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Parents' Guide to

The League of Unexceptional Children

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Clever idea, clumsy start to silly spy-kid humor series.

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A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The idea of turning utter ordinariness into an extraordinary asset is clever, but a lurching, nonsensical plot and weak characters keep this book from rising above average. Some witty lines and gleefully absurd humor can't rescue THE LEAGUE OF UNEXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN, the start of a new series about kids who are like "white rice, there but never focused on" who are recruited to save the world.

Quirky characters soon grow tiresome, and the humor wears especially thin concerning female characters: Shelley is a ditsy chatterbox, the agent managing her consistently calls her "doll," the kidnapped vice president's wife is a loud-mouthed hysterical "dame," and the president's female chief of staff is inept. But flashes of smart writing -- including witty exchanges and very funny quotes opening each chapter -- show promise.

Book Details

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