Super Girls and Halos by Maria Morera Johnson

Super Girls and Halos by Maria Morera Johnson

Nonfiction, Superheroes, Saints

Age 10-13

Grade -5-8

168 pages, paperback

c. 2017

            I am really excited about this nonfiction book that discusses the cardinal virtues comparing women saints with heroines from science fiction, fantasy and comic books. I happened upon the book while looking for a confirmation gift. I think it has the potential to appeal to a wide range of girls. The author also shares insights from her own faith journey. It is funny, insightful and inspiring. She includes some well-known saints such as St. Clare of Assisi, St. Katharine Drexel, and St. Mary Magdalene, as well as some lesser known saints including St. Cunegunde, St. Marguerite d`Youville and St. Mary MacKillop.

          

  For the virtue of justice Wonder Woman is paired with St. Katharine Drexel and Ray, from Star Wars: The Force Awakens with St. Clare of Assisi. The virtue of prudence is shown by matching Black Widow, from Marvel’s Avengers comics, with St. Mary Magdalene and by matching Agent Dana Scully, from the X-Files, with St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Fortitude is exemplified by Storm, a human mutant from the X-Men and the Avengers, being matched with St. Cunegunde, and Hermione Granger, from The Harry Potter series being matched with St. Marguerite d`Youville. For the virtue of temperance, Katniss Everdeen, from the Hunger Games series, and St. Mary MacKillop are paired along with Lt. Nyota Uhura, from the original Star Trek (a favorite of the author) and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

I really appreciated the author’s comments about Katniss last act as the leader of the rebellion in the Hunger Games. She kills the new president in cold blood out of revenge for the massacre of the young children, including her own sister. Katniss, for all her good qualities and restraint that she exercised earlier, has no hope. Hope is a theological virtue which comes from God. Only the saints are blessed with these virtues. Thus while Johnson has fun exploring the admirable qualities of these fictional heroines she always comes back to the real, flesh and blood saintly women as the best models for a life of virtue. Fittingly she concludes the book by speaking about The Blessed Virgin Mary and specifically about Our Lady of Guadalupe.