I don’t know about you, but I’ve been wishing for an honest-to-goodness superhero to save the day.
If adults are feeling that way, kids, who pick up all of our emotions, are wishing for the same thing. Batman and Wonder Woman led the list of most popular Halloween costumes in 2016. The proliferation of superhero movies is hard to ignore. But there are very few books about superheroes that are appropriate for the 3 – 7 year age range.
With rhyming text and a cartoon illustration style that has a sophisticated palette and delicious details, Even Superheroes Have Bad Days is a book everyone can use right NOW. For kids of that certain age, Shelly Becker and Eda Kaban have teamed up to give us a rowdy, exuberant book filled with images of superheroes in action.
We first learn what they could do when they’re having a bad day: kicking, punching, pounding, shrieking. They could be quite destructive with their superpowers.
“But upset heroes have all sorts of choices …
Instead of destruction and loud, livid voices
They burn angry steam off with speed-of-light hiking
Or super-Xtreme outer space mountain biking. “
They clean up other people’s messes, they protect people from harm.
There’s no denying that superheroes could use their powers to wreak havoc, make mayhem, but:
“Instead they dig down to their super-best part,
The strong super-powers contained in their heart!”
There are lots of images to look at while you read together, including eight superheroes created just for this book. Beastie, Zing, Thrash, Laserman Magnifique, Screecher, Typhoon, and Icky are good writing prompts, especially for difficult days.
Every single one of us has those crabby days, down days, exasperated days. How are we supposed to act? We can look to these superheroes for inspiration to be our best selves.
Captain America and Avengers star Chris Evans chose to read this book on the CBeebies ‘Bedtime Story’ on the BCC!
Fun and emotions and resiliency and good reading all in one package! It’s a message book but one that will resonate with many kids. Recommended for school libraries, public libraries, and exuberant bookshelves everywhere.
Even Superheroes Have Bad Days
written by Shelly Becker
illustrated by Eda Kaban
Sterling Children’s Books, 2016
This one looks like a hoot! I love the art!