Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Can Joshua Control his Fire?


"My last name changes every time my parents pick up and move to another new town. Some kids have to make new friends when they move. I have to make up a whole new identity. But I can't tell you the name I go by now. It would be too dangerous- for me, and probably for you, too." ~Joshua Dread



Joshua's parents are part of the superhero world, but they're not the part that he can talk about. As a matter of fact even his best friend, Milton, has no idea what Joshua's parents really do for a living. His parents do a great job masquerading as a stay at home inventor and a horticulture professor. But it only disguises their true villainous way. The public really knows them as the Dread Duo, the supervillains they fear. Joshua's parents are trying to destroy the world, and Captain Justice is doing his best to find them and ruin their plans. There is also a new resident in town with a lot of mystery surrounding them. As if trying to keep his identity hidden isn't hard enough, lately Joshua has been lighting things on fire when he least expects it and doesn't seem to know how to control his power. When he meets Sophie, a new girl at school, who also seems to have some super powers, he's excited. Could she also be the daughter of a supervillain? What if she's the daughter of a superhero? If she is, does their friendship stand a chance? Will Josh ever understand why his parents do what they do? Is there any way that a couple of kids with beginning powers can help save the world? Read this exciting adventure to find out!


When I started reading Joshua Dread by Lee Bacon I had no idea that it was about superheroes and supervillains. I think this is a book that kids in fourth grade and up who enjoy comic superheros will love (third graders could enjoy it too, but it might be a challenging read). Anyone who has read the Powerless series and liked it, is sure to enjoy reading about Joshua and his friends. It's a unique story because it's being told from the supervillain’s point of view instead of the superhero’s perspective. I really like Joshua and his friends and found it easy to relate to them. I also thought it was fascinating to learn about all kinds of cool superhero products. It was fun diving into a world of supervillains for a few hours. As Joshua learned more about his fire power it was easy to understand his worries and concerns, after all he doesn't want to hurt anyone he knows. I think the theme of friendship is a strong one, and the kids in this book could teach adults a thing or two about right and wrong and how to be a true friend. This is the first book of the series, and I look forward to reading more.

As anyone else read Joshua Dread? Or have you read another book by Lee Bacon? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~L

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42 comments:

  1. It sounds like a heap of fun. Always good to look at the familiar from a different perspective.

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    1. Elephant's Child- It is a fun book and I like looking at things from a different perspective too. :) ~L

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  2. The book sounds good... my daughter would like this... I like that Joshua doesn't want to hurt his friends, hopefully this means he wants to help and not hurt others too like his parents...

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    1. Launna- It is a good book and Joshua has a good heart. Definitely makes things complicated with parents who are supervillains! :) ~L

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  3. This does sound unique being told by a child of a villain. I think kids would really like it.

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    1. Natalie- Sure to be a hit with the superhero crowd. Especially because it is from a different angle. :) ~L

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  4. What an interesting concept. Kids love superheroes and supervillians alike and I'm sure this story will appeal to them. Great review!

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    1. Thanks, Anna! I agree that this will be a hit, as superheroes and supervillains are so popular! :) ~L

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  5. First time I'm seeing his name. But the book sounds unique.

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  6. This book sounds awesome! I hadn't heard of it before but I love super hero things and super villains are even better! I'm googling the Powerless series now. :)

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    1. Molly- If you like superheroes then you will like this book. You will also love the Powerless series. Super fun! :) ~L

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  7. I haven't read this book, but based on your review, it sounds like one I'd like to read.

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  8. I haven't read this book, but based on your review, it sounds like one I'd like to read.

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  9. I can see this one totally appealing to young boys. WHo doesn't love a good super hero story with super villains?

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    1. Heidi- It definitely has superhero and supervillain excitement in it! :) ~L

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  10. Kids LOVE superheroes. Judging by the movies that come out every summer, so do grown-ups!

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    1. So true, Stephanie. This might be a great one for a parent/child book club. Lots to chat about for sure! :) ~L

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  11. Wow, to have parents who are secret super-villains sounds kind of strangely exciting! :)

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    1. Catherine- Joshua's life is definitely strangely exciting! :) ~L

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  12. A very unique-sounding concept. I'm intrigued!

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    1. Optimistic Existentialist- It is unique and a great read! :) ~L

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  13. I haven't read the book, but it sounds great. Very nice review.

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    1. Beverly- So happy you enjoyed our review! Joshua Dread is a great book! :) ~L

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  14. I moved around lots as a kid but having to change my identity would have been cool. Great concept!

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    1. Stina- I didn't even think about all the kids who move around all the time- but they (and you) will be able to relate to Joshua. I bet changing your identity would have added a new dimension to your moves! :) ~L

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  15. This sounds like a fun read. Great review!

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  16. This sounds like a great and fun book! Love superheroes and villains! Thank you for the review.

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    1. Cherie- So glad you liked the review! It is a lot of fun and is definitely an exciting story, as almost anything can happen in the superhero/supervillain world. :) ~L

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  17. My brother would love this! This is his book genre.

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    1. SuperLux- I hope he gets to read it! :) ~L

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  18. I haven't read this, but it sounds like so much fun!!

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  19. That's a fresh perspective (in children's stories) ~ coming from the family of supervillains! I haven't read this but it sounds like a lot of fun.

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    1. Claudine- I liked the unique perspective a lot and it added lots of conflict to Joshua's life. Definitely a fresh perspective! :) ~L

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  20. This sounds like the kind of book I would love to read! I have never heard of a book where the main character is the son of the villains, which is sad because they are the people that need to be stopped! I also like the idea of the girl coming in and him not knowing whether she's got parents like his or the complete opposite to his. This sounds like such a unique book!

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    1. Olivia-Savannah- It is definitely a unique book. I like that it was from a different point of view and the new girl in school added a twist and something more to wonder about. :) ~L

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  21. I love that this is from the villain's perspective although Joshua seems to not want to be a villain but a good guy. that conflict in the family would be really interesting to read about. I like this book so much that I'm adding it to my tbr list.

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    1. Adriana- Reading about the conflict in Joshua's family was definitely interesting. The unique perspective adds a lot to the story. :) Enjoy! :) ~L

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