A pretty good start for little readers dipping their toes into the world of DC Comics.
The superfriends battle the Joker.
The Joker has stolen the Batmobile, and Batman needs the Justice League to help him find it. Page by page readers are introduced to the world’s finest, each using their own special set of skills to help Batman. Superman uses his X-ray vision to look for the Clown Prince of Crime, Aquaman searches the ocean’s floor, and Wonder Woman chases down a possible lead. Each page has a tab on the end with a portrait of an individual DC Comics’ hero, so little readers can flip right to their favorites. The book also boasts many flaps that lift and enhance the scene. Villains and heroes hide beneath these flaps, and the last two pages fold out for a massive spread with all the heroes in one sweeping shot. It is regrettably notable that the only black hero, Cyborg, is hidden beneath a flap and not given his own page. It is also worth noting that this book includes the boring white Hal Jordan Green Lantern instead of the dynamic black John Stewart Green Lantern. The male-to-female ratio fares much better: Batgirl, Supergirl, and Hawkgirl join Wonder Woman to balance the scales a bit. The colors are bright, the compositions are on point, and the action pops.
A pretty good start for little readers dipping their toes into the world of DC Comics. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-374-30395-2
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
A decent introduction to the characters, but diversity remains a problem. And give Supergirl some pants! (Board book. 2-3)
DC Comics’ superwomen fight the good fight.
Catwoman has stolen one of Gotham City’s most precious jewels, and it’s up to Batgirl and her superfriends to save the day! With each turn of the page little readers are introduced to a different female DC Comics hero. In addition to Batgirl, Hawkgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman get their own pages, while other DC characters lurk beneath small flaps. Unfortunately, those tertiary characters are mostly men. Superman and (the white) Green Lantern pop up quickly, followed by Cyborg and Flash. The villains are mostly men as well, which is curious. Why bring in Captain Cold when Killer Frost is readily available and much, much cooler? At least Harley Quinn, Cheetah, and Poison Ivy make appearances. The only person of color on hand is Cyborg (green Poison Ivy doesn’t count) even though the roles of Hawkgirl and Green Lantern have been filled by people of color in other media. Also disappointing is the notion that these badass women need their male counterparts to vanquish the male villains. And then there are those hot pants….
A decent introduction to the characters, but diversity remains a problem. And give Supergirl some pants! (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-374-30397-6
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
Likely to grow little readers into future Big Nate fans.
Little Big Nate imagines all of the fun he’d have if only he didn’t have to take a nap.
Peirce’s Big Nate appears as his younger, preschooler self in this board book. Like many kids that age, “Nate hates naps.” To subtly rhyming text, he imagines himself “eat[ing] cookies all day,” saving the day as a superhero, and “walk[ing] on the moon!” Adult readers won’t be surprised by how this one ends or by the implication that Nate’s fantasies might really be his dreams. Any young listener will certainly relate to Nate’s distaste for the interruption of afternoon fun, but it’s hard to say that they’ll eventually be convinced that napping is a blast by the book’s end. Peirce’s illustrations of Nate’s daydreams are absolutely charming, drawn to look as if colored by a child’s hand with the softness of crayon. At first, the imaginings appear as thought bubbles, but then they turn into full-page renderings, a nice way to immerse readers in Nate’s mind and dreams. Nate is White and the sole person on almost every page except the first, which includes three classmates, one White and the other two children of color. The pacing and brevity of text per page keep the book light and moving, friendly to the attention spans of little readers.
Likely to grow little readers into future Big Nate fans. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5248-6066-0
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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