Even if I had read book one of Lola’s Super Club (which I realized after starting this was book two with the subtitle of My Substitute Teacher is a Witch) I do not think I would have liked this book. While kids who like “kid gross humor” and fantasy drama/action/violence will enjoy, it will not be for everyone.
I appreciate the attempt of Christine Beigel with their trying to make this book a “girl power superhero book” and using stereotypical “boy stuff” for the plot was an interesting idea, but personally I could hardly even finish the first part of the book. Which was the villain (a hairy, grandma bunned old lady) and her hench-creatures taking over Lola’s classroom, trying to… I am not sure… just shoot all the kids into trap doors so some slime monster can make stuff with organic boogers? The second half of the book deals with an old school grandfather telling “what real soccer is all about, who gets seriously hurt by having a large screen tv fall on him, and then Lola and friends joining the Evil Olympics.
However, I did, as I wanted to see if my opinion of it would improve. But it only got worse. I had no idea the why of things, the reason behind the action and how was the character super? She was a girl with a tutu and a mask, instead of a girl wearing a tutu and no mask before she turned into Super Lola. The second half of the book did not improve my opinion (however, there was clever image with an X-ray machine and the two Skelton characters).
Sadly, then there are the illustrations of Pierre Foiullet. As usual, I appreciate the effort and time that goes into creating illustrations. However, this time, I did not appreciate the artwork itself. It is cartoony, simplistic, and there for the gag factor (sometimes figuratively and sometimes literally).
My edition (an online ARC from the publisher not from a site like NetGalley) included a snippet of Astro Mouse and Light Bulb #1: Vs Astro Chicken by Fermin Solis, which I do not think I will be reading (as there was a talking, walking piece of caca).
Overall, I am sorry to say, that this book and I will not be friends, but I do wish the author and illustrator good luck with their creation.