The book’s title refers to a game that normal Noah plays
with his superfriends; they put his life in danger and then try to save him. The
book opens with Noah having just broken eighteen bones in his body. The premise
of the story is very unique, as everyone else in the world has a superpower, and
they all want to rescue Noah. In addition, many of the citizens are
supervillains with Destructo being the most powerful. The author develops
Noah’s low self-image as Noah feels useless among his friends; his six-year-old
sister even has two superpowers! Noah is shocked and skeptical when Mobius
tells him he’s the only one who can save the world. Ironically, a
non-super person may be the savior of all the superheroes.
Noah’s group of friends presents innovative abilities and
personalities. Arturo (super name Replay) can do anything his character could
have done in a video game. Tabitha (Hairstrike) is an ultra-fast thinker and
can wield her hair like super-powered tentacles. Hugh (Hugh-Mongous) is usually
rather small but can quickly grow into a huge, powerful fighter. Ivy
(Nightingale) is perhaps Noah’s closest friend, and she’s what’s called a Fixer.
Ivy can fix anything that’s broken, which means she can repair those eighteen
broken bones Noah suffered playing “Save Noah”. The characters are enhanced by
fantastic, black-and-white illustrations that depict scenes of them in non-stop
action. Readers will encounter pictures every time they turn a page.
The story includes an abundance of humor, some of it being a
bit juvenile. Noah’s parents, especially his mother, are overly protective since
he doesn’t have any super abilities. His mom grows to a giant size and literally
hovers over his school to make sure he’s not being hurt. He goes on dangerous
missions with his friends but he can’t let his parents know he’s part of them.
His little sister Joy may be six years old, but she’s a sneaky toddler. She’s a
big fan of Dr. Destructo, and Noah’s afraid she’ll grow up to become a villain.
Noah begins working with the five most popular superheroes and he’s mentally
joined with the team. He discovers it can be embarrassing when others know what
you’re thinking. In addition, one of the superheroes is an invisible rat who tends
to startle Noah when perched on his shoulder. It’s absurd when the characters
get super-brain and become uncontrollably obsessed with fighting villains.
What didn’t work as well:
The sense of humor may not appeal to everyone. As mentioned, it’s
often silly but entertaining for readers with a tolerance for
it. Also, there are a lot of characters, so they’re not fully developed.
The final verdict:
This book is perfect for middle-grade readers looking for superhero humor with awesome illustrations. It may not appeal to everyone but I recommend you find out for yourself.
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