Wanted: A Superhero to Save the World by Bryan Davis

Book 1 of Superhero Trilogy

Summary:

Eddie Hertz is smart, real smart. He has to be. What other twelve-year-old patrols the streets of Nirvana alone, hoping to foil the schemes of the evil Mephisto? Since Eddie is small for his age, he trusts in his Batman-style gadgets belt and acrobatic skills as well as lots of experience, like knowing how to swing across dark alleys without being seen.

Eddie has a dream, to become like Damocles, Nirvana’s great superhero. To make that dream come true, Eddie invented a device that is supposed to give him superpowers, but using it on himself might be dangerous, possibly fatal. He doesn’t have the nerve to try it.

When Mephisto unleashes an earthquake machine to terrorize the city, Eddie gets a surprising teammate — his quirky eight-year-old sister, Samantha, who comes up with an unexpected way to help Eddie in the frantic battle to prevent the biggest earthquake of all.

Since Damocles is unable to join the fight, Eddie and Samantha are the only hope for Nirvana and the world.

Opening Lines: 

I sat at my desk chair and aimed the grocery-store checkout scanner at my forehead, hoping the trigger's noise wouldn't wake my sister.

I glanced at her, asleep in bed. When it's time for school, she can sleep through an atomic blast, but let me try to sneak ice cream at midnight, and she shows up in her padded Tigger slippers with a big spoon in her hand. I swear those slippers turn her into a Ninja. 

Taking a deep breath, I pulled the trigger. A bright light flashed for a split second, and a soft beep sounded twice.