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The Accidental Hero (A Jack Blank Adventure)…
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The Accidental Hero (A Jack Blank Adventure) (original 2010; edition 2011)

by Matt Myklusch (Author)

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3311077,912 (3.99)3
Twelve-year-old Jack, freed from a dismal orphanage, makes his way to the elusive and impossible Imagine Nation, where a mentor saves him from dissection and trains him to use his superpower, despite the virus he carries that makes him a threat.
Member:rija74
Title:The Accidental Hero (A Jack Blank Adventure)
Authors:Matt Myklusch (Author)
Info:Aladdin (2011), Edition: Reprint, 496 pages
Collections:Your library
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The Accidental Hero by Matt Myklusch (2010)

  1. 00
    Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians [Dramatized Adaptation]: Alcatraz, Book 1 by Brandon Sanderson (readafew)
    readafew: I think Jack Blank is very similar to Alcatraz and Harry Potter, though without the overt humor. Worth a read.
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» See also 3 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
DNF at 17%

I refuse to subject myself to any further torture. NO MORE!

This is bland and cardboard-like. It's mind-numbing in simplicity. Clarification: there are 1) simple = easy to understand and 2) simple = bland, dull, oversimplified. This here is the later case.

This would probably be suitable for a 6.y.o but I don't think a kid that young would appreciate whatever story the author was trying to build here.

FINAL VERDICT: AVOID LIKE A PLAGUE
Believe you me, there are better books out there. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Cloak Society, Narnia, His Dark Materials to name a few. ( )
  QuirkyCat_13 | Jun 20, 2022 |
Where do I start with this? Seriously, I wish that Jack Blank had been in my life when I was a young reader! The Accidental Hero (originally titled Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation) is such a brilliantly written book. Complete with an fabulous world, amazing characters, and tons of positive messages, this is the type of book that I would put into the hands of reluctant readers. I guarantee that they will fall in love!

I absolutely have to start with the original world that Matt Myklusch builds in the Imagine Nation. This is the type of place that dreams are made of. A world populated with superheroes and villains. With more futuristic technology than you can wrap your head around. The type of world where a young boy can thrive, especially one with a huge imagination! Super fights are common. Cars fly. I can't even explain to you how much I loved the Imagine Nation! I wonder if I believe hard enough, if I might be able to move there myself.

Then there is my love for Jack himself. I really enjoyed watching him grow from the quiet, scared boy in the orphanage into the brave and strong character that he ultimately becomes. Jack is the perfect role model for both boys and girls of any age. He knows his limits, he admits when he's scared, but he chooses to fight anyway. He's selfless, kind and so witty. Best of all though, Jack's character is written so vividly that it's easy to believe that he might just be your best friend. Following him through his adventure is made all the more amazing, simply because Jack is so amazing himself.

Finally, and I feel like this is a big part of why I loved this story so much, The Accidental Hero has so many fabulous messages to share with young readers. Jack's story isn't always happy. It isn't always easy. Still, along the way he meets some amazing people who teach him important life lessons. To be strong. To be brave. To be a friend. It is so inspiring! My all time favorite? "Never underestimate the power you have over what happens today. Never forget the power today has over tomorrow." (pg 467) All of these come into the story without feeling preachy. It's magical.

If you couldn't already tell from my raving review above, I give this book my highest seal of approval! The Accidental Hero is the whole package. If you have a reluctant reader at home, boy or girl, put this book in their hands. I see so much potential for this to become their new favorite series. Skeptical? I have one word for you to say as you hand it to them: Robo-Zombies. Get this book. You won't regret it! ( )
  roses7184 | Feb 5, 2019 |
After a lifetime of people telling him that they knew what was best for him and what his future was going to be, it was wonderful to hear someone say that it was really all up to him. - Chapter 7

When rumors are reported as fact for a long-enough period of time, people eventually lose the ability to tell the difference. - Chapter 10

All young boys get scared from time to time. Even the brave ones. - Chapter 15

Accidental Hero is about a young boy (Jack Blank) who has grown up in an orphanage not knowing anything about his past. One day, he finds out that his favorite comic book heroes are actually real. And that he comes from a place called the Imagine Nation. Thus starts a great adventure filled with superheroes and villains, a threat from outer space and some unexpected twists. Jack gradually discovers that he has powers he didn't even know about and that even he can be a hero. It's not about being unafraid, it's about acting to protect those you love, despite the fear.

I read this book with my 11-year old son. We really enjoyed it. Jack is an excellent main character, realistically flawed and clever, but lacking self confidence. The book is fast-paced and fun. Towards the end, neither of us wanted to stop reading; we just had to see what would happen next. The ending resolves the book itself, but there are two more books in the series, I think. I would like to see what happens with Jack next, since the future isn't written in stone... (But our next read starts the summer reading assignment, so Jack Blank will have to wait.)

Recommended to:
6th grade and up; kids that like adventure & superheroes; not just for boys. ( )
  Jadedog13 | Feb 3, 2016 |
Great first book-I really liked the main character and the writing was hilarious and kept me hooked. ( )
  jfoster_sf | Jun 27, 2011 |
Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
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Dedication
For Rebecca, who said, "Maybe you're a novelist."
First words
The sign in front of St. Barnaby's Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost read CRUSHING THE SPIRIT OF CHILDHOOD SINCE 1898.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
The Accidental Hero was originally published under the title Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation. This is book #1 in the Jack Blank Adventure series.
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Twelve-year-old Jack, freed from a dismal orphanage, makes his way to the elusive and impossible Imagine Nation, where a mentor saves him from dissection and trains him to use his superpower, despite the virus he carries that makes him a threat.

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Book description
All Jack Blank knows is his bleak, dreary life at St. Barnaby’s Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost, an orphanage that sinks further into the swampland of New Jersey with each passing year. His aptitude tests predict that he will spend a long, unhappy career as a toilet brush cleaner. His only chance at escape comes through the comic books donated years ago to the orphanage that he secretly reads in the dark corners of the library.

Everything changes one icy gray morning when Jack receives two visitors that alter his life forever. The first is a deadly robot straight out of one of his comic books that tries its best to blow him up. The second is an emissary from a secret country called the Imagine Nation, an astonishing place where all the fantastic and unbelievable things in our world originate — including Jack. Jack soon discovers that he has an amazing ability — one that could make him the savior of the Imagine Nation and the world beyond, or the biggest threat they've ever faced.
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