Christina Cann

So, you know that I’m working on this idea for a superhero novel, right? Well, I decided to see what was being published in that area for teenagers right now (besides comic books and graphic novels) and the answer is…not a whole lot. I thought that the library would have dozens of books on the subject, but I only left with five after spending an inordinate amount of time with the YA librarian.

One of the books I picked up is the first one in Meg Cabot’s 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU series, When Lightning Strikes. It’s about a girl, Jess, who is struck by lightning and, instead of dying or suffering really horrible consequences, she gets the ability to know where missing children are. She wakes up the day after the strike knowing where two kids she’d seen on the back of the milk carton were. And it keeps happening everyday.

Like most Meg Cabot books (not that I’ve read all of them by a long shot—did you know that she’s published over fifty books in eleven years? That’s over four books a year!), it’s a light and breezy read. Jess is a likable character and the plot unfolds really quickly. The story has taken some unexpected turns, which I really like. It keeps me on my toes.

I’m not sure if I’ll read the rest of the series (there are four more after this one). I picked up a few other superhero-ish books that I’ll get to first, not to mention the craft books I wrote about yesterday. But if you’re looking for a quick read about a girl who gets a superpower, this one is pretty good.