This review is one that I wrote when I first read Mik Murdoch. I have since read it twice more, once to my kids and once just for myself and everything in this review still stands. This is a great book, and I look forward to the future adventures of our boy super hero.
Mik Murdoch: Boy Superhero by Michell Plested
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Mik Murdoch is 9 years old, and yet he is one of the biggest superheroes I know. From the very beginning of this book I knew I liked this kid. He has a heart of gold and will to match. The story follows Mik (8 when the story begins) in his quest to get super powers and survive everyday life, in his home town of Cranberry Flats
In what could be otherwise called a light hearted romp through childhood, author Michell Plested deals with a very timely issue and one that a lot of kids face every day. Bullies. Mik faces his bullies first on his own until things start to get out of control and then quickly enlists the aid of his parents and other adults. At first asking questions like why me, and feeling sorry for himself, he realizes in true superhero fashion that he needs to stand up to his tormentors. I think this was very well done and is a good model for kids of this age.
One of my favorite things about this book is how Mik’s parents are handled. My biggest criticism of most books aimed at young adults is the way parents are normally completely ignored, treated as clueless or in the worst cases thought of as the enemy of anyone under the age of 20. Mik shows obvious respect for his parents and, while he tries to hide some things from them, “for their own protection,” he often turns to them for aid and guidance without expecting them to drop everything a jump for him. It is this mutual respect and admiration between parents and child that made me not only feel safe handing the book over to my older kids to read, but brought me to read it to the younger ones as well.
Mik Murdoch is for the most part very lighthearted and a fun read. It is safe and entertaining for pretty much all ages.
If you like good clean fun, superheroes, water balloons, cow plops, the love between a dog and his boy and a little bit of magic or any combination of the above you are sure to like this book.
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