As somebody who was always picked last for sports (waaaaaay last) I never really understood the joys of being on a team. Same again with dancing – it was always a lot easier for people to spot the kid who didn’t learn the moves (me again) when there were nine other kids up there doing it all in sync. Okay, so maybe that says a lot more about my complete lack of coordination than anything, but I still never quite got the point of working in a team.
That is until I started to realise that some of my favourite TV shows have teams to get the job done. Where would Sailor Moon have been without the Sailor Scouts? Where would Scooby-Doo been without his Scooby Gang? Where would Buffy have been without her Scooby Gang?
If only the other girls had been there to tell Serena she'd let herself go...
And it’s not just TV shows. I often find a book is only as good as its supporting characters. Sure, the main character might be there to drive the plot along, but usually it’s the rest of the team who gets him or her there in style. Katniss might’ve been the actual Tribute in The Hunger Games, but she never would’ve got there (perhaps not the worst thing that could’ve happened) had it not been for Effie, Haymitch, Cinna and the rest of the gang.
When you read excellent books with large casts of characters like Foz Meadows’ Solace and Grief, you start to realise that the best journeys aren’t always made alone. So, when I’ve forgotten my book on the tram, or the close proximity of somebody’s armpit to my face makes it difficult to read, I like to stare out the window and imagine my all-star team of YA heroes: the ones I’d like to have fighting for my cause in any situation, because I know that, with their powers combined, they would win, dammit!
Or create this guy.
So, without further ado, my YA Ass-Kicking Team:
1. The Muscle
Katsa from Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Why?
So first off, you need somebody who’s going to crack some skulls when the going gets tough. I was going to say Katniss, but something tells me she wouldn’t take direction well. Besides, Katsa is born with a gift that lets her kill with her bare hands. Doesn’t get much deadlier than that.
2. The Brains
Bartimaeus from The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
Why?
Again, you couldn’t exactly rely on this wise-cracking djinni to follow orders to the letter, but if you want somebody who’s going to outwit all your opponents, Bartimaeus is your guy. After all, you get to know a few things when you’re 5000 years old.
3. The Getaway
Will from The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman
Why?
When Will finds the Subtle Knife, he discovers he can cut a hole in the fabric of the universe that leads to any world. Really useful for getting out of those boring extended family outings.
4. The Weapons Expert
Grimalkin from The Spook’s Battle by Joseph Delaney
Why?
Grimalkin is a witch assassin. No, she doesn’t assassinate witches, she works for a clan of witches who want to kill YOU. And to do it, they hire Grimalkin, whose signature weapon is a pair of scissors. Snip snip!
5. The Money
Artemis Fowl from Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Why?
Every good crime-fighting team needs money. Money to fund their exploits, to purchase their weapons, to clothe them in style. If there’s one thing Artemis Fowl has a lot of (other than evil intent) it’s money. Plus, I really like the way the evil little monster’s mind works.
So, what do you think? Is this the team to end all teams? Could my team of YA Heroes take out everyone, even Zombie Batman? And if you had to create your own YA lit team of heroes (or villains), who’d be on it?
'Ah'm comin' to get CHOO!'
I remember the day I discovered the diabolical Artemis Fowl. I had only been working in a bookshop for about six months and I was still new to Melbourne. I was reading anything and everything I could get my hands on.
