If you're visiting from Armchair BEA, welcome! My blog concentrates on middle grade literature, so review queries I get involve sports, potty jokes, talking animals and the like. Since these are books my students enjoy, I'm glad to have copies.However, I recently received a book that REALLY needs to leave my house and go to an actual ten-year-old somewhere before I draft a whole super hero persona for my self. Picking out a name, a slogan and a catch phrase, designing my costume (Wonder Woman like bracelets that are actually slap bracelet/bookmarks), recruiting a sidekick, formulating plans for my lair, vehicle and weaponry... this has to stop! So if you know a reader who might enjoy the following book, make sure you fill out the Raffle Copter below.
King, Bart. and Paprocki, Greg. The Big Book of Superheroes.April 1st 2014 by Gibbs Smith
Copy provided by the author.
This is the perfect "nonfiction" companion to books like Peter Moore's V is for Villain, Kraatz's The Cloak Society, Cody's Powerless, and Carroll's Quantum Prophecy books. While more amusing than informational, this heavily illustrated book covers all of the basics about being a superhero. Comic superheroes are analyzed and quoted, there are quizzes and activities (and disclaimers about the chapters on flying), and amusing sidebars abound. (How to make your own "jet pack". Sadly, not an operational one.)
I can see this being a good book to give to a ten year old at the beginning of the summer, but I need to use MY superpowers to finish the laundry. For ten year olds with the whole summer stretched out before them, this would be an awesome resource and a great jumping off point for a lot of activities. Just remember not to jump from very far up!
The only thing that was a bit confusing was the use of traditional comic book superheroes and ones that were made up. I did appreciate the appendix of Early Superhero history, and readers who are really interested in the topic will find further reading in the Selected Bibliography.
And, of course, this is a good opportunity to remind everyone that I have been an actual Superhero for six years. Seriously. I appear in a Marvel Comic Book and everything.
http://www.teacherscount.org/contest/braindrain-lowres.pdf
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Super Allison - I know not that quite original. I would have a cape and an awesome skin tight, black leather outfit. I would have an awesome body, too.
ReplyDeleteCute idea! We love the super hero's in our house.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter would love this book! She is really into superheroes. Her favorites are Wonder Woman and Spider-Man. She went to a superhero class at the library the other day and now calls herself Wonder Girl.
ReplyDeleteOh superhero name is hard. Nothing really goes with wesley so I'd have to pick a random object and color like the green lantern. Maybe...
ReplyDeleteNo tights, absolutely yes to a cape.
In a house of 3 boys and a comic book husband, I have already been assigned the role of Wonder Woman. I'm good with that :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun giveaway and book! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I found your blog this week!
ReplyDeleteIf I was a super hero, my name would be Speed Reader. Obviously, I would have the power of super speed reading. And there would not be capes involved, but there would be a never-ending supply of books. :)
Jess @ Such a Novel Idea
Our ArmchairBEA giveaway!
I am dying laughing about the OfficeMax product placement. I would be RoboLivi, and my power would be being a cyborg.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun book to me!
ReplyDeleteNot sure on the name but I have a 9 (and 1/2 if you ask him) yr old who would love this
ReplyDeleteMagic Mary. My costume would definitely involve something purple. preferably not lycra
ReplyDeleteSuper Aunt and I would look really chic. I'm Super Aunt because I chose a book for my nephew when I won at an Armchair BEA Twitter party earlier this week and now I'm spending Friday night entering to giveaways to win more books for my niece and nephew.
ReplyDeleteGirl Who Reads
Holy Wah! This would be awesome!
ReplyDeleteMeticulous Mel (My first name is Melissa and several friends shorten it). Costume would be Forest Green and Dusty Rose like my screen name ForstRose. Would involve numbers and letters and all that fun stuff that some people dislike.
ReplyDeleteSuperchoco- chocolate bars everywhere
ReplyDeleteMy superhero name would be Dangerous Deece and I would dress in those super sexy stretchy leather outfits complete with magical swords, knives, guns, lasers, etc. I'd have a mask, but no cape. It would only get in my way. I'd also have some really cool leather knee boots with solid (not really spiky) 4" heels (yes, I can walk in them). They'd have blades hidden in them, do I'd have weapons everywhere. This is a great giveaway.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for all the kind comments—and congratulations to the contest winner!
ReplyDelete