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The Mighty Odds #1
The Mighty Odds
When a sweet nerd, an artsy cartoonist, a social outcast, and the most popular girl in school are involved in a mysterious bus accident, this seemingly random group of kids starts to notice some very strange abilities they did not have before. Artsy Martina can change her eye color. Nerdy Nick can teleport . . . four inches to the left. Outcast Farshad develops super strength, but only in his thumbs. And Cookie, the It Girl of school’s most popular clique, has suddenly developed the ability to read minds . . . when those minds are thinking about directions. They are oddly mighty—especially together.
This group—who would never hang out under normal circumstances—must now combine all of their strengths to figure out what happened during the bus accident. With alternating narratives from each of the heroes, including illustrated pieces from Martina.
This group—who would never hang out under normal circumstances—must now combine all of their strengths to figure out what happened during the bus accident. With alternating narratives from each of the heroes, including illustrated pieces from Martina.
240 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
October 21, 2017
3.5 stars. Kind of silly and light with some deeper undercurrents, this story of 4 kids gaining rather ridiculous superpowers is a really fast read. The kids occupy different social strata at a small high school: Cookie (the popular girl), Nick (nerdy and kind of ignored), Martina (quiet, artistic, and mostly not noticed by anyone) and Farshad (bullied and ostracized, at Cookie's instigation, by all the students). Cookie must face some hard truths about her behaviour, while it was pretty heartbreaking reading about Farshad's feelings about his ostracism.
There is a mystery to why and how they gained their powers, which isn't solved in this book. I liked the differences between the kids, and how they have to learn to respect and work together.
There is a mystery to why and how they gained their powers, which isn't solved in this book. I liked the differences between the kids, and how they have to learn to respect and work together.
July 22, 2016
If you could have one weird superpower, what would it be? Not a normal one, mind you. We’re not doing a flight vs. invisibility discussion here. The power would have to be extraordinary and odd. If it’s completely useless, all the better. Me? I think I’d like my voice to be same as the voice you hear in your head when you’re reading something. You know that voice? That would be my superpower. A good author can crank this concept up to eleven if they want to. Enter, Amy Ignatow. She is one of the rare authors capable of making me laugh out loud at the back covers of her books. For years she’s penned The Popularity Papers to great success and acclaim. Now that very realistic school focus is getting a bit of a sci-fi/fantasy kick in the pants. In The Mighty Odds, Ignatow takes the old misfits-join-together-to-save-the-world concept and throws in a lot of complex discussions of race, middle school politics, bullying, and good old-fashioned invisible men. The end result is a 21st century superhero story for kids that’s keeps you guessing every step of the way.
A school bus crashes in a field. No! Don’t worry! No one is killed (that we can tell). And the bus was just full of a bunch of disparate kids without any particular connection to one another. There was the substitute teacher and the bus driver (who has disappeared). And there was mean girl Cookie (the only black girl in school and one of the most popular), Farshad (nicknamed “Terror Boy” long ago by Cookie), Nick (nerdy and sweet), and Martina (the girl no one notices, though she’s always drawing in her sketchbook). After the accident everything should have just gotten back to normal. Trouble is, it didn’t. Each person who was on or near the bus when the accident occurred is a little bit different. It might be a small thing, like the fact that Martina’s eyes keep changing color. It might be a weird thing, like how Cookie can read people’s minds when they’re thinking of directions. It might be a powerful thing, like Farshad’s super strength in his thumbs. Or it might be a potentially powerful, currently weird thing like Nick’s sudden ability to teleport four inches to his left. And that’s before they discover that someone is after them. Someone who means them harm.
Superhero misfits are necessarily new. Remember Mystery Men? This book reminded me a lot of that old comic book series / feature film. In both cases superpowers are less a metaphor and more a vehicle for hilarity. I read a lot of books for kids but only once in a while do I find one enjoyable enough to sneak additional reads of on the sly. This book hooked me fairly early on, and I credit its sense of humor for that. Here’s a good example of it. Early in the book Cookie and a friend are caught leaving the field trip for their own little side adventure. The kids in their class speculate what they got up to and one says that clearly they got drunk. Farshad's dry wit then says, “… because two twelve-year-olds finding a bar in Philadelphia that would serve them at eleven A.M. was completely plausible.” Add in the fact that they go to “Deborah Read Middle School” (you’ll have to look it up) and I'm good to go.
Like I’ve said, the book could have just been another fun, bloodless superhero misfit storyline. But Ignatow likes challenges. When she wrote the Popularity Papers books she gave one of her two heroines two dads and then filled the pages with cursive handwriting. Here, her heroes are a variety of different races and backgrounds, but this isn’t a Benetton ad. People don't get along. Cookie’s the only black kid in her school and she’s been very careful to cement herself as popular from the start. When her mom moved them to Muellersville, Cookie had to be careful to find a way to become “the most popular and powerful person in school.” Martina suggests at one point that she likes being angry, and indeed when the world starts to go crazy on her the thing that grounds her, if only for a moment, is anger. And why shouldn’t she be angry? Her mom moved her away from her extended family to a town where she knew no one, and then her mother married a guy with two kids fairly fast. Cookie herself speculates about the fact that she probably has more in common with Farshad than she’d admit. “He was the Arab Kid, just like Cookie was the Black Girl and Harshita Singh was the Indian Girl and Danny Valdez was the Hispanic Guy and Emma Lee was the Asian Chick. They should have all formed a posse long ago and walked around Muellersville together, just to freak people out.” Cookie realizes that she and Farshad need to have one another’s backs. “It was one thing to be a brown person in Muellersville and another to be a brown person in Muellersville with superpowers.” At this point in time Ignatow doesn't dig any deeper into this, but Cookie's history, intentions, and growth give her a depth you won't find in the usual popular girl narrative.
For the record, I have a real appreciation for contemporary books that feature characters that get almost zero representation in books. For example, one of the many things I love about Tom Angleberger’s The Qwikpick Papers series is that one of the three heroes is Jehovah’s Witness. In this book, one of the kids that comes to join our heroes is Amish. Amish kids are out there. They exist. And they almost never EVER get heroic roles in stories about a group of friends. And Abe doesn't have a large role in this book, it's true, but it's coming.
Having just one African-American in the school means that you’re going to have ignorant other characters. Cookie has done a good job at getting the popular kids in line, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is suddenly enlightened. Anyone can be tone deaf. Even one of our heroes, which in this case means Nick’s best friend, the somewhat ADD, always chipper Jay. Now I’ve an odd bit of affection for Jay, and not just because in his endless optimism he honestly thinks he’ll get permission to show his class “Evil Dead Two” on the field trip bus (this may also mark the first time an “Evil Dead” film has been name dropped in a middle grade novel, by the way). The trouble comes when he talks about Cookie. He has a tendency to not just be tone deaf but veering into really racially questionable territory when he praises her. Imagine a somewhat racist Pepe Le Pew. That’s Jay. He’s a small town kid who’s only known a single solitary black person his entire life and he's enamored with her. Still, that’s no excuse for calling her “my gorgeous Nubian queen” or saying someday they’ll “make coffee-colored babies.” I expected a little more a comeuppance for Jay and his comments, but I suppose that’ll have to wait for a future book in the series. At the very least, his words are sure to raise more than few eyebrows from readers.
Funny is good. Great even. But funny doesn’t lift a middle grade book out of the morass of other middle grade books that are clogging up the bookstores and libraries of the world. To hit home you need to work just a smidgen of heart in there. A dose of reality. Farshad’s plight as the victim of anti-Muslim sentiment is very real, but it’s also Nick’s experiences with his dying/dead father that do some heavy lifting. As you get to know Nick, Ignatow sprinkles hints about his life throughout the text in a seamless manner. Like when Nick is thinking about weird days in his life and flashes back to the day after his dad’s funeral. He and his mom had “spent the entire day flopped on the couch, watching an impromptu movie marathon of random films (The Lord of the Rings, They Live, Some Like It Hot, Ghostbusters, and Babe) and eating fancy stuff from the gift baskets that people had sent, before finally getting up to order pizza.” There’s a strong smack of reality in that bit, and there are more like it in the book. A funny book that sucker punches your heart from time to time makes for good reading.
Lest we forget, this is an illustrated novel. Ignatow makes the somewhat gutsy choice of not explaining the art for a long time. Long before we even get to know Martina, we see her in various panels and spreads as an alien. In time, we learn that the art in this book is all her art, and that she draws herself as a Martian because that’s what her sister calls her. Not that you’ll know any of this for about 125 pages. The author makes you work to get at that little nugget of knowledge. By the way, as a character, Martina the artist is fascinating. She’s sort of the Luna Lovegood of the story. Or, as Nick puts it, “She had a sort of almost absentminded way of saying things that shouldn’t have been true but probably were.” There is one tiny flub in the art when Martina draws all the kids as superheroes and highlights Farshad’s thumbs, though at that point in the storyline no one knows that those are his secret weapons. Other than that, it’s pretty perfect.
It’s also pretty clearly middle school fare, if based on language alone. You’ve got kids leaving messages on cinderblocks that read “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” or “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” That may be the most realistic middle school detail I’ve read in a book in a long time. The bullying is systematic, realistic, and destructive (though that’s never clear to the people doing the bullying). A little more hard core than what an elementary school book might discuss. And Cookie is a superb bully. She’s honestly baffled when Farshad confronts her about what she's done to him with her rumors.
A word of warning to the wise: This is clearly the first book in a longer series. When you end this tale you will know the characters and know their powers but you still won’t know who the bad guys are exactly, why the kids got their powers (though the bus driver does drop one clue), or where the series is going next. For a story where not a lot of time passes, it really works the plotting and strong characterizations in there. I like middle grade books that dream big and shoot for the moon. “The Mighty Odds” does precisely that and also works in some other issues along the way. Just to show that it can. Great, fun, silly, fantastical fantasy work. A little smarter and a little weirder than most of the books out there today.
For ages 10 and up.
A school bus crashes in a field. No! Don’t worry! No one is killed (that we can tell). And the bus was just full of a bunch of disparate kids without any particular connection to one another. There was the substitute teacher and the bus driver (who has disappeared). And there was mean girl Cookie (the only black girl in school and one of the most popular), Farshad (nicknamed “Terror Boy” long ago by Cookie), Nick (nerdy and sweet), and Martina (the girl no one notices, though she’s always drawing in her sketchbook). After the accident everything should have just gotten back to normal. Trouble is, it didn’t. Each person who was on or near the bus when the accident occurred is a little bit different. It might be a small thing, like the fact that Martina’s eyes keep changing color. It might be a weird thing, like how Cookie can read people’s minds when they’re thinking of directions. It might be a powerful thing, like Farshad’s super strength in his thumbs. Or it might be a potentially powerful, currently weird thing like Nick’s sudden ability to teleport four inches to his left. And that’s before they discover that someone is after them. Someone who means them harm.
Superhero misfits are necessarily new. Remember Mystery Men? This book reminded me a lot of that old comic book series / feature film. In both cases superpowers are less a metaphor and more a vehicle for hilarity. I read a lot of books for kids but only once in a while do I find one enjoyable enough to sneak additional reads of on the sly. This book hooked me fairly early on, and I credit its sense of humor for that. Here’s a good example of it. Early in the book Cookie and a friend are caught leaving the field trip for their own little side adventure. The kids in their class speculate what they got up to and one says that clearly they got drunk. Farshad's dry wit then says, “… because two twelve-year-olds finding a bar in Philadelphia that would serve them at eleven A.M. was completely plausible.” Add in the fact that they go to “Deborah Read Middle School” (you’ll have to look it up) and I'm good to go.
Like I’ve said, the book could have just been another fun, bloodless superhero misfit storyline. But Ignatow likes challenges. When she wrote the Popularity Papers books she gave one of her two heroines two dads and then filled the pages with cursive handwriting. Here, her heroes are a variety of different races and backgrounds, but this isn’t a Benetton ad. People don't get along. Cookie’s the only black kid in her school and she’s been very careful to cement herself as popular from the start. When her mom moved them to Muellersville, Cookie had to be careful to find a way to become “the most popular and powerful person in school.” Martina suggests at one point that she likes being angry, and indeed when the world starts to go crazy on her the thing that grounds her, if only for a moment, is anger. And why shouldn’t she be angry? Her mom moved her away from her extended family to a town where she knew no one, and then her mother married a guy with two kids fairly fast. Cookie herself speculates about the fact that she probably has more in common with Farshad than she’d admit. “He was the Arab Kid, just like Cookie was the Black Girl and Harshita Singh was the Indian Girl and Danny Valdez was the Hispanic Guy and Emma Lee was the Asian Chick. They should have all formed a posse long ago and walked around Muellersville together, just to freak people out.” Cookie realizes that she and Farshad need to have one another’s backs. “It was one thing to be a brown person in Muellersville and another to be a brown person in Muellersville with superpowers.” At this point in time Ignatow doesn't dig any deeper into this, but Cookie's history, intentions, and growth give her a depth you won't find in the usual popular girl narrative.
For the record, I have a real appreciation for contemporary books that feature characters that get almost zero representation in books. For example, one of the many things I love about Tom Angleberger’s The Qwikpick Papers series is that one of the three heroes is Jehovah’s Witness. In this book, one of the kids that comes to join our heroes is Amish. Amish kids are out there. They exist. And they almost never EVER get heroic roles in stories about a group of friends. And Abe doesn't have a large role in this book, it's true, but it's coming.
Having just one African-American in the school means that you’re going to have ignorant other characters. Cookie has done a good job at getting the popular kids in line, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is suddenly enlightened. Anyone can be tone deaf. Even one of our heroes, which in this case means Nick’s best friend, the somewhat ADD, always chipper Jay. Now I’ve an odd bit of affection for Jay, and not just because in his endless optimism he honestly thinks he’ll get permission to show his class “Evil Dead Two” on the field trip bus (this may also mark the first time an “Evil Dead” film has been name dropped in a middle grade novel, by the way). The trouble comes when he talks about Cookie. He has a tendency to not just be tone deaf but veering into really racially questionable territory when he praises her. Imagine a somewhat racist Pepe Le Pew. That’s Jay. He’s a small town kid who’s only known a single solitary black person his entire life and he's enamored with her. Still, that’s no excuse for calling her “my gorgeous Nubian queen” or saying someday they’ll “make coffee-colored babies.” I expected a little more a comeuppance for Jay and his comments, but I suppose that’ll have to wait for a future book in the series. At the very least, his words are sure to raise more than few eyebrows from readers.
Funny is good. Great even. But funny doesn’t lift a middle grade book out of the morass of other middle grade books that are clogging up the bookstores and libraries of the world. To hit home you need to work just a smidgen of heart in there. A dose of reality. Farshad’s plight as the victim of anti-Muslim sentiment is very real, but it’s also Nick’s experiences with his dying/dead father that do some heavy lifting. As you get to know Nick, Ignatow sprinkles hints about his life throughout the text in a seamless manner. Like when Nick is thinking about weird days in his life and flashes back to the day after his dad’s funeral. He and his mom had “spent the entire day flopped on the couch, watching an impromptu movie marathon of random films (The Lord of the Rings, They Live, Some Like It Hot, Ghostbusters, and Babe) and eating fancy stuff from the gift baskets that people had sent, before finally getting up to order pizza.” There’s a strong smack of reality in that bit, and there are more like it in the book. A funny book that sucker punches your heart from time to time makes for good reading.
Lest we forget, this is an illustrated novel. Ignatow makes the somewhat gutsy choice of not explaining the art for a long time. Long before we even get to know Martina, we see her in various panels and spreads as an alien. In time, we learn that the art in this book is all her art, and that she draws herself as a Martian because that’s what her sister calls her. Not that you’ll know any of this for about 125 pages. The author makes you work to get at that little nugget of knowledge. By the way, as a character, Martina the artist is fascinating. She’s sort of the Luna Lovegood of the story. Or, as Nick puts it, “She had a sort of almost absentminded way of saying things that shouldn’t have been true but probably were.” There is one tiny flub in the art when Martina draws all the kids as superheroes and highlights Farshad’s thumbs, though at that point in the storyline no one knows that those are his secret weapons. Other than that, it’s pretty perfect.
It’s also pretty clearly middle school fare, if based on language alone. You’ve got kids leaving messages on cinderblocks that read “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” or “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” That may be the most realistic middle school detail I’ve read in a book in a long time. The bullying is systematic, realistic, and destructive (though that’s never clear to the people doing the bullying). A little more hard core than what an elementary school book might discuss. And Cookie is a superb bully. She’s honestly baffled when Farshad confronts her about what she's done to him with her rumors.
A word of warning to the wise: This is clearly the first book in a longer series. When you end this tale you will know the characters and know their powers but you still won’t know who the bad guys are exactly, why the kids got their powers (though the bus driver does drop one clue), or where the series is going next. For a story where not a lot of time passes, it really works the plotting and strong characterizations in there. I like middle grade books that dream big and shoot for the moon. “The Mighty Odds” does precisely that and also works in some other issues along the way. Just to show that it can. Great, fun, silly, fantastical fantasy work. A little smarter and a little weirder than most of the books out there today.
For ages 10 and up.
June 19, 2021
If only i could, I'd give a hundred stars to this book. No.. Its not a literary masterpiece or anything. But I loved it for all the laughter and fun it gave us(me and my kid) while reading together.
I read this book aloud to my son and while doing so, often i had to stop to control my giggles and i loved hearing my son chuckle every now and then when he was reading the book on his own. (The book served its purpose)
Apart from being tremendously funny its an average tween darama filled with all sorts of entertaining factors like popular kids vs nerds, early signs of interest towards opposite sex, friendship, gossip and an accident for plot twist.
The exquisite cartoon work all over the book is an added bonus for us readers.
I read this book aloud to my son and while doing so, often i had to stop to control my giggles and i loved hearing my son chuckle every now and then when he was reading the book on his own. (The book served its purpose)
Apart from being tremendously funny its an average tween darama filled with all sorts of entertaining factors like popular kids vs nerds, early signs of interest towards opposite sex, friendship, gossip and an accident for plot twist.
The exquisite cartoon work all over the book is an added bonus for us readers.
September 13, 2016
The Mighty Odds takes a very, very long time to get to the plot. I actually still don't really know what the plot is, other than knowing all the kids have superpowers and they don't know why. There was no climax or rising action other than the kids bickering between each other.
However, I loved the special powers they had. Teleportation! But only to the left, and only four inches. Super strength! But only in the thumbs. Chameleon powers! Except only her eyes change color. Telepathy! But only when people think about directions. It was clever and cute and I couldn't help but laugh.
Another strong component was the diversity. We have a boy who is bullied for being Iranian, the only black girl in the school district, a chubby boy, and an offbeat girl. It actually addressed real issues that kids are forced to deal with, which was perfect. Most middle grade books address bullying, but only in the same formula. Big, white kid picks on another, scrawny white kids. Here we had the black girl ruthlessly bullying the middle eastern kid and being proud of it. It was a new dynamic and I appreciated it.
However, I loved the special powers they had. Teleportation! But only to the left, and only four inches. Super strength! But only in the thumbs. Chameleon powers! Except only her eyes change color. Telepathy! But only when people think about directions. It was clever and cute and I couldn't help but laugh.
Another strong component was the diversity. We have a boy who is bullied for being Iranian, the only black girl in the school district, a chubby boy, and an offbeat girl. It actually addressed real issues that kids are forced to deal with, which was perfect. Most middle grade books address bullying, but only in the same formula. Big, white kid picks on another, scrawny white kids. Here we had the black girl ruthlessly bullying the middle eastern kid and being proud of it. It was a new dynamic and I appreciated it.
December 27, 2019
A quick read but I struggled with the character Jay and his comments. The end leaves more questions than answers. Students seem to like it. A group of kids are in a bus crash and end up with goofy superpowers.
October 24, 2020
There was a lot about this book I liked, but I'm not a fan of the ending.
December 17, 2017
This book get a high rating because of funny lines and realistic teenage characters who just happen to have superpowers. The true strength of the books lies in the telling of how they get the powers, how they use the powers and how they work through their stereotyped roles.
July 6, 2016
Muellersville is a small, rural town in Pennsylvania Amish country. Nick Gross is a somewhat chubby, nerdy boy whose dad recently passed away. Daneisha or Cookie Parker is a popular African-American girl who moved with her mom to Muellersville from Philadelphia. Farshad Rajavi, whose parents are both scientists, is called “Terror Boy” and looked at as an outcast because of his Iranian heritage. And the mysterious Martina Saltis is an artsy girl (what is really odd is that Martina, at least in the illustrations, has antennae, but no one seems to notice). They are all fellow twelve year old, sixth grade students at Deborah Reed Middle School, where the two main cliques are “Farm Kids” and “Company Kids.” The four are on a bus together, along with substitute teacher Ryan Friend, known as “Yo-Yo Sub,” returning from a field trip to Philadelphia when the bus is involved in a terrible accident. Each of them survives, but strange things begin to happen.
First, the bus driver simply disappears. Nick can teleport but just four inches to the left. Cookie can read minds but only when they are thinking about directions. Farshad has super strength but only in his thumbs. Martina can change her eye color. And Mr. Friend walks around unintentionally causing explosions and starting fires. Throw in Nick’s shrimpy friend Jay Carpenter and an Amish teenager named Abe Zook, and everyone is asking the question, “What is going on?” How will they cope with their odd superpowers? And where will it all lead? The Mighty Odds, intended as Book One of “The Odds Series,” has an interesting premise with some great possibilities, but it is marred by several features which I assume are intended to make it attractive to modern, worldly kids. In addition to a number of childish terms for body parts and functions, frequent profanity (what “O.M.G.” stands for—spelled out, and other instances of using the word “God” as an exclamation), some cursing (“da**it” twice and “he**” once), and even a little vulgarity (“kicking a**,” “all pi**ed,” and “bas**rds”). Why some contemporary writers of books intended for ages 10-14 feel compelled to include such things is beyond me.
In addition, Jay is secretly in love with Cookie and talks about his desire that they “fall in love and make coffee-colored babies.” Cookie initially thinks that Nick is actually “Jay’s boyfriend.” And Cookie’s mother became pregnant in college and never married her father. Beyond these objectionable elements, a lot of meandering occurs, I suppose to provide background for future books in the series. Sometimes the story is told in cartoon-type drawings, supposedly from Martina, by author Amy Ignatow, who is a cartoonist; these might appeal to some readers, but I found them more of a distraction. Finally, the story ends leaving things completely up in the air. I realize that there are supposed to be sequels, but it would be nice to have some kind of satisfactory conclusion. I consider the book only fair. Ignatow is also the author of the “Popularity Papers” series, which is supposedly an “entertaining look at the social hierarchy of preteens and the challenges of growing up.” I am not that fond of “series books” anyway, and based on what I found in The Mighty Odds, I have no desire to read anything else by this writer.
First, the bus driver simply disappears. Nick can teleport but just four inches to the left. Cookie can read minds but only when they are thinking about directions. Farshad has super strength but only in his thumbs. Martina can change her eye color. And Mr. Friend walks around unintentionally causing explosions and starting fires. Throw in Nick’s shrimpy friend Jay Carpenter and an Amish teenager named Abe Zook, and everyone is asking the question, “What is going on?” How will they cope with their odd superpowers? And where will it all lead? The Mighty Odds, intended as Book One of “The Odds Series,” has an interesting premise with some great possibilities, but it is marred by several features which I assume are intended to make it attractive to modern, worldly kids. In addition to a number of childish terms for body parts and functions, frequent profanity (what “O.M.G.” stands for—spelled out, and other instances of using the word “God” as an exclamation), some cursing (“da**it” twice and “he**” once), and even a little vulgarity (“kicking a**,” “all pi**ed,” and “bas**rds”). Why some contemporary writers of books intended for ages 10-14 feel compelled to include such things is beyond me.
In addition, Jay is secretly in love with Cookie and talks about his desire that they “fall in love and make coffee-colored babies.” Cookie initially thinks that Nick is actually “Jay’s boyfriend.” And Cookie’s mother became pregnant in college and never married her father. Beyond these objectionable elements, a lot of meandering occurs, I suppose to provide background for future books in the series. Sometimes the story is told in cartoon-type drawings, supposedly from Martina, by author Amy Ignatow, who is a cartoonist; these might appeal to some readers, but I found them more of a distraction. Finally, the story ends leaving things completely up in the air. I realize that there are supposed to be sequels, but it would be nice to have some kind of satisfactory conclusion. I consider the book only fair. Ignatow is also the author of the “Popularity Papers” series, which is supposedly an “entertaining look at the social hierarchy of preteens and the challenges of growing up.” I am not that fond of “series books” anyway, and based on what I found in The Mighty Odds, I have no desire to read anything else by this writer.
October 20, 2016
A copy of the book was provided by SocialBookCo.
Find the lowest price for The Mighty Odds using this link: http://www.socialbookco.com/book/9781...
I had never read anything by Amy Ignatow before, even though I see her Popularity Papers series checked out from my library all the time. It just seemed like another Diary of a Wimpy Kid rip-off series. But going by this book, she has a unique take on children’s literature that I think should be heard. It’s funny and serious and relevant to how kids think and what they enjoy.
A group of kids, who are not friends, get into a bus accident coming home from a field trip. They all walk away with some pretty distinctive powers. For example, Farshad has super human strength but only in his thumbs .The other kids: Nick, Martina, and Cookie, also have weird powers that they’re learning to control. Its little quirks like that that make this book such a joy to read. I’m sure any middle school aged pre-teen would love to acquire super powers. But Ignatow shows how you should be careful what you wish for. Since now they have someone (possibly evil) looking for them.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a juvenile fiction book quite like this one. I either read regular fiction or graphic novels. Ignatow is known for combining words and art into her books. The pictures are not the dominant feature for her story. They act more like highlights to the narrative. This would be a good way to “trick” kids into reading this book, with the promise that there are pictures scattered about. And I know you’re supposed to let a child read what they want but sometimes they need a push. So I wouldn’t be above using ulterior motives to get someone to read this book.
The dialogue was well written. To my surprise, a few curse words were sprinkled throughout Cookie’s POV. I appreciate the realism to how she talks. As a young black female, I expect a certain amount of sass from her character. I know that may sound like I’m stereotyping her but I’m not. It’s instinctual for me to gravitate towards any character of color and I desperately want them to be authentic without being a caricature of their race. Cookie and Farshad both hold their own and exceed my expectations when it came down to their speech and representation.
The ending of the novel seemed a bit rushed to me. I was really enjoying the book and then before I knew it, it was over. I think the author could have handled it better. I do understand that this is the intro to a series though, so some themes have to be fleshed out in the next book. I just feel like you barely get to know these kids before their story is wrapping up and trying to set up the mystery of who’s after them. This is why I plan on reading the next book when it is released. I look forward to some more bonding between the reluctant superheroes.
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I had never read anything by Amy Ignatow before, even though I see her Popularity Papers series checked out from my library all the time. It just seemed like another Diary of a Wimpy Kid rip-off series. But going by this book, she has a unique take on children’s literature that I think should be heard. It’s funny and serious and relevant to how kids think and what they enjoy.
A group of kids, who are not friends, get into a bus accident coming home from a field trip. They all walk away with some pretty distinctive powers. For example, Farshad has super human strength but only in his thumbs .The other kids: Nick, Martina, and Cookie, also have weird powers that they’re learning to control. Its little quirks like that that make this book such a joy to read. I’m sure any middle school aged pre-teen would love to acquire super powers. But Ignatow shows how you should be careful what you wish for. Since now they have someone (possibly evil) looking for them.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a juvenile fiction book quite like this one. I either read regular fiction or graphic novels. Ignatow is known for combining words and art into her books. The pictures are not the dominant feature for her story. They act more like highlights to the narrative. This would be a good way to “trick” kids into reading this book, with the promise that there are pictures scattered about. And I know you’re supposed to let a child read what they want but sometimes they need a push. So I wouldn’t be above using ulterior motives to get someone to read this book.
The dialogue was well written. To my surprise, a few curse words were sprinkled throughout Cookie’s POV. I appreciate the realism to how she talks. As a young black female, I expect a certain amount of sass from her character. I know that may sound like I’m stereotyping her but I’m not. It’s instinctual for me to gravitate towards any character of color and I desperately want them to be authentic without being a caricature of their race. Cookie and Farshad both hold their own and exceed my expectations when it came down to their speech and representation.
The ending of the novel seemed a bit rushed to me. I was really enjoying the book and then before I knew it, it was over. I think the author could have handled it better. I do understand that this is the intro to a series though, so some themes have to be fleshed out in the next book. I just feel like you barely get to know these kids before their story is wrapping up and trying to set up the mystery of who’s after them. This is why I plan on reading the next book when it is released. I look forward to some more bonding between the reluctant superheroes.
October 10, 2016
I liked this book but could have done without the artwork. Another person who read the book said they thought the art was a little too young for the text, and I did not necessarily get that sense; I just didn't like the art.
The mystery of how the teens got their powers was never explained, but the book did set up for a sequel. It was a quirky, kind of funny book and the special powers the teens acquired were potentially useless, or maybe just subtle enough to work really really well in a dangerous or mystery-solving situation.
Book description:
From the renowned author/illustrator of the Popularity Papers series, Amy Ignatow, comes the first installment in a new series about a diverse crew of middle school kids who develop very limited superhero powers after a strange accident and manage to become unlikely friends on the adventure of a lifetime.
When a sweet nerd, an artsy cartoonist, a social outcast, and the most popular girl in school are involved in a mysterious bus accident, this seemingly random group of kids starts to notice some very strange abilities they did not have before. Artsy Martina can change her eye color. Nerdy Nick can teleport . . . four inches to the left. Outcast Farshad develops super strength, but only in his thumbs. And Cookie, the It Girl of school’s most popular clique, has suddenly developed the ability to read minds . . . when those minds are thinking about directions. They are oddly mighty—especially together.
This group—who would never hang out under normal circumstances—must now combine all of their strengths to figure out what happened during the bus accident. With alternating narratives from each of the heroes, including illustrated pieces from Martina, and featuring bold female superheroes and a multicultural cast, The Mighty Odds is The Breakfast Club for a new generation.
The mystery of how the teens got their powers was never explained, but the book did set up for a sequel. It was a quirky, kind of funny book and the special powers the teens acquired were potentially useless, or maybe just subtle enough to work really really well in a dangerous or mystery-solving situation.
Book description:
From the renowned author/illustrator of the Popularity Papers series, Amy Ignatow, comes the first installment in a new series about a diverse crew of middle school kids who develop very limited superhero powers after a strange accident and manage to become unlikely friends on the adventure of a lifetime.
When a sweet nerd, an artsy cartoonist, a social outcast, and the most popular girl in school are involved in a mysterious bus accident, this seemingly random group of kids starts to notice some very strange abilities they did not have before. Artsy Martina can change her eye color. Nerdy Nick can teleport . . . four inches to the left. Outcast Farshad develops super strength, but only in his thumbs. And Cookie, the It Girl of school’s most popular clique, has suddenly developed the ability to read minds . . . when those minds are thinking about directions. They are oddly mighty—especially together.
This group—who would never hang out under normal circumstances—must now combine all of their strengths to figure out what happened during the bus accident. With alternating narratives from each of the heroes, including illustrated pieces from Martina, and featuring bold female superheroes and a multicultural cast, The Mighty Odds is The Breakfast Club for a new generation.
September 30, 2016
Ignatow, Amy. The Mighty Odds. 2016.
When a school field trip turns into a bus accident, four unlikely allies all inherit strange powers. They must band together to find out how they received these powers and what they should do now that they have them.
This book is the first in a series, so there is a considerable amount of character development and backstory happening before the actual plot begins. Once the story does pick up, the action keeps it flowing right until the end, which is a cliffhanger as there is another book coming after this one. I could easily place this book in the hands of Wimpy Kid fans, especially once the sequel is out, but some reluctant readers may find it difficult to get through the all of the background bits that happen at the beginning of the book.
Recommended for: middle grade, fans of book/cartoon combinations like Wimpy Kid
Red Flags: racial teasing of a Middle Eastern boy, some "mild violence" in the form of explosions and such due to a character's special powers
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Bully Bait, Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
When a school field trip turns into a bus accident, four unlikely allies all inherit strange powers. They must band together to find out how they received these powers and what they should do now that they have them.
This book is the first in a series, so there is a considerable amount of character development and backstory happening before the actual plot begins. Once the story does pick up, the action keeps it flowing right until the end, which is a cliffhanger as there is another book coming after this one. I could easily place this book in the hands of Wimpy Kid fans, especially once the sequel is out, but some reluctant readers may find it difficult to get through the all of the background bits that happen at the beginning of the book.
Recommended for: middle grade, fans of book/cartoon combinations like Wimpy Kid
Red Flags: racial teasing of a Middle Eastern boy, some "mild violence" in the form of explosions and such due to a character's special powers
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Bully Bait, Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
August 2, 2016
On the return from a field trip, a school bus is involved in an accident. The four kids on the bus are unhurt, but things aren't normal. Nick can teleport but only four inches to the left. Cookie can read minds but only if they are thinking about directions. Farshad has super strength, in his thumbs. Martina's eyes change color every few minutes. Not super helpful, but super powers indeed. None of the four are friends before the accident. Cookie is the only Black kid in school and has made herself into a super popular bully. Farshad is called Terror Boy, a nickname bestowed upon him by Cookie, simply because he is from Iran. No one notices Martina even though she seems to notice everyone and everything. Nick is the chubby boy with the weird best friend. They may have never been friends but their super powers bring them together, especially after the realize someone is after them.
The Mighty Odds is an apt name for this little gem. Not only are the super powers odd, but the characters and story are as well. They were also very real and very fun to read. Ignatow does a fantastic job making all the kids very human and relatable. The book may be about kids with super powers, but it is also about kids trying to navigate the world of small town middle school. It is a fun, quick read that definitely sets up a series. By the end we have gotten to know the kids really well and they have gotten to know each other. What we don't know is how they developed their powers and who is after them. There is a bit of a cliff-hanger, which will hopefully be resolved in the next book.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.
The Mighty Odds is an apt name for this little gem. Not only are the super powers odd, but the characters and story are as well. They were also very real and very fun to read. Ignatow does a fantastic job making all the kids very human and relatable. The book may be about kids with super powers, but it is also about kids trying to navigate the world of small town middle school. It is a fun, quick read that definitely sets up a series. By the end we have gotten to know the kids really well and they have gotten to know each other. What we don't know is how they developed their powers and who is after them. There is a bit of a cliff-hanger, which will hopefully be resolved in the next book.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.
October 17, 2016
Coming back from a field trip, a small bus is in an accident. Soon the students and the substitute teacher who were in the accident start to show signs of having strange new powers. Ostracized Farshad has super strong thumbs. Mean girl Cookie can hear people's thoughts...but only thoughts about directions. Nerdy Nick can teleport four inches to the left. The very forgettable Martina's eyes change color. And Mr Friend seems able to set things on fire. Before Mr Friend burns down the city, the kids decide they need to work together to figure out what happened.
Boy, the kids in this have some major issues with getting along. They are so quick to ostracize, point fingers and hold grudges, and Cookie takes the cake for meanest bully in a book I've read in a long time. She supposedly eventually learned a lesson, but I'm not entirely convinced. The only characters I liked were Martina, who is kinda mysterious but a great peacemaker and Nick's best friend Jay who is the biggest nerd in the school and super socially awkward but he doesn't care at all. Jay is goofy and loves everyone, kinda like a talking puppy who drools all over but is oblivious. I didn't realize this was the start of a series. But it obviously is. Waring: Huge cliffhanger nothing-resolved ending here! I like the idea of weird super powers. And I like the mystery going on. The main characters made this hard reading. Hopefully now that they are being mostly civil the next book will be better.
Notes on content: About 3 minor swear words. No sexual content. The accident doesn't result in any serious injuries. There's a lot of prejudice and meanness flowing around, but it is at least starting to get addressed.
Boy, the kids in this have some major issues with getting along. They are so quick to ostracize, point fingers and hold grudges, and Cookie takes the cake for meanest bully in a book I've read in a long time. She supposedly eventually learned a lesson, but I'm not entirely convinced. The only characters I liked were Martina, who is kinda mysterious but a great peacemaker and Nick's best friend Jay who is the biggest nerd in the school and super socially awkward but he doesn't care at all. Jay is goofy and loves everyone, kinda like a talking puppy who drools all over but is oblivious. I didn't realize this was the start of a series. But it obviously is. Waring: Huge cliffhanger nothing-resolved ending here! I like the idea of weird super powers. And I like the mystery going on. The main characters made this hard reading. Hopefully now that they are being mostly civil the next book will be better.
Notes on content: About 3 minor swear words. No sexual content. The accident doesn't result in any serious injuries. There's a lot of prejudice and meanness flowing around, but it is at least starting to get addressed.
June 22, 2016
I read this book for work, with no obligation to leave a personal review.
This book is pretty great; it's interspersed with illustrations that are like comic panels. Magic or science fiction is really only as good as its limitations, and Ignatow plays with that to give us some of the funniest "okay" powers you can imagine: changing eye color, teleportation only four inches to the left, super strong thumbs, and mind-reading only when people are thinking of directions. The writing is pretty wacky, and I do have trouble figuring out what age group this works for (I think the publisher wrote the age group as "10 to 14", and accordingly, it feels too young for YA but a little too mature for lower MG, like fourth grade), but there were several scenes that made me laugh out loud. I really enjoyed Jay, the super loud, talkative, but ultimately good-natured best friend who enjoys speaking formally. He made me laugh several times, though at first I found him somewhat exasperating.
For all that, it also deals with some important topics, like bullying and racism, in a way that feels real. Farshad's experience being labeled as "Terror Boy," for example, is genuinely painful, and his reaction to it feels real. It does begin to resolve by the end of the book.
Not a new favorite, perhaps, but still an enjoyable read.
This book is pretty great; it's interspersed with illustrations that are like comic panels. Magic or science fiction is really only as good as its limitations, and Ignatow plays with that to give us some of the funniest "okay" powers you can imagine: changing eye color, teleportation only four inches to the left, super strong thumbs, and mind-reading only when people are thinking of directions. The writing is pretty wacky, and I do have trouble figuring out what age group this works for (I think the publisher wrote the age group as "10 to 14", and accordingly, it feels too young for YA but a little too mature for lower MG, like fourth grade), but there were several scenes that made me laugh out loud. I really enjoyed Jay, the super loud, talkative, but ultimately good-natured best friend who enjoys speaking formally. He made me laugh several times, though at first I found him somewhat exasperating.
For all that, it also deals with some important topics, like bullying and racism, in a way that feels real. Farshad's experience being labeled as "Terror Boy," for example, is genuinely painful, and his reaction to it feels real. It does begin to resolve by the end of the book.
Not a new favorite, perhaps, but still an enjoyable read.
October 10, 2016
This book should get more than 5 stars in my opinion!! The style this book was written and designed in, is the new thing for middle school aged kids. It seems to attract them and this book sure does the trick! I have to admit that upon opening the book I thought to myself that here comes another "wimpy kid" series. Well, let me be the first to say, I WAS WRONG! The Mighty Odds is a fantastic book for middle schoolers girls or boys! This is a new series and Amy Ignatow started it off with a bang! I am very anxious to see the next book in this series and the affect it has on my own middle schooler. I read this book myself first and then handed it off to my 7th grade Daughter. From my own opinion, the illustrations and writing was attractive and amusing! I found myself giggling throughout the book. I personally would be happy to let my child read more by this author. From my daughter's point of view, let me just say, the laughter was contagious!!! From the time she opened up this book until the time she finished it, she giggled. She told me the story was fun and really good. She said she liked all of the drawings in the book and how the author on some pages made it look like a comic book.
HUGE APPLAUSE for this author and this book....it is highly recommended!
HUGE APPLAUSE for this author and this book....it is highly recommended!
December 17, 2016
THE MIGHTY ODD by Amy Ignatow is the first fantasy in the new The Odd Series for middle grades.
After a mysterious bus accident, four children, a teen, and two adults develop strange supernatural powers. This diverse group must work together to solve the mystery of their special abilities.
Librarians will find a following with middle grade students who enjoy humorous stories. The strong female characters and diverse cast adds to the appeal.
This realistic school story has just enough fantasy elements to appeal to science fiction lovers without too much to lose mainstream readers. The author does an exceptional job addressing issues such as bullying and school politics.
Published by Harry N. Abrams on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
After a mysterious bus accident, four children, a teen, and two adults develop strange supernatural powers. This diverse group must work together to solve the mystery of their special abilities.
Librarians will find a following with middle grade students who enjoy humorous stories. The strong female characters and diverse cast adds to the appeal.
This realistic school story has just enough fantasy elements to appeal to science fiction lovers without too much to lose mainstream readers. The author does an exceptional job addressing issues such as bullying and school politics.
Published by Harry N. Abrams on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
December 4, 2017
I have very mixed feelings about this book. There are some very good features. First, I like how explicitly the book talks about race. The book is set in the Philadelphia area and it is always fun to read about my adopted home town. I also do like the premise of the book and the seemingly un useful special powers the kids have, but...
The story takes forever to get started and then, nothing happens. I cannot stand when an author starts a new series and nothing resolves at the end of each installment. I think that is a cheap move. A good series makes the reader want to read the next book, but has enough plot resolution to satisfy the reader. The end of this book made me think pages were actually missing.
The story takes forever to get started and then, nothing happens. I cannot stand when an author starts a new series and nothing resolves at the end of each installment. I think that is a cheap move. A good series makes the reader want to read the next book, but has enough plot resolution to satisfy the reader. The end of this book made me think pages were actually missing.
November 3, 2016
What a great read! The character development was done very well. By the time the climax hit, you felt you knew the characters. Then the best part was finding that the bus accident not only gave them some weird, seemingly useless powers, but also presented them with the opportunity to change their preset ideas on who they are and what a true friend is. The worst part was reading the end and knowing the next book in the series is NOT available yet. WAH!
July 9, 2016
This book is great. I love the characters and the story so much. I will write a proper review closer to release date.
April 19, 2019
Very liberal sjw point of view re: racism. Unnecessary swearing. Hard to get into at first and then ends suddenly. (I didn't realize it was a part of a series until I came here.)
August 9, 2021
On the way home from a school field trip, Nick, Farshad, Martina, and Cookie are all on a bus that turns over onto the side of the road. It isn't long after, that each of the four notices that they have developed quirky superpowers. While they are dealing with adjusting to a superpower, explosions keep happening all over town. They soon realize that their teacher is setting things on fire and making them explode, so the four kids try to figure out a way to stop their teacher.
The Mighty Odds is an interesting story about everyday kids with superpowers, but it also presents several messages, including, having patience, being bullied, and being a bully. The powers developed by the characters are quirky enough, but another layer is added with a couple of distinct personality traits that stand out even more as the story goes on. Otherwise, however, there is very little character development. Overall, The Mighty Odds is a unique book about dealing with change and making the most of fate.
The Mighty Odds is an interesting story about everyday kids with superpowers, but it also presents several messages, including, having patience, being bullied, and being a bully. The powers developed by the characters are quirky enough, but another layer is added with a couple of distinct personality traits that stand out even more as the story goes on. Otherwise, however, there is very little character development. Overall, The Mighty Odds is a unique book about dealing with change and making the most of fate.
April 25, 2020
This is a mash-up type book. Definitely 5- 8 grade level. The word bastard and hell are in it. Some illustrations but mostly text. It starts in a middle school. The cliques are all there. The students are taking a field trip to Philadelphia. There is a nice new bus with DVD and a small awful bus that only 5 students have to sit in. The windows won't go down and it's in disrepair. On the way back to school the small bus has an accident. Students are injured and the bus driver disappears. They are saved by an Amish boy with his horse and buggy. The students in the accident are the real hallmark of this tale. The characters are distinct and they each develop a superpower but not too helpful. They are being apprehended by the substitute teacher who was also in the accident who seems to set things on fire and cause explosions. There are laugh out loud moments and lots of intrigue and action. I recommend this book!
September 24, 2024
This story includes a mixture of blunt reality (middle school conversations and racist bullying) and absurdly specific super powers
The story of the plot is loose, but it is a nice little read for amusement without much weight
Basic story: small bus crashes. kids inside start to show strange symptoms. kids start to find each other to figure out if everyone is experiencing something strange or just them. kids are *not* all friends
side note, I love/hate Jay - he is obnoxiously sweet, annoyingly racist and sexist (frequently referring to his crush with objectifying terms like "my beautiful black pearl" *shudder*) - he is the littlest fedora-wearing-esque "m'lady" type person ever and he made me cringe repeatedly, but he also exudes such a love of life and care for his friend(s) that it is hard to know what to do with him
Anyway, I am off to the second book - amused and intrigued to see where it goes from here
The story of the plot is loose, but it is a nice little read for amusement without much weight
Basic story: small bus crashes. kids inside start to show strange symptoms. kids start to find each other to figure out if everyone is experiencing something strange or just them. kids are *not* all friends
side note, I love/hate Jay - he is obnoxiously sweet, annoyingly racist and sexist (frequently referring to his crush with objectifying terms like "my beautiful black pearl" *shudder*) - he is the littlest fedora-wearing-esque "m'lady" type person ever and he made me cringe repeatedly, but he also exudes such a love of life and care for his friend(s) that it is hard to know what to do with him
Anyway, I am off to the second book - amused and intrigued to see where it goes from here
July 13, 2020
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March 14, 2018
For the most thorough review ever, check this one out:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read this a couple months ago and only just got around to reviewing it. Sadly, I'd forgotten most everything and had to rely on the above reviewing genius to spark my memory. I only gave two stars because of the lack of stick. I remember liking it well enough but no salient details, which lost it a star.
Very middle grade, lots of time spent with characterization and plot intrigue. A cliffhanger ending, but I doubt I'll read the sequel. However, I have no qualms about putting this one into the hands of middle graders. I can easily imagine a 4th grader getting sucked into the whole series.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read this a couple months ago and only just got around to reviewing it. Sadly, I'd forgotten most everything and had to rely on the above reviewing genius to spark my memory. I only gave two stars because of the lack of stick. I remember liking it well enough but no salient details, which lost it a star.
Very middle grade, lots of time spent with characterization and plot intrigue. A cliffhanger ending, but I doubt I'll read the sequel. However, I have no qualms about putting this one into the hands of middle graders. I can easily imagine a 4th grader getting sucked into the whole series.
January 30, 2020
The strength of this book is the funny powers the kids receive and its strong characterization.
However, I feel like this is barely 1/3 of the book. I was anticipating getting to see how the kids make use of these talents to stop the bad guys but once we finally meet the bad guys, the novel ends. Ditto to the transformation story of the mean girl: we barely get a hint that she might be figuring out what she has done to others and then the book ends. I'm guessing the story continues in book 2 and 3, but I feel ripped off that I didn't get a complete story.
Also, I'm guessing there are funny illustrations done by one of the characters, but I listened to the audio and that didn't translate well. Overall, fine book but not going on my recommend list.
However, I feel like this is barely 1/3 of the book. I was anticipating getting to see how the kids make use of these talents to stop the bad guys but once we finally meet the bad guys, the novel ends. Ditto to the transformation story of the mean girl: we barely get a hint that she might be figuring out what she has done to others and then the book ends. I'm guessing the story continues in book 2 and 3, but I feel ripped off that I didn't get a complete story.
Also, I'm guessing there are funny illustrations done by one of the characters, but I listened to the audio and that didn't translate well. Overall, fine book but not going on my recommend list.
September 13, 2017
To be clear, I received this book as part of a give away on Goodreads.
The Mighty Odds is a book about a group of middle school students who are involved in a bus accident on their way back from a school field trip. As a result of this accident, each of the kids develops a unique power. For example, one of the characters gains super strength. Sounds awesome right? Will they all be superheroes? Well, their powers turn out to be a little underwhelming. For example, the character with super strength is only super strong, with his thumbs, and another character has the power to read minds, but only if that mind is thinking about how to get somewhere.
The novel travels a well-tread path, although Ignatow is smart to give the powers this ironic twist. As a result, the plot is enjoyable but fairly predictable.
The characters themselves are well written, and the book alternates between the perspectives of three of them. Each character that is followed has a pretty strong arc and comes off as multi-dimensional.
My only gripe with the characters is in the author's attempt to provide a diverse book. The characters come from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and the attempt is noteworthy. However, because the book attempts to take the 1st person perspective of these characters, and because the author is not a person of color, some of the depictions came off as less authentic. For example, Cookie--the black character in the novel has a moment where she is greatful that she is black so that her blushing cheeks aren't noticable...
As a middle school teacher I could see some students, particularly in lower middle school enjoying the book a lot. I will definitely be recommending it in my classroom.
The Mighty Odds is a book about a group of middle school students who are involved in a bus accident on their way back from a school field trip. As a result of this accident, each of the kids develops a unique power. For example, one of the characters gains super strength. Sounds awesome right? Will they all be superheroes? Well, their powers turn out to be a little underwhelming. For example, the character with super strength is only super strong, with his thumbs, and another character has the power to read minds, but only if that mind is thinking about how to get somewhere.
The novel travels a well-tread path, although Ignatow is smart to give the powers this ironic twist. As a result, the plot is enjoyable but fairly predictable.
The characters themselves are well written, and the book alternates between the perspectives of three of them. Each character that is followed has a pretty strong arc and comes off as multi-dimensional.
My only gripe with the characters is in the author's attempt to provide a diverse book. The characters come from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and the attempt is noteworthy. However, because the book attempts to take the 1st person perspective of these characters, and because the author is not a person of color, some of the depictions came off as less authentic. For example, Cookie--the black character in the novel has a moment where she is greatful that she is black so that her blushing cheeks aren't noticable...
As a middle school teacher I could see some students, particularly in lower middle school enjoying the book a lot. I will definitely be recommending it in my classroom.
June 2, 2020
My summer reading plan is to read books in my collection that I haven’t read and that appear overlooked. It looks like the previous librarian only selected the first book in this series. Four students from different cliques are involved in a bus accident from which they emerge with extremely specific powers (one student can teleport, but only four inches to the left). As they are unwillingly flung together to figure out what happened, the mystery deepens, and it appears that their teachers are involved as are the local Amish. The story didn’t come close to resolving in this first book. Will probably de-select.
September 6, 2020
Mighty Odds is such a good book! Super strength! But only in the thumbs. Teleportation! Sorry only four inches to the left. Mind reading! Oh yeah, sorry again, only when people are thinking about directions. Changing your physical appearance! However, only your eyes, and they just change color. The characters were so human. They fought and expressed real middle school people. The popular girl who spreads rumors. The kid who everyone dislikes. The geek. The shy, invisible one. So real and such a captivating story! It is more of an easy read, but still so intriguing! Can’t wait to start the next one!
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