Mascot to the Rescue!

by Peter David

Book Overview

Josh Miller, sixth grader at Demarest Elementary School, has a secret. Everything that happens to Mascot, the superhero sidekick in the Captain Major comic books, also happens to Josh. So when Josh... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061349119
• ISBN13: 9780061349119
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

How cool is this book?

Peter David is one of my favorite writers and he's given me another wonderful novel. The story of the boy who thinks his fate in intertwined with the fate of his favorite hero's mascot is charming, exciting and at the end very emotional. A great story that will be enjoyed by any fan of comics as well as adventure stories. I also want to compliment the lovely and talented Colleen Doran's great artwork. The art really helps to set the mood for the story.

Not just a kiddie book

Peter David is a legendary name in the comics business, so when I heard he'd written an actual novel that involved comics, I was very excited. He didn't disappoint, delighting me on every page. The story is intriguing: many of us have seen a character in a film or a book or on TV and thought "Hey, he/she looks/acts like me!" But what would happen if our fate seemed to be tied to that character? What if it seemed like whatever happened to them happened to us? It's also superbly written and executed by a master of storytelling, and while the ending may be a tad predictable it's nevertheless good clean fun for those who enjoy a light-hearted story. Josh and Kelsey are endearing characters and the reader will probably be able to relate to both the sensible and compassionate Kelsey and the imaginative Josh. This book is infinitely more enjoyable if you're a knowledgeable comic fan, or have even a passing idea of Jason Todd, Batman's second Robin. You see, Mascot is meant to be a (likable) caricature of Jason, who was so disliked by the fandom when he was around (in the mid 80's) that he was voted to be killed off, making him one of the few comic characters whose death is more famous than his life. There is also a bit in which Kelsey comments that "they [comic fans] are complaining about everything", which is definitely true in real life. To me, it seems as if Peter David actually wrote a commentary on the state of comics and comic fans nowadays (and, to an extent, the sate of modern society itself), and disguised it as a children's book. But it never feels heavy-handed or overdone - it's mixed in perfectly with the narrative. Finally, the creator of Captain Major is called Stan Kirby, an obvious shout out to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the creators of Spider-Man (among other iconic Marvel characterers). Josh's last name, Miller, may or may not be a tribute to Frank Miller, who wrote such legendary comic stories as The Dark Knight Returns and 300. In conclusion: pick this book up if you're a fan of fun stories with a touch of the fantastic about them, and if you're a comic fan who can pick out the easter eggs, more power to you (no pun intended).