TEN RULES OF BEING A SUPERHERO

Name: TEN RULES OF BEING A SUPERHERO
Author: Deb Pilutti
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9759-7

by Deb Pilutti ; illustrated by Deb Pilutti ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 14, 2014

This book is starchier than a superhero story ought to be, but almost everyone will agree with rule 10: “[S]aving the day is...

bookshelf

There are 10 rules of being a superhero, but the second is the most important: “Saving the day is messy.”

By the end of this book, Captain Magma has been lifted into the sky by a bird, dropped in a nest and carted around in a wheelbarrow full of dirt. Captain Magma is only a few inches tall, and he’s made of plastic, so he has to be carried around by his young sidekick, Lava Boy, who runs around the playroom in an adorable red cape and mask. The illustrations of the playroom are the highlight of the book. Pilutti has painted every toy a child could want: robots and monkeys and a green troll with hair like a firecracker. The room is so cluttered with colorful toys that readers may not know where to rest their eyes. Unfortunately, this means that large portions of the book involve sweeping and keeping the house tidy. Readers may wonder if some of the rules were created by an adult to send a wholesome message to kids. Take rule seven: “Superheroes must rest so that they can recharge….” Children may prefer the rules that involve tasty snacks; Captain Magma’s battle cry is “Cookies for all!”

This book is starchier than a superhero story ought to be, but almost everyone will agree with rule 10: “[S]aving the day is more fun with a friend.” (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-8050-9759-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE DINOSAUR IN THE GARDEN
by Deb Pilutti ; illustrated by Deb Pilutti

- BOOK REVIEW
TEN STEPS TO FLYING LIKE A SUPERHERO
by Deb Pilutti ; illustrated by Deb Pilutti

- BOOK REVIEW
OLD ROCK (IS NOT BORING)
by Deb Pilutti ; illustrated by Deb Pilutti

bookshelf

ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

bookshelf

Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

bookshelf

IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

bookshelf

A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)