Like Lava in My Veins by Derrick Barnes

Abstract

Reviewed by: Like Lava in My Veins by Derrick Barnes Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Barnes, Derrick Like Lava in My Veins; illus. by Shawn Martinbrough and Adriano Lucas. Paulsen/Penguin, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780525518747 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780525518754 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 2-4 Bobby Beacon hopes attending the Academy of Kids With Awesome Abilities (AKWAA) will help him learn how to get a handle on his superpowers—it’s awesome to call up lava and fire but at all not cool when it happens uncontrollably, as when Bobby is overwhelmed with anger or frustration. Unfortunately, he finds it easy to lose his temper even at the school, accidentally melting classroom furniture. Despite threats to send him to the Institute for Supervillains, the administration instead sets him up in Miss Brooklyn’s class, where he finds a supportive environment in which he finally finds ways to control his emotions and thus his power. This picture book has the visual style of a classic comic book, with dramatic shifts in perspective, dynamic onomatopoeia, and tightly controlled action sequences. The message about being able to self-soothe is not subtle, but the superhero context lends it plenty of timely appeal, and its emphasis on adult support and acceptance is a strong reminder that problematic behavior can often be funneled into strengths with the right focus. Narrative boxes are heavy on text and the dialogue bubbles overwhelm the pages, making this somewhat inaccessible to newbie graphic novel readers and limiting its potential as storytime material. Still, Bobby’s strong narration carries readers through his battle with Headmaster Chaos from the Institute, with a cliffhanger ending that assures readers there’s more action to come. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois