This is prefect for kids. I read this to my son at bedtime and it was very well received. Thank you!

I loved this book. And then I never reviewed it. But I kept thinking about it. I also immediately purchased a copy for my pre-teen nephew, and he loved it as well.

Noah is famous for surviving a fall from a 16-story building as a baby, and nothing interesting has happened since then. He wants to be special, like his friends who have particularly special talents. When he is recruited by a top-secret government agency for superheroes, he jumps at the chance. Only he isn't super. And everything is too hard. Can he learn the skills he needs to be special or will he compromise his values to take a promising shortcut?

I loved that the characters seemed very middle school. As someone who spends significant time with middle schools, I've found that they're simultaneously smart and immature, with crazy exceptions to both. This book demonstrated all of that. The characters were also delightful. And the moral quandaries were convincing. Who do you trust? And how do you know you can trust them? These are questions that all of us should be asking.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and have reviewed it willingly.

I read this aloud to my kids, and it was such a huge hit! They are begging for more stories in this series, since it was fun to have a bit of the superhero element, while it being more of a skill and science. There were some fun twists to this story!

I admit I almost gave up on this middle grade novel after 20 pages or so. The action felt too rushed and comic bookish. I'm glad I didn't. Yes, this definitely has an superhero, action movie vibe, but it also captures the challenges of middle school life. I was drawn into the friendship between Noah, Hayley, and Rodney. I liked how Noah definitely learns some life lessons but Davis trusted her character enough to figure them out himself. A 3-5th grade action novel with heart.

A pretty decent fist of things for the middle school readership with superpowers on their wish list. Years ago, some chap went all Michael Jackson on us with a baby and a hotel balcony – but sixteen floors later, the tot was fine. That kid is now Noah, doing OK in middle school but wishing for more – and unaware of the true impact of that wish. He gets an invite to train – secretly – for a (most secret) organisation called Gravitas, which is full of secretive people (of course) that save the world, behind our backs. Did I say this was all a secret? But oh, the other secret thing about Gravitas is that they are chasing one of their agents, who went rogue then disappeared – and that man happens to be Noah's uncle, the very bloke on the balcony.

This puts Noah in a suitable quandary as we see what is generally an extended training montage play out. Whose word is to be believed – Gravitas, with all their secrets, surprises and ability, or the uncle, who promises great things for Noah? And, equally importantly, for this is a middle school read as I say, can he handle all this and keep his best friendship with his best friend, Haley? This certainly grounds this story in the things the audience know – the, er, bodily function that happens when Noah (mis)uses his new abilities is a sign this is intent on keeping all this relatable. It's just this is an origin story, with Noah providing our eyes and ears for how all this works, and for all the speed and immediacy with which these pages turn there's not that much of the real earthy, gritty plot going on.

Further books in this series will be able to show more when the explaining and introducing is all over and done with, at least. And if they rein in the naffest of bullying storylines, the principal thing stopping these books from being read by other age groups, they could easily earn four stars. This isn't too far off that, mind, so gets three and a half.

The Minor Miracle is a fun middle grade series starter with an "everyman" protagonist (who has superpowers), written by Meredith Davis. Released 7th May 2024 by WaterBrook & Multnomah, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

The author is gifted at storytelling, and the narrative arc is full of action and with appealing and relatable characters. Noah is living a life that most adolescents can relate to, not super gifted academically, picked on by a school bully, and not the best on his basketball team. He's got good friends, though, and he's trying his best. He -also- has a genetic mutation which lets him (and other gravitars) manipulate gravity. Mostly his manifestation just makes his clothing cling to him in funny ways when he gets annoyed.

There are lots of forces at work behind the scenes: a mysterious uncle who dropped him off a building when he was an infant, a shadowy government agency, and surviving math tests and basketball practice.

The incidental art throughout is well rendered by Billy Yong and his simple and dynamic style complements the comic book narrative very well and is full of small details which invite a closer look.

Four stars. It's appealing and appropriate for all ages but should do especially well with the middle grade boy demographic. It would make a good choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, and gifting.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

As a baby, Noah Minor survives a fall of sixteen stories without getting hurt — not even a scratch. Noah is in seventh grade wondering if he will ever be a superhero. It’s what he wants to be. His best friends trumpet player, Rodney and the perfect Hayley. Noah is sure his star is rising when during a standard vision test, learns he can manipulate gravity. How did he learn this? He is recruited to become a member of Gravitas —a top secret government agency. Noah thinks he will be a superpower. He expects that he will be able to fly and solves all his problems. Though now, he has a set of new problems that includes his Uncle Saul. Uncle Saul is on the most wanted list of the Gravitas. What will Noah do? Does he remain faithful to Uncle Saul or Gravitas?

The author has written a story filled with twists and turns that contributes to Noah and his best friends activities. One learns who are really your friends. If you have great power, you have great responsibility is a quote that is almost overused throughout the story. I liked how the three friends worked together. They made a good team.

About this book:

“What happens when an average kid finds out he has not-so-average powers? And what if the bad guy the CIA expects him to catch is none other than his long-lost great-uncle? Noah Minor must figure out the answers to these questions and more in this action-packed adventure for young readers.
Noah Minor is a pretty average kid. Nothing major has happened in his life except for the time he survived falling sixteen stories as a baby—and he doesn’t even remember it. As he enters seventh grade, Noah is hoping to be less average and more extraordinary like his best friends, trombone prodigy Rodney and the practically perfect Haley. But during a standard vision test, Noah learns that he can manipulate gravity and a special section of the CIA called Gravitas wants to train him. He also learns that his fall twelve years ago wasn’t an accident. It turns out his family's beloved great-uncle Saul dropped Noah as part of an illegal experiment, and is a wanted fugitive.
Noah is simply ecstatic to learn that he has “super powers” (even though Gravitas refuses to call them that), but he quickly learns that unlocking and harnessing his power isn’t so easy. Plus, it seems Gravitas only wants Noah as bait to capture his great-uncle. But is Uncle Saul really the bad guy—or just the right person to help Noah reach his full potential?”


Series: Currently unsure if this book is a stand-alone novel or the first book in a series.


Spiritual Content- Three prayers; This book is called “The Minor Miracle” because Noah’s last name is Minor and he was tossed off of a tall apartment as a baby and survived; Mentions of this miracle with Noah calling himself “The Minor Miracle” as his superhero name and other ones (which are more teasing/flippant between Noah and his friends); A few mentions of God; A couple mentions of those & events in the Bible; A couple mentions of praying;
*Note: No magic in this book, instead Noah’s and others’ powers are inherited & Noah has to learn how to properly use them (one feature of his powers is called The Cling which happens when he has a rush of emotions and causes his clothes to stick to him (which he says makes him a ‘freak’); Noah is able to manipulate gravity and learns how to do that along with others shown it including being able to “fly” (rise towards the ceiling); Noah and others use a pendant made from a meteorite to help focus on their abilities; A few mentions of these abilities not being superpowers or any kind of “superhero hocus-pocus”; A couple mentions of a group of people being convinced that Noah’s uncle is evil; A couple mentions of a musician’s idol (another musician); A mention of a bully walking around “like a god” at school; A mention of it feeling like a bully is harnessing all “the dark forces of middle school”; A mention of something sitting like it’s on a sacrificial altar.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘duh’, a ‘shoot’, a ‘turd’, two ‘dumb’s, two ‘heck’s, two ‘shut up’s, four ‘idiots’s, six forms of ‘screw up’, and eight ‘stupid’s; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; The possibility of nearly dying, Pain, Passing out, & Throwing up (up to semi-detailed); The prologue starts with a reporter seeing a baby (Noah) being dropped from a tall building (by a family member) but the baby is okay (up to semi-detailed, *Spoiler* This was Noah’s great-uncle who dropped him to test his theory on babies needing to be exposed to life-threatening events to induce their abilities; Noah later thinks that the moment of terror was worth it to have the powers because he’s upset at Gravitas keeping secrets from him and wants to be mad at them *End of Spoiler*); Noah is threatened with being “suppressed” (erasing specific memories) by Gravitas if he tells others (including his parents) about them or to forgot his abilities if he can’t pass their tests (he has to wear a bugged bracelet so they know if he talks about them); At first Noah thinks he’s being threatened by a man with a gun and is scared by it, but it’s actually a device that loops sound; Noah promises to let Gravitas know if his uncle contacts him, but does not (*Spoilers* When upset with Gravitas keeping secrets from him, he justifies that he refuses to feel guilty about it; Noah’s uncle tells him to gather another friend with abilities to help him (without telling the person that it’s for his uncle); Because of his uncle’s words, Noah becomes suspicious of Gravitas; *Major Spoiler* Noah tells Haley towards the end what is happening with his uncle and Noah feels very bad about his actions causing problems for his friends; They plan to trick his uncle, but he ties them up (and tapes their eyes) and threatens Haley with a syringe that could kill her (we see two illustrations of this); The uncle drops Haley off of the roof when she’s unconscious and Noah dives after her (an illustration is shown); Noah realizes that his uncle is as dangerous as everyone has been telling him; Due to not telling an adult with Gravitas about this, Noah is punished with clean-up and potentially other consequences *End of Spoilers*); Noah practices his abilities even though he was told not to outside of class & figures that Gravitas never has to know (*Spoiler* This has consequences when it’s found out so he’s not allowed to test for the next level status and is given a necklace that alerts Gravitas if he uses his powers; Noah is upset at himself for outing himself because he could have been the star student for once instead of the “problem child”; When he tells his uncle this, his uncle shares his outrage for Gravitas’ rules *End of Spoiler*); Noah lies twice & tells not-quite-a-lie a couple times to his mom and friends; Noah faces a bully often & comes up with comic-book inspired names for him (such as ‘an insufferable clod’, ‘villain’, ‘scoundrel’, ‘scourge of the earth’, ‘feckless dolt’, ‘nattering nimrod’, and a ‘turd burglar’); The bully taunts (calling Noah and his friends ‘dorks’ and ‘freaks’) and threatens Noah and his friends, so later Noah plays a few pranks on him (such as using his powers to pull the food or drink from the bully’s mouth and making him look gross; *Spoiler* Noah is told that he shouldn’t do pranks with his abilities, but he defends himself that he was defending his friend that was being teased *End of Spoiler*); Noah gets upset that his friend is so “perfect” and makes snippy/snide remarks towards her & also gets upset at her (but tries to catch himself a few of the times); Mentions of thieves, thefts, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of sedating someone & threatening to do that to others who don’t listen (a villain); Mentions of fights & fighting; Mentions of pain, injuries, & passing out; Mentions of a bully, his mean taunts/teasing, & bullying; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of butts, farts (also called “butt belches”), burping, throwing up, & jokes about it; A few mentions of threatening to kill a child (a villain); A couple mentions of a divorce & a father deserting his family; A mention of kidnapping; A mention of poison darts; A mention of a bomb; A mention of a wildfire; A mention of a dictator; A mention of jealousy; A mention of a nightmare;
*Note: Noah isn’t sure who to trust or believe (Gravitas or his uncle); Noah feels like a disappointment to Gravitas; Noah feels like he’s too old to pretend about being a superhero & play with action figures with a younger boy (the latter one is because he doesn’t want Gravitas to think of him as immature so even though it pains him, he gives away his superhero items); Noah wants others to think of him as incredible (he plans for others at his school to finally know his name and wants to be a hero, which is why he is embarrassed when other people stare at or whisper about him); Noah is embarrassed by his mom taking pictures of him on his first day of an activity (he’s glad that she doesn’t try to come inside with him); Noah has a moment of being happy about a mean boy being annoyed by something; Noah & his friends go trick-or-treating on Halloween; Mentions of Halloween; Mentions of a fictional character & TV show in this book about kids who turn into animals (one of a boy turning into a wolf is shown in an illustration); Mentions of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade & fictional characters (Peter Parker, Hello Kitty, Smurfs, Snoopy, & Buzz Lightyear); Mentions of a musician (Dizzy Gillespie) & a song (“We Will Rock You”); A couple mentions of Noah feeling like he’s a freak; A couple mentions of a brand name (Gatorade); A mention of a ride at Six Flags; A mention of a movie (Sleepless in Seattle); A mention of Noah and his friend watching a scary movie; A mention of an American flag resting on the floor after an storm.


Sexual Content- A cheek kiss (shown also as an illustration); Noah holds on to a girl’s waist to protect her, tries to hold her tighter to warm her, and she presses her cheek against his (not completely romance-inclined until the end and with Noah thinking the girl would be saying “My hero!” if it was a comic); Noah notices a pretty girl; Noah’s friend, Rodney, teases him and their mutual friend (Haley) about being a couple someday (Noah thinks of her like a sister in the beginning); Mentions of dates to a school dance & asking others out for it; A few mentions of kisses & kissing; A couple mentions of crushes & crushing on someone; A couple mentions of a boy in Noah’s class shaving and wearing a tight shirt so that others notice his muscles;
*Note: In the illustrations of the cast of characters at the beginning of the book, one of the girls is wearing an oversized sweater that shows her cami strap & another girl is wearing a midriff showing cropped jacket (this can be seen on the Amazon page for this book Here); In another illustration, Haley wears short-shorts; Mentions of butts, farts (also called “butt belches”), & throwing up; A few mentions of a young man’s pants coming off in a training test and it revealing his boxer shorts with a dog on the butt & Noah making note to wear boxers and not briefs to his test (two comic-book style illustrations included); A few mentions of puberty.

-Noah Minor, age 12
1st person P.O.V. of Noah (Prologue in a reporter’s P.O.V.)
272 pages

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Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)

{ Add a full star for girls with brothers and/or a fan of superheroes and comic books.}

This was different! A bit too boyish to me, but it was an interesting concept.

I didn’t care for the superhero organization making Noah wear a bugged bracelet and threatening to wipe Noah’s memories if he talked about them. With them and Noah’s mad scientist uncle, I wasn’t sure who Noah should trust—if either side really is good because they both seemed questionable. The ending made sense and there was a bit of character development and lessons for Noah.

I will say that I didn’t quite get all the superhero power stuff, but that could be because how it was explained. This was not my cup of tea, but some middle-grade readers may enjoy it more.



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (WaterBrook) for this honest review.

A fun middle grade book that aims to the lower end of middle for it's audience. It was fun and had lots of goofy humour (read fart jokes) and action but maybe spent too much time on Noah trying to find his pull. There were times where I was wishing we could just get straight to the adventure and action and felt like while it is likely a good life lesson that we have to find the way that works for us and that things don't always come easy, for such a short book, it felt like it should have happened quicker. The ending is quite intense for sensitive readers with the hostage like situation that happens. I wish that were handled better considering the target age seems closer to 8-10 years old. I can see that this would make a good choice for a reluctant reader or make for a good transistion from graphic novels to chapter books.

I received an advanced digital reader copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fairly quick read with characters that may start out a bit stereotypical, but I think the author took some interesting turns with them. The powers possessed by Noah and other gravitars were a bit deeper than your average super hero or magical powers, especially at this age group, but I liked the way the author explained the gravity-controlling powers. It's really more sci-fi than fantasy in that way. I also appreciated that Noah, though possessing stronger-than-average powers, still struggles a lot to learn to use and control them. And that his stronger powers aren't just a coincidence because he's the MC or a "chosen one," but rather were caused by something specific.

Though I understood Noah's difficulty in basically having to choose between Gravitas and Uncle Saul, certain aspects of the plot were fairly predictable (though would probably be less so to the younger audience this book is meant for). It was no surprise to me that Noah couldn't keep a secret and used his powers in public, though I'll admit I was a little surprised that there seemed to barely be any consequences. I also think there was a lot that could have been expanded upon and some things that could definitely continue on into another book. I see no signs that there will be more to follow this book, but if there is, I'll definitely be reading it. I would recommend this book for pre-teens or young teens, especially those interested in fantasy, sci-fi, or super heroes.

If you enjoyed the movie The Incredibles, then you will enjoy this fast paced superhero middle grade read. Noah Minor was dropped from a balcony as a child and survived. No one knew how he had lived, and so Noah was nicknamed the Minor Miracle. As Noah grows up, he compares himself to his friends Haley and Rodney as he thinks they are extraordinary while he is just ordinary. Noah wants to have superpowers like the heroes in his comic books, and one day during a vision test he finds out that it wasn’t really a vision test, but a test that determines that he is able to manipulate gravity. With newly found superpowers and a secret agency that trains Noah how to use his abilities, Noah learns some valuable lessons about trust, friendship and doing the right thing.

I want to thank Meredith Davis, WaterBrook & Multnomah and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Minor Miracle by Meredith Davis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A new middle grade novel about a middle school boy and his superhero powers he inherited. It was an easy read. I think it would be most enjoyed by middle school boys due to the subject/topic and the language (not horrible but definitely what a lot of typical middle school boys think is hilarious).

Thank you @netgalley and @waterbrookmultnomah for the ebook ARC. The book just recently released and is available for purchase at most retailers or possibly available at your local library. Opinions are honest and my own.
#netgalley #goodreads #theminormiracle #literarypearlsof24 #bookstagram

I really enjoyed this unexpected gem about Noah Minor, a kid who was dropped from a balcony by his uncle when he was a baby and miraculously survived. The story is told from his point of view, which worked very well for this story. Noah has two best friends who he constantly thinks of as amazing, while he is boring, untalented, and not the miracle that his origins might make you think he is. But I love that as he starts to learn about who he is, he is both competitive and frustrated with himself--it's all very realistic (well except the magic powers stuff, lol). I really liked his friends, Rodney and Haley, and they really added to the story. I thought it was genius how Rodney helped him learn control. I also liked that although he is apparently the "chosen one" at least according to some, he makes mistakes and bad choices, but he also learns about forgiving himself and others. This was alot of fun, and I hope that it will become a series. I would recommend this for middle school readers, especially those who like books about superheroes, adventures, and music.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Noah’s pretty average, especially compared to his trumpet-rocking best friend Rodney and practically perfect best friend Haley. Other than making the basketball A-team, as he sees it, pretty much all he has going for him is The Cling when he gets emotional and his clothes cling to him, and that’s more an inconvenience than anything else. But then he finds out that he is gifted with the ability to manipulate gravity, and his great-uncle Saul dropping him off a high-rise as an infant maybe wasn’t so accidental. Now he’s torn between trusting family and trusting the group Gravitas who promises to help him train in his powers, and having a hard time figuring out just who is right in the end.
Noah has a solid friendship with Rodney and Haley, and it is good to see how they interact and support each other. I did think their characterizations, however, tended to lean towards some stereotypes. Rodney, a chubby Black kid who practices his trumpet all the time to follow in the footsteps of Dizzy Gillespie’s jazz star. Then blonde and perfectionist Haley with her detailed planner, likely to get an invitation from the basketball A-team star. They each got more developed, but they did have these molds visible underneath their actions and words.
Another fun aspect to untangle is Uncle Saul vs Gravitas, to determine who is right – the rebel with a vision, or the established authority? I couldn’t help but feel there was a definite message in which one Noah should follow, and maybe I’m reading too much in to it, but it seemed reflective of some current ideas, which I wasn’t sure I was a fan of.
The story moves quickly, but it is clear that hard work, honesty, and caring deeply about others are very important and go a long way. Whatever progress Noah makes, whether with his abilities, or in basketball, or with his friends, it is hard-earned and worked for with determination and (mostly) focus. Oh, and the illustrations were a fun and emotive addition to the story, and complimented quite nicely the scenes they accompanied.

This was so much fun! Follow along with Noah, Rodney, and Haley as Noah is on a mission to get famous. When he was a child he fell from the roof of a tall building and survived, he's been trying to chase that high and popularity ever since.
During an eye exam, he is told that he has superpowers and is being headhunted by a CIA-like outfit, and is excited to learn how to use his powers. This middle-grade adventure novel is jam-packed! There's a mad scientist, a man on the run, a supermoon coming, and a very important item goes missing.
The accompanying art is adorable.

It made me smile, turn pages and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will surely be loved by young reader
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a pretty wild story, but good! I have to admit that Noah was getting on my nerves for a while, but he learns a thing or 2 in the end, thankfully! I think it will be great for your kids in older elementary or middle school.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The Minor Miracle is a unique take on superheroes and feels like a fresh, original story that I haven't read before. I really enjoyed the main character and his way of looking at things. The plot was very fast paced and will definitely keep my students interested as they turn the pages. The illustrations that I had within the ARC added so much to the story as I was reading. I have a bulletin board area where I post what books I am reading and I have had several students ask if I have this in the library and if I can put it on hold for them.

I didn't actually read this book. My teen grandaughter decided to set up a mini book club with her younger cousins and decided that this would be a good book to read together. They reported that it was exciting, the pictures were really good and it made an interesting read for all of them. They are looking forward to more books from the author.

The Minor Miracle" by Meredith Davis follows the journey of Noah Minor, a typical seventh-grader who discovers he has the ability to manipulate gravity during a routine vision test. This revelation leads him into the world of Gravitas, a clandestine government agency, where he hopes to find excitement and purpose. Alongside his best friends Rodney and Haley, Noah navigates the challenges of adolescence while grappling with his newfound powers and the responsibilities they entail. While the premise is intriguing and the characters relatable, the pacing of the narrative can feel uneven at times, and certain plot points seem rushed. Additionally, some aspects of the world-building could have been further developed to enrich the overall storytelling experience. However, despite these flaws, "The Minor Miracle" offers an engaging blend of mystery, adventure, and middle-grade charm that will captivate readers looking for a tale of ordinary kids discovering the extraordinary within themselves.