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Summary
Summary
From Meg Cabot, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Diaries !
Thirteen-year-old Dinah Lance knows exactly what she wants, who she is, and where she's going. First, she'll win the battle of the bands with her two best friends, then she'll join the Gotham City Junior Police Academy so she can solve crimes just like her dad. Who knows, her rock-star group of friends may even save the world, but first they'll need to agree on a band name. When a mysterious figure keeps getting in the way of Dinah's goals and threatens her friends and family, she'll learn more about herself, her mother's secret past, and navigating the various power chords of life.
With expressive and energetic art by Cara McGee to match the trademark attitude and spunk of Meg Cabot's characters and dialogue, this mother-daughter story embraces the highs and lows of growing up without growing out of what makes us unique. It's an inspirational song that encourages readers to find their own special voices to sing along with Black Canary!
Author Notes
Meg Cabot was born in Bloomington, Indiana on February 1, 1967. She recieved a fine arts degree from Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City, intent upon pursuing a career in freelance illustration. Illustrating, however, soon got in the way of Meg's true love, writing, and so she abandoned it and got a job as the assistant manager of an undergraduate dormitory at New York University, and writing on the weekends.
Meg wrote both The Princess Diaries and The Mediator: Shadowland (under the name Jenny Carroll), the first books in two series for young adults which happen to be about, among other things, teenage girls dealing with unsettling family issues. Her latest book is entitled, Insatiable.
Meg now writes full time, and lives in Key West, Florida with her husband.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5--8--Thirteen-year-old Dinah Lance has always been a loudmouth. Career week at Gotham City Junior High has her wondering how she will use her powerful voice in her future. Will she become a cheerleader? Or a rock star with her band? Or follow her true dream: to become a Gotham City police officer like her father? But lately Dinah's voice has been causing more trouble than fun. Every time she gets angry or upset, nearby glass mysteriously shatters. When the escaped villain Bonfire breaks into Dinah's mother's flower shop, her mother reveals her own superhero past: she was the one who put Bonfire behind bars. Dinah's future as a caped crusader has suddenly become clear, and now she must evade Bonfire, who's dead set on revenge. Cabot's take on this origin story is delightfully breezy, as the author once again displays her remarkable knack for capturing the middle school voice. Her Dinah is refreshingly audacious and charmingly flawed, quick to stand up to bullies but also to put her foot in her mouth. McGee's illustrations are confectionary. Her palette overflows with bright purple, pink, and turquoise. Characterization is spot on--Dinah is kinetically fierce, but the characters also have a manga-esque sweetness. VERDICT A charming superhero origin story about finding your voice; perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier.--Anna Murphy, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this fun romp, Cabot (Royal Crown) and McGee (Dodge City) give DC's heroine, Black Canary, an origin story as a young teen. Dinah Lance and her band mates Vee and Kat are preparing for the Gotham City Junior High battle of the bands when her father, Detective Lance, bursts in to announce that the Joker is loose again. Each of the three girls vows to make a difference, like Dinah's father, and Dinah plans to sign up for the Gotham City Junior Police Academy. Then the trio notices that when Dinah gets emotional and yells, glass breaks, among other strange occurrences. Her parents reveal that she has a superpower, a "sonic canary cry," and Dinah begins to juggle her desires to keep her secret and to keep her friends. McGee's artwork has a manga-inspired look and a pleasing, lavender-heavy palette. Middle graders discovering their own talents and voices will find much to appreciate. Ages 8--12. (Oct.)
Kirkus Review
The Black Canary takes flight.Dinah Lance is a typical white 13-year-old girl: She's got a band, she's got great friends, and she has great parents. A resident of Gotham City, Dinah is eager to join the Gotham City Junior Police Academy to learn how to fight crime like her detective father. There's one unusual thing about Dinah: her vocal prowess that's just newly emerged. Dinah can use her voice with such intensity that glass shatters and people are bowled over. While Dinah explores her newfound powers, she also digs in to the mysteries of her mother's past and the identity of the shadowy figure threatening her family. The Black Canary has been enjoying a renaissance of late thanks to the popular Arrowverse TV shows and a prominent placement in the current world of DC comics. Newcomers to the character will find just as much to enjoy here as those already familiar with her. Cabot does well by Dinah Lance, embracing the spunky attitude Dinah fans adore. McGee's artwork is kinetic and broad, brightly colored with purples, pinks, and blues that (a bit stereotypically) reinforce the girl-power aesthetic. The primary characters are all white, but there are diverse background characters.A cool blast of colorful energy. (Graphic adventure. 10-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Dinah Lance is just a regular middle-school girl. She spends most of her time practicing with her bandmates to win the school's Battle of the Bands, and she desperately wants to join the Gotham City Junior Police Academy despite her father's disapproval. But now that she's 13, things have started to get a little strange, like all the objects that shatter and explode when Dinah happens to be around. When a dangerous woman in black destroys her mother's flower shop, Dinah learns about a family secret and her own mysterious talents. Equal parts teen drama and superhero caper, this second-generation origin story hits all the marks. The fast-moving plot covers a lot of territory at the expense of character development, but it's fun, lively, and full of Cabot's teen insights. Bright colors and expressive faces add to the story's energy and are highly appealing. With the popularity of female-centered superhero reboots showing no sign of slowing down, this is an excellent entry point for younger readers.--Summer Hayes Copyright 2010 Booklist
