The Cloak Society, Book 1
By Carrie R. Wheadon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Supervillain-in-training tale a good fit for superhero fans.
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What's the Story?
As the son of two supervillains in the Cloak Society, Alex Knight and his telekinetic powers are destined for terrible greatness. That is, until he's taken off the Beta Team of junior villains after he botches a bank heist. Not only do his powers fail him when he's trying to crack a safe, his conscience gets in the way when a fellow villain tries to take out a young and kinda cute superhero named Kirbie. Alex saves her just in time. Kirbie is training to be a Ranger of Justice, led by Lone Star, defeater of the Cloak Society in a great battle before Alex was born. Fraternizing with the enemy, without a doubt, is strictly forbidden, especially at a time like this when the Cloak Society is planning the comeback of a lifetime. But if it's only one time -- OK, maybe two -- Alex wonders what harm it would really cause to sneak out and talk to the enemy who owes him her life.
Is It Any Good?
This is a good fit for the already superhero-crazed reader -- especially one who wants to take a break from knowing what all the do-gooder heroes are thinking and sneak into the head of the villain. Or even think what it would be like to be raised by supervillain parents who want you to grow up to be the ultimate supervillain. Talk about pressure. And a mom who can read your mind? Can't think of a scarier mom superpower for a kid.
The key characters developed here will probably do a good job carrying the series as it grows. Alex's genius tinkerer friend Gage will definitely come in handy. The vaporizing Misty will, too. There are some missed opportunities for more depth in the story, especially as Alex grapples with his conscience and deals with his demanding parents. Staying closer to the surface gives The Cloak Society more of a TV-pilot-meets-comic-book vibe, which works fine. Kids who only want to see superpowers battle it out will not miss the deep stuff in the slightest, though the effort would have turned pretty good writing into super stuff.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about superheroes vs. supervillains. Which would you rather be? What do the superheroes think their role in society is? What do the villains think?
Kids can talk about Alex's difficult decision. Can you think of a time when you knew making the right decision was harder? What did you decide? Is it easier to go along with a group or to follow your own path?
Compare this to other superpowered stories you like. What's similar? What's different? Do you like seeing the villain's side of the story? What do you think will happen in the sequel?
Book Details
- Author: Jeramey Kraatz
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Superheroes
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date: October 2, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 288
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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