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So many of today’s stories for kids feature kids who are extraordinary—kids who are popular or world-famous or have some kind of mind-blowing powers. But that’s not the case in The Midnight Brigade by author Adam Borba. Its trio of characters is lovably, refreshingly average.
The story joins three young loners from Pittsburgh as they come together to save the city’s beloved bridges. Carl Chesterfield has always loved the city’s bridges—so when he notices that the bridge above his father’s totally mediocre new food truck has some deep gashes in it, he begins to worry that the city is under attack by monsters. And he’s not alone. When a classmate asks Carl to sneak out of the family’s townhouse late one night for a secret meeting, they end up making a shocking discovery under Carl’s favorite bridge.
Though it may be a brand-new release, there’s something about The Midnight Brigade that just seems classic—like the kind of novel that old people like me would have read during their middle-grade years. These kids aren’t superheroes or super spies or super geniuses. In fact, there’s nothing especially super about them. They’re just average, awkward, insecure kids who stumble upon something extraordinary—and totally magical.
Still, these average kids are pretty lovable—especially Carl, a timid kid who tends to fade into the woodwork everywhere he goes. He can’t seem to stand up for himself—even if it means taking the fall for a cute troublemaker or quietly eating his dad’s terrible hamburgers. But through his adventures, he learns that sometimes you have to be bold—especially if your friends are in danger.
Of course, the classic feel of this story means that it’s not as fast-paced and action-packed as the stories that today’s kids might be used to. Young readers might find themselves waiting for some big revelation—maybe that the members of the Midnight Brigade are actually superheroes from another planet. But while it doesn’t have a whole lot of action, it does have some meaningful lessons—along with the charm and whimsy (and some of the humor) of some of your favorite books by authors like Roald Dahl.
The Midnight Brigade is a charming read that shows that average kids can do pretty amazing things. It isn’t a remarkably memorable book—the kind that kids will read and reread multiple times—but it’s a worthwhile pick for bedtime reading.
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