The Cloak Society (Cloak Society Series #1)

by Jeramey Kraatz

Overview

The first in a thrilling, action-packed middle grade trilogy, which School Library Journal declared "will likely find the same wide appeal as Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books.

The Cloak Society: An elite organization of supervillains graced with extraordinary powers. Ten years ago the Cloak Society was defeated by Sterling City's superheroes, the Rangers of Justice, and vanished without a trace. But the villains have been waiting for the perfect moment to resurface. . . .

Twelve-year-old Alex Knight is a dedicated junior member of Cloak who has spent years mastering his telekinetic superpowers and preparing for the day when Cloak will rise to power again. Cloak is everything he believes in.

But during his debut mission, Alex does the unthinkable: He saves the life of a Junior Ranger of Justice. Even worse . . . she becomes his friend. And the more time he spends with her, the more Alex wonders what, exactly, he's been fighting for.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062095497
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/02/2012
Series:	Cloak Society Series , #1
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jeramey Kraatz is the author of the Space Runners series and the Cloak Society series, and he is a graduate of the MFA writing program at Columbia University. Jeramey lives in Texas, where he sometimes teaches, sometimes writes cartoon scripts, and is always up for queso. You can fi nd him at www.jerameykraatz.com or on Twitter @jerameykraatz.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 5–8—Like many kids, Alex isn't sure he wants to continue in the family business and is struggling to find his own path. Complicating matters: the family business is super-villainy. His great-grandfather was a founding member of the Cloak Society, a team of radiation-enhanced bad guys whose powers range from controlling electricity to super strength and, in Alex's case, telekinesis. His mother, nicknamed Shade, is telepathic, which presents the ultimate kid nightmare: his mother really can read his mind. On his 12th birthday, Alex stumbles in his first field test-a bank robbery-when his powers cannot open the vault and he impulsively saves Kirbie, a shape-shifting member of The Rangers of Justice and Cloak's superhero counterparts. Alex's suspicions of Cloak's true motives, coupled with his clandestine friendship with Kirbie, make him further question his future. Does he want to use his powers as a destructive force, or can he be more than just a weapon? Alex defies his parents and Cloak, fighting with the Rangers of Justice in a climactic final battle that will leave readers eagerly waiting for what comes next. Kraatz persuasively chronicles Alex's change of heart, from the opening chapter's funny and inventive pro-villain manifesto to his growing unease and courageous decision to leave the only life he's ever known. Readers who enjoy comic-book action will appreciate the original fantasy world with a detailed backstory and myriad intriguing characters. This debut novel is a strong start to a series that will likely find the same wide appeal as Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" books (Hyperion).—M. Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

School Library Journal

Born into the Cloak Society, a cadre of superpowered scientists gone bad, Alex Knight, a telekinetic 12-year-old, has a crisis of conscience during his first mission when he saves the life of a junior member of the Cloak Society’s mortal rivals, the Rangers of Justice. When Alex runs into Kirbie at the mall (even supervillains need to shop), his qualms about his capacity for violence flower into full-blown self-doubt. This is especially tricky since Alex’s mother’s superpower is mind-reading. Bummer! A friend tells Alex what he already knows: “ympathizing with your sworn enemy will cause you nothing but problems. I’ve read Shakespeare. I know how this sort of thing ends.” The showdown between the Cloak Society and the Rangers supplies bloodshed and devastation, but no real ending; more like a push of the pause button. Those left alive must form new alliances while they await the next episode. There’s little new in Kraatz’s debut, a Full Fathom Five property, but readers should find it easy to dig into the rapid-fire, comic book–style action. Ages 8–12. Agent: Eric Simonoff, William Morris Endeavor. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

An original fantasy world with a detailed backstory and myriad intriguing characters. This debut novel is a strong start to a series that will likely find the same wide appeal as Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books.” — School Library Journal

“Readers should find it easy to dig into the rapid–fire, comic book–style action.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

A young supervillain-in-training develops qualms of conscience in this deceptively earnest debut. After 10 years of lying low following a devastating defeat by the Rangers of Justice, the nefarious Cloak Society is ready for a rematch--but Alex, 12-year-old member of the Cloak's Beta Team, is suddenly having doubts. For one thing, his telekinetic power seems more suitable for no-hands origami than heavy lifting. For another, his telepathic mother, Shade, and the rest of Cloak's older generation appear to have more up their sleeves than simple domination of Sterling City, Texas. Most disturbing of all, though, encounters in battle and at the mall with shape-changing Junior Ranger Kirbie have left Alex unsure of his true capacity for evil. Along with outfitting both super factions with appropriately cool powers, names, costumes and lairs, Kraatz slips in further cultural enrichment with sly references to game theory, Shakespeare and true crimes. Unsurprisingly, the climactic fray forces members of both junior squads to become reluctant allies--and also leaves enough loose ends to fuel a sequel or six. Familiar superhero/supervillain tropes are positively shoveled into a tale that has enough psychological complexity to please readers who have not overdosed on this subgenre. (Fantasy. 11-13)

Kirkus Reviews