Cape: The League of Secret Heroes, Book 1

Parents need to know that Cape is the first book in The League of Secret Heroes, a new series by author Kate Hannigan featuring three tween girls in Philadelphia during World War II who love solving math puzzles, codes, and ciphers -- and who suddenly find themselves able to transform into superheroes with superpowers. That's a lucky thing, because a supervillain known as the Hisser, who transforms into a giant rattlesnake, is trying to do a lot of damage and steal technology for Hitler. In words and comics-panel illustrations, there's a lot of violence -- some cartoonish, like vaporized superhero combatants, and some very real, like dangers to family members, some of whom are killed in the war. There are strong messages of inclusion and avoiding stereotypes, as our heroes are a recent immigrant from Ireland, a Black girl whose grandmother is a librarian, and a Japanese American girl whose family was forced from their San Francisco home and imprisoned in a camp. And, for example, not all German characters are Nazis. The women "computers" who were instrumental in building the first electronic computer are important to the story. Determination, courage, love of friends and family, and devotion to the examples of '40s-era superheroes help the girls and their allies as they battle overwhelming evil, and also neighborhood bullies. There's a lot to like about where this series seems to be going: history, girl power, loads of positive messages, and lots of fun.