ALA Booklist (Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

In a family where your dad can fly and your great-aunt can breath fire, finding out that your superpower is worthless is, well, devastating. Such is the misfortune of Rafter and Benny Bailey. For longer than anyone can remember, Baileys 12 years old and older have been bestowed with a superpower on Leap Day (February 29) that is used to fight their nemeses, the Johnsons. But this year the Bailey powers, quite frankly, supersuck. Unsatisfied with being stuck on the sidelines, Rafter is determined to find out who is stealing the supers' real powers. Together, he, Benny, and an unlikely friend turn up evidence that suggests there are new supervillains in town. Packed with action and humor, this is a superhero tale in the spirit of The Incredibles. Jensen's wit and light tone give the story a playful quality while still managing to incorporate a healthy dose of suspense. Family dynamics and teamwork drive a plot that has, above all, a super amount of heart.

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Rafter and Benny Bailey can't wait to join their superhero family's fight against the villainous Johnsons, especially their classmate Juanita Johnson. When all three tweens end up with wimpy powers, however, they discover that both families are being manipulated by supervillains. This superhero comedy will be appreciated by middle-grade readers who've graduated from the Captain Underpants books.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

At 4:23 in the afternoon, on February 29, any Bailey age 12 or older gets a superpower." In this entertaining and exuberant debut novel, the time has finally come for 13-year-old Rafter Bailey and his younger brother, Benny, to receive their first powers. Rafter can't wait to join his family's fight against the supervillainous Johnson clan, but their new powers are a colossal disappointment: Rafter can now light safety matches using polyester, and Benny can turn his bellybutton "from an innie to an outie." In a fun twist, when the Bailey brothers try to take on Rafter's classmate Juanita Johnson, they learn that the Johnsons believe that they are the heroes, and that the Baileys are the supervillains. Though initially wary, the three kids band together to discover the truth behind their disappointing powers and the feud that has engulfed their families for decades. Balancing humor, action, and an everykid longing to be more (or to be bitten by a radioactive arachnid, at least), Jensen also incorporates subtle messages about perspective, misconceptions, and what true heroism really entails. Ages 8-12. Agent: Sarah Crowe, Harvey Klinger. (Jan.)

School Library Journal (Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

Gr 4-6 This superhero story is really about growing up, making choices, and figuring out the world. The Bailey family knows their purpose in life is to fight supervillains like the Johnson family. The Johnson family just happens to think that they are the true superheroes and that the Baileys are the real evil villains. Rafter Bailey cannot wait until the day he gets his superpower. When that day comes, however, the power he gets is less than super and he must learn to live with his disappointment. Although the book is not necessarily laugh-out-loud funny, Jensen employs a clever tongue-in-cheek humor throughout. Readers will identify with the way in which Rafter is treated like a kid instead of a full-fledged member of the superfamily and will enjoy seeing Rafter and his friends outsmart the grown-ups. The short chapters and action packed sequences keep the pages turning. Reluctant readers and fans of the Pixar movie The Incredibles will be excited to find out what happens in the sequel. Carrie Shaurette, Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ