Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Nonstop superhero action with diverse heroes and villains.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
On a school trip to Hong Kong, 14-year-old Steven Lee stumbles into a strange ceremony that mixes high tech with the power of the Chinese zodiac. Unwittingly, the teen receives the powers of the Tiger, including lightning-fast reflexes and super strength. He learns that there are 11 other individuals with zodiac powers, and some of them have pledged their allegiance to the Vanguard, a corrupt organization bent on wold dominance. It's up to Steven and the others in his ragtag group of young heroes to stop Vanguard from destroying civilization.
Is It Any Good?
This book doesn't waste a minute before getting down to business; the superhero action starts immediately and never lets up. The constant battle scenes may come at the expense of character development and even narrative logic, but young readers weaned on DC or Marvel comics aren't likely to mind.
Andie Tong's illustrations capture the plot's sense of velocity and help differentiate characters who are a little hard to tell apart in the prose. The volume ends with a cliffhanger, but what else would one expect?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why superheroes are so popular with readers and moviegoers. What is it about the genre that appeals to such a wide audience?
Why is teamwork important? What attributes make someone a good leader?
Why is the zodiac an important part of Chinese culture?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrator : Andie Tong
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes
- Book type : Fiction
- Publication date : January 27, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 480
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), 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
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