only program for kids with certain unusual abilities. Director Gavin Garland announces that the crew has been selected to become the greatest superhero team of all time-the Alliance of the Impossible. He has everything arranged-cool uniforms, specialized training-even secret identities. However, Joshua suspects that there's more to the G&T program than meets the eye. The training exercises seem unduly dangerous, there are surveillance cameras everywhere-and what is Garland hiding behind that locked black door? After the team's first spectacular public mission, Joshua fumbles his secret-identity name and accidentally becomes a media celebrity. Garland seizes on the idea of the Nameless Hero to organize a massive publicity campaign with interviews, product endorsements, and TV appearances. At first, Joshua enjoys being a star, but soon jealousy between the Nameless Hero and the rest of the Alliance causes conflict among the team members, and he knows that they're going to need to stand together to survive. A bit darker than Joshua Dread (Delacorte, 2012), this book highlights the perils of media-created celebrity. Joshua goes from unknown to idol in a few Internet clicks and YouTube views. However, there are plenty of playful moments to lighten the tension, particularly when the kids' parents get involved, and there is a strong underlying theme of family loyalty and friendship. Familiarity with the first book is helpful but not essential and there are plenty of plot threads left for additional sequels.-Elaine E. Knight, formerly at Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 22, 2012
In this lively romp from newcomer Bacon, sixth-grader Joshua Dread is contending with the knowledge that his parents are secretly supervillains who periodically try to take over and/or destroy the world, only to inevitably be beaten down by heroes like the telegenic, endorsement-happy Captain Justice. Just as Joshua's own power of spontaneous combustion emerges, he faced with a worse problem: weird smoke creatures are kidnapping supervillains, and his parents are the latest to vanish. Now Joshua must save the worst villains on the planet, and his only allies are his best friend, Milton, and Sophie, a new girl with secrets of her own. Despite predictable moments, Bacon's deadpan narrative hums along with outrageous details, humor, and action and is complemented by Dorman's suitably heroic b&w portraits of the characters. A hero with a double life and a colossal set of parental issues, Joshua handles zombies, killer robots, and teenage girls without losing his cool. Bacon's affectionately playful take on the superhero genre introduces bombastic personalities without reducing the characters to caricatures. Ages 9â12. Agent: Sarah Burnes, the Gernert Company.

January 1, 2014
After vanquishing the evil Phineas Vex (or did he?) in his eponymous first book, Joshua Dread is looking forward to a relaxing summer. His hopes are dashed, however, when he and his friends are recruited to become a super-famous superhero team. The climax merely sets up a sequel, but this book retains the wit and creativity of its predecessor.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)