Would you believe if I told you that you and your friends have more in common with Spider-Man than any other superhero? He is a student who struggles to balance his personal and professional life and has to take care of an elder in the family, while battling those who are either bullies or all-out bad guys.

Strange as it may seem, Marvel Studios’ Be More Like Spider-Man would make you understand the connection you share with your friendly neighbourhood hero, and also steer you in the right direction, towards becoming a superhero in real.

Is this a motivational book, a collection of Spider-Man quotes, an image gallery from Spidey flicks or all rolled into one? I would go for the last option because this book does more than motivate or entertain you. Written by Kelly Knox, it intelligently uses quotes and stills from Spider-Man movies to incite you into doing something you are afraid to do.

Divided into five sections, the book follows the format of other books in the Be More Like series,where one page is dedicated to a Spidey quip (or movie quotes from other characters in the films), and the other is dedicated to explaining the relevant subject.

The ‘Be A Friendly Neighbour’ chapter deals with issues like starting small, ways to help others, counting little victories and doing good, while ‘Always Be Curious’ and ‘Trust Your Tingle’ instruct you to stay vigilant and inquisitive at the same time.

While the first three chapters teach you about believing in yourself, the fourth one explains why believing in your team is important. It not only discusses the value of being around the right people, but also points out the reasons that differentiate a boss and a leader.

And finally, there is a complete section about ‘Learn from Mistakes’ which educates you about moving forward, fixing your mistakes and forgiving others, besides instilling the belief in you that you will succeed, if you don’t give up! Don’t just wait around for things to get better, swing into action to take matters into your own hands by going through this book.

Call on your inner hero and be a better version of yourself, and who knows you might end up being as amazing as Spider-Man, who not only looks after your neighbourhood but also the world, the solar system and the multiverse!

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 17th, 2024