Polecat Has a Superpower

by Jill Esbaum, Bob Shea (Illustrator)

Overview

A factual (and funny) introduction to the polecat and its awesome, action-packed superpower, from the team that brought you Parrotfish Has a Superpower.

The polecat has a super cool superpower you’d probably never guess. Why? Well, first, he’s usually only awake when the rest of us are sleeping! Second, he is NOT a baby'skunk, despite what everyone says, so he can do more than spray his predators. And third, his superpower isn’t something he normally shows to friends. But today he’s happy to show you (and one nervous porcupine) what it is! After we get to know him of course.

Will you be able to guess the superpower? Read this book to find out!

Discover more wacky animal facts in Stinkbird Has a Superpower and Parrotfish Has a Superpower.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593699997
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	07/15/2025
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.06(w) x 11.13(h) x 0.33(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jill Esbaum has written many books for children, including How to Grow a Dinosaur, Frankenbunny, and If a T. Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party. Several of her books have been nominated for state awards, and I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! won SCBWI’s Crystal Kite Award. She also enjoys writing kooky beginning reader stories like Thunder and Cluck, as well as a variety of nonfiction books. Follow her on Twitter @JEsbaum.

Bob Shea is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books, including the popular Ballet Cat series, the Dinosaur Vs. series, and the runaway smash hit Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. He is an Eisner Award nominee and has worked with Comedy Central, PBS Kids, Playhouse Disney, Nick Jr., Google, and other clients. Follow him on Instagram @BobSheaBooks.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Polecat Has a Superpower:
“Another lively and engaging presentation from a talented pair . . . Both the narrative and the colorful cartoon illustrations brim with appealing humor. These animals have plenty of personality.” —Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Stinkbird Has a Superpower:
2024 Buckeye Book Award Nominee
A Fuse #8 Best Book of the Year

* “This comical picture book about the Amazonian hoatzin swoops in to delight readers with funny facts, and Shea’s smooth and textural digital illustrations and eye for composition effectively create a child-like stinkbird perspective . . . Educational narration pairs with bantering dialogue to portray a loving relationship between father and son.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review

“Cheerful and humorous . . . This book would be a treat for a nature-themed storytime. A lively glimpse of a weird and wonderful bird.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Effusive . . . The peppy, unmistakably fact-forward text gets plenty of zhuzh via digital images by Shea. Flat, tropical colors and layers of leaves convey the rainforest’s lushness while providing a suitably theatrical backdrop for an idiosyncratic family’s celebration of pride.” —Publishers Weekly

Praise for Parrotfish Has a Superpower:
A Junior Library Guild Selection

“The creators of Stinkbird Has a Superpower (2023) have produced another informative, funny, and engaging tale centered on a bizarre animal fact. . .As in Stinkbird, Shea’s colorful cartoon illustrations add greatly to the humor. The lively presentation and ick factor make this a winner. A strikingly original look at a most unusual marine creature.” –Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2025-04-19
One night, a spotted skunk reveals a surprising secret ability to its new friend, a porcupine.

“Call me Polecat,” says our protagonist, who has a “DOOZY of a superpower.” Porcupine knows what it is. After all, everyone’s well aware that skunks ward off predators with their stinky spray. But this species—“smaller than our striped cousins”—can do things that other skunks can’t. Polecat’s a talented—and fast—climber; plus, its spots allow it to camouflage itself. The two animals discuss their diets (Porcupine, a herbivore, blanches as the omnivorous Polecat gobbles up crickets and caterpillars) and how they evade predators. Porcupine explains that it runs off when it’s afraid; porcupines can’t shoot their quills, which stick only when something touches them. Polecat notes that before it sprays, it will “spring into a handstand,” walking on its forepaws and imitating a much larger animal, often scaring the predator away. The latest in Esbaum and Shea’s effective series (previous titles covered the parrotfish and the hoatzin bird) is another winner. Polecat’s introductory statements and its conversation with Porcupine carry all the information. The dialogue bubbles are distinctive in color and shape, making things easier for fledgling readers. Both the narrative and the colorful cartoon illustrations brim with appealing humor. These animals have plenty of personality. Though the use of the wordpolecat makes for clever alliteration (paired withporcupine), it might confuse readers; in some regions of the U.S., this term refers to the black-footed ferret.

Another lively and engaging presentation from a talented pair. (“True or false?” facts about polecats)(Informational picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews