I’m a big big BIG advocate for reading to children. I always read to my babies even before they understood what reading was about so I could get them started as readers early. I was a huge book addict as a child and I feel like it’s an important value and skill to pass on to the next generation. And I’m no book snob either- ANY reading is good reading, and the more varied the material the better. I’ve read old classics, new fun flashes in the pan, controversial books, easy readers, and wordless books. And I’m always looking for fun new ways to engage my children.
Superheroes are really in right now- I love them because they reach across age differences and engages both parent and child, and many super heroes have a rich heritage of mythology to draw from and build off of once you get started. I know my husband and I were obsessed by various characters as a teen (ok lets face it, we never stopped), and we has been excited to engage with the kids about these characters- and my kids have loved it too! I have to say I am a dork of the biggest degree and I was pretty happy when people started getting all into superheroes again. I can drag out my comics without ridicule.
When Downtown Bookworks approached me about reviewing some of their children’s books, I immediately was drawn to their DC line of books. Meant for children to enjoy and for adults to wax nostalgic over, the books are beautifully illustrated with bright, vivid colors. The stories teach important skills, engage the reader, and is fun to read.
I received three books:
On the Go! Is the board book offering from the DC Comics line, and it shows how familiar DC characters run, jump, fly, swim, and drive from place to place. My kids really liked acting out some of the action here- jumping high and zipping across the room. I love that the book is gender neutral- both male and female superheroes are featured, and that makes it perfect for any budding super hero you might have hanging around your house.
DC Comics: The Big Book of Girl Power showcases famous female superheroes, full of action and adventure, and perfect for older kids who have caught the super hero bug. It’s very empowering to see a collection of female super heroes and to learn about their origin stories and some of what they can do. So many superhero stories are from a male perspective, so it’s great to have the other side of that gender divide spanned by such a fun book.
The Official DC Super Hero Cookbook: Deluxe Edition is an absolutely fabulous cookbook for the six-and-up set which features cookie cutters, character cut-outs, and logo stencils. It has over 60 recipes that are tasty and yet simple enough for younger children to prepare (with adult supervision, of course). The recipes draw inspiration from many different DC characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. They are simple to follow, colorfully presented, and have Step-by-step instructions. This book is also the 2013 Winner of The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio’s Platinum Best Book Award, so it’s got some great minds thinking it’s a great book! We made cookies for our first try with ours. My son really enjoyed cutting out the shapes himself.
We were really happy with all three, and I think the DC collection is a very worthy effort and well worth exploring with the children in your life. Giving a book is helping to make a reader for life, and with such universal appeal, these books are likely to stay popular reading material for a long time.
Looks real nice
This is wonderful! It looks like a world of fun!