unOrdinary

Gr 9 Up--The highly popular webcomic finally sees its print release. John lives an ordinary life attending Wellston Private High School, in a world that's absolutely "unordinary." It's a world where strength defines a person (the elite are born with powerful special abilities), and John simply wasn't born with any--right? As the story unfolds, John's secrets begin to come to light, and pretty soon everyone's going to want him on their side. Characters are well developed as readers watch John navigate the waters of high school and beyond, often with his best friend Seraphina at his side. The two are wonderfully written, with great chemistry. Artwork is detailed, particularly its coloring which is vibrant and brings the book to life. Language can be strong, even with asterisks taking the place of key vowels. But the story is well paced, the worldbuilding is on point, and everything's entertaining without giving all secrets away in this opening volume. With the market for webcomics continuing to prove robust amongst today's reader, unOrdinary coming to a print format should be a boon to libraries looking for a bump in physical circulation. VERDICT A unique superhero story fused with sci-fi and fantasy elements that'll delight many YA readers, regardless of what their usual reading fare may be.--Joe Pascullo

A teen navigates the vicious hierarchy of his private high school, where social elites exert their magical powers. New student John struggles with being "the school zero"; nevertheless, he's courageous and doesn't back down from defending others. His only friend, Seraphina, is revered, but the popular kids blame John for her change of attitude as she becomes less invested in being the best at everything. John has endured the bullying and violence, but when Seraphina gets suspended for a month for possession of a banned book by John's father, one that spreads a message of peace, he starts to lose his grip. Things aren't going much better for Seraphina, who's been sent back to an abusive, controlling home. Without Seraphina's protection at school, powerful classmates start digging into John's mysterious past, uncovering dark secrets. Meanwhile, in a storyline that may be more fully integrated in a future episode, a gang called EMBER is targeting and killing vigilante superheroes. Built around an enduring friendship, this engaging read adapted from a popular, long-running WEBTOON series offers an accessible exploration of fairness and justice that will resonate with readers who have struggled with social inequalities at school. The manga-style art is fresh and expressive, effectively conveying shifts in mood. Characters are light-skinned and have a range of hair colors from blond to mauve and light green. Readers will eagerly await the next volume of this superhero adventure. (Graphic adventure. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.