SUPER 16

Author: Jax Abbott ISBN: 0843954078 2/2005 YOUNG ADULT Publisher: DORCHESTER/Smooch

The Top Five Ways NOT to celebrate your sixteenth birthday: 1. Drive your mother's boyfriend's sheriff car into the river. 2. Accuse the team quarterback of setting the school on fire. 3. Tell the League of LIberty that superpowers are so yesterday. 4. Freak completely when your boyfriend tries for second base. 5. Explode your sadistic orthodontist's drill—on purpose.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

In this sequel to SUPER WHAT?, Jessie deals with learning to drive, struggling still in Algebra, and adjusting to her mom’s new boyfriend. On top of all that, she discovers that she will be tested by the League of Justice to see how well she is handling her multiple superpowers. Then, when her boyfriend, Seth, starts having problems dealing with her super abilities, Jessie has even more dilemmas on her hands.

SUPER 16 is a witty and entertaining addition to the Super Jessie series and fans of the first book will be mad about this one. Even with her super abilities, teens can still identify with Jessie, for she demonstrates many of their fears and wants. Ms. Abbott’s ability to make a silly and implausible situation humorous and apt to the story places SUPER 16 a step above typical teen books. Super Jessie has the possibility of building as great a fan base as Emily (THE YEAR MY LIFE WENT DOWN THE LOO) has acquired. I look for more amusing reads from Ms. Abbot in the future.

Kendra Patterson