Epic Zero: Tales of a Not-So-Super 6th Grader (Tales of a 6th Grade Superhero) Paperback – Illustrated, August 19, 2015

I used this book to get my 5th graders interested in reading. At the beginning of the year my 5th graders hated even having to touch a book. I did research online (for many hours) trying to find a book I thought I could hook them on... and luckily, I stumbled across this book series. I wanted a book that had a series (so if they liked it, they had something to continue with), and something that matched our classroom. Our classroom was superhero themed and obviously this book blended into the theme beautifully! Not only were my kids looking forward to reading every week but they COULD NOT put the book down. I even had issues with some of my faster readers spoiling chapters ahead. It was a wonderful problem to have. We had engaging classroom discussions, excellent foreshadowing, and even greater talks about past chapter connections. Also, I really appreciate that when a character died they were actually left dead. So many of my kids swore that a character would come back because all their favorite TV shows and movies bring these kinds of characters back... but this book did not! It was refreshing and I think it kept the kids hooked even more. This book also has excellent resources for Teachers! My kids are making their meta profiles after thanksgiving and then they are making a diorama of their favorite chapter from the book! My only comments of (WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR) is the book can go over some heavy topics such as a parental figure death, loss of a friend, and some fight scenes are pretty visual (like a bar fight). The book also uses some words like "moron" that you may not want your kids to say. But, I talked with my 5th graders before reading and explained issues like this BEFORE we read. I think if a parent or teacher does this, you are good to go.

I have a hard time finding books that my 6th grader will read. This book hit the mark. He loved it so much he's reading the whole series. I would highly reccomend.

All Elliot wants for his twelfth birthday is to be a superhero like everyone else in his family (even the dog has super powers). But no such luck. Looks like he’s stuck being an ordinary kid struggling through middle school. Everything changes when he meets a girl who believes he is the key to finding a mysterious, powerful orb. Now the fate of the world is in his hands, and he has the chance to prove he is more than just a zero.What I liked: fun characters! Elliot is a relatable kid, flaws and all, who really just wants to fit in. The plot is fun and there is lots of action to keep readers turning the pages.What I didn’t like: not much. It was a tad slow at the beginning, but the action picked up very quickly.Super fun read!5 out of 5 stars

Elliott is introduced to the reader on his twelfth birthday. Like most kids in sixth grade, he is struggling to fit in with his peers. But even worse than that, he was born into a family of superheroes. Even the dog has more powers than Elliott. That has him bummed out most of the time.The situation changes when Elliott meets a girl who puts her faith and confidence in him. She engages him to find a mysterious orb. Now he has a goal and purpose. Will he find a way to succeed and prove that he find his place in the world and in his superhuman family?This is book one in a series that will entice middle-grade audiences. They will see themselves and their struggles mirrored in the characters, which are pretty well-developed. There is lots of humor and the typical chaos associated with pre-teen life. Pre-teens often are rebellious and adults should be warned that some of these behaviors may not be in sync with parental values.I would suggest that parents and teachers preview before giving the book over for independent reading. Suggested for audiences eight through twelve.

We got this book as a birthday gift to our 7-years old who loves superheros. It's a bit challenging for him to read on his own as he is a first-grader. To my surprise that he has been reading it on his own and has talked about the main characters several times in his conversation (he is a boy of few words :-)) with me. I read it myself and found it's a very interesting book, it's very fun to read and nice writing as well. I would definitely recommend this book than those comic superheros books that got kids almost lost their ability to read.

"Epic Zero was the BEST book I have ever read! It has all of my favorite things in it like action, adventure, superheroes, supervillains, and mystery. If I had to rate this book then I would give it 2 thumbs up and 10 out of 10 stars. I mainly love this book because it tells you about friendship and loyalty. When I read the back cover of the book, I was really wondering if Elliot was going to be epic or if he was just always going to be a zero. I really liked how the book showed all of the superheros’ and supervillains’ profiles. If I had to pick just one word to describe this book I couldn’t so here’s a few. Awesome, great, amazing, good, stupendous, and spectacular! Thank you for writing and sharing this book."Written by Lily, Age 8

I suspect that some older kids into fantasy would like this book. Many children, particularly boys, will enjoy the character portraits and powers. They remind me of trading cards.Having taught for 31 years in grades 2-6, I can assure you that few kids in the 2nd and 3rd grades possess the ability to read and comprehend this story. The vocabulary and sometimes violent storyline are much more appropriate for elementary students.There are some excellent messages and themes, such as perseverance and believing in yourself. This is the first book in a series. I would recommend that adults preview the book first. While some kids would enjoy the good vs. evil theme, I thought the story was okay. I won't be buying any of the other books in the series.