Recommended for you
Main Content
Miles Morales
Miles Morales
Spider-Man
"Everyone gets mad at hustlers, especially if you're on the victim side of the hustle. And Miles knew hustling was in his veins." Miles Morales is just your average teenager. Dinner every Sunday with his parents, chilling out playing old-school video games with his best friend, Ganke, crushing on brainy, beautiful poet Alicia. He's even got a scholarship spot at the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy. Oh yeah, and he's Spider Man. But lately, Miles's spidey-sense has been on the fritz. When a misunderstanding leads to his suspension from school, Miles begins to question his abilities. After all, his dad and uncle were Brooklyn jack-boys with criminal records. Maybe kids like Miles aren't meant to be superheroes. Maybe Miles should take his dad's advice and focus on saving himself. As Miles tries to get his school life back on track, he can't shake the vivid nightmares that continue to haunt him. Nor can he avoid the relentless buzz of his spidey-sense every day in history class, amidst his teacher's lectures on the historical "benefits" of slavery and the importance of the modern-day prison system. But after his scholarship is threatened, Miles uncovers a chilling plot, one that puts his friends, his neighborhood, and himself at risk. It's time for Miles to suit up.
"Everyone gets mad at hustlers, especially if you're on the victim side of the hustle. And Miles knew hustling was in his veins." Miles Morales is just your average teenager. Dinner every Sunday with his parents, chilling out playing old-school video games with his best friend, Ganke, crushing on brainy, beautiful poet Alicia. He's even got a scholarship spot at the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy. Oh yeah, and he's Spider Man. But lately, Miles's spidey-sense has been on the fritz. When a misunderstanding leads to his suspension from school, Miles begins to question his abilities. After all, his dad and uncle were Brooklyn jack-boys with criminal records. Maybe kids like Miles aren't meant to be superheroes. Maybe Miles should take his dad's advice and focus on saving himself. As Miles tries to get his school life back on track, he can't shake the vivid nightmares that continue to haunt him. Nor can he avoid the relentless buzz of his spidey-sense every day in history class, amidst his teacher's lectures on the historical "benefits" of slavery and the importance of the modern-day prison system. But after his scholarship is threatened, Miles uncovers a chilling plot, one that puts his friends, his neighborhood, and himself at risk. It's time for Miles to suit up.
Reviews-
-
Starred review from June 15, 2017
Move over Peter Parker, a new Spidey's in town! Spider-Man is forced to confront girls, evil, and identity crises, all while trying to survive junior year. In his latest work, Reynolds (Ghost, 2016, etc.)--a Kirkus Prize and Coretta Scott King Award winner--crafts an enjoyable piece of superhero fiction that completely transcends its genre. The result is an engrossing novel for teens boasting familiar and timely themes that add flavor and complexity to the Spider-Man mythos. In 2017, Miles Morales--a half-black/half-Puerto Rican teen on scholarship at an elite prep school--wears the famous mask and is a contemporary Everykid burdened by a family past that defines him as much as his powers do. Hailing from the Brooklyn projects, he represents countless teens whose life struggles are radically different from those Parker endured in the relative comforts of 1960s suburbia. In the author's capable hands, Brooklyn's sensory details, from the performers on the subway to the smells of Mrs. Morales' fried chicken, practically pop off of the page. The narrative is anchored by strong, nuanced characters, particularly Miles' tough-but-loving parents, Ganke, his Korean-American best friend, and his uncle Aaron, whose criminal past led to the development of Miles' powers. Miles' struggle to balance his superhero calling with familial pressure to make it out of the projects renders him all the more sympathetic. A page-turner with a heart and a soul. (Fantasy. 12-18)COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-
August 1, 2017
Gr 9 Up-Miles Morales is the new Spider-Man in the novelization of the Marvel comic. As an Afro-Puerto Rican teen attending an elite boarding school in Brooklyn, Miles is not only fighting crime but also navigating a complicated adolescent world. He must work hard in his classes while trying to make a move on his beautiful activist classmate. His Korean American best friend wants Miles to use his superpowers to hustle on the streets. There's also a racist teacher minimizing slavery in his history class. At home, Miles is coming to terms with the discovery of his recently dead uncle's long-lost son who is writing him letters from juvenile hall. Miles is shouldered with an intense amount of responsibility; it's no wonder his spidey-sense is on the fritz and his sleep is plagued by mysterious dreams. But when his dreamworld and reality begin to blend, the teen realizes that all parts of his life are connected and the mystery begins to unravel. He must not only fight the dark forces threatening his world and loved ones, but also the darkness within himself. This is not your typical superhero tie-in book. Reynolds has crafted a rich, developed portrait of complex teen life while addressing issues of racism in the modern world with his characteristic warmth and humorous touches. Give this to teens looking to make the leap from comics to novels, or any other readers interested in superhero action set in an urban landscape. VERDICT Recommended for all collections.-Emily Valente, Brooklyn Friends School
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
