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Unabridged Digital Audiobook
Runtime: 10 hours, 7 minutes
Read by Kirby Heyborne
Comics and superhero movies often tell origin stories, exploring how a hero became a hero. In the audio edition of Sidekicked, author John David Anderson follows a group of young would-be sidekicks as they train to become sidekicks—and, someday, maybe even heroes.
The story finds superhero sidekick in training Andrew Bean battling both villainy and middle school drama as a member of H.E.R.O., a secret program for sidekicks that meets in a room beneath the teachers’ lounge. Otherwise known as The Sensationalist, Drew has extra-powerful senses—not something he sees as really useful, like super strength or super speed. And, to make matters worse, his assigned hero mentor wants nothing to do with him. So when a notorious band of villains escapes from prison and starts terrorizing the city of Justicia, Drew wonders how he can possibly help.
Though it may follow the adventures of a group of middle schoolers with super powers, Sidekicked isn’t just another silly superhero story for kids. It’s darker than you might expect—and it’s surprisingly sophisticated, too.
There’s more to Drew’s story than just his fight against wrongdoing. He also deals with the normal, everyday issues that any other preteen does: first crushes, self-identity, jealousy, and a tricky relationship with his parents. He’s never sure who’s on his side—or whether there’s anything he can do about the villainous threat the town faces. Super powers or not, he’s a relatable character: a preteen who doesn’t feel like he fits in—who generally feels like a loser. For that reason, he spends a lot of time feeling sorry for himself, but he also steps up and takes action when it’s needed.
Drew’s story isn’t black and white, either. Drew and his young sidekick friends struggle with the gray areas of life as a hero-in-training. The answers aren’t always clear; there are times when good people do not-so-good things and bad guys’ actions have a positive outcome. And Drew’s wrestling and questioning and general preteen drama make his story much more thoughtful and mature than the typical superhero adventure.
If you’re looking for a light and easy-going story about kids with superpowers, you might not enjoy the depth and drama of Sidekicked. But the characters and their adventures will definitely make young readers stop and think about good, evil, and the everyday trials of teenage life.
