The Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader

A Comic Twist

            Tucker MacBean has a problem, many problems actually. The biggest of these is the lack of money. While Tucker's father is absent, his mother is working multiple low-paying jobs and trying to go to school, so she is never around. Meanwhile, Tucker has to be responsible for his disabled younger brother. Then Tucker uncovers a chance to save his family from falling apart. It's a chance to win a college scholarship for his mother that will enable her to quit one of her jobs and continue her educational pursuits. Tucker hopes it will make his mother's life easier. All he has to do is make the best superhero sidekick ever as part of a comic contest. It should be easy, after all, Tucker has been drawing heroes since, well, since he could draw. But nothing is ever easy.

             Beanboy is an interesting twist on the traditional super hero story. I appreciated how the author switched between the comic that Tucker is writing and the real life of the main character. I found Tucker's perspective in the story and the lines of dialogue amusing. My favorite part of the story was the interaction between Tucker, the main character, and the school bully. I also enjoyed the little coincidences and mysteries that were unveiled throughout the story. The characters were believable, the plot was never too slow, and the story was reasonably engaging. I would recommend this book to all superhero lovers, but I gave this story four stars because it lacked the action-packed excitement that I have come to expect from superhero stories.