DC Super Hero Girls: Bumblebee at Super Hero High

I cannot lie - I am truly surprised this series of books has lasted as long as it has.  Now, don't get me wrong - I'm glad it is still going, as I have always been a fan of female superheroes, and the DC Super Hero Girls line of comics, books, and toys has totally caught my interest.  I just did not expect it to last.  Apparently, though, the brand with its comics and books seems to be doing well.  (The toys, though, seem to have fallen off, as there have been no new figures, dolls, or any other toys at the stores lately...)

That being said, the sixth book in the series, Bumblebee at Super Hero High, gives fans and readers a more in-depth look at the life of one of the B-list characters (get it?), Bumblebee.  Karen Andrena-Beecher is unlike a lot of the heroes at Super Hero High - her superpowers are not natural. It is her suit that gives her the power to shrink, the power to fly, and the power to shoot stinging blasts. A suit that was designed and built by Karen herself! But that does not make her any less a hero, even though she begins to doubt herself when her super-suit begins to short out, failing to keep a battery charge, and basically preventing her from being the hero she wants to be.

But what really makes a hero?  That's what this book is all about!

Author Lisa Yee writes another character-building story that provides Bumblebee a chance to truly shine - with and without her super-suit.  Readers not only learn more about Bumblebee's past, but we get to meet her parents, find out how and why she built her super-suit, and discover how she got into Super Hero High.  Then the mystery starts - her family home is destroyed when the giant tree in their back yard crashes down into the house, destroying both her family's home and her tree-house lab.  Bumblebee notices her original suit is missing, but assumes it is simply crushed amongst the debris.  Then, the supply of honey in the world begins to diminish.  Then, plants begin to wither and die without warning.  Then, a strange pollen fills the air, causing people to sneeze uncontrollably.  Then, Bumblebee's suit starts to lose its charge and seems unable to keep a charge to stay powered.

Something is definitely amiss, and Bumblebee and the rest of the heroes at Super Hero High are determined to discover the source of all these strange happenings!

Now, for me, it was fairly easy to guess who the villain was going to be for this book.  Not that Yee made it easy to figure out - she actually gave no clue whatsoever as to the identity of the villain.  Rather, I guessed the villain based upon simple deduction. Bumble"bee" is the hero highlighted in this book. The world's honey supply is diminishing.  Who likes honey?  I won't spoil it by revealing the answer, but let's just say that any major fan of DC Comics for any length of time will easily figure out who it is.

And, of course, the book ends with a bit of a teaser as to who is to come in the next DC Super Hero Girls book...a touch of ivy, a bit of poison, and the next book is bound to be good!

RATING:  9 giant mutant killer bees out of 10 for keeping the female heroes at the forefront and showing that they can hold their own as an ongoing series!