Noah Minor knew he was no ordinary child because, mysteriously and miraculously, he had survived a fall from the 16th story of a New York City apartment building when he was 9 months old. The framed New York Times article that hung from his bedroom wall reminded him daily of what had happened to him.
Growing up, Noah pretended to be a superhero, loving flamboyant capes and pretending to fly. But now, 12-year-old Noah knows heās too old for such fantasies. He struggles with the fact that his seventh-grade peers at Rim Rock Middle School think heās an ordinary kid and donāt even know about his unbelievable survival story. But Noah is undaunted. He has a plan that will earn him a place with the gifted and exceptional kids at his school.
However, Noahās world is turned upside down when a standard eye test reveals something about him that is beyond his wildest dreams: he is a gravitar, a person with the ability to manipulate gravity, and he is being recruited to be a secret agent for Gravitas, a top-secret government agency.
When Noah learns that his great-uncle Saul is on Gravitasās most-wanted list and that the agency is hoping they can use Noah to trap his great-uncle, the boy becomes conflicted. Whom can he trustāGravitas or great-uncle Saul, each trying to win his loyalty?
As Noah grapples with what it means to exercise his unique gift, he repeatedly comes up against his pride, duplicity, and selfishness, and he discovers that whenever he wants to impress others, he causes damage and looks foolish. He begins to understand that being a hero is āaddictive.ā
Slowly, as events unfold and Noah and his good friends Haley and Rodney face danger, Noah learns hard lessons about the use of oneās gifts: āItās no good using your powers if you canāt control them. In fact, it's dangerous.ā āWith great power there must also comeāgreat responsibility.ā āYou canāt use your powers whenever you feel like it, ... like some sort of vigilante.ā
Illustrator Billy Yongās attractive pictures are a delightful addition to , which is packed with humor, fantasy, real-life middle school problems, moral choices, loyal friendships, and magnificent action scenes. Author Meredith Davis points gently to Noahās faith in God, whom he calls on in his time of need.
(WaterBrook)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.