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Jude Banks, Superhero

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
New York Times best-selling author Ann Hood pens a poignant story of grief and resilience, perfect for readers of The Thing About Jellyfish.
"A testament to the power of human connection.” —Jack Cheng, award-winning author of See You in the Cosmos
 
 
Katie was Jude's favorite person in the world. And not many brothers say that about their sister and mean it. But to Jude, Katie was everything—the person who made him learn how to say "I love you" in every language, who performed dramatic readings of Romeo and Juliet, who obsessed over every item on the diner menu looking for the most authentic diner meal. The one who called him "Jude Banks, Superhero," because to her, Jude was the best.
She was also the person who died. Out of nowhere, and without a goodbye. And Jude believes he was the one who killed her.
Now, twelve-year-old Jude must figure out what life looks like without his favorite person. With Mom checked out, and Dad just trying to do his best, Jude enters a world of grief youth groups and dropped-off lasagnas. It's only when he meets a girl named Clementine, who also lost a sibling, that he begins to imagine a world where maybe things might be okay. But Clementine is also feeling a terrible guilt, and even though Katie called Jude a "superhero," he isn't sure he can save her.
In her signature prose, Hood crafts an extraordinary story of grief and resilience, asking the important question: How does a family begin to heal?
 
Praise for Jude Banks, Superhero:
"Hood is brilliant at showing the ordinary moments of a family’s heartbreak… There are many readers who are navigating guilt and sorrow right now — for them, this book is a must. And for those lucky enough to take the journey only in their imaginations, this is a story of resilience in the face of devastating pain.”—New York Times Book Review   
 
"A tender story of grief and joy... a remarkable read."—School Library Connection (Starred Review)
 
"Hood’s careful gardening of emotions makes this a striking read... Fans of Ali Benjamin's The Thing about Jellyfish will appreciate Jude’s search for meaning and reason as he learns to live around the hole his sister has left."—Booklist (Starred Review)
 
“Ann Hood tells Jude’s story of grief without coating it in too much sugar; it’s real, and therein lies its power. Jude Banks is a mirror for anyone who’s experienced loss, and a testament to the power of human connection.”—Jack Cheng, award-winning author of See You in the Cosmos
 
"Jude Banks is warm and inviting, even as it balances the difficult topics of loss and healing—a powerful and compelling story for anyone who has known loss."—Rex Ogle, award winning author of Free Lunch
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  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      March 15, 2021
      Almost a year after his sister Katie dies, Jude Banks turns himself in for her murder. Jude is 12. Katie, less than a year younger, had been accelerated at school and started seventh grade alongside him. Before her death, the siblings were inseparable; afterward, Jude and his mother and father are awash with grief. Jude starts therapy and joins a sibling loss group where he makes friends with Clementine, who, like Jude, feels responsible for her sister's death. Hood, whose own experience of tragic loss has informed some of her previous books, writes well, but she does not handle this subject matter appropriately for the target reading audience. The book slides back and forth unevenly in time, making it difficult for young readers to track Jude's healing. Jude's voice never sounds like that of a modern middle schooler--he's alternately too innocent or too adult. His parents are one-dimensional. The book focuses relentlessly on awful details of grief, from Jude's descriptively imagining his sister's autopsy to a painful revelation about a baby that died to riffs on strange ways children have been killed. There is never any emotional let-up. Worst of all, when one character attempts suicide, several aspects of the narrative directly contraindicate best practices for safely discussing the topic in order to minimize the risk of suicide contagion. Many books have covered this subject matter well for this age group; young readers would do better elsewhere. Tackles highly sensitive subjects without the necessary care. (Fiction. 8-12)

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Booklist

      Starred review from May 15, 2021
      Grades 3-7 *Starred Review* Jude Banks has just turned himself in for murder. Now all he has to do is tell the story of how he (probably) killed his sister. Hood (The Treasure Chest series) returns to children's literature with a nuanced yet accessible novel that examines guilt, surviving sibling loss, and using pain to make good in the world. Through smart, authentic writing, Hood navigates the complexities of losing a sibling, noting her adjacent experience as a bereaved parent. Jude experiences a crisply true-to-life spiral of grief that many readers familiar with mourning the loss of a loved one will recognize. As he shares his story in retrospect, Jude identifies seemingly unrelated events, leading readers to understand the surprising impact grief can have. Jude's ultimate success lies in his ability to transform his grief into positive action and, eventually, self-forgiveness. Hood's careful gardening of emotions makes this a striking read that will mean a lot to readers who have lost a sibling and allow those who have not to intimately inhabit the difficult realities. Fans of Ali Benjamin's The Thing about Jellyfish (2015) will appreciate Jude's search for meaning and reason as he learns to live around the hole his sister has left.

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:5.4
  • Lexile® Measure:840
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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