Cribbing freely from the classic TV show and the 1978 movie as well as episodes from decades of comics, the Man of Steel tersely describes his origins and strongly declares his intention to “fight a never-ending battle for truth and justice.” As in Batman: The Story of the Dark Knight (2008), Cosentino pairs punchy commentary in a “handlettered” type to large, digitally painted cartoon panels featuring either scenes of the mighty-muscled superhero in action or portraits of sidekicks and select supervillains. Both Superman’s two creators and a cameo of Alfred E. Neuman get proper credit in the acknowledgements, but the many other artists and writers whose work the author/illustrator references or out-and-out copies here pass unmentioned. Furthermore, the text that he hasn’t lifted has awkward turns of phrase, from Superman’s search for “ways to better help Earth and its people” to “No matter what size foes I must face….” While it’s certainly never too soon to introduce children to the first and still greatest of the modern costumed crime-fighters, he, and they, deserve better than this knockoff. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: April 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-670-06285-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Dec. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2010
Hayes, the Geisel Award–winning creator of the Benny and Penny stories (Benny and Penny in the Big No-No, 2009, etc.) introduces a new character in this collection of short graphic stories. Patrick, a young bear, goes on a picnic with his mother that ends up taking place inside due to rain, learns to deal with a bully and takes—or doesn't take—a nap. The vocabulary is just right, featuring many of the sight words that kids in kindergarten and first grade are expected to know, and the softly colored cartoon format is appealing. The fact that it's a collection makes it even more accessible—ambitious readers can tackle the whole thing at once; those just starting out can read one at a time. However, the content seems a bit young for the intended audience; those ready to read this are long past naptime, and Patrick's best friend still seems to be his mother, making this perhaps a better choice for kids learning to read at an especially young age rather than the early-elementary crowd. For the most part, though, the format, vocabulary and art work well here to encourage kids to read on their own and have fun doing it. (Graphic early reader. 4-6)
Pub Date: April 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-935179-09-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: TOON/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
No sooner do Mr. Magic the magician and his canine sidekick stretch out for a snooze than a blue rabbit hops from the top...
Insouciant bunny meets slow-witted bulldog in this nearly wordless romp.
No sooner do Mr. Magic the magician and his canine sidekick stretch out for a snooze than a blue rabbit hops from the top hat on the nearby bureau. A bucket of veggies in the adjacent kitchen looks enticing—but there’s a problem: how to get past the sleeping dog? Very simply drawn and colored in an angular retro style, the figures in Simard’s unframed sequential panels display cartoonishly exaggerated expressions. These are perfectly suited to a chase that begins with the crunch of a stepped-on peanut and escalates into a kitchen free-for-all in which spilled milk and sprayed ketchup play major roles. Sound effects and speech bubbles that often contain nothing but single images or punctuation marks give a handy assist: "FLUMP!"; "[light bulb]"; "PBBTTTHH!"; "!?" In the end the bunny gets its carrot, and the poor dog definitely comes off second best.Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-55453-577-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
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