Joshua Dread

October 22, 2012
In this lively romp from newcomer Bacon, sixth-grader Joshua Dread is contending with the knowledge that his parents are secretly supervillains who periodically try to take over and/or destroy the world, only to inevitably be beaten down by heroes like the telegenic, endorsement-happy Captain Justice. Just as Joshua's own power of spontaneous combustion emerges, he faced with a worse problem: weird smoke creatures are kidnapping supervillains, and his parents are the latest to vanish. Now Joshua must save the worst villains on the planet, and his only allies are his best friend, Milton, and Sophie, a new girl with secrets of her own. Despite predictable moments, Bacon's deadpan narrative hums along with outrageous details, humor, and action and is complemented by Dorman's suitably heroic b&w portraits of the characters. A hero with a double life and a colossal set of parental issues, Joshua handles zombies, killer robots, and teenage girls without losing his cool. Bacon's affectionately playful take on the superhero genre introduces bombastic personalities without reducing the characters to caricatures. Ages 9â12. Agent: Sarah Burnes, the Gernert Company.

August 15, 2012
"It's embarrassing to run into your parents when you're with people from school, especially when your parents are about to destroy the planet." Sixth-grader Joshua has always had to contend with his parents' secret identities, The Botanist and Dr. Dread--the Dread Duo. They keep trying to destroy the world, and Captain Justice keeps thwarting them. Now, it looks like Josh might be Gyfted (Genetic Youth Fluctuation, Triggering Extraordinary Development). He's not sure how he feels about that. Does he want to be a supervillain? He certainly doesn't want to shill for every product on the planet like Captain Justice. To make matters worse, when strange creatures attack the Vile Fair, a yearly expo for supervillains, the world's most evil villains begin vanishing. When the Dread Duo fall prey, can Josh solve the mystery and save his parents? Bacon's debut is a fast and often funny entry in the kid-with-superpowers subgenre. Joshua, his normal friend Milton and new friend Sophie all contend with real preteen troubles (bullies and gossip) as well as those particular to the Gyfted. Dorman's occasional black-and-white illustrations of the characters are a nice addition, but there are far too few of them. A twisty, swiftly moving adventure sure to please superhero fans. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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February 1, 2013

Gr 4-6-Middle school is tough enough when the only things you have to worry about are getting your homework done and avoiding the sixth-grade bully. But when your parents are Dr. Dread and the Botanist, evil supervillains who try to destroy the world on a regular basis, life can be a real challenge. As the only son of the Dread Duo, Joshua is used to keeping things undercover-from Mom's mutant houseplants to Dad's death lasers-not to mention the leftover zombie in their basement. It doesn't help that his best friend is a fan of Captain Justice, the Duo's archenemy. Until now, Milton has been unaware of his pal's family secret, but then Justice's daughter, Sophie, moves into their class. Furthermore, Joshua is beginning to manifest a super "Gyft" of his own. The ability to generate spontaneous combustion-and cause stuff to explode-is cool, but can be inconvenient when you accidentally incinerate your bedroom. This lighthearted fantasy pokes gentle fun at the conventional superhero meme and takes some sly digs at media-driven celebrity as well. Aside from their fiendish felonies, the Duo are concerned, caring parents. Super Dad Justice, on the other hand, always seems to have one eye on his product endorsements. Joshua's struggles with his sometimes erratic superpower will resonate with readers coping with their own changing bodies and emotions.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
Unbeknownst to anyone else, Joshua's parents are two of the world's most dastardly supervillains. To Joshua, however, they're Mom and Dad. When they're kidnapped, along with a host of other villains, by mysterious "smoke creatures," it's up to Joshua to save the day. Joshua's understated, deadpan narration is quite funny; imaginative details add fun. Occasional black-and-white caricatures enhance the comic-book vibe.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2012
Unbeknownst to anyone else in Sheepsdale, New York, Joshua's parents are the Dread Duo, two of the world's most dastardly supervillains. They spend their time cooking up evil schemes, which are inevitably foiled by their nemesis, Captain Justice -- a product-endorsing blowhard who uses weapons such as the Protective Umbrella of Virtue to grand effect. To Joshua, however, the Dread Duo is still Mom and Dad. So when they're kidnapped, along with a host of other villains, by mysterious smoke creatures, it's up to Joshua to rescue his parents and save the day. He does so in spectacular fashion, armed with a newly discovered, hard-to-control talent for spontaneous combustion and some help from his friends, including Captain Justice's daughter. Joshua's understated, deadpan narration is usually quite funny ( It's embarrassing to run into your parents when you're with people from school, especially when your parents are about to destroy the planet ), and imaginative details (such as the zombies that can be mollified with tofu, and the evil lair that's controlled via smartphone apps) add to the fun. Black-and-white caricatures of each character, interspersed throughout, enhance the comic-book vibe. rachel l. smith

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)