The Invincibles: Short Circuit

Who are ‘The Invincibles’? Well, I know them as the All Black rugby team of 1924 who annihilated their opposition in every game of their world tour. But in Peter Millet’s books they are an unlikely group of kids who have been zapped by lightning on the footy/rugby field and now possess super powers that enable them to triumph over all evil.

‘Short Circuit’ is the second book of ‘The Invincibles’ series and it is as absorbing and entertaining as the first – ‘Power Up’. This humorous adventure story is kind of crazy but fun and I think that kids who are infrequent readers might quickly find themselves immersed in this tale.

‘The Invincibles’, as the title would suggest, get short circuited from their super powers and become as tiny as toothbrushes. How can they use their powers now and when will they return to their normal size?

It’s quirky, it’s New Zealand, it’s rugby, it’s hilarious and Myles Lawford captures the characters to perfection in his illustrations that add to the energy in this book. The characters are believable and you love to hate the bad guy, Tricky Ricky.

This is a great read for 8-12 year olds who love sport and find reading a bit of a challenge.

Title: The Invincibles: Short Circuit (Book 2)

Author: Peter Millett

Illustrator: Myles Lawford

Publisher: Scholastic

ISBN: 9781775436003

RRP: $14.99

Format: Paperback

Date of Publication: 2019

Ages: 8 – 12 years

Reviewer: Ali Kersten, Teacher Librarian, Hereworth School, Hawke’s Bay

How are you recommending this book? Highly recommended

What’s the book’s opening sentence? Tana, captain of Team two, trudged off the field at half-time towards the changing sheds with a pained look on his face.

You can buy this book here