DAN UNMASKED
by Chris Negron
Harper, 2020
ISBN: 9780062943064
Source: ARC from Blue Slip Media
Ages 9-12
All opinions expressed are solely my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Whether they’re on the
baseball field or in Nate’s basement, devouring the newest issue of
their favorite comic book, Dan and Nate are always talking. Until
they’re not.
After an accident at baseball practice—an accident
that Dan is certain he caused—Nate’s stuck in a coma. Usually, Dan can
rely on his and Nate’s superpower—the secret language that only they
know, a language of raised eyebrows and subtle nose taps.
Now, if
Dan ever wants to see Nate tap his nose again, he’s got to figure out a
way to wake him up. But for all the time he’s spent reading about the
adventures of Captain Nexus, Dan knows he’s no superhero. Heroes have
powers—and without Nate, all Dan has is a closet stuffed with comics and
a best-friend shaped hole in his heart. There’s no way a regular kid
can save the day all on his own. Right?
REVIEW
Baseball isn't a subject that I usually enjoy reading about, but Negron has done such a fabulous job with his debut novel that I found myself really enjoying it. Baseball, comics, and friendship make this an appealing, well-written book that I can highly recommend.
The story revolves around Dan and his best friend, Nate, who love to play baseball and read comics together. With Nate as their pitcher the Giants have a great shot at winning the championship. And Dan and Nate and their friends love to get together to read each new issue of the Captain Nexus comic series. Life is good, until Nate is injured in an accident at baseball practice and ends up in a coma. And Dan blames himself for the accident and desperately wants to find a way to help his friend. When a doctor tells him that telling stories can help a person in a coma, Dan decides that with the help of Ollie, Nate's younger brother, and Courtney, a new friend, they can write an ending for the Captain Nexus series that includes a way for Nate to escape the "Nexus Zone".
But Dan, Courtney, and Ollie struggle to combine their talents to create a comic that works. Meanwhile, Dan and Courtney enter Ollie's artwork in a contest to meet the author of the Captain Nexus comics. They don't expect it to change their work as well as the work of the author. In addition, Dan and his Giants teammates want to do well in the baseball championship in honor of their injured teammate, but can they combine their efforts to make up for their lost player?
Great baseball scenes combine with the Captain Nexus story as well as Dan's story to make for an intriguing tale of friendship, guilt, and overcoming challenges. I appreciated the depth that took the story far beyond just an entertaining tale of comic book superheroes and baseball. Dan's feelings of guilt, his longing to spend time with his overworked father, his desperate need to help his friend, allow him to connect with George Sanderson, the author/illustrator of the Captain Nexus series, leading to some rather unexpected events. Overall, a great combination of story lines and characters that makes for a great read.
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