Author: William D. Smith
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Genre: Children’s
ISBN: 978-1-4327-2071-1
Pages: 118
Price: $13.95
Billy is a ten year-old boy living in a Pennsylvania coal mining town at the end of World War II, and he wants to be a Superhero. He’s read about Superman in his comic books, listens to the Shadow on the radio, and wants to save the world just like they do. But first he has to learn how to fly.
Becoming a Superhero is the semi-autobiographical first-person narrative of his year as a sixth-grader. In it, Billy shares his thoughts, adventures, and mis-adventures as he grows up during this turbulent time in US history.
In the style of “A Christmas Story,” Billy seems to find trouble at every turn. Dared to climb onto one of the coal company’s catwalks, he runs into problems with the law. A camping trip turns into an evening of night-fishing in the outhouse. And he never does figure out how to fly. But in the end, he becomes a hero in a way he never intended.
A well-written coming-of-age story, Becoming a Superhero is an enjoyable read – not just for children, but also for adults who haven’t yet forgotten how much fun it was to be a kid.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews 