Miles Taylor and the Golden Cape: Attack of the Alien Horde

Gr 4–6—A superhero is strong, tall, quick-witted, and resourceful. Twelve-year-old Miles Taylor is none of these things. He has just moved to the Cedar Lake apartments in the Atlanta area with his dad, his mom having left them for her new boyfriend in Hollywood, FL. Money is tight, since the Taylors have dropped down to a single-income household. While accompanying his dad on an electrical job at a downtown parking structure, Miles sees an alien attacking the city, only to be thwarted by beloved superhero Gilded, a man in a golden cape. However, Gilded is killed in the attack, and with his dying breath, he tells Miles to take up his Golden Cape and protect the city. The cape has a mind of its own and only acts when there's a serious need—definitely not when Miles just wants to seek personal gain. With the help of new friend Henry, Miles learns all he can about the mysterious cape and tries to settle into his newfound role. The novel is strong on characterization, and each character evolves from relatively flat to likable and nuanced. For example, Josie Campobasso, Miles's crush, is more than just a pretty face. Furthermore, the difficulties of being a superhero are made readily apparent, such as when Miles inconspicuously tries to get to a tornado while everyone else is running away from it. Given Venditti's background in comic book writing (including the graphic novel version of The Lightning Thief), it's no surprise that this book, which features primarily prose with some comic panels whenever Gilded is present, is engaging and perfect for reluctant readers. Higgins's art is a welcome addition and adds to the comic-novel theme.