The Money Thing — Sean McKeever

Gr 5-8 - This series revolves around high school student Mary Jane, back in the days when she first meets Spider-Man and is harboring a crush on him. The setting is the present day, or at least the pretty-recent day, since characters are watching Shrekon TV at one point. Spider-Man himself doesn't actually appear in either of these volumes, except in a picture of him on the side of a bus shelter that Mary Jane looks at longingly while she's on a date with another boy. Instead, he is the elephant (well, maybe the spider) in the room . . . the empty seat at the table . . . the presence that is always felt even when he's not there. This series is not directed at fans of Spider-Man or other superheroes. Instead, it's geared more toward the younger sisters of comic-book fans. The funny and romantic elements will entertain readers, who will want to read the entire series of four books to find out what happens to Mary Jane and her friends, including the very shy Peter Parker. The glossy color pictures and attractive covers will attract reluctant readers.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public LibraryCopyright 2007 Reed Business Information