Freddie Ramos loves his new Zapato Power―super hearing! He can listen in on conversations and find hero jobs. But soon Freddie realizes the temptation to eavesdrop on everyone is too great. Can Freddie find a way to use his super hearing without snooping?
I am a children's author, teacher, librarian, and poet. My books include the Zapato Power series, the Sofia Martinez series, Pluto is Peeved, Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation, Duck for Turkey Day, Never Say a Mean Word Again, and Feathers for Peacock. Please visit me at http://www.jacquelinejules.com
Jacqueline Jules has created a delightful series for early chapter book readers who have a love for superheroes. Freddie Ramos has several devices that give him superpowers (his shoes, a watch, etc.). He tries to use his superpowers for good, such as when he helps a lost little boy at the beginning of the story, but like most humans, he's tempted to use them at other less appropriate times. When he notices that Mr. Vaslov and his nephew have a secret, he uses his power to overhear a conversation. After making some mistakes, Freddie realizes that he needs to be more careful about how he uses his capabilities. A fun read with lots of superpowers, but also a solid theme of being responsible and owning up to mistakes, this book makes for an enjoyable read for young readers.
I liked this series. I am planning on ordering it for my Junior Fiction section of the library for the 1st - 3rd grade readers. Fun, fast and easy read. Here is my complete review: https://23books.blogspot.com/2019/01/...
This one was a bit muddled, though not terrible. The idea is that Freddie learns that using his super hearing too much can cause problems, as he eavesdrops on other people's conversations. However, it didn't seem like that message came through super clear, especially because his super hearing does allow him to do good even as it also causes a few problems for him personally. It was fine overall but not one of my favorites of this series.
This has such a great plot flow! There's lots of action but everything connects seamlessly and it's easy to follow. Wonderful lessons on boundaries and balance, too.