Polis Books

The Misshapes: The Coming Storm

Available now in paperback, hardcover and ebook!

"A strong debut...The authors conjure a world teeming with intriguing characters and unusual powers—the abilities to turn liquid into alcohol or conjure spectral backup singers are among those represented, a welcome deviance from more typical power sets...The book never loses its sense of wonder and excitement. Worthy of the comics it takes inspiration from."
--Publishers Weekly

"There is much here for fans of "Harry Potter" to enjoy: a school for teens with super powers, a dramatic sporting event called Harpastball, and humorous characters such as Butters, a boy whose super power is summoning a ghostly singing group that broadcasts his thoughts musically (he hasn't mastered sending them away yet). And for romance fans, there's a love triangle brewing here, too. (An) imaginative, action-packed series opener." --School Library Journal

"A lively action story that lifts itself from similar fare with a plot that packs in surprises, romance, and a creative array of “misshapen” powers. Great for readers who enjoy plenty of bam! and pow! in their adventures." --Booklist

"The Misshapes is a fun book with a lot of heart and some truly interesting characters...perfect for fans of The Tick and other humorous superhero stories. Some of the powers, such as one boy's ability to conjure back-up singers, kept me chuckling and turning pages to the end. I had a good time making my way through this book and you will too." --Middle Grade Ninja

"Awesome... we can never get enough strong characters like the Katniss Everdeens or Tris Priors in fiction. Perhaps the next to follow in their footsteps is Sarah Robertson."
--Laura Donovan, Hello Giggles

Some people have powers.
Some people do not.
And some people just might change the world.
Sarah Robertson is one of those people.

Doolittle Falls is no ordinary town, and fifteen-year-old Sarah Robertson is no ordinary girl - she can control the weather with her emotions. But in Doolittle Falls, where superheroes walk the streets (and fly over them), Sarah's third-rate powers aren't enough to secure her a spot in the prestigious Hero Academy, not to mention the fact that her recently vanished mother has become the town's most notorious Supervillain and the archnemesis of America’s favorite Hero, Freedom Man. Instead of acceptance to the school of her dreams, Sarah is marked as an outcast with powers – a Misshape.

Sarah is stuck at public school, with a ragtag group of fellow Misshapes and the happily ordinary Normals. Determined to fly under the radar, Sarah’s forced into a special class for Misshapes, where she meets other people with odd powers: a kid who shoots paintballs out his eyes, a girl who can talk to the animals (the squirrels never have much to say), and a boy who is followed around by backup-singer ghosts, The Spectors (like all girl groups, they are obsessed with the postman).

Despite this setback, Sarah is determined to take charge of her powers and win a place at Hero Academy with the rest of the superhero elite. Yet the path to Hero greatness doesn't exactly run smoothly. Her brother's recent rebellious streak is starting to wear thin, she has an intriguing (and smoking hot) new mentor, and an unexpected romance blooms with the Romeo to her Juliet, Hero dreamboat, Freedom Boy. Sarah is ecstatic when a mysterious figure offers to fulfill Sarah’s dreams of joining the Hero Academy, until she learns he has been stoking anti-Misshape sentiment in the town that endangers everyone she cares about. When Doolittle Falls comes under threat of annihilation, Sarah will learn just how powerful she's forced to choose between her friends and the destiny she’s always wanted.

And she may just kick some Supervillain butt in the process.

Read on for an excerpt from THE MISSHAPES:

PROLOGUE

I don’t remember how old I was the first time I saw a man fly. I was very small; I remember that much. My arms were tightly locked around my dad’s neck. He was giving me a piggyback ride through our perfectly ordinary town center.


It was a crisp and cold fall day. Our heads craned upward as we tried to name the various clouds in the sky, giving them shapes, personalities, and identities. Mom still lived with us. I didn’t know about her abilities yet.

I can remember pointing to one cloud and told Dad it looked like my teddy bear Winston. Dad tried to say something in return but the sound of an airplane drowned him out. Or so I thought. A gust of wind plastered my shirt to my small body. I felt my head rip forward as something brushed against it.A man. He was in the air, just clearing the tops of people’s heads. His feet pointed behind him like an Olympic diver and his arms pointed forward, ending at balled fists.


He was headed straight toward Old Mrs. Galloway. The old woman shuffled slowly down the sidewalk, juggling her grocery bags, a cane, and an enormous purse. She wobbled like a top that was ready to fall over.

A loud baritone bellow of “Never fear!” came from the flying man.


I screamed.

Dad stopped short. We watched as Freedom Man scooped her up in just one arm. “Freedom Man can handle that!” he announced in a deep, leading-man voice that seemed to echo off the buildings.


“To my house, please,” Mrs. Galloway wheezed.

And just like that, the man in the shiny green cape whisked the old lady right over the town center and above the trees. My world had turned upside down. If a man could fly through the air, something as basic as gravity meant nothing. I didn’t know it at the time, but everything was going to change. 


I watched them fly off into the clouds that we had named.

“Honey,” my dad said, setting me gently on the ground, “I have something to tell you.”

THE MISSHAPES

ISBN: 9781940610313

eISBN: 9781940610122

Publication Date: October 14th, 2014

$16.95, 304pp

World Rights and audio: Polis Books