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Captain Nobody
When Newt Newman's football-star brother, Chris, is knocked into a coma during the biggest game of the season, Newt's two best friends keep his mind off of the accident by helping him create the ultimate Halloween costume: Captain Nobody. Newt feels strong and confident in his new getup, so he keeps wearing it after Halloween is over. Soon Newt assumes the role of a hero in a string of exploits that include foiling a robbery and saving a planeload of passengers. But will Captain Nobody be able to save the one person he cares about most?
195 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
October 2, 2012
Writing from big sister perspective, Newt Newman is the kind of kid you want to bear-hug, really, really tight, even though he'd probably run a mile to prevent it.
Newt is the oft-forgotten little brother of a big football hero; most people don't even know he exists. Everyone's too busy to notice Newt, even though he's a generous, selfless, unassuming hero of a kid.
Newt's main attraction is that he never feels sorry for himself, never blames or resents other people, even when they've clearly neglected him. He just goes about living and giving as usual.
This book is like Jerry Spinelli wound up to the next level - it has you cheering throughout and (if you're anything like me) holding back tears at the end. Some of Newt's accomplishments are perhaps a little far-fetched, but as long as kids are mature enough not to copycat stopping highway traffic to save a dog, they'll appreciate the exaggerations as part of the fun.
Young readers are in for a highly entertaining story about one special, ordinary, hero of a kid. www.GoodReadingGuide.com
December 11, 2025
Not for me, Clive.
June 8, 2017
Listen to this on audiobook read by the author. All of us were laughing out loud. The themes of friendship and sibling relationships are not to be missed.
April 4, 2017
This was probably my favorite read aloud I have read to my kids in a long time. This would definitely interest boys, either as a read aloud, or them reading it themselves.
This book was filled with comedy, excitement, suspense, and heart. It takes on a heavy subject; when tragedy strikes your family, how do you cope? Especially as a kid, who feels pretty helpless? This story teaches kids that although there may be a lot of things out of your control, being available and willing to help someone when the situation warrants it is indeed, what makes a hero a hero. Sometimes luck plays something into that, which the book also touches on. And sometimes accidents happen, seemingly for no reason at all. But it's all about what you choose to do, how you choose to respond that is what you do have control over, and in the end, is the best anyone can do.
I definitely recommend this book!
This book was filled with comedy, excitement, suspense, and heart. It takes on a heavy subject; when tragedy strikes your family, how do you cope? Especially as a kid, who feels pretty helpless? This story teaches kids that although there may be a lot of things out of your control, being available and willing to help someone when the situation warrants it is indeed, what makes a hero a hero. Sometimes luck plays something into that, which the book also touches on. And sometimes accidents happen, seemingly for no reason at all. But it's all about what you choose to do, how you choose to respond that is what you do have control over, and in the end, is the best anyone can do.
I definitely recommend this book!
November 12, 2021
My kids LOVED this book. A heartwarming story of an underdog kid who ends up making a big impact in his small town. A great read aloud!
July 4, 2011
Newton Newman is used to being invisible. His parents are forever caught up in work and his high school football star brother Chris is getting ready for the biggest game of the year. Most people seem surprised to discover Chris has a ten-year-old kid brother. Newton and his two best friends, JJ and Cecil, are the most ignored fourth graders at their school. Halloween is just around the corner and the three friends decide they've had enough of hand me down costumes and going as the same old things. They are going to be noticed. They are going to be who they really want to be--"their inner selves."
Newt has no idea what he's going to do for his costume. He has notebooks filled with villains and heroes he's created, but they all have special abilities he can't mimic, such as turning into wire. He shelves costume planning to attend the big game between his brother's Fennimore Ferrets and the rival Merrimac team. Merrimac's got the better record in the rivalry between the two teams, but Chris has given the Ferrets victory against Merrimac before. The game is a battle to the end, when a long play gives Fennimore a touchdown just in time.
But when the players come off the pile in the end zone, one player is not moving. That player is Chris. Heart pounding, Newt watches as his brother is loaded into an ambulance, unconscious. Not allowed to accompany Chris to the hospital, Newt is taken home by neighbors.
When JJ and Cecil arrive to trick or treat, they find Newt wearing half a drawer full of clothes handed down to him by Chris. Newt had been trying to his mom smile, but she left before she could see him all dressed up in Chris's stuff (she had told Newt she missed Chris). JJ and Cecil help Newt cobble together a hero costume from sweatpants, part of a sweatshirt and a basketball jersey.
In his costume, Newt doesn't feel so afraid. He feels confident, as if he actually were a hero. Pressed to come up with a name while trick or treating, Newt settles on Captain Nobody. In his costume, he is noticed, not ignored. Discovering the next morning that there are no other clean clothes in his room, Newt takes Captain Nobody to school.
Other kids stare and sneer. Newt's teacher is taken aback. When he tells her his name, he ends up in the principal's office briefly. The adults are very concerned with how he is acting, thinking he's disconnecting after being traumatized by his brother's injury. They let him keep the costume on, even addressing him as Captain Nobody, but they also call his parents.
Cecil gets caught up in the whole Captain Nobody thing. He brings walkie-talkies for Newt and JJ. He has Captain Nobody rescue a bass drum from the top of a huge garbage pile. Unexpectedly, this incident also gives Newt a chance to help an elderly man with dementia or Alzheimer's home.
Captain Nobody has a talent for getting into situations because of his friends or bullies that also give him a chance to be brave. A mission to help a jewelery store fix the horrible grammar on its signs ends up giving the jeweler a chance to hit an alarm because a theft was in progress. When the football team mascot, a real ferret, runs out into the middle of a high way, it is up to Captain Nobody to rescue it.
I could well relate to parents who wanted to protect a child from a health scare. Newton's parents are not telling much about Chris and the feeling of being useless is eating him up inside. He finds they are ripping out articles in the paper about his brother's health so he doesn't worry about what's going on. Newt can't visit Chris because more tests need to be done. How the parents try to protect Newt is sort of a role reversal in the family.
In many ways, Newt is the caretaker in the family. He took over breakfast duty from his absent minded mother. He's the one that reminds her where Halloween is. He remembers all the very strange places things get filed in his house (housing contracts are in with cereal these days). Newt is very responsible in some ways, but in others he's facing a lot of childhood worries and fears. Whenever anyone asks about Chris, he tells them his brother will be fine because that's what he has to believe.
I loved the sibling bond in this book. Chris and Newt had certain rituals, such as how Newt would wake Chris up in the morning when he had trouble going (watch out for hoses!) and how Chris always told Newt there were monsters under his bed. I found it rewarding to read a book where the popular brother has a good relationship with the more overshadowed sibling.
I found this to be an engrossing read and its ending is sweetly done. The friendships felt strong between the three main kids. While some of the things Captain Nobody ended up doing required some suspension of belief, it was in keeping with the tone of the book. There are some interesting explorations of the consequences of rumors in the aftermath of big events. Some of the circumstances in the book, from the football injury to a brother to the uncertainty of the hospital to the feeling of being faraway and useless reminded me in some ways of Catherine Murdock's YA The Off Season.
Newt has no idea what he's going to do for his costume. He has notebooks filled with villains and heroes he's created, but they all have special abilities he can't mimic, such as turning into wire. He shelves costume planning to attend the big game between his brother's Fennimore Ferrets and the rival Merrimac team. Merrimac's got the better record in the rivalry between the two teams, but Chris has given the Ferrets victory against Merrimac before. The game is a battle to the end, when a long play gives Fennimore a touchdown just in time.
But when the players come off the pile in the end zone, one player is not moving. That player is Chris. Heart pounding, Newt watches as his brother is loaded into an ambulance, unconscious. Not allowed to accompany Chris to the hospital, Newt is taken home by neighbors.
When JJ and Cecil arrive to trick or treat, they find Newt wearing half a drawer full of clothes handed down to him by Chris. Newt had been trying to his mom smile, but she left before she could see him all dressed up in Chris's stuff (she had told Newt she missed Chris). JJ and Cecil help Newt cobble together a hero costume from sweatpants, part of a sweatshirt and a basketball jersey.
In his costume, Newt doesn't feel so afraid. He feels confident, as if he actually were a hero. Pressed to come up with a name while trick or treating, Newt settles on Captain Nobody. In his costume, he is noticed, not ignored. Discovering the next morning that there are no other clean clothes in his room, Newt takes Captain Nobody to school.
Other kids stare and sneer. Newt's teacher is taken aback. When he tells her his name, he ends up in the principal's office briefly. The adults are very concerned with how he is acting, thinking he's disconnecting after being traumatized by his brother's injury. They let him keep the costume on, even addressing him as Captain Nobody, but they also call his parents.
Cecil gets caught up in the whole Captain Nobody thing. He brings walkie-talkies for Newt and JJ. He has Captain Nobody rescue a bass drum from the top of a huge garbage pile. Unexpectedly, this incident also gives Newt a chance to help an elderly man with dementia or Alzheimer's home.
Captain Nobody has a talent for getting into situations because of his friends or bullies that also give him a chance to be brave. A mission to help a jewelery store fix the horrible grammar on its signs ends up giving the jeweler a chance to hit an alarm because a theft was in progress. When the football team mascot, a real ferret, runs out into the middle of a high way, it is up to Captain Nobody to rescue it.
I could well relate to parents who wanted to protect a child from a health scare. Newton's parents are not telling much about Chris and the feeling of being useless is eating him up inside. He finds they are ripping out articles in the paper about his brother's health so he doesn't worry about what's going on. Newt can't visit Chris because more tests need to be done. How the parents try to protect Newt is sort of a role reversal in the family.
In many ways, Newt is the caretaker in the family. He took over breakfast duty from his absent minded mother. He's the one that reminds her where Halloween is. He remembers all the very strange places things get filed in his house (housing contracts are in with cereal these days). Newt is very responsible in some ways, but in others he's facing a lot of childhood worries and fears. Whenever anyone asks about Chris, he tells them his brother will be fine because that's what he has to believe.
I loved the sibling bond in this book. Chris and Newt had certain rituals, such as how Newt would wake Chris up in the morning when he had trouble going (watch out for hoses!) and how Chris always told Newt there were monsters under his bed. I found it rewarding to read a book where the popular brother has a good relationship with the more overshadowed sibling.
I found this to be an engrossing read and its ending is sweetly done. The friendships felt strong between the three main kids. While some of the things Captain Nobody ended up doing required some suspension of belief, it was in keeping with the tone of the book. There are some interesting explorations of the consequences of rumors in the aftermath of big events. Some of the circumstances in the book, from the football injury to a brother to the uncertainty of the hospital to the feeling of being faraway and useless reminded me in some ways of Catherine Murdock's YA The Off Season.
January 18, 2021
One of the most important books a child could read. It took me one day to read the book because I couldn't stop reading.
March 21, 2012
I am soooo excited to tell everyone about Captain Nobody! My children and I just finished reading Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford as our bedtime story. We read for over an hour because none of us wanted to stop before we had finished it. And I lost track of time.
Captain Nobody is the story of Newt Newman, the ten-year-old younger brother to Chris, a football star at the local high school. Newt not only feels somewhat overshadowed by his well-known brother, but feels overlooked in general. This comes sharply into focus for Newt when Chris is seriously injured in the final football game of the season and ends up in a coma in the hospital.
Newt’s friends, Cecil and JJ, attempt to distract Newt from dwelling on Chris’ situation by focusing on creating unique Halloween costumes. They strive to invent costumes which will get them all noticed this year as they trick-or-treat. In this way Newt discovers Captain Nobody, who quickly becomes a unique kind of superhero within the community.
The extraordinariness of this book is found in the genuine voice of Newt, himself. Newt learns that Captain Nobody is a part of who he is. He is able to uncover gifts he has always had, but not realized. As Captain Nobody he allows himself to show those gifts to others so that friends, family and strangers alike begin to really see Newt.
The story is full of humor and compassion. As we read, my children and I alternately laughed and swallowed over tears stuck in our throats. We gasped at the exciting parts. I heard my daughter giggle helplessly when Newt turned the hose on his brother the morning of the big football game. I watched my son’s eyes widen in fear when Newt courageously faced his own fears to help someone else. And all three of us actually cheered aloud at the end of the book!
I love that Newt’s discoveries come not as a result solely of Captain Nobody’s adventures, but as a result of his realization that Captain Nobody is a part of Newt Newman.
Books like Captain Nobody are the reason I love reading and the reason I love to share great books. This story is a wonderful tale of self-discovery, courage, friendship, love and inspiration. I believe that we discover a new piece of ourselves when we read something that touches us. This is absolutely the case for me in reading Captain Nobody!
I highly recommend this book as both a read-aloud and an independent read selection! This is one I plan to use as a read-aloud with my 3rd and 4th graders this year.
Captain Nobody is the story of Newt Newman, the ten-year-old younger brother to Chris, a football star at the local high school. Newt not only feels somewhat overshadowed by his well-known brother, but feels overlooked in general. This comes sharply into focus for Newt when Chris is seriously injured in the final football game of the season and ends up in a coma in the hospital.
Newt’s friends, Cecil and JJ, attempt to distract Newt from dwelling on Chris’ situation by focusing on creating unique Halloween costumes. They strive to invent costumes which will get them all noticed this year as they trick-or-treat. In this way Newt discovers Captain Nobody, who quickly becomes a unique kind of superhero within the community.
The extraordinariness of this book is found in the genuine voice of Newt, himself. Newt learns that Captain Nobody is a part of who he is. He is able to uncover gifts he has always had, but not realized. As Captain Nobody he allows himself to show those gifts to others so that friends, family and strangers alike begin to really see Newt.
The story is full of humor and compassion. As we read, my children and I alternately laughed and swallowed over tears stuck in our throats. We gasped at the exciting parts. I heard my daughter giggle helplessly when Newt turned the hose on his brother the morning of the big football game. I watched my son’s eyes widen in fear when Newt courageously faced his own fears to help someone else. And all three of us actually cheered aloud at the end of the book!
I love that Newt’s discoveries come not as a result solely of Captain Nobody’s adventures, but as a result of his realization that Captain Nobody is a part of Newt Newman.
Books like Captain Nobody are the reason I love reading and the reason I love to share great books. This story is a wonderful tale of self-discovery, courage, friendship, love and inspiration. I believe that we discover a new piece of ourselves when we read something that touches us. This is absolutely the case for me in reading Captain Nobody!
I highly recommend this book as both a read-aloud and an independent read selection! This is one I plan to use as a read-aloud with my 3rd and 4th graders this year.
January 5, 2019
I had to read this novel for my English literature this year. At first, I thought, 'Why should I read this crap made for kids?" I myself am an avid reader who's into thriller, adventure, horror and mystery genres. Sometimes, I don't mind if the content is mature as long as the story appeals to me. But then, when I actually read Captain Nobody, I realised how fun it was. The jokes are hilarious. The narrative is written well and the main character is pretty relatable. Unlike other protagonists who always rant about how they always get bullied and blah blah blah (I'm not saying that bullying is a trivial thing or something. It's just that this type of characters really get on my nerves), Newt was pretty mature for his age. I normally hate grammar nazis but JJ is an exception. Cecil is that one overenthusiastic friend but it's not like I complain about his personality or something. We do need someone like that in our lives.
Also, I really loved the brotherly love Newt had for Chris. I enjoyed their relationship even though I had only seen it briefly. When Chris finally woke up, I wasn't all that surprised. I did predict that the famous 'HIT THE SHOWERS' line of his little brother would trigger his unconscious mind. But that part was so heart-warming. I was smiling like the biggest idiot in this world. On the side note, I loved the interaction between Newt and Reggie. It's good to know that Reggie was not that much of a douche. To be honest, I lowkey liked his character.
Overall, it's a really good book. It would've been better if I'd gotten to read it as a child. Also, I REALLY loved this catchphrase, but it's a shame that it's very underused:
"I'm not 'supposed to be' anybody. I am Captain Nobody."
Also, I really loved the brotherly love Newt had for Chris. I enjoyed their relationship even though I had only seen it briefly. When Chris finally woke up, I wasn't all that surprised. I did predict that the famous 'HIT THE SHOWERS' line of his little brother would trigger his unconscious mind. But that part was so heart-warming. I was smiling like the biggest idiot in this world. On the side note, I loved the interaction between Newt and Reggie. It's good to know that Reggie was not that much of a douche. To be honest, I lowkey liked his character.
Overall, it's a really good book. It would've been better if I'd gotten to read it as a child. Also, I REALLY loved this catchphrase, but it's a shame that it's very underused:
"I'm not 'supposed to be' anybody. I am Captain Nobody."
August 19, 2015
Fun story about Newt Newman, the younger, often overlooked, brother of the star football player in their town. Newt is a fan of comic books and heroes. He spends his days overlooked and being invisible. When Newt’s brother Chris gets hit hard during a game and ends up in a coma, Newts friends decide that going trick or treating is just what Newt needs to feel better. With only his older brothers hand me downs to use as a costume, Newt comes up with Captain Nobody – the superhero no one has ever heard of. A bunch of chance coincidences lands Newt in the right place at the right time to “help” various people in town and one last event makes him the town hero. He won’t be invisible anymore.
Newt is a great character and the relationship he has with his family and friends rings true to life. Most of the story follows a realistic path, up until the end. Take a few liberties to wrap everything up, Pitchford gives us a fun story that would make a great read aloud and appeal to many students.
Newt is a great character and the relationship he has with his family and friends rings true to life. Most of the story follows a realistic path, up until the end. Take a few liberties to wrap everything up, Pitchford gives us a fun story that would make a great read aloud and appeal to many students.
December 23, 2022
Really enjoyed this book as a read-aloud with my 8-year-old daughter. Newt is pretty much invisible in his family and community compared to his football star older brother. One day, his brother has a terrible accident and Newt has to deal with the implications that his brother may never wake up again.
Comment on content for younger kids reading this. Near the end of the book, there are a couple of chapters that deal with suicide. It ends up being a misunderstanding, but I think it is important to know it is there in case you are reading this with the younger crowd.
Comment on content for younger kids reading this. Near the end of the book, there are a couple of chapters that deal with suicide. It ends up being a misunderstanding, but I think it is important to know it is there in case you are reading this with the younger crowd.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2017
Read this to my kids as part of our homeschool curriculum. It deals with some intense topics and "average" kids will identify with the struggles and eventual triumphs of 10-year-old Newt Newman. There is brief mention of suicide which some parents may object to (a character isn't actually considering suicide but for a brief time is misunderstood). My 8-year-old girl gave this book 4/5 stars but my 6-year-old boy loved it and gave it a 5+.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2013
You can't tell a book by its cover. This cover looks so light-hearted, but the story turns out to be very serious/deep for this age group.
August 19, 2022
Captain Nobody is narrated by Newt Newman, a throughly average ten years old . The book opens with an ominous prologue in which Newt is falling from somewhere very high . As he falls, he remembers that everything started on the morning of the Big Game. The narrative flashes back to the last Friday in October. Everyone in Newt’s hometown, Appleton, is excited for the Big Game between the local high school football teams, and no one is more excited than Chris, Newt’s older brother and local football hero. Newt feels inadequate next to his star brother and ignored by his workaholic parents. He is similarly ignored at school, except for his two friends Cecil and JJ. Before class, the three discuss their Halloween costumes, but are disappointed by how boring they are. They decide they must all come up with a costume that matches their “inner other.” Newt struggles all day to come up with a good costume, even as his parents take him to watch Chris in the big game Newt accidentally gets locked out of the stadium during the final quarter, but sees his brother score the winning touchdown despite being tackled. But Chris does not get up. At the hospital, the doctors inform Newt’s family that Chris is in a coma. Over the next few days, Newt replays the tackle over and over. On Halloween, Cecil and JJ come over, but Newt admits he still doesn’t have a costume, only his brother’s jersey. Cecil and JJ transform the jersey into a superhero costume and all three go trick-or-treating. After being asked who he is by an adult, Newt takes his brother’s initials, C.N., and declares himself Captain Nobody. The next day, Newt wears his Captain Nobody costume to school. His classmates mock him and the school administration worries he’s coping poorly after his brother’s accident. That night, Cecil calls for Captain Nobody, asking Newt to help him retrieve a cool, old bass drum from the top of a dumpster. Newt is afraid of heights, but Captain Nobody isn’t. They get the drum and are interrupted by Mr. Clay, an old man with Alzheimer’s who has gotten lost. Captain Nobody escorts Mr. Clay home. Mr. Clay explains to his relieved wife that Captain Nobody rescued him. In the hospital with a broken ankle and ribs, he sees the news report on his stunt at the water tower. He tells his parents that Reggie was not responsible for Chris’ coma. While visiting his brother for the first time, Chris finally wakes up. After he and Chris recover, Newt leads the victory parade as Captain Nobody.
July 26, 2019
"I'm not supposed to be anybody. I am Captain Nobody!"
Where do I even begin with this excellent book?
The story follows Newt Newman, a ten year old "nobody" who is helping his family live life. His older brother is the star quarterback of a local high school team and they're preparing for a big game between their team and a local rival. The family is in a tizzy while Newt calmly gets everything ready before heading to school himself. With the big game and Halloween in the same weekend there is much to be done.
Then tragedy strikes.
Will this young nobody have the courage to do what needs to be done and keep life going?
This story had our whole family laughing, crying and talking about important life issues. Captivating from the first page none of us wanted to put it down. There are deep and difficult topics but so worth digging into and this book gives a safe way to step into some tough subjects.
I love that it's an easy read yet covers deep topics from a kids perspective. I love that it shows how intelligent and creative kids really are when they are given space to be and also when the need arises. It's amazing seeing the depths of this ten year old boy as I have one right now and seeing what all he is capable of doing.
This is an excellent book to discuss bravery, family, loving your neighbor as yourself, kindness, selflessness and being ok not getting recognition.
The book is extremely well written and easy to understand. The author is extremely clever and does an amazing job bringing the story full circle.
If you don't want to discuss hard life issues with your kids then don't read this to them or read it first to see if you're ok with them reading it.
I rarely do this but this book gets 5 stars! It was such a great read and in my opinion great for the family.
Where do I even begin with this excellent book?
The story follows Newt Newman, a ten year old "nobody" who is helping his family live life. His older brother is the star quarterback of a local high school team and they're preparing for a big game between their team and a local rival. The family is in a tizzy while Newt calmly gets everything ready before heading to school himself. With the big game and Halloween in the same weekend there is much to be done.
Then tragedy strikes.
Will this young nobody have the courage to do what needs to be done and keep life going?
This story had our whole family laughing, crying and talking about important life issues. Captivating from the first page none of us wanted to put it down. There are deep and difficult topics but so worth digging into and this book gives a safe way to step into some tough subjects.
I love that it's an easy read yet covers deep topics from a kids perspective. I love that it shows how intelligent and creative kids really are when they are given space to be and also when the need arises. It's amazing seeing the depths of this ten year old boy as I have one right now and seeing what all he is capable of doing.
This is an excellent book to discuss bravery, family, loving your neighbor as yourself, kindness, selflessness and being ok not getting recognition.
The book is extremely well written and easy to understand. The author is extremely clever and does an amazing job bringing the story full circle.
If you don't want to discuss hard life issues with your kids then don't read this to them or read it first to see if you're ok with them reading it.
I rarely do this but this book gets 5 stars! It was such a great read and in my opinion great for the family.
August 19, 2022
As we know, a captain or superhero is usually a brave, strong person with special superpowers. But it is different from the main character in this book. The captain in this Captain Nobody novel written by Dean Pitchford is just a kid who wants to have an interesting costume for Halloween. There are few scene that I adore and love so much.
Dean Pitchford is an American songwriter, screenwriter, director, actor, and novelist. His work has earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for three additional Oscars, two more Golden Globes, eight Grammy Awards, and two Tony Awards.
There is a scene that shows Newt Newton, the main character, shows a high sense of responsibility towards his family members. He decided to create a costume using his older brother Chris's old sportswear which ended up changing his life.
There is also a scene that shows the loyal spirit of friends by Newt. Even though Newt is afraid of heights, that doesn't stop him from helping Sam retrieve his big bass drum that was dumped on the dumpster. These things should be emulated in our daily lives.
There is also an amazing scene where Newt foils a robbery attack in Sullivan's Jewelery Store. This scene shows how brave and honest Newt is. Newt initially only intended to help his friend, JJ but became a savior because he called the police to arrest the robber.
Captain Nobody shows many values of life that can be emulated by children who are growing into teenagers. This novel reflects a good attitude that should be present in an individual. Newt Newton became a superhero that was very different from the superheroes that appear in science fiction movies and proved that not everyone needs to be a brave superhero to do good to others or be a good person.
Dean Pitchford is an American songwriter, screenwriter, director, actor, and novelist. His work has earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for three additional Oscars, two more Golden Globes, eight Grammy Awards, and two Tony Awards.
There is a scene that shows Newt Newton, the main character, shows a high sense of responsibility towards his family members. He decided to create a costume using his older brother Chris's old sportswear which ended up changing his life.
There is also a scene that shows the loyal spirit of friends by Newt. Even though Newt is afraid of heights, that doesn't stop him from helping Sam retrieve his big bass drum that was dumped on the dumpster. These things should be emulated in our daily lives.
There is also an amazing scene where Newt foils a robbery attack in Sullivan's Jewelery Store. This scene shows how brave and honest Newt is. Newt initially only intended to help his friend, JJ but became a savior because he called the police to arrest the robber.
Captain Nobody shows many values of life that can be emulated by children who are growing into teenagers. This novel reflects a good attitude that should be present in an individual. Newt Newton became a superhero that was very different from the superheroes that appear in science fiction movies and proved that not everyone needs to be a brave superhero to do good to others or be a good person.
October 4, 2018
The book under the spotlight today will be Captain Nobody. This book is a heart-warming and truly inspiring book about a young boy by the name of Newt. Newt is a nobody and he is practically irrelevant to the whole school except his two best friends JJ and Cecil who are the definition of true friends as they keep him together through hard times. The story starts with Newt’s older brother Chris, a star football player commonly known and loved around the city, getting knocked out into a coma. Newt, feeling weak and crushed, dawns a new persona named Captain Nobody which starts of as a Halloween costume but amounts to so much more than that. The defender of all the unknown and helpless, Captain Nobody unknowingly and accidentally becomes a city sensation saving his people from robbery, death, and so much more. While this book is about how Newt changes and matures as his brother is in a coma, it is quite a good laugh and often produces hilarious moments. The moral of this story is for the overlooked and the underappreciated and I feel like it touches those in the category very deeply as Newt is in the shadow of his brother his entire life but that didn’t stop him from secretly becoming his town’s Batman. I am deeply connected to this book as my parents bought it for me in 5th grade as a gift and I’ve read it numerous times because of the fantastic plot and really how the book teaches to value urself no matter how down you are feeling. All in all, for me this book is a 5/5 that all young children should pick up the first chance they get.
August 22, 2022
A novel that really inspired me is Captain Nobody written by Dean Pitchford. This novel is about a 10 years old kid named Newton Newman who had been through a lot of problems such as family issues. However,it has enough exciting adventures to capture the interest of young mind. One lesson that I have got from the main character which is Newton Newman is in October,Newt is preparing breakfast for his family but no one wants to eat his breakfast because mom and dad are too busy with their works.Eventhough he frustrated about it but he never speak harshly towards his parent. In Surah Al-Ahqaf verse 15, Allah said “And We enjoined you to be kind to your mom and dad”.In my opinion,serving foods for parents is one of the good things that we as a child should do because it can ease their burden as a parent.An exciting moment that gives an impact to me is when Newt climb the Appelton Water Tower.Although he fear of heights but he let his life in danger because he wants to save Reggie’s life.In conclusion,we as children should help our parents to do some chores even if they have not ask for our help.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2019
Newton Newman—“Newt” to friends and family—is a short, skinny, freckled ten-year-old boy who lives in the shadow of his small-town-famous older brother, Chris. Chris is varsity quarterback of the Ferocious Ferrets of Filmore High School, who, as Captain Nobody begins, face off against their cross-town rivals, the Chargers of Merrimac High, in the annual “big game.” In the opening chapter, Newt watches as his brother simultaneously scores the winning touchdown at the last second, gets a concussion, and goes into a coma as a result of the injury.
Newt may be invisible to most people—a running gag throughout the book is that people are shocked to discover that Chris has a younger brother. And yet, in many ways, he is the grease on his family’s skids, holding things together by cooking everyone breakfast, keeping track of his mom’s scattered real estate files, and in general knowing where everything goes and when. But with Chris in a coma in the hospital, Newt’s invisibility becomes so pronounced that even his parents begin to take him for granted.
But when Halloween rolls around, and Newt’s two friends (Cecil and JJ) encourage him to go trick or treating, he accidentally finds himself dressed in a ragtag of Chris’s clothes that his friends morph into a superhero costume. And thus, Newton Newman becomes Captain Nobody. He helps an old man with Alzheimer’s find his way home. He foils a bank robbery. He clears traffic so a plane can safely land on the highway. And all without intending to. The one superpower Newt doesn’t have is the ability to wake Chris up. Or does he? That’s the question readers wonder as Dean Pitchford writes his way toward the book’s heartwarming conclusion.
I read Captain Nobody along with my fourth-grade son’s lunchtime reading group, and the boys loved the story. It didn’t have the action or creativity of some of the other books we read, but the boys liked Newt and even identified with him a bit. For me, of the three books we read—the other two were Wings of Fire and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—I liked Captain Nobody best. (Well, I liked it alongside Lewis’ classic children’s story. I hated Wings of Fire, though the boys loved it.) I liked it because Newt is a free-range, competent, caring kid who loves his family and holds them together in a difficult time.
Does Chris ever wake up? Read the book to find out.
Puffin Books says the book is appropriate for kids 8–12, grades 3–7. Having read this with fourth-grade boys, I think age 10 and grade 4 is just about right.
Book Reviewed
Dean Pitchford, Captain Nobody (New York: Puffin Books, 2009).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
Newt may be invisible to most people—a running gag throughout the book is that people are shocked to discover that Chris has a younger brother. And yet, in many ways, he is the grease on his family’s skids, holding things together by cooking everyone breakfast, keeping track of his mom’s scattered real estate files, and in general knowing where everything goes and when. But with Chris in a coma in the hospital, Newt’s invisibility becomes so pronounced that even his parents begin to take him for granted.
But when Halloween rolls around, and Newt’s two friends (Cecil and JJ) encourage him to go trick or treating, he accidentally finds himself dressed in a ragtag of Chris’s clothes that his friends morph into a superhero costume. And thus, Newton Newman becomes Captain Nobody. He helps an old man with Alzheimer’s find his way home. He foils a bank robbery. He clears traffic so a plane can safely land on the highway. And all without intending to. The one superpower Newt doesn’t have is the ability to wake Chris up. Or does he? That’s the question readers wonder as Dean Pitchford writes his way toward the book’s heartwarming conclusion.
I read Captain Nobody along with my fourth-grade son’s lunchtime reading group, and the boys loved the story. It didn’t have the action or creativity of some of the other books we read, but the boys liked Newt and even identified with him a bit. For me, of the three books we read—the other two were Wings of Fire and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—I liked Captain Nobody best. (Well, I liked it alongside Lewis’ classic children’s story. I hated Wings of Fire, though the boys loved it.) I liked it because Newt is a free-range, competent, caring kid who loves his family and holds them together in a difficult time.
Does Chris ever wake up? Read the book to find out.
Puffin Books says the book is appropriate for kids 8–12, grades 3–7. Having read this with fourth-grade boys, I think age 10 and grade 4 is just about right.
Book Reviewed
Dean Pitchford, Captain Nobody (New York: Puffin Books, 2009).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
August 6, 2020
This is the book that bring sparks back to my hobby in reading. I was told to read this book for our SPM English Examination. I remembered being so immersed reading this while on the way to school and got so frustrated that i've arrived and gotta stop reading.
I read this back in 2018 so do forgive me if i get anything wrong.
Newt's character development is totally my favourite but his adventures still sound so absurd to me. Well not in a bad way because it is the absurdities of his adventure that drawn me into reading more.
I also adore the variety of side characters. I adore each one of them for their own uniqueness.
Also i love how things got resolved in the end and the irony of its ending. I really want a pyhsical copy for this book.
Forgive me for any grammatical error and misspelling.
I read this back in 2018 so do forgive me if i get anything wrong.
Newt's character development is totally my favourite but his adventures still sound so absurd to me. Well not in a bad way because it is the absurdities of his adventure that drawn me into reading more.
I also adore the variety of side characters. I adore each one of them for their own uniqueness.
Also i love how things got resolved in the end and the irony of its ending. I really want a pyhsical copy for this book.
Forgive me for any grammatical error and misspelling.
June 9, 2025
Newt is the younger brother of a football star Chris. When Chris gets injured in a football game, Newt assumes the identity of “Captain Nobody” during Halloween, because that’s how he feels. Being Captain Nobody helps him to feel more brave and he finds himself in some situations that test that.
“There was something in the way I announced myself that told people Captain Nobody was the real deal.
Whatever that was.” Ch 9, p65
“I'm not 'supposed to be' anybody. I am Captain Nobody." P67
“Was I really ready to go back to being insignificant and overlooked when i had recently gotten a taste of being so ... amazing?” P70
“Don't tell me you don't recognize Captain Nobody.
Defender of the little guy? Champion of the downtrodden?" P73
“That's when I first suspected that in the right clothes
—magic clothes— couid be anybody I ever imagined." Author’s note p173
“There was something in the way I announced myself that told people Captain Nobody was the real deal.
Whatever that was.” Ch 9, p65
“I'm not 'supposed to be' anybody. I am Captain Nobody." P67
“Was I really ready to go back to being insignificant and overlooked when i had recently gotten a taste of being so ... amazing?” P70
“Don't tell me you don't recognize Captain Nobody.
Defender of the little guy? Champion of the downtrodden?" P73
“That's when I first suspected that in the right clothes
—magic clothes— couid be anybody I ever imagined." Author’s note p173
May 29, 2020
My ( 3 of 4) kids rate it 5 stars. I, rate it a 3.5. Of all the comments my kids made they mainly thought this book was “funny.” I didn’t think it was that funny, but I am no longer a kid. I did like the moral of the story, the plot, and the main characters. There is a suicide mentioning, that I had to tweak because my kids are young and in my opinion just didn’t really need to be in the book. My daughter summed it up well “It’s about a kid trying to find his inner self.” She’s 8, and if she can catch the importance behind all the funny I’m happy to read it. It was a bit of a break from all our more serious and education read alouds, and the kids enjoyed it.
June 12, 2017
The only reason this isn't getting a one-star review is that my daughter loved the storyline.
I guess it's the larger-than-life events of the book that hooked her.
Me?
I didn't like it.
I didn't like the neglectful parents.
That made me squirm each time we had to read about their mistreatment of Newt.
I didn't like the near-constant pre-occupation the adults had with their careers. Leaving a 10yo to run the house was disheartening.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the parents seemed to spoil the book a bit.
I'll let their reviews echo my sentiments.
I guess it's the larger-than-life events of the book that hooked her.
Me?
I didn't like it.
I didn't like the neglectful parents.
That made me squirm each time we had to read about their mistreatment of Newt.
I didn't like the near-constant pre-occupation the adults had with their careers. Leaving a 10yo to run the house was disheartening.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the parents seemed to spoil the book a bit.
I'll let their reviews echo my sentiments.
January 8, 2020
Fun story about the little brother of a star football player who is pretty much invisible, even it seems to his parents. After his brother ends up in a coma in the hospital with a football injury, Newt's Halloween costume as Captain Nobody gives him courage to step out and do the good things a superhero would do. Yes, the adventures fe a bit over the top, but definitely fun for young readers who may need the courage to believe in themselves. I could have done without the self-consciously therapeutic parts, however.
May 2, 2024
Read this with my 11 year old boy. He gave it 5 stars, I gave it 3 (but don't tell him). I guess from a boy's perspective: it's funny, real-life adventurous and the under dog wins. From an adult perspective: the parents were neglectful, Newt put himself in stupidly dangerous situations (like running onto a freeway to save a ferret), and hearing the joke that "I didn't know Chris Newman had a younger brother" over and over just made me sad... There is a suicide reference, but otherwise clean. This is probably a fun book for boys under 12.
July 26, 2018
ES Librarian Review: I really thought this book was going to be some pointless drivel hopelessly aimed at getting boys to read, but I couldn't have been more surprised. Not only was it well written, but is a great book for any gender to read - or age. I laughed out more than once, surprising myself. "I didn't know Chris had a younger brother...!" That repetitive line was very well done in particular.
January 8, 2019
Sweet story with an earnest main character. Love how Newt runs his household without anyone noticing, and how he doesn't seem to mind that nobody notices him. He just does what needs to be done and loves them even with all their faults. Then he stands up for himself and wins the day.
I read this awhile ago, but since then have read four very dramatic, very high-stakes stories. But, I think I need more stories like this in my life. Maybe everyone needs more stories like this in their lives.
I read this awhile ago, but since then have read four very dramatic, very high-stakes stories. But, I think I need more stories like this in my life. Maybe everyone needs more stories like this in their lives.
November 29, 2019
Based on my reading, I feel empathy towards Newt. He chooses to be Captain Nobody not by chance but it is because he needs attention. He didn’t get the attention from all his family members when he’s being Newt. But when he uses the mask and change to be Captain Nobody, he starts to shine and his heroic characteristics appeared. Everybody around him seems to appreciate him more. In my opinion, Newt’s life is very tough for a 10 years old boy. He prepares breakfast for the whole family, he seems to be taking care of everyone around him. But who’s taking care of him? No one. At his age, he is supposed to enjoy his childhood.
March 15, 2022
When his older brother and town football star gets knocked into a coma, Newt Newman’s life is thrown into uncertainty and upheaval. His parents are too busy for him, he’s worried about his brother, and he feels invisible. His two best friends decide that dressing up for Halloween may be a way to cheer him up. When he puts on his superhero costume, everything starts to change.
My kids enjoyed this one and there were definitely some funny parts. We appreciated the kindness Newt showed to others. However, I was frustrated that Newt had to be a hero and be extraordinary to be noticed and valued. He was already a great kid. This is one of the few books I have listened to that I regretted listening on audio rather than reading in print. The author narrates his own book, and that rarely works, other than in nonfiction.
My kids enjoyed this one and there were definitely some funny parts. We appreciated the kindness Newt showed to others. However, I was frustrated that Newt had to be a hero and be extraordinary to be noticed and valued. He was already a great kid. This is one of the few books I have listened to that I regretted listening on audio rather than reading in print. The author narrates his own book, and that rarely works, other than in nonfiction.
January 22, 2023
This book was a lot of fun and very heartwarming! I read this with my 9 year old daughter. It does cover some heavier topics like a tragic accident and suicide. But it opened up some great conversations as we were reading it together. I thought the characters were just so lovable and there were some hilarious scenes that had my daughter and I cracking up. The messages in the book were also excellent! We both really enjoyed this one.
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