Amazing Ash and Superhero Ah Ma
Ash is struggling with math, with her mom, with life in general. Ah Ma is in charge of her while her mum works long hours, but with Ah 
Ma dealing with the onset of dementia sometimes it feels like Ash is taking her care of her. When Ah Ma leaves the apartment and night and Ash chases after her, Ah Ma narrowly averts an accident… by FLYING?? Since when can Ah Ma fly? It turns out that every other generation of women in their family have superpowers – and Ash is just coming into hers. It’s really amazing – but also just one more thing to deal with, on top of bullies, school drama, and trying to keep Ah Ma from accidentally revealing her powers to the world. However, with the support of family, friends, and community, there’s hope for a positive resolution for everyone.
Ash is shown with large, round glasses and bowl-cut black hair. Her best friend, Zoe Zulueta, has a long braid and brown skin. Ah Ma has a similar build to Ash, both being stocky with round faces, but has gray hair and a lined face. There is variation in the body types and skin colors of the characters, but there is an odd quirk to the drawings of noses – all are a stronger pink than the characters skin color and though they vary in shape they appear to be added on to the art after its completion.
Although there are action scenes showing Ah Ma and Ash using their powers, most of the drama is more emotional than physical. Ash struggles to balance all of her responsibilities and meet her mother’s expectations while dealing with Ah Ma’s increasing dementia, and she is sensitively drawn showing a wide range of emotions and reactions as she navigates this difficult time in her life.
There is a secondary plot with a group of bullies who are eventually reformed by the efforts of a police officer and, to a lesser extent, the intervention of the superhero duo, but this does not feel as realistic as the rest of the plot – if the boys are truly stealing food and money to care for their siblings, their additional insults, bullying, and physical attacks on other children seem unnecessary. There are a few typos, but only one, on page 86, makes the text confusing to interpret. In addition to sketches of the characters, the creators include some information about dementia.
Readers who enjoy superhero stories that are relatable to their own lives, and who like the fun of imagining what would happen if they had superpowers but still had to live as themselves, will enjoy this lively and thoughtful story. There is also a range of diverse representation, from the setting (presumably the author’s own city of Singapore) to the depiction of a multi-generational family.
Amazing Ash and Superhero Ah MaÂ
By Melanie Lee
Art by Arif Rafhan
Difference Engine, 2024
ISBN: 9789811450440
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11)
Creator Representation:Â Singaporean,
Character Representation:Â Singaporean,
