cover image Black Canary: Ignite

Black Canary: Ignite

Meg Cabot, illus. by Cara McGee. DC Zoom, $9.99 (144p) ISBN 978-1-4012-8620-0

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. [em](Oct.) [/em]