What Makes a Hero?

This is a question I discuss with some of my students quite frequently.  I guess the success and popularity of all the DC and Marvel Superhero movies have made heroes quite the talking point.  To be a superhero do you need to have some sort of superpower?  Or, like Batman, do you need to suffer the tragic loss of your parents then continue on making the best use of your natural abilities as well as some pretty cool gadgets?  What do you think?

Zach Harriman, star of Mike Lupica's Hero, hits many of these criteria.  His dad is a special assistant to the president and runs all kinds of top secret, highly classified missions.  If anything, it seems like Zach's dad would be the hero.  But tragically Zach's dad dies (not a spoiler, it happens before page 20).  After Zach's dad dies his whole world gets turned upside down-in more than just the ways you'd expect.

Zach suddenly starts realizing he has extraordinary powers, powers he's never noticed before.  That's because, in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer like twist, there is only one hero at a time; meaning Zach's dad had to die before Zach would experience any of the powers.  As if figuring out powers wasn't enough Zach also has to figure out middle school, the strange behavior of his Uncle Johnny, and this mysterious stranger who keeps trying to train him.

Hero is an exciting read and I think many of my students will be able to relate to Zach.  As a lover of fantasy I thought the book was just starting to get good when it was over.  As of now there is no sequel but Hero is the foundation to what I think could be an excellent series.  Any superhero comic book lover would love this book.

Saving the World...that's kids stuff