The Cloak Society

October 1, 2012
Born into the Cloak Society, a cadre of superpowered scientists gone bad, Alex Knight, a telekinetic 12-year-old, has a crisis of conscience during his first mission when he saves the life of a junior member of the Cloak Society’s mortal rivals, the Rangers of Justice. When Alex runs into Kirbie at the mall (even supervillains need to shop), his qualms about his capacity for violence flower into full-blown self-doubt. This is especially tricky since Alex’s mother’s superpower is mind-reading. Bummer! A friend tells Alex what he already knows: “ympathizing with your sworn enemy will cause you nothing but problems. I’ve read Shakespeare. I know how this sort of thing ends.” The showdown between the Cloak Society and the Rangers supplies bloodshed and devastation, but no real ending; more like a push of the pause button. Those left alive must form new alliances while they await the next episode. There’s little new in Kraatz’s debut, a Full Fathom Five property, but readers should find it easy to dig into the rapid-fire, comic book–style action. Ages 8–12. Agent: Eric Simonoff, William Morris Endeavor.

December 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-Like many kids, Alex isn't sure he wants to continue in the family business and is struggling to find his own path. Complicating matters: the family business is super-villainy. His great-grandfather was a founding member of the Cloak Society, a team of radiation-enhanced bad guys whose powers range from controlling electricity to super strength and, in Alex's case, telekinesis. His mother, nicknamed Shade, is telepathic, which presents the ultimate kid nightmare: his mother really can read his mind. On his 12th birthday, Alex stumbles in his first field test-a bank robbery-when his powers cannot open the vault and he impulsively saves Kirbie, a shape-shifting member of The Rangers of Justice and Cloak's superhero counterparts. Alex's suspicions of Cloak's true motives, coupled with his clandestine friendship with Kirbie, make him further question his future. Does he want to use his powers as a destructive force, or can he be more than just a weapon? Alex defies his parents and Cloak, fighting with the Rangers of Justice in a climactic final battle that will leave readers eagerly waiting for what comes next. Kraatz persuasively chronicles Alex's change of heart, from the opening chapter's funny and inventive pro-villain manifesto to his growing unease and courageous decision to leave the only life he's ever known. Readers who enjoy comic-book action will appreciate the original fantasy world with a detailed backstory and myriad intriguing characters. This debut novel is a strong start to a series that will likely find the same wide appeal as Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" books (Hyperion).-M. Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2012
Grades 4-6 A supervillain-in-training with the Cloak Society, Alex shares his ancestors' determination to revenge a historical loss and conquer Sterling City, Texas, but when he unexpectedly and inexplicably saves the life of a do-gooder Junior Ranger, he faces choosing between his birthright and the unfamiliar feelings conjured up by a girl he hardly knew. Twelve-year-old Alex struggles with this Romeo-like angst as he continues his evil education while secretly meeting withand considering joiningthe good guys. His peers on both sides are superhero characters with varying abilities and secrets, from metal skin to the ability to become plantlike, and his own developing telekinesis is both a handy skill and a good metaphor for puberty. The debut author's third-person narration isn't quite as exciting or interesting as the entertaining (if hackneyed) premise needs, but comic-book lovers in the mood for some prose will appreciate the theme of being true to oneself and will also enjoy the book's final battle, which leaves things ripe for a sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2013
Twelve-year-old fourth-generation supervillain Alex, who has telekinetic powers, finds himself questioning his family's values after he saves a teenage superhero's life. With a full cast of engaging super-powered tweens, and a unique focus on everyday life as a villain-in-training, this book will appeal to kids keen on the hero genre and comics like Marvel's Avengers. Kraatz leaves ample room for future installments.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2012
A young supervillain-in-training develops qualms of conscience in this deceptively earnest debut. After 10 years of lying low following a devastating defeat by the Rangers of Justice, the nefarious Cloak Society is ready for a rematch--but Alex, 12-year-old member of the Cloak's Beta Team, is suddenly having doubts. For one thing, his telekinetic power seems more suitable for no-hands origami than heavy lifting. For another, his telepathic mother, Shade, and the rest of Cloak's older generation appear to have more up their sleeves than simple domination of Sterling City, Texas. Most disturbing of all, though, encounters in battle and at the mall with shape-changing Junior Ranger Kirbie have left Alex unsure of his true capacity for evil. Along with outfitting both super factions with appropriately cool powers, names, costumes and lairs, Kraatz slips in further cultural enrichment with sly references to game theory, Shakespeare and true crimes. Unsurprisingly, the climactic fray forces members of both junior squads to become reluctant allies--and also leaves enough loose ends to fuel a sequel or six. Familiar superhero/supervillain tropes are positively shoveled into a tale that has enough psychological complexity to please readers who have not overdosed on this subgenre. (Fantasy. 11-13)

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