Illustrated by Bev Johnson
3 stars
Spinach spends her time at the animal shelter watching all the other kittens play and get adopted. But she’s stuck in her own cage. She has pectus excavatum, which means her rib cage is too small, making it hard for her to run and play like the others. But one day, something amazing happens. Bestowed with a metal chest plate and a super-sock, Spinach gets her super powers, becoming Super Spinach. She’ll hone her new skills at Fosterland along with her new friend and sidekick, Chickpea.
The narration follows Spinach, getting a cat’s-eye view of her new foster home. Seeing the world from her perspective led to some very humorous descriptions and misunderstandings. It was fun for the reader to piece together what was actually going on.
Cute illustrations that help break up the text. They don’t always completely match the descriptions in the narration, but overall they pair well with the story.
Includes a bit of info at the back about the real-life Spinach and Chickpea.
A very fun idea for a book series. Each book follows different animals as they visit Fosterland. The books can be read in any order and this one easily works as a standalone.
A sweet story of bravery, friendship, and believing in yourself. Can definitely see this being popular with young animal lovers.