Common Sense Media Review
By Blair Jackson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thinner story, less character depth in action-packed sequel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Picking up more or less where Almost Super left off, we find the young heroes of the first book -- Rafter Bailey and his brother, Benny -- lying low since the villainous Jones family robbed them and their whole extended family of superheroes of their unique powers. Rafter and Benny are determined to get their powers back to fight October Jones and his criminal clan and to save the town of Split Rock from their evil ways. It appears that Rafter and Benny's cousin, Thimon, just might be able to grant their wish, but things are not what they seem, and the road to defeating the Joneses and freeing the captive Juanita Johnson, Rafter's best friend, will be perilous and complicated. Can the Baileys and Johnsons defeat October Jones once and for all?
Is It Any Good?
Though Searching for Super has the same comic tone as its hilarious predecessor, Almost Super, the story isn't nearly as interesting and there isn't much character development. We don't learn much new about Rafter and Benny, and their parents and various other funny and eccentric family members, prominent in the first book, are barely in this one. And though the close friendship between Rafter and Juanita -- developed over the course of the adventures depicted in Almost Super -- provides extra incentive for the brothers to take on the evil Jones family after they take Juanita prisoner, she's hardly in the book, either.
There are plenty of action scenes worthy of a high-octane action movie, and one very clever plot twist, but overall the story is a bit thin, the tone slightly dark. Marion Jensen's an entertaining writer, but he didn't give himself as much to work with this time out. The first book, which rightly drew comparisons to the charming animated film The Incredibles, is much better in all respects.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about superheroes. Why are stories about them so popular? What others have you read?
Have you read Almost Super? How do you think Searching for Super compares?
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper
- Publication date : January 20, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 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