SHAZAM! The Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith Date of Publication: 2007 ISBN: 978 1-4012-1466-1 Number of pages: 206

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Junior: Average Intermediate: Low
GENRES: Adventure, Fantasy, Myths & Legends, Science Fiction
THEMES: Good versus Evil, Family, Survival

SUMMARY: Billy Batson is a homeless orphan boy who befriends a homeless man, Talky. Talky encourages Billy to live at a shelter but Billy refuses. Being friends with Talky has given him a sense of family. A stranger appears and Billy is convinced he stranger is his father. The stranger leads him to a dying Wizard who has chosen Billy to be the replacement host for Captain Marvel. The wizard creates a word from the names of six heroes; Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury: "SHAZAM!" The powers of these heroes help Billy battle the darker forces of the world...and with the help of Captain Marvel and the ghost of the wizard, Billy can not only save the world -- but he gains a family as well.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...
- likes superheroes
- is fascinated by aliens and robots
- enjoys action- enjoys happy endings

WHAT ELSE? There is reference made to terrorists in the form of Mr. Mind and dangerous man-eating monsters on earth who target children. Part of this text's appeal is in the vivid illustrations that help the reader navigate the story.