Power Up: A Graphic Novel

Power Up #1

by Sam Nisson, Darnell Johnson (Illustrations)

This inventive graphic novel that unfolds online and IRL takes readers from the halls of middle school, to epic robot video game battles, and back again.

Miles and Rhys know each other only as Gryphon and Backslash, and in the video game Mecha Melee they’re an unstoppable team. They’re the best friends they’ve got, online or in the real world, and they don’t even realize they go to the same middle school.
 
But real-life wrongdoing blasts their duo into a crater the size of Arcticon. With life online and off a complete mess and BattleCon—and the Every Game Ever tournament—just weeks away, can the boys play their way back to each other?
 

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Friendship, Technology, Juvenile, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

224 pages, Hardcover

Published February 23, 2021

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

i Like how in number one that they were a great team but they didn't know each other so that how I wanted to read another book of this power up series then when I read squad up I really loved it so I really want a 3rd, 4th, 5th book.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group - Etch/HMH Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not help but love this book in the science fiction aspect of video games and tournaments. The artwork was completely flawless and breathtaking that I could not help but not take my eyes off of the story throughout the entire book. The dialogue was so intelligently addicting that I know our young minds will love this book and if they loved video games before they'll love them even more now. I know this will do very well in our graphic novel collection and will be a favorite for sure.

We will consider adding this title to our Graphic Novel collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[D.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good! I enjoyed Miles and Rhys. They felt like real middle-school kids. I also loved their families, and how it acknowledges the landscape of videogames and middle-school friendships is much different now. It's hard to compare it to the olden days.

Now, the story resolutions were half-baked: All is forgiven rather quickly. There's no real apology, and Miles never explicitly realizes the kids he tryna kiss up to aren't real friends. Real friends don't put you up to bullying, make you feel small for not doing something, or disparage something you enjoy that's not harmful.

There's a second book coming, so hopefully those issues get address there.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My #literarylunchbox title for today was a fun (and yes, truly inventive) graphic novel- what will likely be a series- in which two boys in sixth grade are friends online playing video games but don't know each other IRL. So the book lives out their lives in video game land and then with their families and at school too while they struggle with friendships and balancing video games and school.

I've had the SAME conversations with my own middle school aged boys that they had with theirs- so realistic. And that kind of middle grade that is delightful, realistic, and entertaining.

[Isaac Jacobs]

Warning I am spoiling very much. Awesome and great book. I don't know why you wouldn't want to read this book. Miles a great character that likes video games and so do I. I Play Fortnite Call Of Duty, and Madden 21, and last Valreint. I love listening to music and there's music in this book that Rhye likes. Rhye gets bullied a lot and is that, kid in the back corner. Rhye can be a good and bad character and they play a game together. Miles and Rhye found each other in a duos match and then they became friends. But Miles doesn't know that Rhye is his duo partner until he sends a photo to the whole school and the caption said to beware of my bite. Then Rhye raids their base together and there not friends anymore. Miles was very upset. Then Miles goes to a gaming center tournament thing and was dominating the competition. Miles then here's Rhye's name on the speaker and says I have to find out who this kid is and he finds out that's really Rhye. Miles was shocked. Then they play an unreleased VR game and they win as a team and they reunite. This was a fanominal book and I would definitely read it again. I Recommend this book to you guys and I give it 5 stars out of 5.

[Darcy Roar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Power Up has a good mix of videogame fun and friendship building/anti-bullying stuff going on, but it just didn't jive with me. I think it's something to do with the art style for the real world segments. The video game parts are all illustrated slightly differently and all look super nice which makes the reality sections look even worse in comparison unfortunately. Art aside the story is decent, but again a little uneven. We see a lot of Miles' time spent hanging out with 'the cool kids' which doesn't do much to serve the plot or characterize out tentative villains (we've already seen them bullying) and then we get basically nothing of Rhys outside of one trip to the grand canyon with his parents. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ In the end I think it's just not my jam, but I can see it really working for younger teens who are way into video games!

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Rhys and Miles play as Gryphon and Backslash in the video game Mecha Melee. They've never met in real life, though Rhys has figured out that Miles goes to his school (and is even in the same grade). The two make an amazing in-game team, but when Miles bullies Rhys in real life, their online partnership collapses. Will everything change at the massive BattleCon gaming tournament?

This is fine. It will find its audience. For kids interested in video games, they will love all the action, but readers looking for a bit more nuance will notice that a lot of the storylines (like all of the bullying) are never really addressed or wrapped up.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books at the boundary of juvenile and teen. The characters are in 6th grade, but sometimes seem older.
The main focus of the book is two online friends, but in fact they've never really met in person. In fact, one of them knows who the other one is in real life, but not vice versa, due to some odd things that have happened.
The story of their friendship's growth is a good one, and the idea that both need balance in their lives is an interesting one.
Not a great book, but a very good one.

[Nicolas Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid entry in the Fortnite era with some obvious nods to the game, right down to the mecha dabbing after a victory. I think it has a good balanced example of parenting and screen time management, and deals with online/school friendships with a touch of bullying. Battlecon certainly reminded me of PAX. I think my favorite part is when Gryphon plays a vintage arcade game and learns that his dad was a high scorer at it a long time ago.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miles and Rhys make an unbeatable team. Too bad Miles is completely unaware of it. He has no idea that Backslash, his in-game partner, and ride-or-die, is actually the weird new kid who goes to his school. So when real world bullying shatters their in-game partnership, will the two boys ever find a way to mend the breach? Especially with Battlecon coming to town, and a n0-holds barred tournament where both boys need the backup. Fun and relatable.

[Emily Cottle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miles and Rhys have only met online...or so they think. They actually go to the same middle school where Rhys is almost invisible and Miles is on the cusp of joining the cool crowd. When Miles makes some bad decisions to impress the cool kids, he rips Rhys apart. When they find out each other's true identities, will the boys be able to salvage their friendship?

This was a sweet, relatable story. My gamers will love it, but so will kids who just want a good realistic fiction.

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the mixture of computer animation and traditional pencilled art in Power Up by Sam Nisson. The book is eye-catching, colorful, and full of adventure -- in other words, an ideal addition to an upper elementary or middle grades classroom shelf, and also enjoyable for older readers (and gamers at any age). Very entertaining and well done!

[Eileen Winfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhys and Miles are sixth grade gamers who don't know that they attend the same middle school in real life. Rhys figures it out first as Miles endlessly brags about their online gaming prowess, but things go bad when Miles doesn't intervene as Rhys is bullied mercilessly. If you have gamers in your life, this is a book I'd recommend, probably a bit less exciting for others.

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

When video gaming collides with real life!! Power Up does a great job showing the need to remember there are people with feelings behind usernames, being kind to others is important and there is a need to resist peer pressure. I loved the relationships with both sets of parents; from wanting Miles to find interests beyond video games, to concern about Rhys socializing at school. I love this book for middle school gamers!

[Mal the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book and if I could do a tournament and I'm a big gamer so I think I would be good. Miles didn't know that Ryhs is Backslash until the tournament and he sent a mean message to everybody in the school. This book is amazing and I would love to read more gaming books. I don't really know any so can anybody recommend any good gamer/gaming books?

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel not like any other that I have read! Thank you TLA Little Maverick Committee for selecting this book. Beautiful artwork with an engaging storyline! I can see this book being popular with the readers at my school! Highly recommend! I am looking forward to recommending it to my students!

[Emily Masters · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked: the two MCs were BIPOC, there was a sweet story about friendship, but I wish we’d gotten a little more. It felt like we could have used more exposition and less video game— but I’m not the target demo for this, so I threw on an extra star.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miles and Rhys make a great team as Gryphon and Backslash in their favorite video game. In real life, Miles is under pressure from his family to cut back on gaming and to work harder on school work while Rhys is trying to make a new start at a new school but is struggling to make friends.

[Miss Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a cute, quick read. It touches on bullying, and balancing online life with real life. Unfortunately I didn’t feel the main characters and story were fleshed out as much as they could have been.

[Francisca Darney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a 9 year old son who loves to play video games and this is a perfect book for him to read and share with his friends. The author does a good job addressing the issue of bullying and problems that school age kids often face. This will become a popular read for any reluctant reader.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the concept and the art and the story, for the most part. But I was really disappointed that Miles never actually apologizes for his part in Rhys' bullying. I really wish that was something explicitly included in the narrative.

[Rae the Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really nice and I can definitely see the appeal for young readers. This would be a great classroom addition for 3rd grade and up.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Sarah Zahrt · Rating 4 out of 5]

My students will enjoy this with the connection to video games and real life issues of bullying and such.

[KATHRYNE STEVENS · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I felt like the plot and characters were well thought out and it was a fun and relatable read.

[Katelynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read!!

[Sneha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet middle grade graphic novel!
Highly recommend for young gamers.

[maddie m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Power Up by Sam Nisson is a light read with a good message. I am personally not a fan of graphic novels, but this specific one was pretty good.

[stillme · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for me, but if you've got a kid who lives/eats/breathes gaming, they're probably going to give this 5 stars. In fact, my son (9) has read this repeatedly, and says it's "SOOOOOO good"

[Kaden Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice little lesson.