MG Book Review: Dan Unmasked by Chris Negron

Fans of superheroes and comics will love this heartwarming story about friendship and bravery.
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Dan and Nate are best friends and massive comic book fans, as well as teammates on a baseball team bound for the championship. Their telepathic friendship makes them a force on the field, and their passion for Captain Nexus comics fills their time off the field. But when a wayward baseball strikes Nate's head and sends him into a coma, Dan is bereft and looking for solace and solutions. What ensues is a quest inspired by their beloved Captain Nexus, that leads Dan and his sidekicks into situations  requiring bravery and compassion, as well as a great deal of imagination. I very much enjoyed the depiction of friendships among middle school boys that this book showcased. The author very successfully illuminated the boys' vulnerability and depth of feeling, which I feel is often not given its due in books for this age group; I loved that. I am not a comic book or superhero person, but I thought the premise of this book was very clever and well-executed, and the writing was top-notch. I would recommend it for any baseball, comic book, or superhero fans, and would suggest it to adults looking to recommend books about friendship to young readers. (Pub date: July 28, 2020. Thanks to KidLitExchange for the review copy!)