Mask is every bit as exciting as Cape. Hannigan has managed to blend fantasy and reality in such a way that the adventure never stops nor does the suspense. And just as she had in Cape, she's brought in a number of historical figures (Elizabeth and Genevieve and Noor Inayat Khan, and Velvalee Dickinson) and believably blended them into the story - but never loses the comic book feeling that is so much a part of this series.

But at the same time that the Infinity Trinity, Side-Splitter, (and the Hissler from the first book) are perfect comic book characters, there is a lot of history to be found woven throughout the adventure. America's internment camps, the racism directed a Japanese Americans, the magnitude of what they lost when Executive Order 9066 went into effect, the 422nd infantry Regiment are all a part of Akiko's story. The idea for the bomb balloons may sound far fetched but they also stem from reality. How? Read the Author's Note to find out about this and other interesting facts that have been worked into the story.

This is a second book in a series and there is always the question of whether book 2 will stand alone. I found that whenever the story referred back to the first book, there was enough background information that if you haven't read it, you wouldn't get lost.

If you are looking for a fun work of historical fiction, Mask (and Cape) are sure to please.

You can find some probing discussion questions and activities courtesy of the publisher Simon & Schuster HERE

I was really excited to read Cape, book 1 of The League of Secret Heroes trilogy, so I was really looking forward to reading book 2. And Mask does not disappoint. Set during WWII, which happens to be the golden age of comic books, the League of Secret Heroes is part comic book, but mostly novel, and consists of Josie O'Mally (Cape), a white Irish American girl from New York City, Akiko Nakano (Mask), a Japanese American girl from San Francisco, and Mae Crumpler (Boots), an African American girl from Chicago. When the three of them meet, they discover that together their individual superpowers can be released. And it's a good thing because all their comic book superheroes like Zenobia and Hauntima are either gone or merely ghosts of their former selves and losing their powers quickly.
After defeating the Hissler in Philadelphia, a Hitler follower who was trying to get coding secrets, the three girls a/k/a the Infinity Trinity have teleported themselves to San Francisco. This used to be Akiko's home until President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 for the roundup of all persons of Japanese ancestry who were then transported to internment camps. This included Akiko's family, who were sent to the Manzanar, where they still are. Except for her brother who is serving in the Japanese American 422nd Infantry Regiment and her mother who is missing.

But our superheroes no sooner arrive in San Francisco, then they receive a coded message and head to San Francisco Bay, were the navy has docked several ships, to try to decipher it. Then, just as Akiko thinks she's spotted her mother walking with a suspected spy in the crowd, a parade of bagpipers go by, and she loses her. The parade is followed by a giant blimp flying overhead, navigated by Side-Splitter, and dropping bomb balloons. Suddenly, there are a lot of clowns, all dressed alike, swarming the waterfront, ready to do Side-Splitter's bidding. And Side-Splitter knows just who the Infinity Trinity is. After a battle between them on the waterfront, the girls finally head to the new League of Secret Heroes headquarters, thinking Mrs. B had been the one to leave the coded not for them.

It turns out that two crack cryptologists, Genevieve Grotjan and Elizabeth Friedman, had left the note, hoping for the Infinity Trinity's help decoding some messages they were sure was a business owner sending secret codes to the enemy. Between Akiko's missing mother, the balloon bombing Side-Splitter and his minions of devoted clowns, and now decoding a spies messages, Josie, Akiko, and Mae have a lot to work on. If only their favorite superheroes were able to help.

Mask is every bit as exciting as Cape. Hannigan has managed to blend fantasy and reality in such a way that the adventure never stops nor does the suspense. And just as she had in Cape, she's brought in a number of historical figures (Elizabeth and Genevieve and Noor Inayat Khan, and Velvalee Dickinson) and believably blended them into the story - but never loses the comic book feeling that is so much a part of this series.

But at the same time that the Infinity Trinity, Side-Splitter, (and the Hissler from the first book) are perfect comic book characters, there is a lot of history to be found woven throughout the adventure. America's internment camps, the racism directed a Japanese Americans, the magnitude of what they lost when Executive Order 9066 went into effect, the 422nd infantry Regiment are all a part of Akiko's story. The idea for the bomb balloons may sound far fetched but they also stem from reality. How? Read the Author's Note to find out about this and other interesting facts that have been worked into the story.

This is a second book in a series and there is always the question of whether book 2 will stand alone. I found that whenever the story referred back to the first book, there was enough background information that if you haven't read it, you wouldn't get lost.

If you are looking for a fun work of historical fiction, Mask (and Cape) are sure to please.

You can find some probing discussion questions and activities courtesy of the publisher Simon & Schuster HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley

The second book in the League of Secret Heroes series, Mask, does not disappoint. The series, set in the midst of World War II, describes the origin and evolution of the Infinity Trinity - three girls who find themselves suddenly fighting crime beside some of their biggest superhero idols. With chapters in both prose and graphic novel format, this book moves quickly.

While the first book, Cape, took place on the Eastern side of the U.S., the setting for this novel is the western coast of the country, specifically San Francisco, California. Although still told from Josie's point of view, the main focus of this story of Akiko, a Japanese-American whose family has been placed in an internment camp. While she is giving her friends the tour her old neighborhood in SF, the girls discover a new villain creating havoc in the city: the Side-Splitter. His electromagnetic powers combined with a large army of clone-like clowns are damaging property and endangering lives. The Infinity Trinity must figure out how to defeat him, while also helping The League decode cryptic message from the European front.

Hannigan does what she does best: write engaging storylines with dynamic, relatable characters - all the while weaving in accurate historical information (Japanese balloon bombs, who knew?). I highly recommend this for students in grades 4+, although it could easily be used for strong readers in younger grades. All content is age appropriate.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, illustrator and Aladdin Publishing for a preview copy.

I had an absolute blasting reading this thrilling story. These heroes end up in San Francisco, and it isn’t long before they have a run in with a new enemy. Facing this new threat won’t be easy, but they will not have to take it on alone. As this tale comes to a close, they beat this enemy and learn what their next mission is going to be. If you liked Cape then you will want to read this book.

Good sequel to the first book in the series, Cape. I love several things about this series. First, there are a few sections in each book that are told in comics panels, like you would expect in a superhero comic. I didn't see the final art on those sections for this book, but I liked what they did with book one. Second, there's a great female empowerment thread to the series, both with the girls who are the heroes as well as the women who are mentoring them. Third, there are tons of true historical pieces woven into this alternate WWII history. The notes in the back matter are always terrific. The author includes real women and their real contributions to the war effort in the 1940s, which I love. And fourth, I love superhero stories.

I struggled with the pacing of this one. While the girls have a few battles with the villains, they also have several scenes where they are sitting and listening and solving codes and secret messages. There's not a lot of action there, and the middle dragged for me at times. This may also be the plight of a second book in a (likely) trilogy. There are still major plot factors to be dealt with in book 3, and this is a transition to get from the introduction of book 1 to the resolution of book 3.

There's TONS here for readers to enjoy. I feel like the books in this series need to be read in order, so if you haven't read book 1, Cape, be sure to check it out and then pick up Mask as well.

Middle grade alternative historical fiction. This book takes us back to the WWII era and the newly formed "Infinity Trinity" of young female superheroes (see [book:Cape|51120569], this is the second book in a series and wouldn't fully make sense on its own). Akiko teleports the group to San Francisco, where she shows and tells the impact of the Japanese internment camps on her family and neighborhood. They find the relocated headquarters and get up to speed on the latest threats: a woman referred to as the "Doll Lady" who is writing letters containing military secrets, and the Side-Splitter-- an evil clown with an army of performers around the city ready to do his bidding. As the girls join the battle, they crack codes in radio transmissions, discover new superpowers, and also discover the real superheroes working behind the scenes.

Real history in this book is extensive, including: Japanese balloon bombs, internment camps, the Doll Lady spy case, female cryptographers, and the importance of radio transmissions. It is mixed in with superheroes, villains, and superpowers such as telekinesis, teleportation, and controlling the weather. It all adds up to a lot of information and a lot of fun. I look forward to book 3!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read a digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is packed with adventure, suspense and fighting injustice. The story gives the reader a brief history lesson into how Japanese Americans were treated during order 9066 which was put into place after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Although the subject matter is hard to believe because it is true, this story opens up many opportunities to discuss this period in history. Not everything in this book is serious, our three masked heroines have a thrilling adventure full of plenty of fun and adventure. Learning the lesson that everything is not as it seems.