The Nameless Hero

Lee Bacon

Book 2 of Joshua Dread

Language: English

Publisher: Yearling

Published: Jan 1, 2013

Description:

The second audiobook in the series! From the moment Joshua Dread receives an invitation to Gyfted & Talented, the mysterious program for kids with superpowers, his plans for a normal summer turn upside down.

Evil maniac Phineas Vex is still alive - and he wants Joshua dead. So if G & T can help prepare Joshua for battle, he's all in. And so are Sophie and Milton. Except they get more than they bargained for. The truth is that Joshua and his friends have been chosen to form the greatest superhero team of all time. That is, if they make it through G & T's rigorous training.

Suddenly, Joshua is thrust into the media spotlight, and it's not as glamorous as people think. And what will happen if his supervillain parents find out that the new celebrity superhero is...Joshua?

No one ever said fighting evil would be easy.

The second book in the series! From the moment Joshua Dread receives an invitation to Gyfted & Talented, the mysterious program for kids with superpowers, his plans for a normal summer turn upside down. Evil maniac Phineas Vex is still alive—and he wants Joshua dead. So if G&T can help prepare Joshua for battle, he's all in. And so are Sophie and Milton.

Except they get more than they bargained for. The truth is that Joshua and his friends have been chosen to form the greatest superhero team of all time. That is, if they make it through G&T's rigorous training.

Suddenly Joshua is thrust into the media spotlight, and it's not as glamorous as people think. And what will happen if his supervillain parents find out that the new celebrity superhero is . . . Joshua? 

No one ever said fighting evil would be easy.

**

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Joshua Dread was looking forward to a relaxing summer-or at least as peaceful as things can get for the son of the world's greatest supervillain duo. Instead, he and his two friends are off to Gyfted & Talented, an exclusive, invitation-only program for kids with certain unusual abilities. Director Gavin Garland announces that the crew has been selected to become the greatest superhero team of all time-the Alliance of the Impossible. He has everything arranged-cool uniforms, specialized training-even secret identities. However, Joshua suspects that there's more to the G&T program than meets the eye. The training exercises seem unduly dangerous, there are surveillance cameras everywhere-and what is Garland hiding behind that locked black door? After the team's first spectacular public mission, Joshua fumbles his secret-identity name and accidentally becomes a media celebrity. Garland seizes on the idea of the Nameless Hero to organize a massive publicity campaign with interviews, product endorsements, and TV appearances. At first, Joshua enjoys being a star, but soon jealousy between the Nameless Hero and the rest of the Alliance causes conflict among the team members, and he knows that they're going to need to stand together to survive. A bit darker than Joshua Dread (Delacorte, 2012), this book highlights the perils of media-created celebrity. Joshua goes from unknown to idol in a few Internet clicks and YouTube views. However, there are plenty of playful moments to lighten the tension, particularly when the kids' parents get involved, and there is a strong underlying theme of family loyalty and friendship. Familiarity with the first book is helpful but not essential and there are plenty of plot threads left for additional sequels.-Elaine E. Knight, formerly at Lincoln Elementary Schools, ILα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"A superpowered thumbs up." - Kirkus Reviews

"Funny, action-packed, and a total page-turner. You'll want to read to the bitter end--unless Joshua's parents destroy the world first. Which is a distinct possibility." - Adam Gidwitz, New York Times bestselling author of *A Tale Dark & Grimm and In a Glass Grimmly*