Something extraordinary is happening at Hillview Elementary...
After an unexpected lightning storm rolls through town, the lights flicker, the hallways hum, and something long forgotten sparks back to life. Tucked away in a dusty storage closet, an old school laptop suddenly powers on by itself. But this is no ordinary device. With glowing keys, a curious personality, and a heart full of hope, the laptop introduces itself as Query, a guide with a very special mission.
Query can see what others sometimes miss.
He sees the quiet courage in the shy student.
The leadership hiding inside the class clown.
The kindness of the kid who always helps others.
The perseverance of the one who never gives up.
And with just the right questions, gentle encouragement, and a little bit of magic, Query helps each child rediscover the "superpowers" they didn't know they had all along.
One by one, everyday kids begin to unlock their strengths like empathy, responsibility, bravery, teamwork, creativity, honesty, and heart. As their confidence grows, so does their impact. What starts as small acts of kindness turns into something bigger: standing up for others, solving problems together, and lifting up their whole school community.
Soon, these students form The Character Club, a team of young superheroes who don't rely on capes or gadgets, but on character.
Together they learn:
- How to work as a team
- How to celebrate differences
- How to handle challenges
- How to lead with integrity
- And how small choices can create big change
Through humor, heart, and relatable school-day adventures, Meet the Character Club shows young readers that the greatest superpowers aren't flashy, they're found inside each of us.
Perfect for families, classrooms, and counselors, this early-reader picture book opens meaningful conversations about social-emotional learning, friendship, and personal growth in ways kids truly understand. It empowers children to see themselves as capable, kind, and courageous leaders-right now, not someday.
Because sometimes all it takes is one spark...one question... and one caring voice to help a child discover:
They've been a superhero all along.
Cole, Joshua P.: - Joshua Cole is a recipient of the Milken Educator Award. His collaborative processes for promoting the understanding of differences have helped individuals, teams, and organizations build stronger and more supportive communities. Joshua's distinct delivery of exploration activities provides a myriad of self-reflective and relationship-building experiences to foster teamwork. His ability to create a space for people to productively and meaningfully engage in dialogue helps facilitate transformational change.Born in Michigan and growing up in a working-class home, Joshua learned the value of hard work and the need to embrace teamwork to be successful in a global society. Teaching in rural Michigan, inner-city Detroit, suburban Richmond, as well as internationally in Australia, has equipped him with a local-to-global perspective of people and the communities in where they learn, live, and work. His experience of over 25 years, includes roles as teacher, principal, professor, and director in PreK12, higher education, and nonprofit. Joshua is the founder of A New Angle, an educational resource to help learners of all ages live out their purpose by reaching their full potential. He is the author of Meet the Character Club! and The Character Club: It's Time to Power Up! children's books focused on social emotional learning skills and strategies for students and educators. His recent book, Clearing Your Road: A Parable of Educational Leadership includes seven lessons learned from his grandfather to help other leaders become the best version of themselves. Joshua is married to his wife, Heather, and they have two sons.
