Member Reviews
Thanks to netgalley for the Arc
So i mainly got this because i was curious what the super power was, i thought it was farts and i was right; now onto the book itself i felt so sad Lil, i wont say more i don't wanna give out spoilers, i loved Ale and Lil's friend it was so sweet and because this is a book for younger kids and lil is 10 there was no romance between them just friendship so overall this book was an enjoyable read
This was funny and light hearted. Not my usual book but it was a good choice for a reading slump!
Lili is a cool kid, very melodramatic and just hilarious. I wouldnt mind reading more of her adventures.
Lili Gray and the World's Most Embarrassing Superpower by Ada Loewe is so much fun! This will appeal to kids who like Timmy Failure as well as anyone who likes fart jokes, misunderstood kids who constantly make mistakes, and or kids getting the better of bad guys.
2.5 Stars (outliner)
One Liner: Good premise; not-so-good execution
Lili Gray is a ten-year-old with a secret superpower. However, this superpower is so embarrassing that she doesn’t know what to do with it. But with Lili’s dad vanishing and her stepmother looking like a supervillain, Lili knows she needs to solve the case, especially since no one is willing to believe her. With her best friend Ale, Lili now has to figure out how to navigate the new complications in her life.
The story comes in Lili’s first-person POV in the present tense.
My Thoughts:
I wish I loved this one, but it was not to be. The premise is highly appealing, exactly the kind kids would enjoy. However, the content doesn’t hit the mark in many aspects.
Firstly, I love the friendship between Lili and Ale. It is the highlight of the book.
The pacing is decent. Since there’s no proper backstory or explanation, the story moves ahead quickly.
The superpower is easily guessable and does result in a lot of humor, even if 60% of the comedy feels flat. Kids might enjoy it more, so consider it a plus point (to an extent).
The book also deals with bullying, along with a bunch of other things.
Now, the issues are with Lili and her relationship with her family. I still can’t understand the dynamics. Her hatred for Bella (stepmom) doesn’t, even seem to have any basis (the excuse used later on is silly).
Then, there are many pieces missing to create a picture of her family. There’s no info about how the mother died. And if it was two years ago, how did her dad meet Bella, and when did they marry? How did the mom die? While resenting the new parent is not uncommon, Lili’s case seems to go a bit too far. Of course, she realizes her mistakes, which is good, but the direct first-person POV doesn’t help in this case.
We have the same question again – why is it so easy for Lili to trust outsiders than her family? If there was something to trigger this, the context would have made more sense. Even in kiddo books, we need some structure. Kids can ask a lot of questions (and they won’t find answers here).
There’s another question about… let’s say, certain wearable aspect that hasn’t been dealt with. It could be an embarrassing scenario, not to mention risky for children.
While the ending is rounded, there’s also an opening for a sequel or to extend this into a series. It’s an ambitious idea and will work if the next books focus on providing a proper backstory to understand the characters, their relationships, and the setting.
What works on the screen doesn’t work in books due to the inherent difference in the medium. Books need more detail and better characterization. This one could have been terrific with another 30-50 pages focusing on developing the characters and the plot.
To summarize, Lili Gray and the World’s Most Embarrassing Superpower could have been a blockbuster but ended up underwhelming. Of course, this is an outliner review. It might work better if you go with the flow and not bother with the details.
Thank you, NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
*****
The review will not be posted on Amazon.
I think this will appeal to middle-grade readers! It was hilarious and a sweet story that readers will enjoy.
Poor ten-year-old Lili Gray! In Lili Gray and the World’s Most Embarrassing Superpower, Lili’s mother is dead. Her stepmother, Bella, is pregnant and constantly plotting against her. Now, Lili’s Dad has disappeared without even saying goodbye. Oh, and she keeps blowing holes in her pants, chairs, and even her closet walls. It seems her “superpower” is the power of self-propulsion by the most awkward method possible. Her best friend and brilliant junior scientist, Ale, is doing experiments that will hone her powers. But will it come too late to save her Dad?
Sometimes I like to read new elementary school mysteries despite being decades, and even more decades if I’m honest, after my own elementary school years. It brings me right back to my love of Encyclopedia Brown and my ongoing love of a good mystery.
Lili Gray and the World’s Most Embarrassing Superpower is the perfect book to inspire that love of mysteries in your own child. Lili is a fiery heroine. Ale is a genius friend who genuinely wants to help (and shows that being a nerd is okay and even useful). Do children really get to run around town by themselves at ten? Probably not but a young reader can always dream. Besides, flatulence is always funny even to this twenty years away from elderly adult (btw, elderly is always twenty years away once you hit forty). 5 stars to this cute, funny and enchanting mystery for young readers!
Thanks to Birte Steffan and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.
Spectacularly spectacular, truly unputdownable, and absolutely hilarious from start to finish… I can’t wait for the next book in this series! Lili Gray is used to hiding away in the shadows. But when she discovers she’s been ‘blessed’ with the world’s MOST embarrassing superpower, she’s unwittingly forced out of her comfort zone. How will she cope? As it turns out… quite brilliantly! If the middle-grade readers in your life are looking for something fun, silly, and thoroughly entertaining, then this book is definitely for them. Ada’s writing style is utterly delightful, and this story will make you smile, quake, laugh out loud, and stay up all night page turning. One of my favourite MG books of all time!
This is one of my favourites among the ones I have reviewed lately. It is absolutely hilarious and the language used in it is perfect for Y5 -6 students. This is a real find to me. It is a hilarious and heartwarming story about a girl with a truly embarrassing superpower (I kind of think that I am not supposed to spoil it by naming the superpower). My students would love this book.