"Evan Quick, Hero's Log, May the 25th and darn it I just can't do this. I'm never going to be a Mask. Get over it Evan."Evan Quick has spent his whole life dreaming of becoming a hero. Every morning he wakes up and runs through a checklist of test to see if he's developed powers over night, and every day it is the same thing nothing. No flying, no super strength, no heat rays or cold beams. No invulnerability that always hurt to check no telepathy, no magic. Not even the ability to light a light bulb without flipping a switch. And now, he's finally ready to give up. But then, the class field trip to the Mask Museum is interrupted by a super villain attack, and Evan somehow manages to survive a death ray. Even better, Evan's favorite Mask, Captain Commanding, shows up to save them all -- and when things go very wrong, it's Evan who finds the strength to come to "Captain Commanding's" rescue. Yet the hero's reception Evan is expecting never happens. Before he even gets the chance to say hello, Evan is bundled away to The Academy, an institution derisively called The School for Sidekicks by its students. Forced to take classes like Banter Basics and Combat with Dinnerware, while being assigned as an apprentice' to Foxman a Mask widely considered a has-been -- Evan starts to worry that he'll never be able to save the day. . . ."School for Sidekicks" is a fun, action-packed middle grade novel by Kelly McCullough, the author of the WebMage and Fallen Blade adult fantasy series.A "Kirkus Reviews" Best Book of the Year An excellent choice for any reader awaiting the next Marvel film. "Publishers Weekly," starred review Disquieting revelations await a fledgling teenager at superhero school. . . . Readers will savor his triumph as well as the melodramatic plot and the cast's rib-tickling array of metahumans . "Kirkus Reviews," starred review There is so much to recommend about this wonderful adventure tale. . . . Evan and his friends at Hero High are pretty normal adolescents caught in extraordinary circumstances, much as a famous young wizard once was in the Harry Potter series. "Children's Literature""
Industry Reviews
The author of the Fallen Blade fantasy novels for adults makes a sparkling debut for middle-grade readers in this entertaining, expertly crafted parody of superhero adventures....The superheroes he creates are inspired...Add to that Evan's hilarious narration, a vivid setting of high-tech wonders and page turning suspense, and you have a real summer treat.--Jean Westmoore "The Buffalo News " Evan's smartass narration, dangerous run-ins with evil Hoods, tough moral quandaries, and a wild range of superpowered heroes and villains make this an excellent choice for any reader awaiting the next Marvel film. "Publishers Weekly, Starred Review" Disquieting revelations await a fledgling teenager at superhero school...Readers will savor his triumph as well as the melodramatic plot and the cast's rib-tickling array of 'metahumans'. "Kirkus Reviews, starred review" Evan is a likable protagonist, and the story is infused with equal measures of wit and action. This will appeal to middle grade readers looking for slightly campy superhero stories. "School Library Journal" This thoughtful superhero book will appeal to readers who prefer world- and character-building over action. Evan is a compelling character, whose internal wrestling with his parents' rejection of his ambitions, his loss of faith in the cowardly Captain Commanding, and his determination to do good ring true. His interesting world overflows with unusual, humorous, and creative superpowers that go beyond simple strength. "VOYA" The author of the Fallen Blade fantasy novels for adults makes a sparkling debut for middle-grade readers in this entertaining, expertly crafted parody of superhero adventures....The superheroes he creates are inspired...Add to that Evan's hilarious narration, a vivid setting of high-tech wonders and page turning suspense, and you have a real summer treat. Jean Westmoore, "The Buffalo News" There is so much to recommend about this wonderful adventure tale. . . . Evan and his friends at Hero High are pretty normal adolescents caught in extraordinary circumstances, much as a famous young wizard once was in the Harry Potter series. "Children's Literature""
