Published February 2016 by Oxford University Press.

Goodreads Synopsis: Holly Sparkes is just your average 12-year-old, that is, until she’s hit by a bolt of lightning. Now Holly is EXTRAordinary. Like a human battery Holly can generate a massive amount of electricity in seconds, which could come in handy if she’s ever going to solve the mystery of her best friend’s disappearance. Because when you’re dealing with the likes of Professor Macavity and her mysterious CyberSky corporation, you need all the help you can get!

My Review: As soon as I spotted this online, I couldn’t wait to delve into it and see what it was like! I adored Jo Cotterill’s Looking at the Stars, and Cathy Brett’s books – though Electrigirl is nothing at all like those titles. It’s individual, and I’ve never reading anything like it before!

The story begins with Holly, an ordinary girl whose biggest problem is that her mum is constantly protesting against the new company in town. When she’s suddenly hit by some mysterious lightning, she finds herself with special powers – and with the help of her comic-obsessed brother, she puts them to use to save her friend.

Electrigirl feels like such a classic superhero story, but manages not to feel cliché despite using all of the typical ‘superhero origin’ story elements. From the mysterious powers, to the secretive company, to Holly’s double life…  It’s very Spider-Man, but in the best way. I’m sure so many young readers are going to fall in love with this epic story.

The characters are really fun and I enjoyed reading about them; especially Holly’s little brother, who’s pretty similar to my own. They’re quirky and loveable, and I’m sure anyone who reads this will really connect with them too.

Cathy Brett was the perfect illustrator for this story. I’ve been a fan of her work for a long time, so it was exciting to see how her collaboration with Jo Cotterill would be. Needless to say, it’s absolutely brilliant; I can’t wait to see what the next book in the series holds, as it was just such a joy to read. Brett’s illustrations set the scene for this action story fantastically, and add even more energy to the story. The half-book-half-graphic-novel concept is really exciting; I’m eager to discover more books like this!

Overall, I really recommend Electrigirl. It’s a really entertaining book, and presented in a really clever way; Cotterill’s writing paired with Brett’s illustrations make for an exciting story. I’d particularly recommend it for reluctant readers of novels, as it’s a great and engaging story that alternates between comic strip and text. Of course, it’s a must for young comic fans too!

My Rating:

I received a copy of Electrigirl from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.