Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This is a great middle grade book for kids going through tough transitions and who may be dealing with grief. Zinnia is a strong main character who knows how she’s feeling, but maybe not how to express it outwardly. With the help of some heroic neighbors and her beloved aunt we can see Zinnia come out of her shell and be more confident and comfortable with expressing herself. There are a lot of subtle lessons throughout like taking care of one another and sticking up for what you believe in. I recommend this for middle grade kids who like fantasy and adventure but want a more realistic setting.

Middle schooler dealing with grief, a move across the country and making friends at her new school while also trying to make the world a better place. Zinnia learns how to speak up for herself and other.

Thanks to #NetGalley Josephine Cameron, and the publisher for the copy of this book!

What an emotional story of Zinnia! Her family moves after the death of her brother as they try to get a fresh start. She then meets a neighbor named Kris who is dressed up like a superhero! That inspires her to start her own superhero club. They don't have powers per say, but they use their powers to help others. Soon the group starts arguing and losing sight of what it is important. Will they be able to work it out? Will Zinnia be able to be a leader?

I think this book will be great for students because it will teach them the importance of working together and being a leader.

Not All Heroes is a touching story that really melts your heart.

11 year old Zinnia's family has moved across the country for a fresh start. Zinnia's little brother has passed away and her parents feel that a move will help them to cope. Zinnia is not so sure and is struggling with the loss.

She soon meets her upstairs neighbor and things begin to change! She is introduced to a group of friends who want to make a difference. Even they though don't have actual super powers they are superheros in their own way. The reality shifters area secret club looking to make a positive difference in their community. This is exactly what Zinnia needs to get her life back on track.

Great read many kids deal with death and loss and this is a beautiful story that many will relate with and enjoy.

Not All Heroes is the story of 12 year old Zinnia and her family who've recently moved across country after the death of her younger brother, Wally. Not long after new neighbors move in the apartment above Zinnia's, her mom's younger sister comes to visit. Aunt Willow is young, vibrant, fun and kind of flaky. She has the tendency to run away from problems. So when Zinnia discovers the secret identity of the neighbors, she never expects Aunt Willow to want to join them.

This was a sweet story. I like that Zinnia is complex and flawed and not just one thing. Her inability to read her peers' intentions will be relatable to many students. Lovers of super heroes will enjoy this tale of altruism.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the e-galley.
Reading digitally is funny for me. I find it hard to get attached to characters and really fall into the story. When I am able to do that, I know it's a book that I would have loved even more had I read a bound copy. That was the case for this story. I loved meeting Zinnia and finding out what was going to happen to her. Zinnia is a kid dealing with grief as her family navigates life without her little brother. Zinnia has trouble fitting in at school but she's about to get some relief because her nineteen-year-old aunt is coming for a stay and Zinnia is very close with Aunt Willow. Things start to look up when Willow arrives as they both get to know the family who lives above them. They turn out to be Real Life Superheroes and Willow and Zinnia find themselves a part of the group quickly.
This book is about friendship and identity, family and healing, and learning what a hero is really all about.
While this is a character driven novel, there are some exciting plot sections that give it a boost of action. I think this story will draw a lot of readers to it!

Not All Heroes is a sweet, unique middle grade book about dealing with grief, helping out the community, and working through complex family issues. Featuring a young protagonist and serious issues balanced with a quirky, enjoyable plot, this book will appeal to older elementary-aged readers as well as younger middle grade readers. If you enjoy books about sibling relationships, books about community, and outside-the-box stories, this is one for you.

Zinnia’s family is broken. Losing her younger brother Wally to brain cancer has left them all damaged looking for a new start in a town far away from all the memories that cause them such pain. But running away hasn’t helped and Zinnia begins 6th grade hoping that her mom will start to smile more and her dad will stop scrolling through pictures on his phone when he should be spending time with her and her mom. School, however, is filled with bully Trevor, tormenting her in every single class with teasing and name-calling and home has gotten a step worse with upstairs neighbors who are just plain weird. Josephine Cameron uses this foundation to teach readers about student activism and ways to facilitate change in one’s community, even at 12 years old and to demonstrate healthy ways to heal after loss as well as handle bullying...all with a bunch of real life super-heroes (RLSH) thrown into the mix! Students in grades 4-7 who enjoy realistic fiction with some sad-happy heartbreak sprinkled in enjoy “Not All Heroes.” Librarians will appreciate the profanity, sex, and violence-free book and the fact that the main and supporting characters come from a variety of racial and economic backgrounds. Brief author’s note at the end provides information about the RLSH movement and grief recovery.

11-year old Zinnia's life has been full of change. Her younger brother died, she and her parents have moved to a new state to start a new life, and she's being bullied at school. The new neighbors upstairs are doing some odd things, too. They make a lot of noise, and Zinnia saw them climbing down the fire escape in superhero-type clothing! It turns out they're Real Life Superheroes! Zinnia teams up with them to make the neighborhood a better place by doing good deeds and caring for others in her community. I didn't love it, but it has a good message and I think middle-grade readers will enjoy it.

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Relatable content, a family moves to a new place looking for a fresh start after the death of their young child. Yet, the oldest daughter, Zinnia, still feels stuck, she can't just "move on". Soon, she becomes friends with the upstairs neighbors, and finds out that they are a group of "superheroes" that go around helping out the community with small acts to enlist positive changes. Zinnia starts to get her footing with her new life, and new normal, but is it enough to help her remember her brother while also trying to do what is best for everyone in her life.

Not All Heros by Josephine Cameron was a heartfelt novel dealing with grief, friendship, family relationships, and community. After her brother's death, Zinnia's family moves to Maine for a fresh start at life. Zinnia is intrigued when she spies her upstairs neighbors in superhero attire repeatedly climbing up and down the fire escape stairs.. She learns that they are part of a group called RLSH (Real Life Super Herores) that perform extreme acts of kindness such as distributing things such as blankets to the homeless. Zinnia, and her aunt, Willow, who is only a few year older than she is, are eager to join the group. In her experiences with this group, she learns to be brave and face her grief.

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the early read. A book on kindness, grief, friendship and unconventional heroes working for the greater good. Sometimes heroic deeds are small acts that make big differences.

5/5 Stars

This book was a quick read, but effective in delivering a solid message about apathy, altruism, and grief. We follow Spectrum/Rainbow Brite (Zinnia) as her family moves to Maine after her little brother, Wally, passes from an aggressive cancer. Her family is coping by running away and do not initially communicate with one another about their feelings, and instead avoid connections to the past. We also meet Willow, Zinnia's ~19 year old aunt who is having doubts about attending college and is drawn in by the idea of being an everyday superhero.

I appreciated that the author wrote our protagonist young (10 -11 years old), but also showed a range of ages, backgrounds, abilities, and the potential each character held. There are mentions of people without homes, but the author tackles the subject with empathy, giving each person a story and context that gives each dignity and respect. I also thought Zinnia's relationship with Trevor (a classmate whose teasing goes too far) was well-written to both express Zinnia's expression of grief, but also show how her character develops when given the support and resources to be able to do so.

I am currently teaching high school, and the protagonist is a bit too young for my students, but if I was teaching middle school again, I would definitely consider teaching this book, and I would still recommend the book for students to read independently. This is a book that can encourage students to reflect on their capacity to help others, and help themselves in the process.

Not All Heroes by Josephine Cameron is a wonderful story about Zinnia who has recently moved to a new state. Zinnia and her parents move from Wisconsin to Maine to have a fresh start due to her younger brother’s death. After Zinnia notices that her new neighbors are doing some peculiar things, she investigates to see what they are doing. She then discovers that they are part of a group called The Reality Shifters. The Reality Shifters try to help others in need. Soon Zinnia and her aunt join the club. However, the group soon begins to fight crime which puts them in danger. Will they continue to fight crime or will they go back to just doing good deeds which was their original plan? This is a great story about friendship, helping others and overcoming a loss of a loved one.

I'll admit it. At first, I thought the premise of this book sounded corny. But Josephine Cameron balances a story of kindness and community with real life superhero mythology. There's something for everyone here: superhero gimmicks that we'd want to see on the big screen and heartfelt moments of realization and growth. A great choice for teachers looking for a new read aloud to replace Wonder.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

When Zinnia Helinski steps outside her comfort zone and joins RLSH (Real Life Super Heroes), she learns that things in life aren't always as they seem. Zinnia learns that superheroes come in all shapes and sizes and saving the world may come through simple acts of kindness. Not All Heroes is an excellent story that deals with grief, social justice, and belonging.

“But my favorite part of an adventure is when you get to the darkest point and there’s a light. Like a rainbow after a storm. I know bringing people shampoo and socks and candy isn't like the biggest deal. It's probably not going to fix somebody’s life...but it might change their day.”

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this middle grade novel.

Zinnia is struggling with the move to Maine and the loss of her younger brother Wally. When her Aunt Willow comes to visit, Zinnia's life starts looking up. When she meets up with some Real Life Super Heroes, she feels like she's finally found her team.

I think this story will be popular with middle grade readers. Zinni's a sympathetic character, and the RLSH team is one worth cheering for.

Even though her parents believe that a "fresh start" for the family is just what is needed after the death of her younger brother, Wally, 10-year-old Zinnia is not so sure that moving across the country is the best way to restore family harmony. Feeling isolated, Zinnia is having a hard time adjusting to her new school and the way her parents ignored their new neighbors on move-in day was embarrassing, especially since Zinnia was intrigued by the newcomers. Seeing her new neighbor climbing up and down the fire escape while dressed as a superhero intrigues Zinna to the point where she is willing to reach out to this new family. Author Cameron lets her readers experience the pain, embarrassment and shame of having a family tragedy happen and how it affects both Zinnia and her parents. Wanting to do something to remember her brother's adventurous spirit, Zinnia finds herself in over her head with a group of "superheroes." When the police get involved, Zinnia and her parents must find a balance between hiding their "secret" from the world and embracing her little brother's spirit and moving forward with their lives.

An inventive approach to social activism: a dedicated group of adult and child activists, clad in individual gimmicks (their superhero alter), take to the streets to deliver needed food and supplies to townspeople experiencing homelessness. Zinnia and her college age aunt join the league, unbeknownst to Zin’s protective parents, and through their escapades find purpose, direction and healing from the death of Zinnia’s younger brother.
Solid message about the positive difference each person can make in addressing societal problems, and the sensitivity required in meeting needs while respecting dignity. The characters are sympathetic and somewhat quirky, their struggles authentic and engaging.