SEPTEMBER 2019 - AudioFile
Part historical fiction chapter book, part superhero graphic novel, this audio production handles transitions perfectly via its two narrators. In WWII Philadelphia, seventh grader Josie O'Malley wishes her favorite female superheroes would protect the world from evil. At a tryout for code crackers, she meets two fellow superhero fans, Mae and Akiko. The three girls suddenly develop their own remarkable superhero powers and join the League of Secret Heroes to foil a villain. Narrator Jesse Vilinsky brings honest emotion to the girls’ story; her voice shudders and pulses with frustration at the racism, sexism, and bullying the girls face. Interspersed is Jonathan Davis’s narration, which believably lifts listeners out of the real-world narrative, dropping them into the superhero action sequences. S.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
“Cape is a book with something for everyone—codes to crack, villains to vanquish, and a trio of superheroes who just might save the world. An absolutely original story, filled with so much excitement that the pages practically turn themselves.” —Frances O’Roark Dowell, Edgar Award winning author of Dovey Coe
“A one-two punch of heroism and fun!” —Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author of Savvy
“Josie, Mae, and Akiko aren't just the friends and superheroes we need today, they're the friends and superheroes we need to be today. These girls rock!” —Liesl Shurtliff, New York Times bestselling author of the Time Castaways trilogy
“Kate Hannigan does more than write a rip-roaring girls’ adventure story. She brings back to life real women who were real superheroines . . . along with some sadly forgotten but wonderful fictional superheroines who predated Wonder Woman. I can’t wait for Book Two!” —Trina Robbins, author of Babes in Arms, Women in Comics During the Second World War
School Library Journal
07/01/2019
Gr 4–7—Hannigan soars with a rich new adventure series inspired by real women programmers from World War II. Philadelphia has not seen caped crusaders in years, yet seventh-grader Josie O'Malley loves reading comic books about female superheroes and solving math and word games. When she notices an ad in the paper seeking puzzle solvers to help crack ciphers, Josie knows that this is her dream job. She'll do anything to help her family while her father is away fighting Germany's Nazis. Josie is alarmed when she, Akiko, and Mae are all cut from the puzzler tryouts because they are girls. The girls join forces as caped crusaders themseves, with advanced powers and teamwork to foil a cloak-and-dagger evildoer and crack the clandestine code just in time to find superheroes who went missing in action. Mae, who is African American, and Akiko, who is Japanese- American, are nuanced characters whose experiences with racism accurately reflect the time period. Hannigan takes on history, prejudice, friendship, and bravery with aplomb. VERDICT Fans of fast-paced action adventures, computer science, and confident main characters will enjoy this series debut that is sure to fly off the shelves.—Annisha Jeffries, Cleveland Public Library
Kirkus Reviews
2019-04-10
Superheroes, spies, puzzle solvers—or all three?
It's World War II, and Zenobia, Black Cat, and the other superheroes vanished from the streets of Philadelphia a couple of years ago. Josie, a white Irish immigrant, is despairing, with a war on and her beloved heroes all missing. At least Josie can do her part for the war effort, since a call has gone out for puzzle-solving and mathematically inclined kids. Just when it looks like Josie won't be able to help—are her excellent ciphering skills going to be ignored just because she's a girl?—a mysterious woman solicits the help of Josie and two other puzzler girls: Akiko, a Japanese-American girl whose family is in an internment camp, and Mae, a black girl whose grandmother is a librarian, both also cipher- and comics-loving superhero fans. And somehow, when the three of them get together, they have powers! Like the heroes of their favorite comics, the girls whoosh through the skies, caped rescuers fighting Nazis. Along the way they meet and rescue the women who are the first computer programmers. Mae and Akiko encounter a smidgen of racism, although far, far milder than accuracy would call for; this is a superhero/puzzling/Nazi-thwarting tale, not historical fiction. With interwoven action sequences told in comics panels, the tale has the exciting pace of a superhero adventure.
Puzzles readers can solve are the icing on this cake. (historical note, further resources) (Historical fantasy. 9-11)
