My favorite line from the Tony Parker Spiderman movies was always, “with great power comes great responsibility.” That idea is echoed in the new middle grade superhero novel The Minor Miracle by Meredith Davis. Because having super powers isn’t what makes you a hero. It’s what you do with them.
The Story
Noah Minor is famous for surviving a sixteen-story fall without a scratch as a baby. But when he learns he has real-life super-powers, he can barely contain his excitement. That is, until things get complicated. Noah learns his great-uncle is a supervillain. But his great-uncle’s explanation of his actions also seem valid. Does Noah trust his friends–one of whom may have been spying on him–and the secret organization he now trains with? Or should he trust his great-uncle, who seems like he wants to help Noah become more powerful? The Minor Miracle is a super story of friendship, trust, and taking responsibility.
What I loved
- Themes–Like all the best super-hero stories, The Minor Miracle focuses on a hero who must learn to use his powers for good. Noah doesn’t start out trusting the right people, which makes his character journey more poignant.
- Friendship–Noah’s friends are great model of friendship. They stand by each other, and they apologize when they’ve been wrong.
- Illustrations–The fun illustrations by Billy Yong and the book design overall make this book even more engaging.
Parents should know
There’s some bullying, and Noah sometimes uses his powers to retaliate. The story never justifies this, however, and Noah seems to learn his lesson in the end when he uses his powers selflessly.
The Minor Miracle is an engaging read that encourages kids to trust the right people and take responsibility for their actions. It’s a great read for ages 8 and above.
*I received a free copy of this book from my publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
