No Adults Allowed (Super Sidekicks #1)

Gr 3-6--Superhero adults take a backseat as their kid sidekicks, tired of being ignored, grab the wheel and form their own team in the first volume of this action-packed series set in Sydney, Australia. Led by Junior Justice (JJ), a brown-skinned boy who's a technology and martial arts expert, Flygirl, a white, red-haired girl with the power of flight; Dinomite, a green, bespectacled dinosaur who speaks 47 languages, has a degree in quantum mechanics, and can transform into any dinosaur; and Goo, a pile of pink slime created by the villain Dr. Enok, join forces, become friends, establish their own identities, and take on their first mission. When Goo is kidnapped by Enok, the sidekicks must rescue him. Although the conceit of sidekicks rising to the status of superheroes isn't wholly original (the film Sky High and the comic Robin both portray similar story lines), this is a fun read for fans of adventure and superhero graphic novels. Than relies heavily on puns, vibrant colors, clean lines, and familiar motifs of good vs. evil. VERDICT A promising start to a new series that embraces friendship, action, and teamwork; sure to find an audience in any library serving young audiences.--Rachel Zuffa, Case H.S., Racine, WI