Sarah's hopes hinge upon acceptance to the Hero Academy. What better place to hone her weather-manipulation superpower for the force of good and enjoy the status of elite hero-in-training? Just as readers think they're getting a light, campy comic-book tale, this takes a turn into extragrim good-versus-evil territory. Denied admittance to the academy and relegated to the lower caste of Misshapes, Sarah bounces between outrage and cautious hope of future acceptance at the school. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that an evil plot is brewing at the academy, pitting a super-race of heroes against inferior beings pecially Misshapes a diabolical plan to eliminate the latter. The writing team behind the pseudonym Alex Flynn have penned a lively action story that lifts itself from similar fare with a plot that packs in surprises, romance, and a creative array of "misshapen" powers. Great for readers who enjoy plenty of bam! and pow! in their adventures.

Gr 7-10 Sarah Robertson is one of the many residents of Doolittle Falls with supernatural powers. She dreams of attending the nearby Hero Academy where she can learn to control her weather-altering abilities alongside her crush, Freedom Boy. When the rejection letter arrives from the Academy, Sarah fears she'll be labeled a "Misshape," the derogatory name for teens with sub-standard powers. This disappointmenton top of the recent disappearance of her mother and an impending threat to all Misshapesforces Sarah to reexamine what's really important in her life. There is much here for fans of "Harry Potter" to enjoy: a school for teens with super powers, a dramatic sporting event called Harpastball, and humorous characters such as Butters, a boy whose super power is summoning a ghostly singing group that broadcasts his thoughts musically (he hasn't mastered sending them away yet). And for romance fans, there's a love triangle brewing here, too. The writing style is sometimes choppy and awkward, though most readers will overlook these flaws and become lost in this imaginative, action-packed series opener. Alison O'Reilly Poage, formerly at Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library, NY