The Hero In Zero

posted on August 11, 2026 by Eve Panzer

I recently dropped by Birdhouse Books, a charming independent bookstore in Austin, owned and run by the incredible bibliophile Abby, whose enthusiasm for books radiates throughout the store and embraces every customer. I was lucky enough to stumble upon this gem of a book by local author Kirti Kode. And although “zero” is in its title, the book scores a 10+! With playful imagination, this book incorporates multiple important themes: new school year; bullying; kindness; diversity; inclusiveness; and math concepts.

Each student in the class is drawn to look like their number – zero to 9 – with a wide variety of diversity, including a prosthetic leg for number one. The larger the number, the larger the character gets – so of course the 9, the largest number, is the bully. Each student introduces themselves, giving a brief description of themselves that rhymes with their number. The highlights being “I am Nine, and I like to shine!” and “I’m Zero, and I am a superhero!” – which some of the students snicker at. When the teacher asks what their names mean, Zero begins to worry because his name means “nothing”, but again he repeats “Zero is a superhero!” But he does not know what that superpower is yet. But as Zero watched Nine bully classmates, Zero knew he needed to find a way to stop Nine. Remembering what his mom said, “Actions speak louder than words,” he figures out what to do. When Nine bullies the students the next day, Zero stands by their sides, making them “…ten times bigger and bolder,” making Nine so scared he backs down. It turns out Zero’s superpower “…is being a super friend.” By standing by his friends, he gave them “…the courage and confidence they needed to stand up…” to the bully. Nine learns “…that it is wrong to mock someone’s name, size, disability, or any other trait.”

The illustrations are charming, cheerful, and colorful, giving the book a strong appeal to the target audience.

In a time when book budgets are tight, this book packs a punch and is worth the investment. Highly recommended!

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