The first time something spills without Clara touching it, she thinks nothing of it. The second time, she's certain she has enough evidence to prove to her best friend Bradley that she has superpowers. Clara can not only spill things without touching them, but she can also communicate with chinchillas and wake up at exactly 7:14 a.m. every day without an alarm. Despite her powers, however, everyday life isn't so easy, especially when students from rival school R. R. Reginald have to share her classroom, and her neighbor Momo will be moving away to a retirement facility. Can her superpowers help put things back the way they were? Clara's doodlelike drawings of herself and those around her well as her comic creation, @Cat corate the pages and will be sure to draw in young readers. A beautiful and fun story that will help children dealing with similar issues that alter everyday life, and a reminder for adults of how children view these changes. A worthy addition to the growing field of doodle-illustrated middle-grade novels.

Spunky comics-lover Clara's beloved elderly next-door neighbor is moving, and kids from rival R.R. Reginald Elementary are moving into Clara's school during building repairs. Can Clara's newly discovered "superpowers" help? Best friend Bradley starts training her, and together they hatch a series of nearly disastrous plans. Clara's story, illustrated with cartoony doodles, is an appealing combination of humor and heart.

Gr 3-5 Gledhill Elementary School student Clara Humble is convinced she has superpowers; unfortunately, these capabilities, ranging from the ability to spill liquids to being able to wake up every morning at exactly 7:14 a.m. without an alarm clock, are not exactly extraordinary. When Clara's favorite neighbor Momo plans to move to a retirement home and the students from a rival school that has been temporarily closed because of mold start attending Gledhill, the title character and her friend Bradley devise a plan to use Clara's supposed newfound powers to try to stop both from happening. Humphrey succeeds in establishing a likable heroine, a spunky comic book fan with a wild imagination. Cinar's comical drawings featuring @Cat, a superhero created by Clara, work well with the book's motif. Some children may be disappointed to learn that Clara doesn't really have any superpowers, but most will appreciate the story's humor and fast-paced writing, both of which make this an appealing choice for reluctant readers. Although Clara doesn't achieve either of her goals by the end of the novel (Momo is still moving, and the rival students remain at Gledhill), she does learn that true heroism comes from good deeds rather than special abilities. VERDICT A solid start to a new series. Clara Humble proves she doesn't need superpowers to win over young readers. Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY