Super George and the Invisible Shield

George, a boy with blue-black hair that swoops into a cowlick, insists on being called Super George and dons a cape to match the moniker. When others tease him with names like “Curious George” or “George Washington,” George’s anger gets big and scary: “Whenever George yelled, he imagined the sound racing out of his mouth, getting bigger and bigger and bigger until it crashed against the other person like storm waves.” Taking a cue from his favorite TV superhero, Silent Knight—who is also teased—George wishes for an invisible shield to ward off hurtful words. His wise, purple-haired grandmother suggests perhaps he has one already; he just needs to activate it, by taking calming, deep breaths. Mendoza delivers a relatable story about willpower and taming angry emotions, enlivened by Francis’s spirited and pleasantly jumbled comics-style art. Ages 7–10. (BookLife)