ThunderBoom

by Jack Briglio, Claudia Davila (Illustrator)

An action-packed superhero story about the power of imagination.

In this graphic novel, Logan’s going on the train to see the Santa Claus parade. Logan loves parades and trains. But Logan isn’t like most 11-year-olds - he can’t speak, and he mostly lives in his head. This adventure means facing his greatest masks, dogs and the unknown. When he’s separated from his parents at the parade, Logan goes where he’s the bravest version of himself - his imagination. Transforming into superhero ThunderBoom, Logan is ready to stomp through any challenge!

A fresh take on dealing with life’s difficulties. Kids will be rooting for their new favorite superhero - ThunderBoom!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Disability, Graphic Novels Comics, Realistic Fiction, Book Club, Childrens

Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Jack Briglio is the writer of the Eisner-nominated fantasy adventure series Growing Up Enchanted, published by Markosia in 2010 and 2011. He is also the creator of Dominion Jack, a serial in Joe Shuster-nominated Canadian superhero anthology series True Patriot Presents at ChapterHouse Publishing, and Take 2, a crime fantasy serial for Comics Scene award-winning digital anthology magazine Aces Weekly. Previously, Jack has also worked on Scooby-Doo and Legion of Superheroes in the 31st Century for DC Comics, for IDW, The Adventures of Digger & Friends, Sesame Street Comics for Sesame Street Workshop, and Scarlet, Riverdale’s Autistic Teen, for Archie Comics.



Currently, Jack just released in May 2023 a new middle grade graphic novel, ThunderBoom, for Kids Can Press. He also has written short stories for various anthologies in the past number of years: several stories for real world what-if anthology Flip, from Markosia; a story about the pandemic on Aces Weekly, called The New Normal; and, contributed both a short story about dementia to a mental health anthology from Cloudscape Comics called Through The Labyrinths Of The Mind and a technology parable called GOAL! for the latest Raid Studios anthology, R4ID: KLAATU. Upcoming this year…the return of Dominion Jack from Antarctic Press, the return of Growing Up Enchanted in colour from Markosia, and a new sci-fi noir also from Markosia called Asteroid Adrift.



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My site: https://jackbriglio.com


My store: https://shop.jackbriglio.com


My Substack newsletter for news, previews and free comics: https://jackbriglio.substack.com

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute. Reading the author's note and realizing that the author of this wrote this book for his son who is also nonverbal and has Angelman syndrome absolutely ripped my heart out. I am a sucker for parents doing the most.

This book follows Logan who is a nonverbal kid and his adventure for the day at a parade. Logan really struggles with masks and they frighten him a lot and so in his head he came up with this superhero character that can fight them off. He transforms into a Thunderboom.

I really love the sister in this book but I also love the moments where you get Logan's internal dialogue. I think we have a severe lack of books with diverse disability representation and really allowing nonverbal representation at all. Logan isn't stupid or dumb or careless, he is nonverbal and he finds other ways to communicate.

I think this is a great addition to middle grade graphic novels as a whole and a wonderful addition to books with disability rep. I definitely recommend this one.

I am not sure if it is intentional but one of the main themes of the character hating masks and really ripping masks off had this underlying message to me about masking which is a common thing that neurodivergent people do to fit in with neurotypicals. We don a mask that is more normal for others and sometimes that eliminates our own self and it's exhausting. So whether or not it was intentional, I loved this idea of ripping off the mask and throwing that whole concept of masking in the garbage.

[Michelle Smith-Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel is based on the author's personal experiences with his son. His son has Angelman's syndrome, a genetic syndrome that affects the nervous system and makes it very hard for him to communicate verbally. In the story, Logan and his family decide to go to a parade. Throughout Logan's day, things happen that bring out both his strengths and weaknesses and show how a family with a child with Angelman's syndrome works together to bring out the best in him. Logan helps another little girl who gets lost during the parade and the author's description of Logan's inner imaginative thoughts is very uplifting, as it portrays the hero that Logan sees himself to be, the hero named, ThunderBoom.

I enjoyed this book very much because it reminded me of my training as a speech-language technician and the exceptional children that I have worked with who struggle to communicate. It is very true that we all have an inner world that no one is truly privy to but ourselves. In this story, Logan's inner world is imaginative and brilliant. The graphic novel format only complements the story and creates the perfect illustrative background for this heroic tale.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet middle grade book about a nonverbal boy who uses his imagination to conquer his fears, based on the author’s own son who has Angelman syndrome.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done graphic novel with an autistic main character

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great. It was such a fantastic look into the all around difficulties, but also the bonuses, of Angleman Syndrome. Being nonverbal is hard for both the person and those in their circle, but it gives them so many other ways to express themselves. I love this imagined world.

[Lesli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with ThunderBoom. It is the story of a boy who is non-verbal, but who in his own mind sees himself as a hero. It is a good reminder to all of us, that no matter what abilities someone displays on the outside, there are deep waters and deep souls in every person - even if they can't express everything.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Logan is a no-nverbal kid who wants to make friends, go to the Santa parade, and watch the trains. He’s very outgoing but also scared of masks and the barking dog next door. In his head, he’s a superhero who stomps out the scary evils of the world and helps save the day. When he and another girl get lost at the parade, can Logan become ThunderBoom and save the day even if he can’t talk?

The author’s note in the back says that this story was inspired by his son with Angleman Syndrome and what might go on in his head. The story portrays Izzy (Logan’s sister) as having a lot more confidence in Logan’s abilities than his parents, and parents who love him but are sometimes overwhelmed by Logan’s impulsive behavior and inability to fully communicate. I’ve never read anything with a character who has Angleman’s Syndrome before, and there are very few stories featuring non-verbal characters. Logan’s sister has a good point about Logan’s comprehension, and from working with nonverbal students in the past I will say they often comprehend way more than we expect. (I remember a mostly non-verbal middle school girl who most teachers talked to like a kindergartner laughed at a pretty sophisticated joke someone else said while she was in the library one time. Ever since then I talked to her like she was in middle school, and she had no problem understanding.) This book is a good reminder that just because someone can’t talk, it doesn’t mean they don’t understand or have brilliant imaginations. I will say that some readers may have comprehension problems with interpreting Logan’s imagined scenes and what they meant in real life. I think that’s somewhat on purpose.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are unsafe situations at the parade when the kids are lost but it ends well. Logan beats up monsters in his imagination. (It isn’t gory.)

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Nickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ThunderBoom is the heartwarming tale of a day in the life of Logan a young non-verbal boy and his family as they prepare for and attend a local Christmas parade. However, this day is a little more stressful for Logan and his family than most. See, Logan is frightened by the neighbor's yappy dog and masks, impulsively reacts to things that interest or excite him, and has a hard time communicating without the use of words. These lead to some pretty frightening moments for Logan (and his parents). Not to fear though, Logan may not speak out loud but, as his sister tries to point out, he's not as incapable as people think and has a strong inner dialogue and imagination in which he fancies himself a super hero named ThunderBoom.

I've seen some criticism for this book based on the fact that Logan heavily reads Autistic but is in reality based on the author's son who has Angleman Syndrome. I too thought Logan was Autistic especially as a mom of a kiddo who is on the spectrum, albeit not nonverbal, but I did not find this problematic. I feel like the lack of a spoken diagnosis was perfectly fine because it's not about Logan being autistic or not, and the author did bring awareness to Angleman Syndrome with his note at the end of the book. The book is about Logan, not Logan's diagnosis. I loved seeing a nonverbal kiddo and his use of sign language on page. When the narrative switched to Logan's internal monologue and it was rich and compassionate and imaginative, I almost teared up. Society often assumes these kids are not intelligent simply because they don't communicate the same as others, but that is so far from the truth! In particular, I loved the scene where he was trying to comfort Becky who couldn't find her mother. Without his inner monologue it looks like he's awkward and possibly lacking social cues, but he has logical reasoning and draws on his personal experiences for each move he makes even if he can't verbally express that to Becky.

I thoroughly enjoyed ThunderBoom and would highly recommend it to adults and children alike!

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ups and downs of having a child who would seem to the outside world to be autistic, and mute. One of the flaws of this is that we're left to do the diagnosis ourselves, which is just how it is in the real world of course but might not really be a step to helping us the audience get through this all. Anyway, this graphic novel has him delight in going to a parade, where he can be all nice and chivalrous and help one of his contemporaries find her parents, but a simple mission to get fast food involves in his mind the demolition of some unearthly robot characters by his superhero alter ego, followed by the discovery of a monster. Or not.

What we gain from this (beyond the frisson of James Whale being evoked when the monster comes on the scene – or was that just me, reading too much into the loneliness and the lakeside setting?!) is a glimpse into what we learn is called Angelman Syndrome, where the imagination of the lad can be as strong as anyone's, but the coordination, social skills and such are weaker and the vocalisation is non-existent. Oh, and a lesson into how cruddy and stupid wearing masks unnecessarily is, but the last few years told us that anyway.

But as I say this is not without flaws. It's very uneven. The choice to switch into the character Logan's thought processes is done too late, and switching it on and off is a disservice to the kid. And the book would have been a tastier affair with a dollop of cheese, where we are shown how his imagination always bests the adult line of thought surrounding him. I mean, it tries to do that, but not anywhere near as clearly or successfully as it wants. I had no reason to dislike Logan, especially – as is very obvious – he's based on the creator's own child, and I wish this really well as an awareness tool, but as an entertainment? It's just too patchy and awkwardly constructed. And that is a real shame.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting graphic novel which covers a disability which may not be well known. The main character, Logan, cannot speak and is nonverbal. He also has difficulty expressing himself because he is different and those around him, even his parents and siblings, do not have the same challenges.

There are many aspects of this book that would be good for discussion with an early reader or when reading aloud, including empathy and understanding of those who are not like us, overcoming the challenges that others may see in a way that is positive and uplifting, and mental or physical disabilities.

Logan has a good heart, and while things around him may not be easy to deal with, he does what is right by others and tries to protect himself from harm. Both are admirable traits, but to outsiders they can seem like socially inappropriate or awkward behaviours.

I was rooting for Logan from the start, but especially in his quest to find Santa and to fight the monsters that were scaring him. I was understanding of his parents, but I also found his mom to be less tolerant of his outburst and as a result I was actually angry with her for being like that with her son. At the same time, if he was my son, I'm sure there would be moments when I too would be frustrated with him. Through no fault of his.

The artwork was nice too, and while it jumped into and out of Logan's head, I didn't find that as confusing as it could have been.

All in all, a good read.

* I received an ARC via NetGalley.

[Sj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan is an 11 year old boy. He is nonverbal which means that although he can communicate, he doesn't do so through speaking out loud. His parents are taking him to the Santa parade in town. In the real world, he has some challenges that he must overcome. In his head, he overcomes those challenges as a superhero called ThunderBoom. His adventure tot he Santa parade is a very good read.

I love this story because it was very real. As an educator that works with many different types of students, some that are nonverbal, the depiction of Logan is realistic. I could see Logan in some of my students. I think that the world needs books like ThunderBoom because kids should be able to see themselves in the books they read.

I definitely recommend this book for 3rd through 6th grade classrooms. I think that every student regardless of their ability should read this book. It is a good way to learn how to be a friend. It is also a good way to learn that there are multiple ways that people communicate with one another and share space in the world. I also think that a vivid imagination is something that all kids can relate to. Parents, teachers, and children can all find something to love in ThunderBoom.

[pineapple tofu · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's time to see Santa in this heartwarming graphic novel about young Logan, who can't speak, who travels to the Christmas parade with his family. He lives with his parents and older sister, and one day his parents offer to take the whole family to the parade. Yet, as the parade begins, Logan gets lost, and he uses his imagination to help him find his family. Throughout the book, he fights samurai, clowns, and robots who challenge him. Can Logan make it safely back to his family by the end of the day?
Honestly, I had a hard time reading this one. It was challenging to get into, and staying with it was pretty hard. I felt like I had no connection with the characters, and the art style didn't grasp me at all. Thunderbolt had great morale, but this book wasn't for me.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Logan is excited to go to take the train to go to the parade. This graphic novel is a day in his life with the story being told from his family's point of view that shows what's actually happening and then from Logan's more imaginative point of view where he successfully moves through the world and saves the day as ThunderBoom scarring off villains with stomps. Logan doesn't speak and mostly communicates through sign language. When we are in his head, his thoughts are more complex, illustrating that just because someone doesn't communicate doesn't mean they do have thoughts and feelings. I like his sibling's support of how Logan goes through the world while his parents worry a lot. A great look at how someone else goes through the world.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very wild and graphic novel that should be in classrooms for all grades. It’s about a young boy named Lucas who is nonverbal. We see this story play out both from his parents, and from Lucas’s point of view. Lucas ‘s family takes him on the train to go see a parade. On the train, he makes friend, and ends up helping find her lost parents during the parade. He does this all while dealing with his own fears, anxiety, nonverbal communication. This book was short and well done but makes all his points and would be a great educational tool for kids that might need help understanding a nonverbal friend or classmate.

[Amanda Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thunder boom enters the mind of a nonverbal boy, Logan, as he goes about his day. His imagination is wild and he has many fears. Logan pretends to be a hero and actually does help someone along the way. I like the way normal people and animals are turned into monsters in his imagination. I don’t like the way he interacts with them though. He treats almost everyone as an enemy. I’m grateful my nonverbal sister didn’t act that way. There are a couple of scenes where Logan plays video games. I don’t understand what the point of Logan playing video games was.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems like this story has strong insight into an autistic kid's brain, but the storytelling was a bit scrambled and unclear, and sometimes the superhero alter ego stories didn't translate well. I would have preferred there to be a more straightforward story without the fabulist elements, since it's so important to represent this perspective of someone who is largely nonverbal.

Sweet friendships and family relationships are represented, but some of the plot gets muddled with a mishmash of storytelling formats.

[Laura]

Hmmmm. I'm not rating this because I think my reservations might be a me thing. I'm very skeptical of books written by the parents of kids with disabilities, which I think is maybe something I need to work on. This one was overall well-done, I think, and it's really cool to see a graphic novel with a nonverbal lead, and a book with Angelman syndrome rep. But something about it struck me as a little patronizing?? Idk. Maybe the son it was written about really loves it and feels like it's a great depiction of him.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade graphic novel tells the story of a boy who takes on super powers and has adventures. It is a fun story and is written in a way that will engage young readers. The illustrations are detailed but not overly bright, they remind me of Michael Marchenko (Robert Munsch) style. I would recommend this book for readers in the age 8-11 range. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is inspired by the author’s son who has Angelman Syndrome. Non-verbal Logan wants to go to the parade with his family but first must get past his neighbor’s scary dog. When he gets lost at the parade, his alter ego ThunderBoom, helps a lost girl find her stuffy and then her mother which gives him the confidence to overcome his fear of the neighbor’s dog and people with masks. While Logan’s parents are understandably anxious, his older sister is supportive and empathetic.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
I read a digital review copy courtesy of the publisher
Logan is a non-verbal kid with an active imagination. His parents take him to see a parade where he gets separated from them but finds a lost girl whom he met previously on the way to the parade. Logan becomes her hero by using his active imagination and alter ego Thunder Boom to help her become reunited with her parent. A strong storyline and colorful illustrations tie everything together.

[Raven Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

About 11-year-old Logan and the adventures he has in his imagination. Which seems normal enough, but Logan's neurodivergence take on life makes his relationship to the world hard on him and his family. The nice part of the story is the realism of his parents. It has a modern take where Logan is the center and his needs are catered too, instead of the trying to make him "fit in normally" stance. There were bumps for me in the storyline, but the illustrations were delightful.

[Bozhena Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Kids Can Press and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this great book. It was very interesting to see sign language represented on the page since the main character is nonverbal. Wonderful addition to any middle grade graphic novel collection as well as great disability representation (Angleman Syndrome based on the author’s son).

[Elia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little tale about a boy who can't speak, but still lives a rich, full life, not only in real life but in his own vivid imagination. Loga in non-verbal and communicates through sign language. He is scared of some things: people in masks, the neighbor's dog, but when he needs to be brave he steps up to the challenge and defies the odds, just like the superhero he is in his fantasies.

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kid was in the imaginary world fighting monsters, which helped him in the real world. He's a real superhero because of his imagination. He really helped people. I would give this four-and-a-half stars. Why? Because it inspired me and is a very good book. I recommend reading it. I would like to own a copy, and I will read it many times. I will probably read other books by this author.

[Melinda Bender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Logan goes to a holiday parade and gets separated from his family. In the meantime Logan finds a girl who is also lost and Logan has the idea to find the Santa Claus in the parade to help them. Logan becomes Thunder Boom and has the courage to save them from the ninjas in the parade. This story allows you to see and feel how it is for a non verbal person to live their every day life.

[Claire Wrobel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ll be reading this with my student book club because it is on the Panda Book Award list. It’s a good way to have a conversation about people with disabilities and having empathy and respect for people who are different than you. However I think it’s more of an upper elementary conversation than middle school because the way it’s written leans younger.

[Hema Madhunikha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read THUNDERBOOM!!!!.the main character can't talk,but he imagines a lot.don't shout or say something baaaaaaaaaaaaad about the book untill you read it . Thank you much if you read this review love ARULMOZHI VARMAN.🌹🧑‍🦱💕🐶

[Tanya Prax · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Read by Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and empowering graphic novel about a non-verbal boy who becomes a super hero in his imagination.