Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Snyder
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cute concept teaches kids to unlock their power within.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In I HAVE A SUPERPOWER, an ordinary kid named Hughes realizes the power he has within. Hughes heads to the basketball court to play a game with other kids. He doubts his own ability to play well, and the other kids doubt it too, and throw jeers his way. Though he wishes he had other superpowers -- like being tall, being fast, and being able to jump high -- he's driven to play well because he has heart. Will he be successful on the court?
Is It Any Good?
Having heart is a superpower in this encouraging picture book from basketball great Stephan Curry. I Have a Superpower reads like a comic book and simultaneously feels like watching a sportscast. It sends a loud and clear message: Having heart is "about striving to be the best you can while still having fun." It would have been nice to see this theme portrayed through the plot instead of stated explicitly at the end. Additionally, the dialogue in all-capital letters is a bit jarring. Nevertheless, Curry's fans will delight in seeing his project come to life, especially with a message that will help young readers in life.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about heart in I Have a Superpower. What does it mean to have heart? How does Hughes show that he has heart when it comes to basketball?
Do you agree that ordinary people have superpowers? Why, or why not?
What other superpowers do you have? How do you use them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Geneva B.
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Superheroes
- Character Strengths : Courage , Humility , Perseverance , Self-control
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Penguin Workshop
- Publication date : September 6, 2022
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate