“Bobby Beacon’s got fire flowing through his veins.” At school, Bobby wants to be a good student, but he leaves his seat, taps on the desk, and raises his hand after every question posed by Ms. Flores. A week goes by, and the teacher can’t take it anymore. Bobby’s lack of control of his power lands him in the principal’s office. There’s no denying his reputation as a “hot head,” but instead of being expelled, Bobby is given a second chance in Miss Brooklyn’s class at the Academy of Kids With Awesome Abilities (AKWAA).
Miss Brooklyn is patient, kind, and knowledgeable, and she loves Langston Hughes’ poems, just like Bobby. She sees students for who they are, regardless of their past failures, and helps them to control their powers. In the class “chill zone,” students become friends. This is where Bobby meets Sincere, a cool dude with asthma whose power is making others tell the truth.
When a former student, Pause (who was expelled from AKWAA), and the evil headmaster, Chaos, from the Institute of Supervillains show up at an awards assembly, it’s up to Bobby to save the students and be the BEACON of light he knows he is.
This comic/picture book was written by the award-winning author Derrick Barnes, with art by Shawn Martinbrough and Adriano Lucas. I found the format exciting to read and hovered over the brightly-colored illustrations with awe. I love how Mr. Barnes’ love of children shines through the pages, and how his loving messages of peace and power send LIGHT out into the world. Special adults who care and take time for otherwise struggling students made my teacher’s heart happy.
Students who love comics, superheroes, and graphic novels are going to love this title — we will need multiple copies in the library. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
This book was published by Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin – always a good place to look for good books.
Reading Teacher Writes 