Book Review: Just Like Click

Reviewed by Audrey Davis

An endearing story of a brave boy willing to go to great lengths for his biggest secret

More than anything, Nick Townley, a curious, creative 11-year-old with a passion for superheroes, longs for connection after the loss of his great-grandfather. His parents pressure him to excel in school, sports, and to make more friends his own age. But Nick prefers visiting and caring for his great-grandfather’s elderly friends and writing superhero comics. 

When thieves threaten his father’s job and a cross-country move seems on the horizon, Nick decides to become his own hero/vigilante to see if he can stop the thieves, stop his family’s drastic move, and keep his secret promise to Great Gramp: looking after the $237,000 he left him.

Sandy Grubb’s debut does not disappoint. This well-paced & engaging story allows readers to become a member of the Black Butte community through Nick’s eyes and to interact with the diverse set of characters as he does. Nick’s desire to emulate the heroes he dreams of and writes about fuels his actions and ultimately teaches him that new friendships and defending his true interests can be superpowers of their own. 

“A guy’s gotta be who a guy’s gotta be.”

It’s important for children to express their interests at every age, and while athletics are a good outlet, imagination, art, and creativity outside of a classroom setting are vital as well. Nick’s parents choose extracurricular activities for him based on what they feel would work best for him, or what they personally are interested in, but oftentimes Nick finds himself feeling that “[i]t stopped being fun years ago,” and it clearly affects his thoughts and actions, as well as his relationship with his parents.

“Is it asking too much to be in charge of my own life?”

Nick’s love for drawing, art, and superheroes is very important to him, and despite his parents’ reluctance to accept these, he is unwilling to sacrifice the things he loves. As a result, he clings to them tighter; going so far as to sneak out of the house for his hero duties and to paint directly on his bedroom wall in response to his father’s removal of his hero posters, finally prompting his parents to re-evaluate their initial judgements.

I might have liked to know a little bit more about Nick’s plans for his great-grandfather’s money, such as if he plans to tell his parents about it eventually, or if he plans to use it for more hero-related “missions.” $237,000 is a substantial sum of money for one person to unexpectedly receive in cash, especially an 11-year-old. Nick seems very responsible and trustworthy however, knowing he shouldn’t use the cash for frivolous things. 

This story is full of exciting and sometimes dangerous escapades throughout, and it leaves readers with a clear, positive message. Things may not always work out as planned, and sometimes they may fail completely, but having enough bravery to try to fight for yourself goes a long way. Anybody can make their own bit of “superhero magic” to share with the friends we value, no matter how small.

“I don’t know if this is what Great Gramp had in mind, but that black hole that swallowed me when he died now has a little light at the top.”

---

Thank you for reading Audrey Davis’s book review of Just Like Click by Sandy Grubb! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.