Exciting, smart, cool version of comic book superhero teen.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
Discussion about teens being "jack boys" who robbed people. A boy's uncle accidently killed himself while trying to kill the boy (not shown). A fight between teens and men on a basketball court. One man's nose is broken. Another man is stopped from stealing and his wrist is broken. A bad guy is killed by spearing, no blood is shown; it's general comic book violence.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Several high-end sneaker brands mentioned. Air Jordans mentioned regarding their cost and in the context of people being robbed and having their expensive shoes taken.
Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Typical boy-girl high school flirting. A man talks about how his brother had a way with the ladies, and a teen discusses how he's the product of an unwed mother. A dad discusses "pillow talk" with his wife.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Mild name-calling, such as "stupid," and making fun of other kids because of their appearance (e.g., calling an overweight Korean teen "Bruce Bruce Lee").
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Strong messages about loyalty, friendship, responsibility, and breaking generational curses.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Miles actively works to find and claim his place in a world where people are always telling him he doesn't belong. He's committed to doing the right thing, even when it costs him personally. Miles' dad and mom show their support and care by trusting Miles when so-called evidence says otherwise. They also allow Miles to make mistakes and learn from them. Miles' friend Alicia stands up against authority in a no-win situation that could get her expelled. She uses poetry to give voice to the voiceless students in her school.
Educational Value
a lot
Introduces the connection between slavery, the 13th Amendment, and the so-called prison industrial complex (the rapid expansion of the inmate population and privately owned for-profit prisons) in relatable terms for teens, with an added sci-fi twist.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Miles Morales: Spider-Man, by award-winning New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds (As Brave as You, Ghost), is based on the half-black/half-Puerto Rican comic book character introduced in 2011 by the Ultimate Marvel imprint and is now part of the regular Marvel line. In this Marvel YA novel, Miles is a teen from the Brooklyn projects who's attending an elite prep school on scholarship. He's having a rough junior year, and he's haunted by the death of his criminal uncle. The novel tackles the subjects of responsibility and morality, teen crushes, and the prison industrial complex in a teen-friendly superhero format.
This book is about how Spider-Man is a victim of the old white man even though he is given a great opertunity that he mistreats every chance he gets and shows that he has a terrible work ethic, disrespectful to faculty if he doesn’t agree with them. This depiction of Spider-Man does more harm then good. Plus the story itself is boring and the climax is rushed and disjointed from the rest of the story
I purchased this book for my son. It is one of the four books I choose for his summer reading. He choose a four others.
The original Spiderman movies had heavy classism overtones. I guess one shouldn’t be surprised at the racism and classism theme of this book.
Miles Morales is a biracial student on scholarship at a prep school in New York. He and his parents choose BVA hoping for a chance at a better way of life. Unfortunately, he is the target of a school to prison pipeline historical possession of his history teacher, Mr. Chamberlain who use his classroom, privilege, and power to extoll the benefits of slavery and the miscarriage of justice at the South’s of the civil war . At the end of the book, when Jefferson Davis’ ghost is killed, the history teacher, a victim of the possession continues to use his classroom to systematically spew hatred, intimidation, and coercion at the students of color and low socioeconomic status.
There is no reason for Spiderman’s Character to be part of the book. The only real connection is Miles’ “Spidy-sense” going off whenever he is in Chamberlain’s class.
Miles and other African American men and boys are portrayed as ungrateful, angry, irresponsible, and violent despite the success he has achieved at BVA all while trying to navigate the halls of the halls of the as a student who is scorned for being a “Sko-lo”.
There is some mild language, violence, repetitive use of multiple racial slurs, negative stereotypes of African Americans, Koreans, and Southerners.
Multiple conflicts are introduced and only one is resolved.
I do not recommend this book unless it is read to point out the atrocities of racism, classism, the hidden failures of private schools for minorities, and the inability of high school students to have a voice and be heard.
What's the Story?
In MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN, Miles is a half-black/half-Puerto Rican teen on scholarship at an elite prep school. He still has the same issues every other high school kid has -- on top of being a web slinger. He's having trouble at school, and when his powers start to go haywire, he wonders if he really should be a hero at all, or if he should just focus on getting his school life together. When Miles discovers a dangerous plot that threatens what he holds dear, he has a decision to make. Will he continue on as Spidey? What about his scholarship? Is he really just like his criminal uncle?
Clever, timely, and fun,this fresh Spider-Man story explores the real-life implications of the school-to-prison pipeline and the prison industrial complex in a way that's easy for teens to grasp. The book takes on Miles' complicated life -- school troubles, girl troubles, the secret of being Spider-Man, and the guilt he feels over his uncle's death -- and combines it with a brilliant introduction to issues regarding the prison clause of the 13th Amendment (which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime), white supremacy, and the issue of being brown in "white spaces." Reynolds is a master at making young-adult literature come alive in a way that's relatable, fully fleshed out, and significant.
Readers will love Miles' honesty, his awkwardness, his love for his friends and family, and his struggles with forces much bigger than himself. They'll root for him and cry with him and eagerly await more from the cool new Spider-Man.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role authority figures have in boosting or crushing a kid's spirit in Miles Morales: Spider-Man. Can you give examples of when you were encouraged by a teacher? What about discouraged? How did you cope?
Families can talk about the media's portrayal of news and crime. Do you think the media unfairly reports crime from certain communities over others?
Families can also talk about the importance of support systems. How do Miles' Korean-American best friend, Ganke, Miles' dad, and his love interest, Alicia, encourage Miles when everything seems to go wrong? Who is your support system?
Available on:
Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated:
March 8, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
