All About Middle Grade Review: Sidekicked

Sidekicked by John David Anderson, June 25, 2013. 384 pages. Published by Walden Pond Press. Source: Publisher for review.

Andrew Bean might be a part of H.E.R.O., a secret organization for the training of superhero sidekicks, but that doesn’t mean that life is all leaping tall buildings in single bounds. First, there’s Drew’s power: Possessed of super senses – his hearing, sight, taste, touch, and smell are the most powerful on the planet – he’s literally the most sensitive kid in school. There’s his superhero mentor, a former legend who now spends more time straddling barstools than he does fighting crime. And then there’s his best friend, Jenna – their friendship would be complicated enough if she weren’t able to throw a Volkswagen the length of a city block. Add in trying to keep his sidekick life a secret from everyone, including his parents, and the truth is clear: Middle school is a drag even with superpowers.

But this was all before a supervillain long thought dead returned to Justicia, superheroes began disappearing at an alarming rate, and Drew’s two identities threatened to crash head-on into each other. Drew has always found it pretty easy to separate right from wrong, good from evil. It’s what a superhero does. But what happens when that line starts to break down? 

First Sentence:

Captain Marvelous sighed.

Welcome to another week of me trying to catch up on post- move reviews. This week we have my long overdue review of Sidekicked by John David Anderson.

When I first started Sidekicked I was not expecting a deep read, especially since the cover makes it seem like a light read. While I may have been expecting a lighter read, I really enjoyed the depth of the story and how Andrew wasn’t sure which side of him was the real one and which was the front he put on. It definitely gave the story line a sharp new twist that was brilliantly done. 

So, while I liked the whole superhero aspect of the book, what really got me was that some of the characters were nothing like what you expected them to be like. ¬¬I thought the author, John David Anderson, did an amazing job of creating complex and interesting characters. But what really made his characters good was that you never really knew who was on the side of right and who was not. 

I don’t know what it is about Walden Pond Press books, but they are absolutely amazing and John David Anderson’s debut, Sidekicked, was no exception. I have an extremely soft spot for all things superhero, and Sidekicked was just perfect. I really enjoyed the way the author explored the sidekick realm of being a superhero and how it isn’t always the easiest thing to work with a current or retired super. While I really enjoyed the exploration of the sidekick superhero relationship aspect of the book, I loved the way the author didn’t lose focus on the difficulties that Andrew and the other students of H.E.R.O had when it came to maintaining their secret identities.  

Since it has been sometime since I read Sidekicked, there isn't really anything that sticks out in my mind as bad about this book. All I remember is that it was such a fun, action-packed read that I didn't want to end. 

Final Verdict: Sidekicked- One action-packed look into the lives of sidekicks and the thrill ride of living behind a double mask.

Sidekicked earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.