Superpowerless

Description

David is sixteen. A pretty ordinary boy, in most ways - he just wants to hang out in his bedroom, reading his dad's old comics. Comics that are full of his heroes - those figures whose lives are charmed, special, unique. Life hasn't been easy recently for David, though. His father died just a couple of years ago, he has a fractious relationship with his mum, and he has fallen out with his best friend. But, David has a secret, which he hasn't told anyone. He has superpowers. He can soar through the air, he has superhearing, he feels and hears everything super-keenly. So life should be easier, then, shouldn't it? But somehow it's not - and when David gets involved with the girl next door, gorgeous Holly Hunter, he begins to realise just how very complicated it can get. David's harbouring another secret, a deeper darker one, and on this journey from boyhood to manhood, will he have the courage to face up to it?

Chris Priestley spent his childhood in Wales and Gibraltar, and his teens in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, before going to art college in Manchester. He moved to London and freelanced as an illustrator and cartoonist for twenty years before getting his first book for children published. He has written lots of books, fiction and non-fiction, has won awards here and abroad and been nominated for many others, including the Carnegie Medal. He now lives in Cambridge and spends a great deal of time looking out of the window... Follow Chris at http://chrispriestley.blogspot.co.uk or on Twitter: @crispriestley

The author could have created a teen hero who was, well, just that, a hero, the perfect guy in every respect, but David with all his flaws is far nearer to a real teenager, someone that readers can empathise with, and maybe it will give female readers an insight into that most mysterious of places, a teenage boy's mind. * Our Book Reviews * when David finally learns to separate fantasy from reality, it's deeply moving. * Financial Times * Raw and compelling with these fantastic (I seriously can't get enough of them) illustrations woven in, Superpowerless is a touching story about a boy who tries to move on from tragedy, but is held back by a secret. With fantastic and complex characters tied into an enthralling narrative, Chris Priestley's latest novel is remarkable. * Confessions of a Readaholic * A socially conscious coming of age tale that entertains on every level and is required reading for everyone who was, or knows, a teenager, whether they have superpowers or not * Starburst Magazine * This is a wickedly relatable read for young adult boys, with kick-ass art and a soft heart. * Armadillo Magazine * an entertaining read, with depth and empathy * INIS Reading Guide * Superpowerless is one of the most original and extraordinary Young Adult novels we've read in a long time. It is wonderfully written, dark and powerful. Superpowerless hits you hard in the solar plexus - for an adult it makes uncomfortable reading, but is illuminating and undeniably brilliant. To the teenagers we've sold this book to it is fascinating, and something of a relief * Raring To Go * rare and refreshingly honest... Superpowerless tackles the subject of grief from a unique angle and questions what it really means to be super * School Librarian Magazine *