Solving Crimes Is NOT My Superpower (eBook)

Nathanael Lessore (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025
136 Seiten
Little Tiger Press (Verlag)
9781788957748 (ISBN)

Infos

Controlling the wind, smelling fear, farting colours... The people of Walsham can do it all! The WHOLE TOWN has been granted powers by a mysterious treasure, except for Sara. Shecan't even levitate a squirrel! But the school football trophy (and her best friend's lucky charm) has been stolen, and powers or no powers, it's up to her to find it and catch the criminal. And who knows - maybe Sara will discover her super skills in the process... (She certainly hopes she will!). A laugh-out-loud series about all the different ways of being extraordinary, perfect for fans of PIZAZZ, SAM WU and MARV.

Nathanael Lessore grew up in a North Peckham estate as one of eight children to French and Madagascan parents. His debut book Steady For This was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing 2024 and won the Branford Boase Award 2024. Becoming a writer is a dream come true, and he will never take this journey for granted.

Textauszug

Most towns have a mail person who goes door to door, putting mail through the letter box. It must take ages strolling from one house to another, to another. Then you have to start on a new street and do it all again.

Here in Walsham, the postal worker has eight arms that stretch as far as he wants. He delivers the post to eight houses at a time, although he doesn’t have complete control over all his arms. Sometimes he gets a hand stuck in our neighbour’s letter box, drops letters or has a giggle attack when a dog licks his fingers. But it’s still much quicker than a mail carrier with only two arms.

Me and my mum are eating breakfast. She has her bowl of fresh fruit and a glass of water, and I’m munching down my crunchy cereal. I barely look up when I see the postie’s long, rubbery arm snaking past the kitchen window (he’s dropped a load of letters in the front garden and on the car bonnet). Mum’s dressed for work in her long cape and thick boots, and she’s trying not to spill anything on her newly washed costume. The doorbell rings, right on cue.

“Yes, yes, bring it in!” Mum calls.

After wiggling through the letter box, the postal worker’s stretchy arm, carrying a shiny gold envelope, weaves along the corridor. His hand feels its way round the kitchen door and hovers towards Mum. He accidentally prods her face with the envelope a few times before she manages to grab it.

“Yes, thank you, Gary!” she says.

The hand gives her a thumbs up, before snaking back to the front door, knocking over a milk carton on the way out.

Mum tears open the gold envelope and reads her IPA missions for the day. I roll my eyes as she pushes her empty bowl away. She stands up slowly, hands on hips, chest out, in her signature superhero pose.

“Mum, you’re doing it again,” I tell her.

Mum clocks how she’s standing and straightens up. “Oh, sorry, Sara! I don’t even realise I’m doing it.” She comes round and gives me a kiss on the top of my head.

Mum and Dad are part of the IPA (Incredible Protection Agency), so they’re basically superheroes for the whole country. People from other areas tried moving to Walsham to get powers, but the town wasn’t big enough. Part of the IPA agreement is that our heroes fight crime everywhere, so other places let us be.

Only people with helpful superpowers can join the IPA, as long as they’re brave enough. Mum can control the wind – she uses it to fly around and put out forest fires. She’s great for flying kites but not so great around birthday candles.

Dad has super strength – his leg muscles mean he can jump from here to the next village in just one leap. Even though criminals are terrified of him, really he is a big, soft teddy bear. He once slammed on the brakes of the car, nearly causing a major accident, when a butterfly flew across the road.

“Where is your father?” Mum says, checking her watch. His hot oats and protein bars are untouched in front of his chair.

“I think he’s having trouble with his nemesis,” I say.

She purses her lips and we both shake our heads. The problem with being part of the IPA is that every superhero needs a nemesis.

Dad’s used to be some villain called Chestnut the Conkerer, but after the IPA defeated him, he turned his life around and got heavily into pottery. I think Dad became bored without having a villain to beef with, and then The Warden showed up. He’s our local traffic warden and his name is Norman – he’s actually very friendly. He gave my dad a ticket once, and Dad started rolling around on the floor, screaming, “Nooooo!” and crying in pain. They’ve been mortal enemies since that fateful day. Shout out Norman.

“You want a lift to school?” Mum asks.

“No, thanks. It’s a nice day as usual – I’m just gonna walk it.”

I hate it when she “gives me a lift”. She legit carries me in her arms as we fly over the town. It’s so embarrassing. I usually ask her to land behind a tree at the end of the road and put me down where the other kids won’t see.

On the way out of the house, Dad is losing it because of another parking ticket. Norman is nowhere to be seen but Dad is on one knee, wailing, with his arms outstretched.

Sometimes my dad can be a little dramatic. Mum says he’s just sensitive.

“Bye, Dad!” I call out.

He puts his arms down and stops screaming to say, “Bye, munchkin. Have a great day at school. And remember: the only true powers are…”

“…a loving heart, a helping hand and the courage to do what’s right.”

He says that every day. It used to be cool but now it just feels a bit cringey.

You see, I don’t actually have a superpower. Which is odd for a ten-year-old who lives in Walsham. I’m already in the last few weeks of Year Five, and pretty much everyone in my class at Walsham Primary has already discovered theirs. I’m sure they all think there’s something wrong with me and I don’t blame them. It’s weird.

I’m trying to do little things to discover what my gift is. I thought it might be cooking but I can’t even make cereal without burning it. Maybe burning cornflakes is my power? No, Sara, that’s silly. Maybe it’s silliness! I puff my cheeks out and tickle myself under the chin like a goat.

“Sara, are you OK? Why are you doing that to your face?” Mum calls out of the window.

“I was just checking something!” I call back.

OK, silliness is not my superpower. Even though I do feel rather silly right now.

On the way to school, I pass by the nail salon and see Yasmine inside. She has the power to see visions of the past. (It’s cool because she never has to google anything.) Our mayor has multicoloured farts. Seriously, a puff of colourful smoke appears every time he lets one rip.

Hey, I didn’t say they were all amazing powers! Most people have pretty pointless ones. I know an old lady who can levitate squirrels– only waist-high – and she loves going to the park to feed them. Her husband’s power is cooking pasta in his mouth. Mum doesn’t enjoy going to theirs for dinner.

Georgie and Javier are already waiting by the school gates. Georgie is wearing her full football kit and doing kick-ups. She’s way more athletic than I am. Georgie can do all the tricks – round-the-world, flick-ups, balancing the ball on her head, and that’s not even her superpower. Georgie’s special ability is that she can smell fear. Oh, and she’s my best friend in the whole world. She’s brave and funny, and extremely loyal. Georgie’s been there for me since our first day of school.

Just in case it wasn’t clear, Georgie lives and breathes football. Her parents are both football managers. They don’t say goodbye in the morning, they just shake hands and shout, “Good game out there,” and when she got chickenpox in Reception they blamed the ref.

And then there’s Javier. He’s good at spelling. I think that’s his superpower?

“That’s not my power,” Javier says, and I realise I’ve been thinking out loud. He puffs out his chest slightly. “My power is—”

“Javier, don’t be insensitive.” Georgie cuts him off quickly.

“Right. Sorry, Sara,” he mumbles sheepishly, looking down at the ground.

It’s so annoying that everyone has a special gift except me. I’ve always wanted a cool power, something that would get me into the IPA like my parents.

...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 6.3.2025
• Reihe/Serie: NOT My Superpower
• Illustrationen: Simran Diamond Singh
• Verlagsort: London
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Kinder- / Jugendbuch ► Jugendbücher ab 12 Jahre
• Themenwelt: Kinder- / Jugendbuch ► Spielen / Lernen ► Abenteuer / Spielgeschichten
• Schlagworte: Adventure • adventure books • adventure stories • Animal Books • books about friendship • books for 10 year olds • books for 7 year olds • books for 8 year olds • books for 9 year olds • books for boys • books for girls • books with pictures • chapter books • Crime stories • Detective stories • easy read • exciting stories • Fantasy • Fantasy book • fantasy books • fantasy stories • Friendship • funny books • fun stories • illustrated books • illustrated chapter books • Kid Normal • Magic • magical • magical stories • magic stories • Marv • Marvel • mia mayhem • Mutants • Mystery • Mystery Stories • nathanael lessore • pizazz • powers • Sam Wu • solving crimes • steady for this • Superhero • superhero books • super heroes • superheroes • Superhero Stories • super powers • Superpowers
• ISBN-13: 9781788957748 / 9781788957748