Max and the Superheroes

August 15, 2018
A little boy's obsession with his favorite superhero turns out to be not an obsession at all in this Spanish import."Max is crazy about superheroes." He loves to dress like one, and he reads every comic book he can get his hands on. All superheroes are awesome, but Max's absolute favorite is Megapower. She wears a short blue dress with a gold lightning bolt on it as well as a long red cape, red cowl, and red boots. Some of his friends are skeptical about a female superhero, but Max knows that Megapower can deactivate bombs, program computers, and "control a million robots at once." She's superintelligent and incredibly strong, and she has "amazing ultravision." Max knows all this because he knows Megapower. She takes him to fabulous places and displays her superpowers all over the house. Best of all is "when she puts on her Mommy costume and gives Max a kiss good night." Cleverly, Bonilla and Malet reveal Max's superhero secret rather than explicitly stating it. The story enumerates Megapower's skills twice, once with illustrations of conventional fantastic feats (like hoisting a train) and once around the house (like rescuing a cat), still in costume. The illustrations blend a loose line-and-watercolor style for Max and his world with the closely modeled look of a comic book, a contrast that's especially effective in Megapower's scenes at home. The cast appears to be an all-white one.Mommy rules! Delightful. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2018
Originally published in Spain, this superhero story celebrates a boy’s love for his mother. Max no longer waits for Halloween to dress up as a superhero—he “realizes that he doesn’t need a special occasion.” His favorite superhero, Megapower, is brave, strong, and able to “program computers, deactivate bombs, and control a million robots at once,” among other things. Of course, Max might be biased: Megapower puts on her “Mommy costume” every night to tuck him in. Malet skillfully employs a traditional comic format, complete with text blocks, while enumerating the superhero’s extensive skill set. Transitions to more free-form illustrations depict Megapower engaging her powers in everyday situations before the duo’s connection is revealed; her X-ray vision allows her to spot Max sneakily munching on a cupcake, and her ability to decipher secret codes makes her the perfect homework helper. Bonilla’s story will delight superhero fans while showcasing the ways in which parents can be heroes. Ages 4–8.

January 1, 2019
Max and his pals love superheroes, but Max's favorite is female Megapower (who cares if Martin says, "there is no way a woman superhero can be that strong"?). This Spanish import celebrating superheroes transforms into a celebration of parents through a sweet twist: "the best thing about Megapower" is "when she puts on her Mommy costume." Light watercolors of domestic scenes contrast effectively with the classic-comics-inspired segments.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)