Publishers Weekly
05/06/2024
Black 16-year-old Darius has been on his own ever since his family was murdered in the Attack eight years ago. Just before his 17th birthday, Darius is caught in possession of illegal drug Adrenaccelerate, aka eXXell, which he had been selling to make ends meet. After resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer, Darius is saved from a deadly fall by “the greatest superhero in the world,” Captain Freedom, leader of Super Justice Force. Following interrogation by Captain Freedom, Darius is given the option of spending 15 years in jail or enrolling in Second Chance, a rehabilitation program founded by the Super Justice Force “as a way to help ex-convicts start a normal life after prison.” While participating in the program, Darius faces obstacles such as locating dangerous biomorphs (“the only extraterrestrials banned from the planet Earth”) and proving himself against foes who want to see him fail. Debut author Walker’s insightful prose renders a new superhero universe reminiscent of The Boys in which heroes are just as flawed as humans, making for a fast-paced dystopian adventure that takes a critical look at what it means to be a hero. Ages 12–up. (July)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Second Chance of Darius Logan:
"Debut author Walker's insightful prose renders a new superhero universe reminiscent of The Boys in which heroes are just as flawed as humans, making for a fast-paced dystopian adventure that takes a critical look at what it means to be a hero." —Publishers Weekly
Praise for The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History:
Winner of the Eisner Award
* "This nuanced and gripping history supplies much needed background for today's activism relating to violence against Black people. For all adult and teen collections." — Library Journal, starred review
School Library Journal
07/01/2024
Gr 7 Up—After "The Attack" that killed his family, Darius Long is forced to survive by any means possible in a world turned upside down. He moves through the post-Attack foster system, making mostly okay decisions. But then he makes a bad one, a really bad one, and he's caught holding a knapsack with enough of the illegal drug eXXeLL to get busted for distributing. He continues with his bad decisions and punches a cop to get away. Darius gets put into Second Chance, a new program to help people make better decisions instead of going to jail. The program is set up by Super Justice Force, a team of superheroes and crime fighters about whom Darius read comic books as a child. One adult is batting for Darius to succeed while the other does everything in his power to make sure he doesn't. Add to this high-stakes life a future world that's gone a little crazy and the setting is perfect to provide opportunities for character growth—or utter failure. Walker builds the post-apocalyptic world well and captures the essence his character, a young Black man who dreamed of superheroes and read comic books voraciously. The adventure and pacing are ideal, akin to Stephen Cole's Thieves Like Us and Alexander Gordon Smith's "Escape from Furnace" series. Short sentence structures, lots of action, and quick dialogue add to the speed and pacing of the story. VERDICT A must-have for tween and teen libraries.—Cathleen Ash
Kirkus Reviews
2024-04-05
A teen with a seemingly hopeless future gets the chance to have a positive impact on the world.
For eight years, Darius Logan, a Black teen, survived on his own—bouncing among foster homes and derelict buildings—after his family (and many others) were murdered in The Attack. His life changes course after he gets caught in a drug deal, giving him his third strike. Fortunately, Captain Freedom of the Super Justice Force, who met Darius when he was named Student of the Year for his academic excellence, advocates for him to enroll in a classified rehabilitation program instead of going to prison. Now Darius is immersed in the lives of the heroes he’s only read about in the comic books he loved as a child, and he has the opportunity to gain skills and finish his education, along with building a community of people who care about him—things he never thought he’d have again. His life isn’t without obstacles, however, and when a secret plot is uncovered, Darius is thrust into the spotlight, his life forever altered. Through the third-person omniscient narration, readers are immersed in a diverse post-apocalyptic world. The tertiary characters have depth beyond their interactions with Darius, and this element, paired with the detailed lore, creates a rich, engaging narrative that will keep readers invested. The author seamlessly blends humor and heart in this story of justice and redemption.
An accessible and thought-provoking narrative. (Fiction. 12-18)
