132,625
edits
Changes
My Gym Teacher is An Alien Overlord (My Brother is a Superhero) by David Solomons (view source)
Revision as of 13:52, 22 August 2016
, 13:52, 22 August 2016Created page with "{{infobox |title=My Gym Teacher is An Alien Overlord (My Brother is a Superhero) |reviewer=Z J Cookson |genre=Confident Readers |summary=The eagerly awaited sequel to ''My Br..."
{{infobox
|title=My Gym Teacher is An Alien Overlord (My Brother is a Superhero)
|reviewer=Z J Cookson
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The eagerly awaited sequel to ''My Brother is a Superhero''. It might, however, be wise to read the first book before picking this up.
|rating=3.5
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Maybe
|pages=304
|publisher=Nosy Crow
|date=July 2016
|isbn=978-0857637338
|website=
|video=MFcwI4napVc
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857637339</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0857637339</amazonus>
}}
Luke Parker is just an ordinary kid (unless you count his obsessions with comic book superheroes). While he has no special skills or talents, Luke has to put up with the fact that his brother and best friend both have superpowers. Zack is 'Star Lad' while Lara is the slightly more rubbish superhero, 'Dark Flutter'. Luke has always wanted to save the world and now he's about to get his chance. He discovers that an alien mothership is in orbit over his home town (Bromley) and they plan to take over the world as part of an alien reality TV show. To make matters worse, the aliens have chosen to disguise themselves in the most terrifying form possible – they all look exactly like his gym teacher. Sadly, however, no-one is prepared to believe Luke that his gym teacher is really an Alien Overlord.
Eagerly awaited, this is the sequel to David Solomons' hugely successful 2015 debut children's book ''My Brother is a Superhero''. I'd heard great things about the first book – it was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award and it won both the 'Children's Book of the Year' at the British Books Industry Awards and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. I was, therefore, excited to open my copy of the follow-up, ''My Gym Teacher is an Alien Overlord.'' I was, however, disappointed to find that I struggled to understand the references in large chunks of the book. Indeed, it took me quite a long time to orientate to both the characters and the story.
I suspect I wouldn't have encountered any of these problems if I had started with the first book. The writing is strong and the situations are funny. The concept is truly wonderful: I just loved the gym teacher's name (Sue Dunham or pseudonym) and the way that the mothership is disguised as Luke's school. There are also some really great characters, my personal favourite being Lara's sister, Cara.
I am confident that children will love this book but I suspect that you need to read the first book to really enjoy the sequel.
Before you read this, you should really start with the first book ''My Brother is a Superhero'' by David Solomons. Alternatively, if you're looking for another wacky, fun – not to mention wonderfully written – alien adventure, grab yourself a copy of [[Help! I'm an Alien by Jo Franklin]].
{{amazontext|amazon=0857637339}}
{{amazonUStext|amazon=0857637339}}
{{commenthead}}
|title=My Gym Teacher is An Alien Overlord (My Brother is a Superhero)
|reviewer=Z J Cookson
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The eagerly awaited sequel to ''My Brother is a Superhero''. It might, however, be wise to read the first book before picking this up.
|rating=3.5
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Maybe
|pages=304
|publisher=Nosy Crow
|date=July 2016
|isbn=978-0857637338
|website=
|video=MFcwI4napVc
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857637339</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0857637339</amazonus>
}}
Luke Parker is just an ordinary kid (unless you count his obsessions with comic book superheroes). While he has no special skills or talents, Luke has to put up with the fact that his brother and best friend both have superpowers. Zack is 'Star Lad' while Lara is the slightly more rubbish superhero, 'Dark Flutter'. Luke has always wanted to save the world and now he's about to get his chance. He discovers that an alien mothership is in orbit over his home town (Bromley) and they plan to take over the world as part of an alien reality TV show. To make matters worse, the aliens have chosen to disguise themselves in the most terrifying form possible – they all look exactly like his gym teacher. Sadly, however, no-one is prepared to believe Luke that his gym teacher is really an Alien Overlord.
Eagerly awaited, this is the sequel to David Solomons' hugely successful 2015 debut children's book ''My Brother is a Superhero''. I'd heard great things about the first book – it was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award and it won both the 'Children's Book of the Year' at the British Books Industry Awards and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. I was, therefore, excited to open my copy of the follow-up, ''My Gym Teacher is an Alien Overlord.'' I was, however, disappointed to find that I struggled to understand the references in large chunks of the book. Indeed, it took me quite a long time to orientate to both the characters and the story.
I suspect I wouldn't have encountered any of these problems if I had started with the first book. The writing is strong and the situations are funny. The concept is truly wonderful: I just loved the gym teacher's name (Sue Dunham or pseudonym) and the way that the mothership is disguised as Luke's school. There are also some really great characters, my personal favourite being Lara's sister, Cara.
I am confident that children will love this book but I suspect that you need to read the first book to really enjoy the sequel.
Before you read this, you should really start with the first book ''My Brother is a Superhero'' by David Solomons. Alternatively, if you're looking for another wacky, fun – not to mention wonderfully written – alien adventure, grab yourself a copy of [[Help! I'm an Alien by Jo Franklin]].
{{amazontext|amazon=0857637339}}
{{amazonUStext|amazon=0857637339}}
{{commenthead}}