Heck Superhero

by Martine Leavitt

Heck is used to getting by on his own; his mother is unreliable, at best. But even a boy with a rich imagination is going to have a tough time managing when he and his mother find themselves without a home. It’s a good thing Heck has wit, strength, and a lot of optimism.

Genres: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Mystery, Contemporary

172 pages, Hardcover

First published May 28, 2003

About the author

Martine Leavitt has published ten novels for young adults, most recently Calvin, which won the Governor General’s Award of Canada. My Book of Life by Angel was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and winner of the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book of the Year. Other titles by Leavitt include Keturah and Lord Death, a finalist for the National Book Award, Tom Finder, winner of the Mr. Christie Award, and Heck Superhero, a finalist for the Governor General’s Award. Her novels have been published in Japan, Korea, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands. Currently she teaches creative writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts, a short-residency MFA program. She lives in High River, Alberta.

Reviews

[Gwen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I get the feeling that Leavitt does not really know about comics or what comics a 13-year-old (I think he was supposed to be 13) who loves comics would be familiar with in this day and age. Especially one who is presented as unsheltered and has supposedly been taking care of himself and his mother a long time. What results is an unbelievably naive character by a writer that makes herself sound just as naive by not really knowing the thing that, she tells her readers, her main character loves. As a 13-year-old boy how can he not have come across something like the hardline (yet somewhat questionable morality) of The Punisher? The disalussionment of Spiderman? The cynacizing of Batman? Even if he hasn't read things like Watchmen or The Doom Patrol (which I had read by the time I was 13), how can he still think that things always turn out alright for superheroes? Modern comics are full of unhappy endings and angst. His take is too simplistic.

Maybe my problem is that I've read too many books about jaded, comic book lovers. Maybe my problem is that I am one.

I thought she wrote some beautiful phrases and the idea behind the plot of the story is wonderful, but I was disapointed by how it was told. Like the main character, the story felt flat. I wanted more depth and I wanted more sophistication (yes, a young adult novel should have that).

I'm not going to get too geeky in this review (I've tried to keep to recognizable comics references) and maybe I've already been too harsh, but I think my main problem is that Leavitt did not seem to do the research she needed to in order to make this book interesting or anything more than mostly pretty pose. That said, I wished it had been better. I still want it to be better. As I finish writing this way-longer-than-intended review, I realize the book frustrated me because I had high hopes for it.

If you're a comics fan, probably shouldn't pick this one up. If you aren't, then I would say it's worth reading - I'd say it's a quick read for even an 11-year-old.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting this book to be funny, and it decidedly wasn't. Nevertheless, it was a really good book, and thought-provoking.

Heck is a good kid who tries to take care of his mom, who is depressive and occasionally temporally displaced (thinks she's six again, type of thing), particularly when she's under stress. The book starts with Heck (Hector)'s mom calling him at a friend's house to say that they've been locked out of the apartment for failure to pay the rent, and telling him to see if he can stay the night.

Heck doesn't. This story is about Heck's attempts to find his mom and survive. It is honest; it doesn't sugar-coat anything. Even the ending, which faintly colors some hope into the starkness of their lives, doesn't pretend that things are going to be easy. I was very impressed.

The book is short. It's a very quick read, written on a little younger level than I usually read.

[Glasdow Teacosy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young homeless boy named Heck, whose dysfunctional mother gets them evicted, struggles to survive on the streets while using superhero fantasies to help him cope. Not light reading by any means.

Here we have a main character who steals from his friend, takes drugs, lies to authorities, trespasses, and stubbornly refuses all offers of help. When Heck takes drugs and we experience him being high I was very tempted to put the book down. It was overall an unnecessary moment to experience, IMO.

Still Leavitt's writing was engaging and kept me reading. The plight of this young man was delicately handled and we watched him grow, reach epiphanies, and step "top side". The ending, though bittersweet, was handled well.

Overall, a good read and thought provoking tale of an anti-hero.

[Peter McGinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This young adult novel includes the two main elements I look for when I read a YA novel - or for that matter what I try to include in the books I write: a likeable main character and plenty of wit and humor. Life can be grim enough at times for younger readers without placing too grim or negative a book in their hands.

Heck (Hector) always tries to do the right thing, for his mother, for himself and for others he knows or meets. But being a kid, he doesn't always make the right choice, or he finds that even right choices can go wrong. As described in the book description, Heck sees himself as quite possibly a superhero, though he admits the jury is still out on whether he can live up to it. He is also a talented artist. Another theme is whether he is living in a complex multiverse, which has swallowed up his mother it seems, or at least is keeping her from being a "normal" attentive mom. I just watched a program about the theory of multiple universes, but don't worry, this book will not throw formulas or complex explanations at you concerning this theoretical explanation of existence. It reminds me a little of Homer's Odyssey, following Odysseus as he tries to make his way home after the Trojan War.

The story follows Heck around as he tries to navigate his sudden homelessness and the loss of contact with his mother. His adventures are varied and quite imaginative. Indeed, there was only one occasion when I knew what was about to happen before Heck knew, and even though it was one of the biggest plot twists of the book, my seeing it coming didn't cause me to enjoy the story any less. Like I said, I also write novels, so my mind sometimes picks out plot twists before they happen.

This book has many strong supporting characters, who help Heck develop as a person as the story unfolds.This includes his best friend, a teacher who provides a good role model, and even a homeless boy he encounters on the streets. The book is well-written and sensitive to the feelings of teenagers and how they fit into the adult world. I think it would be especially good reading for a teen who is artistic or interested in comics or science fiction, but any intelligent kid would certainly "get" it and enjoy a good read.

[Savanna Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

MARTINE LEAVITT CATEGORY
Heck(Hector)'s mom leaves because they got kicked out of their apartment for not paying rent. Heck's mom thinks that he is staying at his friend's house while she is gone, but he doesn't because he is afraid that he'll have to stay there for too long. He decides to spend his time on the streets looking for his mom. Heck likes to pretend he is her superhero--along the way he finds a friend that will forever change his life. This book lets you into the mind of a young teenager allowing you to understand why they make wrong decisions. Leavitt writes in a way that makes the reader want to be a superhero the way Heck is. I recommend this book to people of any age who need a push to make a daily choice to do the right thing.

[Molly Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read fiction in literal years (yay for being a historian!) and I sobbed for hours at this book. Be prepared to cry if you've got lots of experience with childhood trauma and mental illness or you're generally a super empathetic person. I am literally used to reading and writing about slavery, but couldn't get through this book without tears just streaming down my face.

I can't recommend it enough. I loved it.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quirky and charming story to read. I love things that are from a perspective of a creative, unique character and Heck certainly fits that description. While he may not lead an easy life, it as a charmed one in its own way and he possesses a knack for art and creativity that I wish I had.

[Rafael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t keen on reading the book but determined on reading it till the end. It took me more than a week to finish, but glad that I managed to stick it out till the end.
There is truth and wisdom in the plot and I read it with wet eyes. Wished the rest of the book was more pleasing to read.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

CATEGORY: MARTINE LEAVITT
This book is about a young boy in middle school, Heck, who is trying to find and save his mom. They have been evicted of their apartment, completely locked out, and all their stuff taken. The mom disappears trying to "fix" the situation, but Heck knows she has gone into "hypertime" mode, which is when she loses sense of time and purpose and may even wander into death. Rather than staying with his friend Spence like he is supposed to, Heck wanders around town for days, sleeping in cars and stealing food, trying to find and save his mom from herself. He tries to fix the situation by doing Good Deads for others, but they always seem to backfire as unwittingly he ends up stealing, trying drugs, and ultimately ends up in jail for a day. Another homeless kid, Marion, starts trailing him around who is lost in his own world as alien spores live in his pocket and he has to release them on May 5th so the Cyborgs can take them home. Heck tries to help this kid, but Marion ends up jumping from 3 stories and dies. Heck is finally reunited with his mom when they both land in the hospital. He gives up his superhero role, realizing he can't fix everything, and convinces his mom they need to get help from others.

I really did not like this book. It is just so awful! The kid is trying to do good things the whole time and literally the whole world takes advantage of him or shoves him off, not believing he needs help. The adult figures absolutely enfuriated me! They are all rude to him, ignore him, and don't try to listen and understand the situation he is in. Not one of them offer the support and comfort he desperately needs, even more so because he is terrified to confess he even needs help. It just lowered my faith in the people of this world a lot. To be honest, I wouldn't ever recommend this to anyone.

[Buchdoktor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mister Bandras, Hecks Kunstlehrer, kann die Krisen seines begabtesten Schülers genau erkennen. Immer wenn Heck Probleme hat, zeichnet er Superhelden. Wenn Hecks an Depressionen erkrankte Mutter sich mal wieder tagelang zu nichts aufraffen kann, gibt es kein Frühstück und kein Schulbrot. An solchen Tagen beschließt Mister Bandras ohne dabei eine Miene zu verziehen, dass er Erdnussbutter einfach nicht mag - und wirft sein Sandwich dem hungrigen Heck zu. Einen Schüler wie Heck bekommt man nur einmal im Leben, wird Bandras zum Ende der Handlung erklären, deshalb fühlt der Kunstlehrer sich für Heck besonders verantwortlich. Weil Hecks Mutter die Mahnungen und Briefe des Vermieters ungeöffnet stapelte und dann untertauchte, hat der Vermieter die Schlösser ausgewechselt und die Wohnung räumen lassen. Heck kann seine Schulsachen nicht mehr aus der Wohnung holen, wird von den schlimmsten Zahnschmerzen seines Lebens zermürbt - und er hat vor lauter Verzweiflung im Haus seines Freundes Geld gestohlen. Heck sieht nur einen Ausweg: Untertauchen und Geld verdienen, um die Mietschulden abzuzahlen. Der direkte Weg, Mister Bandras oder der Mutter seines Freunds Spence anzuvertrauen, dass seine Mutter verschwunden ist, bleibt Heck verschlossen. Schon früher hat der Junge erlebt, dass Erwachsene und Behörden, die sich einmischen, die Situation verschlimmern statt zu helfen. Wenn deine Mutter in ein Paralleluniversum abgetaucht ist und dir das so ultrapeinlich ist, dass du mit niemandem darüber sprechen kannst, musst du eine gute Tat vollbringen, beschließt Heck. Seine phantasievollen Versuche, sich einen Job zu suchen oder eine Gratis-Behandlung beim Zahnarzt zu schnorren, scheitern. Heck trifft schließlich Marion, einen sonderbaren Typ, in dessen Jackentasche zwischen allen Staubflusen bakteriengroße außerirdische Wesen leben und per Zahlencode mit ihm kommunizieren. Für Marion wird Heck nun etwas Gutes tun, damit er selbst seine Mutter wiederfindet. Martine Leavitt lässt uns als Leser gemeinsam mit Heck eine aufregende Woche erleben. Am Ende dieser Woche wird Heck, der immer eher ein Schweiger als ein Sprecher war, lernen mit jenen Menschen zu sprechen, die ihm helfen können. Heck wechselt dabei in rasantem Tempo zwischen seinen Rollen als Helfer und Hilfebedürftiger, er wird abwechselnd groß, klein, ängstlich, souverän oder forsch.

Heck hat sich so hoffnungslos in seinen Problemen verrannt, dass ich einige Male lieber die Augen geschlossen hätte, anstatt weiterzulesen. Für sensible Leser sind Hecks Erlebnisse starker Tobak. Doch die rührenden Bilder, mit denen er beschreibt wie leer und flach er sich im ganzen Körper fühlt, wenn es ihm schlecht geht, lohnen die Lektüre. Auf der Suche nach einem Buch für Jungs mit einem überzeugenden Helden fand ich in Mein Leben als Superheld gleich drei Helden. Mit Marion, Spence und Mister Bandras lässt die Autorin unvergessliche Helden des Alltags aus ihrer Unauffälligkeit heraustreten. Wie Comics sie zu ihrem Helden Heck anregten, zeigt Leavitt im Nachwort und stellt im Glossar mit Begriffen der Sprechblasen-Kultur die Verknüpfung zu Hecks außergewöhnllicher Gedankenwelt her. Ein spannendes, rührendes und auch witziges Buch über ein Kind, das gegenüber seiner psychisch kranken Mutter die Rolle des Erwachsenen einnimmt.

Einem siebenjährigen Leser, wie hier empfohlen, würde ich das Buch noch nicht zumuten, sondern die Empfehlung davon abhängig machen, ob ein Kind schon verkraften kann, dass der Held des Buches eine Weile sich selbst überlassen wirkt, ehe er Hilfe erhält.

[Madison Hutchings · Rating 5 out of 5]

REQUIRED AUTHOR MARTINE LEAVITT

Heck is a kid in eighth grade who has a talent for art, a firm belief that Good Deeds bring positive consequences, and a mom with a tendency for going into "hypertime." When things get hard, she disappears. She loses track of time and struggles to grasp reality, leaving Heck to fend for himself. When they are evicted from their apartment, his mom calls to tell him to stay at a friends for a couple of days. Instead, Heck ends up wandering the streets, sleeping in a car, encountering a boy named Marion who is possibly crazy or possibly living in a different microverse, and experiencing things no kid should have to experience.

This book was deep, deeper than I expected. I knew from the beginning that it would deal with some hard topics such as poverty and family struggles and a kid trying to deal with those, but as Heck fantasizes about how he can be a superhero and save his mom from herself, he ends up facing much harder situations and much bigger questions than he ever had before. His struggles affected me so acutely, and I finished the book startled at the fact that everything I read, though intense and bordering on science fiction at times, had a firm footing in a grim reality. Leavitt does a wonderful job of writing in Heck's voice, giving the reader insight into his way of thinking simply by describing the world and experiences as Heck sees them. A really powerful story.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heck is at a friend’s house when his mom calls to say they’ve been evicted. He knows he should tell someone, but he doesn’t want to go to foster care. So when his friend’s dad drops him off, he pretends to head inside . . . though truthfully, he has nowhere to go.

While this is a novel for teens, the message I gleamed came from an adult reading of the text. From a grownup perspective, Heck Superhero filled me an urge to protect the young protagonist. At every turn I wanted him to tell his friend, to tell his teacher, to tell the police officer, to tell someone, and to get help. There is a perceived need among adults to protect innocence or preserve childhood. I understand this desire, but I have never before engaged it with a text. My brain says that sex, violence, and even obscenity have their place in teen literature as they reflect a real part of teen experience. That said, something about teens being deprived of physical needs (being homeless or being hungry) put my protective adult on alert.

I like this book because Leavitt presents interesting ideas about what teens can do alone. She doesn’t imply that teens will never need adult help, but through her plot decisions, she suggests that adults should wait until they ask for it. This is a very grown-up approach to teens, and it empowers them. While we rush to shelter the young, we don’t help adults without their request. In the novel, Heck is often vulnerable and occasionally helpless (in one scene he walks the streets in a drug stupor), but he resists asking for help. He believes he can change his own circumstances. Heck trusts the Theory of Everything, the idea that for every Good Deed he is able to perform, something wrong in the real world is righted. This imagined power for good lends brevity to an otherwise sad fiction and gives Heck agency to change his situation. Though Heck does seek help at the end, he reaches for it on his own terms. In this way, I felt like Leavitt told my adult instincts to back off. One goal of YA fiction is to help young adults develop and grow, but perhaps they can’t do this if adults leave them no room to maneuver. I still feel uncomfortable about Heck’s days on the streets, but I appreciate Leavitt’s exploration of teen self-reliance.

Overall, Leavitt’s book is an interesting character study on how to rescue ourselves from impossible situations. The dialogue feels contemporary and relevant to teens. To her credit, Heck doesn’t sound like Martine Leavitt; he sounds like a young man. Still, a few aspects of Heck Superhero wrap up too tidily. There is only superficial discussion of mental illness (emphasized in the character of Heck’s friend Marion). After Marion’s suicide, which is described in horrifying detail, he is quickly wiped out of the picture. The lack of adequate discussion about what Marion’s death means makes me question Leavitt’s idea of teen self-reliance. Are young adults empowered to rescue themselves, but never anyone else?

[Marielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I went into this book not expecting much; it's for a school project, so that automatically means it's not going to be any good, right? WRONG. I know, I'm in college and should know by now that all books for school aren't bad, but the stigma still seems to wriggle itself into my brain! Maybe one of these days I'll grow out of it...

Anyway, I LOVED THIS BOOK! But it made me want to be really good at art, but I'm not, so that kind of sucks, but the way that this book describes art is almost magical and I could clearly envision everything that Heck drew. As for Heck as a character, at first I thought that he was a little weird, but I grew to love him extremely quickly. Another thing that I did not expect was that it would touch me so deeply. I almost cried at one especially tear-inducing moment, but I was laying outside in the quad and didn't want people to think I was a crazy weirdo or something. When Marion jumped and killed himself, of course the song I was listening to just happened to be "Don't Jump," which just made it all that much worse :/ However depressing it was, I also found it really funny, in a quirky kind of way. I snorted once or twice, at least (it was way more than that actually) and it made Heck even more likable!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

How I Came To Read This Book: My prof selected it for a 'fiction for children' class.

The Plot: Thirteen-year-old Heck is in a heck of a lot of trouble. His mom has gone missing after getting them evicted from their apartment. He doesn't want to upset his friends' parents (where he's crashing) by telling her this fact because he doesn't want to end up in foster care. To try and protect his mom (with his inner-superhero alter ego), and himself, Heck ends up crashing in car, dealing with excruciating teeth pain, and struggling to reconcile himself to being 'homeless' and parentless.

The Good & The Bad: This book plays out like an episode of Degrassi. You definitely feel bad for Heck, and supremely annoyed with his mom, and to a degree with Heck himself for trying to be a hero when he should really just be a kid. Ultimately I remember thinking things ended a bit too rosily for all parties involved, although relatively speaking I thought this was a good book. A bit simplistic, but it's fiction for children.

The Bottom Line: A nice after-school special-type of story. A bit grim, but may make young uns be more grateful.

Anything Memorable: Nope.

50-Book Challenge?: N/A

[Kayli Jorgensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

MARTINE LEAVITT

This was one of the better books I've read for this class, and I enjoyed it. It was well-written, fast-paced, and despite the difficult subject matter and events, filled with hope. It's about a fourteen year old boy, Heck, whose mother goes missing (not for the first time), and he sets out to find her because he knows she is dealing with depression and might not know when to come back. He wants to think of himself as a superhero, because he has always been the rock in his relationship with his mom. However, as he becomes involved with life on the street, he learns the realities of life and his inability to fix every wrong. It takes the suicide of his new friend for him to finally come to this conclusion, and it is then that he realizes it is okay to rely on others. I would recommend this book to teens over thirteen or fourteen simply because of the suicide scene. Otherwise, it I would recommend it to all teens, both boys and girls. I think most teens will connect with the major themes of independence and love, and Heck is an extremely likable and realistic character.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

MARTINE LEAVITT CATEGORY

Heck, an eighth grader with amazing drawing abilities and an obsession with superheroes and karma (deemed "good deeds"), spends a week on the streets when his mom becomes depressed. He's always been responsible for taking care of his mom and himself. He does anything to keep his mom out of trouble and himself out of foster care. Heck believes he is a superhero and does good deeds in order to make his way through life, but struggles because he's just a kid and can't take care of himself. This book deals with mental illness (through Heck's mom and friend Marion) and shows through Heck's character how and why children grow up too fast. I really liked this book because Heck is a unique character with a distinct voice, and he is fiercely protective of his mother to the point that he puts himself in danger. This book gave me greater understanding and sympathy for those with mental illness. Although the story didn't have a "wrapped up" ending, it was definitely an enjoyable, albeit sad, read.

[Ashley Ardans · Rating 3 out of 5]

REQUIRED AUTHOR: MARTINE LEAVITT
I enjoyed this book. It's the story of a 13 year old boy with a single mother who has major issues with depression. In order to cope with her mental illness, the boy (Heck) imagines himself to be a superhero. He does good deeds, hoping that the universe will repay him--he picks up trash around the apartment building hoping that the landlord will be lenient with his mother for making payments late; he buys popcorn for some poor boys hoping that someone will give him money so he can buy food. One day, Heck's mother calls and asks him to stay at his friend's house for the night. She had entered "hyperspace" as Heck calls it, or another episode of depression. Too embarrassed to ask his friend for help, Heck spends a few days on the streets, now locked out of his apartment due to all of the late payments. Throughout the book, he learns to come to terms with his situation and accept help.
I would recommend this book for young teenagers and children who live in difficult situations like Heck's.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Julie M. Prince for TeensReadToo.com

Heck's mom is lost. She disappeared after they were locked out of their apartment because she couldn't pay the rent. Heck's used to taking care of himself, but what will happen to his small, fragile mother? Who will take care of her?

Heck has to find her before she ends up in another dimension, one where she doesn't exist at all. The problem is, he's still in his flat stage. It's how all superheroes start out, but Heck is running short on time, so he has to perform the Good Deed that will get he and his mother topworld.

The Good Deed is hard to do when you've been sleeping in a car, you have no money, and your tooth aches so badly that you can't breathe without feeling stabs of pain. But, Heck is determined to find a way to save his mom -- if he didn't, what kind of superhero would he be?

Heck is a fabulous character, one who is rich in imagination and heart!

[Karinna Ly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, I usually do not like to read these types of books but I borrowed some reading material for my younger brother to read thinking that it had to do with some superhero type of thing that my brother enjoys. Later, I was bored and decided to give it a shot.

I don't feel that the author really knows too much about superheroes themselves...but I do give her credit for trying to incorporate the topic into her story. I liked Heck's character because his personality was naïve and innocent while trying to become an adult-like character to protect and find his mom. The story was not sugar-coated; it seemed real and believable.

One thing that I really enjoyed this book for was how it made you think. It made you look into certain characters and try to understand them a little bit more than what they were probably worth.

Overall, this book was a pretty good read, but I, myself, probably wouldn't reread it again. It's not a book that I would read for fun over and over again.

[Selina · Rating 1 out of 5]

REQ AUTHOR/ MARTINE LEAVITT: Leavitt writes a story of a young boy named Heck, abandoned by his mother and trying to live on his own. At times he is brutally aware of the circumstance he is in, and many times he imagines himself as a superhero. He imagines that if he can do one big Good Deed, then his mom will come back, and everything will be fixed. The story follows his befriending of the local mentally-ill boy.
The story is heart wrenching and makes you wish you could help the boy; we have a very vulnerable protagonist. While I liked the eye-opening perspective, I felt that the narrator's voice was confusing and I got very frustrated at his inability to communicate his problems to others.
Overall, my frustration with the book and sadness at the ending resulting in my low rating. I wouldn't recommend this book to others, but according to the reviews I would be interested in reading some of her other works.

[Sally Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

MARTINE LEAVITT AUTHOR

"Just thinking about the Good Deed made him feel better. It was the cookie at the bottom of the bag. It was the holiday coming up, the good dream the night before, the money in the pocket of a coat you hadn’t worn for a long time. It was the thing that made you feel good even though you couldn’t remember what it was that was making you feel good." This was a kind of tear-jerking moment when I realized how helpless Heck felt after the disappearance of her mother and becoming homeless. Heck's effort to push this helplessness aside and attempt to discover his purpose, to do the Good Deed, which he believes will bring his mother back when he achieves it, really moved me. When he pushes away other people's help, getting into his Superhero persona, I couldn't help but feel regretful for his unfortunate situation. Anybody who wants a powerful, psychological, and deeply moving story, this is a perfect story to read without becoming too overwhelmed.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, 3.3 stars. I thought it looked pretty good when I checked it out of my local library, but after reading it this morning, the inside cover made it seem better than it was. Isn't there a saying for that? All that glitters is not gold? Anyways, it's pretty good, and would have earned a full blown 3 if in the front, where it says the printing information and such, it said

'Abandoned Children - fiction', etc...., 'Canada - fiction'

That just brought a smile to my face. Then again, I'm prone to making fun of Canada for no plain reason, whatsoever.

It wasn't written 'perfectly', per se, and the author just didn't seem to 'get' the mind of a 13 year old. I don't know ANY kids of that age (Yes, I am a teenager) who would turn down staying at thier best friend's house for a few nights, only with the threat of pride.

[Laura Sibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martine Leavitt's story of a boy who is trying to find his mother is both compelling and heart-warming. The story, told from 13 year old Heck's point of view, unfolds to allow the reader to understand that Heck's mother is mentally ill - probably depressed or perhaps bipolar - though Heck never says as much. After receiving a call from his mother telling him that they've been evicted, Heck lives on the streets rather than tell his best friend, favorite teacher or neighbor what happened. He is worried that social services will take Heck from his mother and make him live in 'frosty care'. Heck's love for his mother and urge to protect her make him a well-rounded and sympathetic character and the resolution, while slightly tidy, feels like a realistic resolution to Heck's story. A wonderful story that I recommend.

[Cassie Pham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is short and bittersweet, just the way I like it. It is about a boy named Heck (Hector) who has to take care of his mom who is in a different state of mind where she isn't able to do anything. One day, his mom wanders off into the city, leaving Heck broke and homeless (due to his mom refusing to pay the rent of their apartment). Heck has to go on a journey to find his mother and make sure she is safe, while also finding a way to earn money to eat and drink on the way. I like this book somewhat because although this book centers around a kid, the author makes him seem very real. The story is very real, and I really like how she balances reality and imagination, like the Good Deed Theory and the pocket aliens. I especially like the idea of karma, that if you perform a Good Deed, you will be rewarded in the future.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing worse then a painful tooth, it changes your outlook and perception in life if you are in constant pain. Heck is in such a situation, but not only does he has holes in his teeth, but is also without shelter, food or family. His mother is unable to cope due to depressive illness and Heck has to fend for himself. Drawing superheroes is a method that Heck uses to escape from his life, but he soon finds out he has to face reality. Heck lives on the street and faces drug use, stealing, breaking and entering an art studio and has contact with numerous adults who just do not see the whole picture and therefore do not help him.

It is a great book and I found it sad, but Heck is one of those rare kids who are able to eventually figure things out.

[whalesister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way Martine can deal with the dark and depressing--drugs, mothers who abandon you, friends who commit suicide--without making you depressed. There's always a sense of goodness and possibility just around the corner, even when you think things can't possibly get worse--a sense of magic in the middle of stark realism. I love the main character in this book, and I love the way Martine tells this story. I felt I got a glimpse into just how broad her compassion is for people in pain.
I just read this for a second time for a book discussion and liked it even more. The more you dig, the more you see. Really lovely.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was in the children's section of the library and it's about Heck, a boy who is left alone when his mom "hyperspaces" or basically has another breakdown when the two are evicted from their apartment. He has a best friend and a very supportive teacher, but he's afraid to tell anyone that he needs help, so he wanders around homeless and in need of a dentist trying to be the superhero of the family and find his mom through doing "good deeds."

This character is similar to all the kids on their own characters that pepper this genre, except that he's showing the same traits as his mother in terms of coping skills and an ability to grasp, or not grasp reality. It's depressing.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heck Superhero contains elements of bravery, adventure, and the love of a mother. Parts of this novel were confusing because the author frequently switched from two mind-sets without an explanation and it was challenging to sort through what was actually taking place. When I could comprehend the events, I enjoyed Heck’s determination and the roller coaster of his internal conflicts. Heck’s personality and talents were incredibly unique and gave the book a burst of heart. Taking away from Heck Superhero I know I can be honest with my friends and family. I also can have a determined state of mind with the help of loved ones. I would recommend this novel to readers of adventure.

[E.j. Rios · Rating 3 out of 5]

MARTINE LEAVITT. Heck and his mom were just evicted form their apartment, he doesn't stay with a friend and doesn't go to school for several days because he is obsessed with saving his mom. In Heck's world, he is a superhero who must do good deeds so that he can save his mom from never coming back. He has no idea where she is, no money, and his teeth are killing him. Heck has some funny moments, and Heck's humor and positive attitude make it an easy read. It could have been a lot more sad. The writing style is engaging, especially when talking about Heck's rotting teeth. It's an interesting book but not one that stayed on my mind after I read.

[Abigail Packard · Rating 4 out of 5]

REQUIRED AUTHOR

Heck, Superhero chronicles a few days in the life of Heck (Hector) as he tries to find his missing mother after they have been evicted from their apartment and before she fully succumbs to "hypertime." Along the way Heck finds help from his friend Spence and his art teacher and he's able to help Marion, a young man who lives on the streets because his mother has died. The story creatively deals with big issues like homelessness, suicide, and mental illness through the superhero-based thoughts of Heck. Heartbreaking in it's hilarity and tearjerking in it's portrayal of the tenacious Heck.