The Stupendous Switcheroo: New Powers Every 24 Hours

The Stupendous Switcheroo

by Mary Winn Heider, Chad Sell

What would happen if you woke up every single day with a different, surprise SUPERPOWER?! Find out in this zany, hilarious illustrated novel from Mary Winn Heider and Chad Sell.

The morning of his mom's business trip, Switcheroo wakes up to discover he has telekinesis. Which is super convenient when he has to give his babysitter-robot the slip to fight crime all day. But it's less convenient when he's recruited to fight crime again the next day, only to realize he can no longer move objects with his mind. Instead, he can talk to cats! Fun, but not nearly as useful. A new superpower every day should be exciting, right? What could possibly go wrong?

Genres: Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Childrens, Humor, Mystery

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 12, 2023

Reviews

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stupendous Switcheroo is an appealing graphic-prose release about superheroes, finding an identity that fits, and seeing people beyond the surface. Kids who are obsessed with superheroes, robots, and graphic novels will love this one. It’s also a fantastic pick if you’re looking for adventurous books that feature a sensitive, funny male protagonist.

Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/the-st...

[Adelas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think younger MG readers or reluctant "I need a graphic novel" readers will eat this one up. My own favorite parts of the book were the cat (I wish they'd made a cat translation device) and the relationship between Switch and the robot Al (and yes that's AL, not AI, which is how I read it for the first half of the book due to the font choice). Switch's mom is missing; I don't recall a single mention of him even having a dad, so I was glad that he had Al to "parent" him and rein in some of his more dangerous ideas.

I liked the themes of the book, getting the kids asking who were the good guys and the bad guys.

The tone jumped between poignant and zany (sometimes too fast, imo). Characters jumped to conclusions that weren't always as logical/rational as they thought they were. But those are adult complaints, and I don't think they would have any bearing on a kid's enjoyment of the story. After writing this out, I switched my goodreads rating from a 3 to a 4, because although it didn't impact me personally, I think kids would like it, and I want the rating to reflect that.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

So the Stupendous Switcheroo, well that's not his name yet....but he wakes up to find out he has powers. His mother is away on business, he's being cared for by Al, his robot and he wants to join with the local superhero Vin Valor. Luckily there's an emergency and Vin needs his helps so off he goes to try out his newfound powers to save the world. The problem is his power goes away....but a different one appears....every morning. He never knows what power he will have.
They're unable to contact his mother and they begin to worry. He befriends Vin Valor's student Tana to help him find her. The "villians" they put in Vin Valor's jail have kids....and they want their parents released saying they are just misunderstood, not evil. Not knowing who to trust the Stupendous Switcheroo does whatever he has to to find his mother and figure out who are the good guys and who are the bad.
This story is about Good vs evil, not having a definite line between the two sides....and family ties....how strong they can be.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine waking up one day and discovering you have a superpower and getting to help your very favorite superhero fight crime. Now imagine waking up the next day, excited to use your powers again, only to find that you have a completely different superpower than you did the day before. With his mom gone missing from a work trip and left with babysitter/robot pal AI in charge, Switch must learn to navigate his new—and constantly changing—superpowers as well as figure out who are the good guys and who are the bad ones.

Such a fun twist on the traditional superhero story—and an amazing cliffhanger at the end, too! This illustrated chapter book will be a hit with superhero fans and younger middle grade readers looking for adventure and laughs.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of the book to read and review.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @bookopolis @randomkidshouse for having as one of the power reviewer.

This book is stupendously silly. I thought Switcheroo’s enthusiasm when he woke up and learned that his AI babysitter gave him superpower every morning was hilarious. I wish I can wake up every morning and I have new superpower when I go to school. The part about his mother had me reading that part twice. This book is an easy-read and plenty of pictures to make it even better and funnier. I know this book is fictional but what if it becomes real in life someday? Scary right? But overall I like this book!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A goofy part-graphic novel story of a kid who starts waking up every morning with a new "super" power, from the useful (telekinesis!) to the silly (bubbles!). Will he be able to join his comic book hero in fighting super villains? Lots of emotional growth as he tries to figure out who the bad guys are versus the good guys, what it means to be a hero, and also figure out what happened to his missing mom. Read-alike to "The Last Kids on Earth" and "It's the End of the World and I'm in my Bathing Suit."

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever! Superhero wannabe wakes up with telekinesis. The next day he can talk to cats. His robot/babysitter tries to keep him safe as he heads out to try to become a sidekick for his hero, Vin Valor—and find his missing mom, a scientist. By the end of the book, everything he thought he knew about his mom, and his hero, has been turned inside out—perfect for a sequel! In the meantime, lots of funny bits and some thinking about making assumptions about people, what a hero is—little stuff like that.
Love: new costume every day, Cat (Mr. Meatball)
Very tricksy

[Nicole Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was about a boy who had a bath with this toxic bubbles in it which made him have a new power every 24/7. His power of the day helped him solve the mystery of the chapter.
I liked that he had a variety of super powers and that he had a robot named AL. It was awesome that he could teleport with a special watch.
This book was interesting and exciting. I would say that it would be good for 4th grade and up.

by Nixon, a 5th grader

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superheroes and not so superheroes come together for hijinks, secrets, maybe some friendships and one rad bath (and I don't mean cool). This is a fun book for reluctant and readers alike. Both illustrations make this a novel and graphics novel combo that shows the funny, but gives you time to make your own images. Who is good? Who is bad? And who wants to use the teleporter?

[Michael Leali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this FANTASTIC book in a single sitting. This was such a fun and clever take on superhero stories. For every legit laugh out loud moment, there was a tug at your heartstrings moment, too. I loved the blended prose and illustrations, too. I cannot wait for the next installment in this series! Highly recommended!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly fun superhero antics featuring a kid that wakes up with a different power each day, though I also appreciate the storyline about checking your bias. The format is a blend of graphic and text which is one I think we'll see more and more of, since it has the graphic novel appeal without losing the exposure to text. Another similar book that does this successfully is Link and Hud.

[BiblioBickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun superhero adventure with subtext about judging others based on what they look like (and the stereotypes that go along with that) and about questioning whether the "good" and "bad" guys are really good and bad (and who is in charge of that narrative).

Format is kind of a hybrid graphic/text similar to DoaWK or Dragonbreath.

[Khanh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hee hee. This was hilarious. As a kid, I always wanted superpowers, and I always thought it would be really cool to experience a bunch of them. I'm glad someone took this idea and made it a story. I mean, I'm sure there are plenty of stories around this idea, but this was fun. I'll definitely be reading the next one.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stupendous Switcheroo was written because of long walks during lockdown between its author and illustrator. “Having something to dream about together made the tough times a little brighter.”

Something this fun and good for kids coming out of that time period feels pretty awesome. :-)

[Katey Hite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an incredible read! I can’t wait to have my class read this next year. I laughed, had genuine heartfelt moments, felt light hearted, but it also adds not only an element or surprise but also some life lessons. I loved this book!

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun book!

[Aimee Ardonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a little bit to get into, but it really picks up! I thought the twist was endearing and it sets up the next book well. I really liked the message :)

[A Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read for 8-12 years! A great lesson about just because you look different does not necessarily mean you are evil. I will be looking forward to the next book!

[Lisa Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a perfect book for upper elementary students. Mystery, sci-fi, and villains 🦹‍♀️.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what happened to the review for this.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how everyone is illustrated in shades of green. It makes the distinction between the people and the monsters less clear, which is kind of the point!

[Río · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not sure what to expect with this story, but I ended up enjoying it. The story is fairly simple, clearly geared toward a younger audience, as it follows a young boy around who wakes up with powers one day. He experiences a wide variety of superpowers of questionable usefulness as he explored the city, looks for his recently-missing mom, and learns about what it means to be a superhero. Including giggles, intrigue, new friends, and old heros, this book is a fun way to get kids reading and to get the imagination rolling.

[v i v i n · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗼—A story about a hero who has different superpower every 24 hours.
⠀
𝗔 𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.
Such a book that you can't put down 'till the last page. Definitely I will wait for the next installment. 😉
⠀
Read 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗼 if you're looking for:
1. Superhero story
2. Friendship
3. Funny and adorable characters
4. Illustrated book
5. Trust in someone
6. See problem with different perspectives

[Michelle Adamo #EmptyNestReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This morning he awoke to see his slippers flying through the air in his room. No, wait! it’s him he's flying in the air. "I HAVE SUPERPOWERS!” And what would any boy want to do with his newly found superpowers? Become a superhero, of course.

His mom, a very talented scientist, is away on business and only AI the robot/babysitter is home. With AI’s help he uses the tele-porter to transport to his favorite superhero, Vin Valor. There Switcheroo is able to assist with the capture of “The Blob aka Lou Ooze”. He also meets, Tana a girl who is also assisting VV.

The next day Tana reaches out for his assistance again, but when he awoke Switcheroo's levitation superpower have left him. Strangely, a new superpower is in its place - today, he can talk to cats! That’s weird. How is that going to help him fight crime? When his superpowers change again the next day Switcheroo is confused and sad and wishing his mom was there to explain things to him. He then realizes that AI had not fully understood an encrypted message from his mom received a few days ago. He told Switcheroo that the message was “prepare the rad bath” but the word she meant wasn’t rad, it was something else entirely and now they’ve got real trouble to deal with.

Full or surprises and twists and turns, this is a really fun book. A graphic novel perfect for ages 8-12. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Phineas and Ferb, and Captain Underpants would really love this book! It is silly, action packed, mysterious, and illustrated! My school’s lunch book club had a virtual visit with Mary Winn Heider on Friday, and she was a DELIGHT! I loved learning how the idea started (her and Chad Sell brainstormed it together to have it fit both of their personalities), how the process works with the illustrator, what super power she would want to have, and how specific characters were chosen. I now need to pick up book 2 because this one ends on a dramatic cliffhanger.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have a curious, super hero loving, budding inventor, definitely pick this up. Some hidden themes so maybe read it together.

Very fun, silly, middle-grade book. Who wouldn't want to randomly wake up one morning with super powers? I know most kids would LOVE that. Following Switcheroos adventures was so much fun, and quite a few laugh out moments! Can't wait to get a copy for my nephew.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!!! One of the members of my book club compared it
to a Disney XD show, and I think that is a very accurate comparison. I think that the idea
of the main character’s powers changing every single day was really exciting and
innovative