The Day I Lost My Superpowers

PreS-Gr 1--A cape and mask-wearing youngster details her amazing powers, many of which will seem familiar to young readers. She can fly (the crayon-sketched artwork shows her jumping off her bed), make things disappear (an ability that works better with cupcakes than peas), communicate with other life forms (most successfully a plant, which obeys her command to "Freeze!"), and travel back in time (cuddled up in her mother's arms with pacifier in mouth and stuffed bunny in hand). The self-assured protagonist soars happily along, until one day she takes a tumble while playing in the backyard, and her superpowers desert her. Never fear, her mother comes running and gives her a kiss that soothes her wounded knee, inspiring the realization that "I think my mom has superpowers too!" Set against clean backdrops, the loose-lined illustrations brim with motion and energy. The narrator's face, drawn with a few deft lines, expresses an enchanting range of emotions, from sky-high exuberance to calculated mischievousness to tear-filled misery. The humorous interplay between text and artwork underscores the anything-is-possible mind-set of a young child. The upbeat ending, showing mother and daughter walking hand in hand, promises future feats of wonder as well as love.--Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Escoffier rounds up the story with a warmhearted, love-affirming twist that could make The Day I Lost My Superpowers a contender for best book for Mother's Day; it turns out that superpowers run in the family." —New York Times

"In an import that is high on zest, a child and her blithe conviction that she has superpowers both take an abrupt tumble . . . Executed on spacious expanses of white or rich tan, they depict the ebullient child engaged in all sorts of delicious mayhem." —Kirkus Reviews

"Finding great superhero-themed books makes me especially happy. . . Big bold illustrations and a clever story make this a particularly super option for a Comic Book Month story-time." —My Friend Lucy

"I love picture books where the narrator is telling a different story than the pictures, and this one works particularly well. Escoffier has created a great protagonist here, a child who sees the potential for wonder everywhere, particularly in themselves. Just take a lot of imagination and anything at all is possible, even turning invisible. . . Funny, honest and a treat, this picture book will be celebrated by any child who owns their own cape." —Waking Brain Cells

"I just finished reading The Day I Lost My Superpowers and was grinning from ear to ear." —Smart Books for Smart Kids

"The book's quiet quirkiness points toward its status as a French import, though the ending—the supergirl, injured, is fixed with a kiss by her equally super mom—is universal indeed." —Booklist