Fallout

February 1, 2015

Gr 7-10-Sixteen-year-old Lois Lane, daughter of decorated army general Sam Lane, has promised that this move to a new city, Metropolis, will be different-her goals are to stay out of trouble and make friends. Unfortunately, trouble seems to be her middle name and she easily finds it at her new school when she overhears a conversation between a student and Principal Butler regarding incidents of bullying. Lois, unhappy with the principal's response to the situation, vows to investigate, and a chance meeting with editor Perry White of the Daily Planet allows her the perfect opportunity. She discovers that the bullies, the Warheads, are gamers and part of a research project. With the help of secretive SmallvilleGuy, Lois's online "friend," and her peers, she eventually infiltrates the research lab. This somewhat plausible tale of bullying, mind-control, and gaming, with a hint of alien activity, steadily builds, but regrettably comes to an unimpressive conclusion. Students inclined to make things right in the world may relate to the protagonist, and will most likely be willing to overlook any flaws. VERDICT A Superman prequel that doesn't quite get its feet off the ground.-Susan Harris, Ridgeway High School, TN

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2015
A teen reporter busts a cyberbullying ring at her new school in Metropolis. Lois Lane is new in town, and she's doing her best to keep her head down and her nose clean. Her Army general father is hoping to make their family's stay in Metropolis permanent, and Lois doesn't want to jeopardize that. She joins the Daily Scoop, a teen subsidiary of the Daily Planet, in an effort to make friends. Of course, trouble always has a way of finding Lois Lane. This first entry in a planned series gets plenty right. Lois is as fully rounded as she is in the comics, headstrong, smart, capable, and equipped with a solid moral compass. Bond (Girl on a Wire, 2014, etc.) provides her with plenty of interesting supporting characters to bounce off, establishing a world worthy of a series. Bond also resists the fan-service urge: there's no mention of Gotham, the Waynes, Lex Luthor, Central City, or any other landmark DC icon. The one big connection Bond makes is a playful one: Lois' online pal goes by the name "SmallvilleGuy," and few readers will not put the pieces together quickly regarding his true identity. Bond plays with their knowledge though, effectively turning this eye-roll-worthy quirk into a knowing smile, similar to the one Supes gives to viewers at the end of many a comic book and film. This lighthearted and playful tone permeates the novel, making for a nifty investigative mystery akin to Veronica Mars or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Readers are in for a treat. A spectacular prose start for DC Comics' spectacular lady. (Fiction. 12-16)

May 1, 2015
Grades 8-11 Bond cleverly reimagines star reporter Lois Lane as a teenager today. She is a savvy, confident military brat whose family's frequent moves have kept her from establishing any real friendships, except for an online friend known only as Smallville Guy. Superman fans will delight in the nicely detailed ties to the man of steel, while enjoying Bond's focus on the fearless reporter. At East Metropolis High, Lois arrives for her first day of school to find a clearly brilliant student begging the snarky principal for protection from a gaming club known as the Warheads. Also on hand is the speaker for today's assembly: Perry White, editor at the Daily Planet, there to recruit teen reporters. Once these elements have been set up, it's pretty clear what steps will lead to the happy ending, but to Bond's credit, the dry wit of the narrative and the satisfyingly coy online romance between Lois Lane and Smallville Guy make each of those steps delightful.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
On her first day at East Metropolis High, Lois Lane joins the all-teen staff of the Daily Scoop. With the help of her fellow reporters--and a mysterious internet friend who goes by the screen name SmallvilleGuy--Lois investigates the Warheads, a group of sinister cyberbullies. Clark Kent is a modern-day Ned to Lois's Nancy Drew in this thrilling, fast-paced mystery.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)