Shredderman: Enemy Spy

Shredderman.com just made the national news! Everyone is talking about the new cyber-superhero. Oh yeah! But now people are dying to know who is behind Shredderman.com. Reporters are snooping all over Cedar Valley! Oh no! Nolan's parents and even his sidekick, Mr. Green, think he should lay low for a while. But being Shredderman is the best thing that's ever happened to Nolan. It's so much better than being Byrd-the-Nerd. Plus, Nolan's just stumbled across what might be a real spy-ring! How can Shredderman not try to fight it? But some problems are too big for even a superhero to handle. Sometimes the mask gets in the way. Will Nolan's quest for truth and justice mean he has to give up his secret identity? Can he become a superhero in real life? From School Library Journal Grade 3-7-In his fourth appearance, Nolan stumbles onto an international spy ring and sets off a chain reaction of suspicions that lead to the arrests of his parents and his teacher. To complicate things, his archenemy, Bubba, has discovered that Nolan is indeed Shredderman. But instead of exposing his secret, the bully wants one thing: to be Shredderman's sidekick, The Bouncer. In the end, Nolan must reveal his identity in order to save his family and his favorite teacher. As in the earlier books, the protagonist uses his Web site to help move justice along and make sure the truth is seen. Readers will identify with him and the other kids in the school and will start rooting for the underdogs. Reluctant readers will enjoy the fast-moving plot and the black-and-white cartoons scattered throughout. The book could also be used to teach awareness about bullying and tolerance of kids who are different. -Kim Carlson, Monticello High School, IA Copyright В© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Gr. 3-5. In the fourth book about Nolan, a nerdy-looking boy who has secretly created a cybersuperhero to deal with a school bully, the mystery of Shredderman's inventor becomes a news item on national television. Just as the media noisily intrude on the quiet town of Cedar Valley, Nolan stumbles into a mystery, discovering a packet of secret documents and taking some incriminating photos. The pressure to keep his identity as Shredderman's creator takes its toll on Nolan's family and his teacher, but Nolan finds a new ally in an old enemy, someone he has underestimated in a fundamental way. Writing in first person, Nolan tells his own story in a snappy style that helps make this such an appealing chapter book. Despite his classmates' clear admiration for Shredderman, Nolan still has moments of loneliness as long as his secret identity is kept a secret. Carolyn Phelan Copyright В© American Library Association. All rights reserved When Nolan witnesses a serious crime, he realizes he may not be able to hide behind his Shredderman identity this time