SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

May 5, 2011 by Travis Jonker

Review: Sidekicks by Dan Santat

May 5, 2011 by Travis Jonker   5 comments

Sidekicks
By Dan Santat
Arthur A. Levine Books
ISBN: 9780439298117
$24.99 hardcover; $12.99 paperback
Grades 3-6
In Stores July 1, 2011

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Let us be honest, folks – at this point, you could slap a cape on a coat rack, toss in a few one-liners and our current superhero-crazed culture would eat it up. Give Dan Santat credit then for creating something far from mindless – a superhero story that is skillfully plotted and artfully executed at every turn. Sidekicks is a graphic novel that plays on classic comic storylines, yet manages to make them completely modern. A dangerously entertaining mix.

Captain Amazing is getting on in years. When some derring-do puts him out of commission, the hero and puts out a call for a new sidekick. The Captain’s pets – hamster Fluffy, dog Roscoe, and Shifty the chameleon – do their best to fill the role. And fill it they do – coming through in the clutch to save Metro City from a villain making an unwelcome return.

Santat’s vivid artwork will turn heads. Dramatic full-color illustrations splash across each page, the energy palpable. Wide-angle panels give off a cinematic vibe that kids will eat up.

With the help of humor and a good dose of action, Sidekicks is bound to circulate until the cover falls off.

Review copy from publisher

Watch the Sidekicks book trailer:

Download a PDF preview of Sidekicks.

Also reviewed by A Fuse #8 Production.

Find this book at your local library with WorldCat.

Filed under: Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Arthur A. LevinereviewScholastic

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

June 2023

Review: Gnome and Rat by Lauren Stohler

by Travis Jonker

December 2022

9 Books I Loved (But Didn't Review) in 2022

by Travis Jonker

March 2022

Books on Film: I Need a New Butt!

by Travis Jonker

March 2022

Behind the Scenes Q&A: Skater Baby by Jack Noel

by Travis Jonker

March 2022

2022 Books from Caldecott Winners

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

A JUST ONE FLAKE Preorder Secret

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Outreach, Innovation, and Interviews! Meet Wimee in All His Myriad Forms

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

My Girlfriend’s Child, vols. 1 and 2 | Review

by Renee Scott

Heavy Medal

Newbery Possibilities on the National Book Award Longlist

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Inspiring Reality Through Fiction, a guest post by THIEVES’ GAMBIT author Kayvion Lewis

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Peter Brown Visits The Yarn to talk about The Wild Robot Protects

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

19 Amazing Audiobooks Adapted from Graphic Novels | Multimedia Audio Reviews

Shannon Hale on Adapting Middle Grade Graphic Novel "Best Friends" as an Audiobook

Publishers Take Pride in Their LGBTQIA+ Titles

SPONSORED

A Look Across the Universe | YA Nonfiction Spotlight

Publishers Support SEL in the Face of Opposition

SPONSORED

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Margie Culver says

    May 6, 2011 at 8:38 am

    I can’t wait to get this; one for me and some for each school.

  2. Travis says

    May 6, 2011 at 9:36 am

    This will be a fan favorite – no doubt.

Trackbacks

  1. Book Review: Sidekicks by Dan Santat « Waking Brain Cells says:
    July 7, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    […] reviewed by 100 Scope Notes and Fuse […]

  2. Two of our favorite things: Books and Diners | Welcome to Adventure Out West '11 says:
    July 12, 2011 at 11:25 am

    […] Sidekicks by Dan Santat […]

  3. Mr. Schu Reads SIDEKICKS in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona at the Same Time | Welcome to Adventure Out West '11 says:
    July 14, 2011 at 5:46 am

    […] at the Same Time, originally uploaded by Litandmore. Have you read Dan Santat’s new book, Sidekicks? If not, check it […]

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023