Do you have someone who has trouble sitting still? Often in school, boys struggle to sit still and get in trouble for fidgeting or not "behaving" because they have so much energy that needs to be released. It is part of why recess and breaks where kids can run and play are so important. I remember when my nephew was visiting us and he was elementary school age; I found him running around our sectional couch in the family room after I put Hazel to bed. He was one of those boys that just had so much energy he needed to release it, and we had so much snow at the time he hadn't been able to get outside much. Today we are sharing a middle grade novel about such boys and a perfect read for such kids. It is actually the second book in a series, but we did not read the first and still found the book great! The book is Muppit Boy and the Wheel of Power by Michael J. Bowler. It is recommended for ages 9 to 12, and there is a giveaway after the review!
About the Book:
Muppit Boy and the Wheel of Power by Michael J. BowlerPublisher: Michael Bowler (2026) | ISBN-13: 979-8-9936486-5-1 | Ages 9–12 (240 pages)
Publisher's Summary:
MUPPIT BOY IS BACK…AND THIS TIME, HE FLIES
Elmo Fitzroy, known worldwide as Muppit Boy, takes on a new alter ego in this latest adventure: Condor Kid! Revolutionary nanite technology has made Mo the world’s first superhero. That is, if he can learn to fly without faceplanting every time.
Hiding his superpowers from best friends Barney and Kashvi is harder than it looks in comic books, especially with someone as sharp as Kash. She doesn’t miss a trick, so after Condor Kid pulls off a dramatic rescue at a local carnival, Kash is hot on the trail of this new masked hero and determined to uncover his identity.
Meanwhile, athletic, overly energetic boys labeled ADHD by their schools are vanishing as part of a devious plot to make use of their competitive spirit. Mo’s boss, Oscar Silverman, assigns the case to Mo and his Big Brother mentor and spying partner, Ari. What the crime-fighting duo really needs is a hyper, athletic boy to go undercover. Unfortunately, everyone knows Muppit Boy is a nerd, not an athlete.
Can Mo save the lives of a hundred kidnapped kids from a scientist who’s exploiting them in the craziest scheme ever, or will he need help from the last person on earth he’d ever expect to work with?
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Michael J. Bowler is an award-winning author of middle grade and young adult novels and feature-length screenplays. He grew up in Northern California and taught high school, in both general education and to students with disabilities. He has also made low-budget horror films, written stage plays, and coached strength training for high school and middle school students.
He has been a youth mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for many years, has mentored young people in California’s juvenile justice system, and adopted a child from foster care. That experience runs through the Muppit Boy books, which celebrate looking beyond labels and giving kids the chance to surprise us.
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From Me:
Not having read the first book, I found this book interesting and easy to get into. I did wonder about the whole Muppit Boy name, but it is explained in the story as well as a review of the adventure in the first book. Muppit Boy or Mo now has a secret identity--Condor Kid. He is working for Homeland Security and has a superhero costume that looks like a condor and he can fly. He has his super strength and is stuck at twelve-years-old for good which is all due to his adventure in the first book and Dr. Drug, the supervillain. Mo is dealing with being a superhero and keeping his identity a secret and being a good friend. His friends figure out pretty quickly he is lying to them, and this becomes an issue for him to work through. Then there is the bully, Mason Rizzo. Throughout the story the reader learns more about Mason as does Mo. There is quite a bit of empathy shown towards him even when he is not always the best behaved. In fact, Condor Kid invites Mason to be his sidekick for his first mission, and a duo may be born.
This book is packed full of action, mystery and adventure. Both Mo and Mason are the type of kids who cannot sit still. Mason turned to sports and Mo did not. There is a huge emphasis on school not being great for this type of child and it is mostly boys who are this type. The book shines a light on how these kids are given medicine for things like ADD and ADHD, but that is to make them fit the model of what a good student is rather than accepting them for who they truly are. As a teacher I have definitely seen this but found this book to be extremely thought provoking. There is such a push for the drugs to deal with ADD and ADHD. We know when kids have not taken their medicine by their behavior. However, is medicine truly the answer or is the answer accepting each person as they are and finding how they learn and operate. Now I don't expect a middle grade reader to ponder this but as an adult who read the book, I do. It goes along with accepting autism as a natural occurrence rather than treating a person with autism differently. The fact the world would not have many of its developments without autistic and "learning-disabled" people. I know as I left my classroom this past year, I began to wonder if it was time to make real changes to our education system including what is being taught. Our world has changed and progressed, but our topics really have not.
Ok, back to the book for the intended readers. This book is an interesting and attention-grabbing story. It will keep everyone reading. It deals with different parts of everyday life with so much more happening in the story. There are issues with family, friends, bullying, and belonging. Many of the issues addressed are issues middle grade readers deal with every day. Then there is the action and excitement of it being told by a superhero who can fly!! Condor Kid does some pretty amazing things and saves lives. He also is a thoughtful person looking to better the lives of others. During his mission he sees the good and bad of the villain's plans and realizes one of the villain's is trying to solve some problems in schooling and life. He is also working to find a new clean energy source while solving the problem for the athletic boys who don't like school and cannot sit still. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize his partner is doing horrible things.
I can see this book being read in a classroom or book club and starting some interesting discussions. There are the basics of a superhero and everyday life things about friends and family as well as bullies. There is also the environmental issues and freedom of choice. The other big question in the book is why tweens and teens can't make their own life choices. This could lead to some very interesting discussions among kids of those ages but will need an adult to remind them of some of the reasons they are not considered adults yet. It is a fun read but also full of some thought-provoking topics that can lead to great discussions if read as a group. Now I wonder what the first book was like and of course what the third will be like.
Giveaway:
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- Grand Prize (1 winner): a $50 Amazon gift card, a signed hardcover copy, and an audiobook download code
- Signed Hardcover (3 winners)
- Signed Paperback (3 winners)
- Audiobook Download Code (3 winners)
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