Monkey Madness

Reviews / Votes

One of the highlights of every month around our house is the arrival of the latest issue of Art Baltazar's Tiny Titans, the all-ages title from the Johnny DC line. Consistently one of the best reads of the month, it's at the top of the To Read pile both for me and for my six-year-old daughter Georgia. I like it because it is (a) funny, (b) beautifully drawn and written, and (c) makes great use of the DC Universe that I've spent so many years exploring. Georgia likes it because it's a funny, well-drawn book about kid superheroes-but best of all, because we sometimes get to see their pets. My kid loves animals, to put it mildly. And her favorite issues of Tiny Titans usually involve the "Super-Pets" in one way or another (she's a huge fan of the Krypto The Super-Dog cartoon for the same reason). So when we heard last year that Baltazar was going to be doing a line of Super-Pets chapter books with Capstone, we were very interested. And now they're here... There are six books in the line all together (and hopefully more to come), and in the week or so since they arrived from Amazon we've read more than half of them. They are FANTASTIC. Anyone who is familiar with the DC characters at all will recognize all sorts of clever little nods and winks, but for young readers who have never encountered that world before these serve as a great introduction. I recommend them to anyone, whether you've got kids or not, but if you do have kids then you must get them. http://www.chrisroberson.net/2011/01/23/aw-yeah-super-pets/ * The Myriad Worlds of Chris Robertson * MIDWAY MONKEY MADNESS by Sarah Stephens Summary: When the carnival comes to METROPOLIS, BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY isn't far behind. This CHIMP OF STEEL can't wait to chow down on chocolate-covered bananas and other fair foods. Unfortunately, the world's evilest ape, GORILLA GRODD, has other plans. He wants to turn this festival of fun into a day of destruction. With a little help from the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, BEPPO must somehow stop GRODD'S midway monkey madness. -- Picture Window Books HEROES OF THE HIGH SEAS by J.E. Bright Summary: Deep in the ocean, TOPO THE OCTOPUS plays some relaxing music for AQUAMAN. Suddenly, a huge whirlpool appears in the distance, threatening the city of ATLANTIS. Without a moment to lose, AQUAMAN leaps aboard his SUPER-SEAHORSE, STORM, and jets toward the liquid tornado. While the SEA KING rescues a whale caught in the deadly current, his SUPER-PETS discover the source of the problem . . . MISTY and SNEEZERS, the BLACK MANTA'S minions! TOPO, STORM, and ARK THE SEAL, must stop these evil rays, or their underwater city could be lost again. -- Picture Window Books POOCHES OF POWER! by Sarah Stephens Summary: When sardines go missing from the GOTHAM CITY Marina, ACE THE BAT-HOUND investigates. This clever canine quickly discovers a couple of clues, but something still smells fishy. To help solve the case, ACE calls on the most powerful pooch around . . . KRYPTO THE SUPER-DOG! They track down three fowl felons, the PENGUIN'S BAD NEWS BIRDS, ARTIE, GRIFF, and WADDLES. Working together, the doggy duo must recover the stolen sardines and throw those dirty birds in the can. -- Picture Window Books ROYAL RODENT RESCUE by John Sazaklis Summary: While napping in the FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, STREAKY THE SUPER-CAT is suddenly awakened by a television news alert. The evil Siamese cat ROZZ has kidnapped Prince Zouli, a noble hamster from the village of Kardamyla. UP, UP, AND AWAY! The CAT OF STEEL is on the case and quickly tracks down the royal rodent. Unfortunately, the fearsome feline has a few tricks up his fur. When ROZZ reveals a chunk of KRYPTONITE in his collar, STREAKY must help the hamster, and save himself as well. -- Picture Window Books SUPER HERO SPLASH DOWN by Jane B. Mason Summary: After traveling through the universe, the GREEN LANTERN B'DG chills out at a water park on Earth. However, when the RED LANTERN DEX-STARR shows up, his day in the sun is anything but fun. This fearsome feline chases B'DG through the pool, down the waterslide, and into outer space. While there, the two opponents discover a common enemy . . . the SINESTRO DOG CORPS! These parched pooches are looking for a place to soak their snouts. If B'DG and DEX-STARR don't team up and stop them, their favorite water park will become mutt puddle. -- Picture Window Books FASTEST PET ON EARTH by J.E. Bright Summary: The speedy super-villain CHAUNCEY THE CHEETAH is loose on PARADISE ISLAND! However, WONDER WOMAN'S SUPER-PET, JUMPA THE KANGAROO, isn't worried. This blazing-fast bouncer is the quickest critter on Earth. Or is she? When CHAUNCEY challenges JUMPA to a race, the kangaroo must prove her swiftness and her cleverness. But this criminal cat is chasing more than bragging rights. She's seeking JUMPA'S tiara as top prize. If the SUPER-KANGAROO doesn't have a few tricks in her pouch, she might lose in more ways than one. -- Picture Window Books When I first heard the idea behind the new series, DC Super-Pets, I had a feeling that Booking Son might be just a tad bit interested. And I was certainly right! You should have seen him when he first saw these little books -- his eyes got really big and he started to smile. Then, he asked me if they were for him because "I really want them." After I told him yes and that they were for early readers, he immediately grabbed a book and started flipping through it. I don't think he got my subtle dig about "early readers" but he is only 6 years old -- h * Booking Mama * There's an undeniable appeal in the idea of superheroes, especially to kids- the ability for good to reign supreme over evil, all those powers, the awesome gadgets and costumes! The major superheroes are well-known, but with a new series, the attention turns to the animals who work with the heroes we all know and love. DC Super-Pets! brings to life a large cast of superhero pets, from Batman's pal Ace the Bat-Hound and Krypto the Super-Dog friend of Superman, to Wonder Woman's Kangaroo Jumpa and B'Dg, The Green Lantern's Space Chipmunk, among others. The first six books of the series have released in January aimed at children in grades one to three, including Pooches of Power, Midway Monkey Madness, Super Hero Splash Down, Heroes of the High Seas, The Fastest Pet on Earth, and Royal Rodent Rescue. These short chapter books are geared toward newly independent readers, with brightly colored illustrations incorporated throughout the text, although I have to say that my younger children have been fascinated by the books and keep begging to hear the stories. Each adventure sees a super-pet or two working to defeat the actions of the super-villain pets. Oh yes, some of the most well-known villains also have pets, and they need to be stopped! The story lines are creative and appropriate for young children, yet still filled with action and adventure. Also included at the end of each book are pages with silly jokes and definitions for the most challenging words from the text. http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/12359/dc-super-pets/ * 5 Minutes for Books Blog * Picture Window Books (a division of Capstone) proudly released the first six books in the "DC Super-Pets!" series in January. I was lucky enough to receive all six books: The Fastest Pet on Earth , Heroes of the High Seas , Midway Monkey Madness , Pooches of Power! , Royal Rodent Rescue , and Super Hero Splash Down . The books are a lot of fun. The each begin with a profile page of the main Super Pet featured in the book, outlining the character's particular super powers or gadgets. The page also gives a brief background origin story and who their superhero owner is. A three chapter story is the main content of the book. While the stories are simplistic and obviously aimed at young children under the age of 10, the illustrations are colorful and full of energy. While the story focuses on one particular super-pet, they're usually joined by other super-pets or super-friends. For example, Beppo the Super Monkey is joined by Zan, Jayne and Gleek to battle Gorilla Grodd. Ace the Bat-Hound is joined by Krypto the Super Dog to take on Penguin's Bad News Birds. The Super-Pet's owners do sometimes make cameo appearances, but the books aren't about them, the focus is definitely on the Super-Pets themselves. Each book finishes with the same two-page spread showcasing all the Super-Pets and Super-Villain-Pets featured in the series. Forty four in total... Twenty two of each. The books also contain a jokes page, and a "Word Power" page which gives the definition of some of the harder words found in the story. Finally the books close out with a bio on both the writer and artist of that particular book. All six books in the original release are illustrated by Eisner Award-winner Art Baltazar. The writing duties are shared between Sarah Hines Stephens, John Sazaklis, Jane Mason, and J.E. Bright. Anyone looking to introduce their young child to the world of superheroes could do a lot worse than pick up the initial six-book run of the new "DC Super-Pets!" series. http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php * Superman Homepage * It is really exciting to see another series by Art Baltazar. His Tiny Titans is adorable with great tongue-and-cheek humour for kids and adults alike, and Midway Monkey Madness will be a great one to recommend to beginning readers. Grodd the evil gorilla is on a rampage at the carnival, and it's up to Beppo, Super-Man's super pet, to save the day. Readers will cheer Beppo and his Super-Pet buddies on as they outwit Grodd in this non-stop action adventure, and the coloured illustrations and text will appeal to kids, especially Geronimo Stilton fans. Aw yeah, Super Pets! Looking forward to more in the series. * Netgalley * Capstone has launched DC Super-Pets, a new line of chapter books for early readers, and they are adorable. With art by Art Baltazar, who illustrates DC's Tiny Titans line, each book tells the story of an iconic superhero's pet: Batman's Ace the Bat-Hound, Superman's Beppo the Super-Money, and Supergirl's Streaky the Super-Cat. The animal companions of Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman also get to tell their own stories. Unlike Tiny Titans, which relies heavily on the actual series for storylines and gags, the Super-Pets books are accessible to new readers, and each starts with a little infographic about the pet and its superhero companion. Background information is introduced throughout the story, so even a reader who has never seen superheroes before can enjoy these books. http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/goodcomicsforkids/2011/02/14/capstone-launches-super-pets-line-with-contest/ * Good Comics for Kids Blog * I'm excited to share with you a fantastic and engaging new series for young readers. DC Super-Pets Books are early chapter books about the super pets of familiar superheros and super villains like Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Catwoman, and Aquaman. The Super-Pets are these Superhero's pets - Streaky the Super-Cat and Jumpa the Super-Kangaroo, for example. The pets fight crime often perpetrated by Super-Pets of Super Villains and always save the world. Each book is illustrated by Art Baltazar, the Eisner Award-winning artist, with fantastic, colorful comic-style graphics and the text is large and easy to read. My third grader thought they were great and so do I. The first six books in the series came out January 2011 and are: The Fastest Pet on Earth Heroes of the High Seas Midway Monkey Madness Pooches of Power Royal Rodent Rescue Super Hero Splash Down http://imaginationsoup.net/2011/02/superhero-pets-for-early-readers-series/ * Imagination Soup * You root for Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and even Aquaman. You love to hate The Penguin and Catwoman. But what about their pets? What do they do all day? Lounge in the sun? Nah. Apparently they're quite busy. There is a new series of books out which is centered around the adventures of the Super Pets of the heroes and villains of DC comics. The first six books of the 24 book series are now available and are aimed at grades 1-3, with plenty of colorful artwork and a second grade reading level. To get a feel for the series, check out the book trailer. Each story contains an exciting adventure, jokes, definitions, and a guide to all the pets of the DC Super Pets. The books definitely have a Superfriends kind of feel, for those of you who watched that show back in the 1970s. (It sure was one of my favorites.) Books have plenty of bolded words and interspersed onomatopoeia, like in the old Batman series ("Kapow!"), which really gives a sense of action. Each book has usually at least a couple of good pets, and often at least two bad pets. There are plenty of happy endings and lots of saving the day. To me, the books are a lot of good fun. To my son in the first grade, they're pet-rific (his word). He especially loves the jokes. The series's publisher, Capstone, is also sponsoring the My Pet is Super! writing contest that goes through the end of February. Kids in grades 1-3 are asked to write a newspaper article about their pet for The Daily Planet. The writer of the winning submission will have his or her pet drawn by Art Baltazar, the illustrator for the series, and have the pet appear in a future book in the series. The winner and his or her school will also receive books. For complete rules and to enter the writing contest, visit the Capstone Kids website. The DC Super Pets books retail for $4.95 each. They're cartoony, superhero fun for early elementary kids. http://www.geekmom.com/2011/02/animals-save-the-day-with-dc-super-pets-plus-a-writing-contest/ * Geek Mom * I recently received a stack of review copies from DC's new Super-Pets children's book series. These brightly colored little books all turned out to be of consistent quality and tone, so I decided to do a little round-up review for the whole set. According to the press information, the six books above are the first releases in a projected series of 24. Each is illustrated by Art Baltazar, celebrated for his Eisner Award-winning work on DC's All Ages Tiny Titans comic series. They're available in both a softcover digest format and hardcover, which is listed on Amazon as "Library Binding." That description is fair, because while the more durable format is probably a wise investment for libraries and schools, most families may find it easier to fit the 4.95 list price softcovers into their budgets. The softcovers are still quite nice, with clear high quality paper, lovely color printing, and durable feeling bindings despite their small size. They will feel much at home in smaller hands, whose owners probably won't be afraid to bend the book while hovering over their favorite pages. The books are designed from the ground up as a set. Each one follows a simple and informative format. The bright, pastel cover opens to the DC Super-Pets! logo followed by a two page spread of the series cast (repeated in the back of the book.) Then comes a title and credit page, with floating heads of a couple of the featured pets. After that, we find out who is starring in the book, on a single page introducing the pet, their nemesis, and usually the superhero or villain counterparts. Across from this page there is a colorful table of contents. Then we get a computer file on our main super-pet, which is fun - under the heading "Paradise Isle Royal Computer" for example. This file shows abilities, points out costume pieces, includes a height line up, and bio plus information like Species, Place of Birth, Age, and Favorite Food. After that there's about 42 pages of illustrated story. The stories are mostly large-type text punctuated by special font sound effects and the odd floating head showing relevant expression. Every couple pages has a half or fourth page illustration, with the odd full page or 2-page splash mixed in. The end is followed by a "Know Your Super-Pets!" 2-page spread, with the hero and villain introducing their associate animals - "Aw Yeah, Hero Pets!" There's also single pages in the back devoted to "Aw Yeah, Jokes!", "Word Power!", "Meet The Author/Illustrator!" and, of course, an advertisement/listing of the other books in the series, the publisher's website, and publication information. Now that you've got some idea of the format, I should talk about the actual content. While each book features work by Art Baltazar (a great idea to keep a single illustrator to build recognition among the kids), the authors vary. J.E. Bright, Sarah Hines Stephens, John Sazaklis, and Jane Mason have all turned in work similar enough that it should be totally indistinguishable to young readers. That, in itself, isn't a bad thing - you don't have to worry about any of these books being terrible or suddenly offensive. But the series probably won't gain any of them particular individual acclaim. Baltazar's art is nicely printed and of his usual high quality. The bright and often pastel color scheme is warm and inviting and his expressions should be immediately understood by all readers. If I had any complaint at all, it's only that I wish these were actual comics so we could see more drawings. Which isn't really a complaint - I hope they inspire many readers to seek out his comic work. The stories feature the pets almost exclusively. While there is the odd appearance by owners, usually at the start and end of a story, these animals are their own heroes. They solve problems and build relationships all on their own. The solutions they find are generally competitive but non-violent. They're sometimes * Trade Reading Order * Though this wasn't my personal cup of tea, I bet boys would eat up this series. Capstone sure does know what elementary readers like. Really glad to preview this as a PDF rather than on Kindle so I could see the bright colors! * NetGalley * Fun story, but the art is the highlight! * NetGalley * Midway Monkey Madness is just one of the books from the DC Super-Pets Series. It should be noted that even Super Heroes have pets and Superman's is a pet monkey named Beppo, and he happens to have all the same powers that Superman has. Beppo the Super Monkey's favourite place is the carnival and on the day that he decides to visit and have a day of fun, so does the evil ape, Gorilla Grodd. The evil ape is tearing through the midway ripping the animals cages apart and setting them free. People are in a panic and Beppo has to save the day. With many sound sight words to set the tone, Beppo, with the help of the Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna and their monkey, Gleek, work together to stop Gorilla Grodd from destroying the midway. I thought the illustrations were quite colourful and drawn in an appealing fashion. If your child is sensitive, they may find it a bit violent but I am positive young readers will enjoy the book and wish to read other books from the DC Super-Pet Series. You will find at the back of the book a glossary of terms, a full listing of all the DC Super-Pets, jokes and more. SYNOPSIS: When a carnival comes to METROPOLIS, the evil ape GORILLA GRODD turns a festival of fun into a day of destruction! BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY, along with the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, must stop his midway madness. http://bookreviewsandotherstuff.blogspot.com/2011/02/midway-monkey-madness-by-sarah-hines.html * One Day at a Time Blog * On the other hand, you have the Super Pets, which are not only adorable beyond belief, but they're actual prose novels for kids. The books are light hearted, fun, and wonderfully illustrated by Tiny Titans artist Art Baltazar, perfect for young kids to pick up and read - or even be read at bed time. These books are set to be released soon, and having been given the opportunity to read a few of them, I must say that I wish I had a kid to share these with. If parents are looking for something to give their children in order to acclimate them into the DCU, this is that book. Do you love Green Lantern and the character Dex-Starr? Well, there's a whole book starring him and B'dg, a squirrel Green Lantern, who fight against the Sinestro Dog Corps at a water park. The book even includes a cameo from Glomulus, Larfleeze's favorite Orange Lantern. This title is absolutely perfect for any child who has even remotely showed interest in super heroes, let alone has a love for their pets! See, as much as we want to get kids into comics, we also need to give them good options for reading. While there are tons of great youth oriented books and novels (I fondly remember reading the Fudge books, personally), it's nice that in today's market, there are legitimate options for kids to bridge the gap between super heroics and reading traditional prose pieces. This is why a book series like Super Pets or the comic Tiny Titans is so great. There is no linear timeline, no overbearing plot. These are stories that can simply be picked up, read, and enjoyed, and that's what kids with All Ages need before we can really worry about trying to explain to them Blackest Night and Brightest Day. I'm happy to give my nephew a copy of a book like Bone, which is a wonderful comic, because as he grows older this is the kind of comic he'll enjoy. But in an attempt to "get them while they're young," I'd rather give a kid DC's Royal Rodent Rescue, starring Streaky (not currently around in the DCU) than I would try and give them most any other comic on the shelf at the moment - including Thor: The Mighty Avenger. * Multiversity Comics * In the recent years graphic novels have really made a comeback and I have done lots of research on how using graphic novels can help get those reluctant readers to read (particularly the boys). So I am always on the lookout for easy to read graphic novels to use in my Second Grade Classroom. This is not what I would consider a true graphic novel or comic but a cross over which is text with graphic novel/comic elements. best for: First and Second Graders that can read pretty fluently. Third Graders and above may think the story too easy. Interest group: While the main characters are male (except one of the twins Jayna) I think that girls will like this too. What I liked: -The story is pretty easy to follow (problem and solution) and the words for the most part are easy to read. - The story has some good points like working together to solve a problem and to not give up if things don't work out right away. -The text uses big bold words for sounds like in the old Batman cartoons and I think the kids will really like that. -The cast of characters in the front is great for the young readers who need more structure. -I also liked the glossary and the little section of jokes. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the facial expressions on Beppo and Gleek are hilarious! What I didn't like: -I think in some places it is too basic. I would have liked a little more description (showing) rather than telling us what happened. Overall I think my students would love this book and I will definitely check out the others in this series http://lost-n-book.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-01-12T19%3A31%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=7 * Lost in a Book Blog * Superman's pet monkey, Beppo, must save a carnival from the dastardly deeds of Gorilla Grodd. Grodd is releasing all the carnival animals and people are running for their lives. To defeat Grodd, Beppo challenges him to the games on the midway. There's one rule, Grodd cannot use his mind control to win any of the games. Soon, Grodd realizes that without his powers, he's not going to beat Beppo. In a full rage, Grodd decides to stop Beppo and Beppo's friend Gleek (Wonder Twins). Do Beppo and Gleek have the skill necessary to stop Grodd for good? Once again, I see Midway Monkey Madness as delighting advancing readers. There are some tougher words, such as corral, but a Word Power guide defines these words. Overall, the vocabulary is spot on for elementary aged children. Bright illustrations pair with action-packed narrative. Kids who enjoy DC Comic's heroes will love this series. http://roundtableforkids.blogspot.com/2011/01/dc-super-pets-midway-monkey-madness.html * Roundtable Reviews for Kids * Now that the DC Super Pets books are available, I'm considering letting each of the kids pick one out the next time I place an Amazon order. The books are geared towards early readers, ages 4-8, which means they are at the right level for The Comic Wizard, but would be beneath the recommeded reading level for Super Reader. Despite that, I suspect she'll still be excited for the books because of the characters and illustrations by Art Baltazar. Let's take a look at the first six releases: The Fastest Pet on Earth by J. E. Bright The speedy super-villain CHAUNCEY THE CHEETAH is loose on PARADISE ISLAND! However, WONDER WOMAN'S SUPER-PET, JUMPA THE KANGAROO, isn't worried. This blazing-fast bouncer is the quickest critter on Earth. Or is she? When CHAUNCEY challenges JUMPA to a race, the kangaroo must prove her swiftness and her cleverness. But this criminal cat is chasing more than bragging rights. She's seeking JUMPA'S tiara as top prize. If the SUPER-KANGAROO doesn't have a few tricks in her pouch, she might lose in more ways than one. Heroes of the High Seas by J. E. Bright Deep beneath the ocean, TOPO THE OCTOPUS plays some relaxing music for AQUAMAN. Suddenly, a huge whirlpool appears in the distance, threatening the city of ATLANTIS. Without a moment to lose, AQUAMAN leaps aboard his SUPER-SEAHORSE, STORM, and jets toward the liquid tornado. While the SEA KING rescues a whale caught in the deadly current, his SUPER-PETS discover the source of the problem . . . MISTY and SNEEZERS, the BLACK MANTA'S minions! TOPO, STORM, and ARK THE SEAL, must stop these evil rays, or their underwater city could be lost again. Midway Monkey Madness by Sarah Hines Stephens When the carnival comes to METROPOLIS, BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY isn't far behind. This CHIMP OF STEEL can't wait to chow down on chocolate-covered bananas and other fair foods. Unfortunately, the world's evilest ape, GORILLA GRODD, has other plans. He wants to turn this festival of fun into a day of destruction. With a little help from the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, BEPPO must somehow stop GRODD'S midway monkey madness. Pooches of Power by Sarah Hines Stephens When sardines go missing from the GOTHAM CITY Marina, ACE THE BAT-HOUND investigates. This clever canine quickly discovers a couple of clues, but something still smells fishy. To help solve the case, ACE calls on the most powerful pooch around . . . KRYPTO THE SUPER-DOG! They track down three fowl felons, the PENGUIN'S BAD NEWS BIRDS, ARTIE, GRIFF, and WADDLES. Working together, the doggy duo must recover the stolen sardines and throw those dirty birds in the can. Royal Rodent Rescue by John Sazaklis While napping in the FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, STREAKY THE SUPER-CAT is suddenly awakened by a television news alert. The evil Siamese cat ROZZ has kidnapped Prince Zouli, a noble hamster from the village of Kardamyla. UP, UP, AND AWAY! The CAT OF STEEL is on the case and quickly tracks down the royal rodent. Unfortunately, the fearsome feline has a few tricks up her fur. When ROZZ reveals a chunk of KRYPTONITE in her collar, STREAKY must help the hamster, and save herself as well. Super Hero Splash Down by Jane Mason After traveling through the universe, the GREEN LANTERN B'DG chills out at a water park on Earth. However, when the RED LANTERN DEX-STARR shows up, his day in the sun is anything but fun. This fearsome feline chases B'DG through the pool, down the waterslide, and into outer space. While there, the two opponents discover a common enemy . . . the SINESTRO DOG CORPS! These parched pooches are looking for a place to soak their snouts. If B'DG and DEX-STARR don't team up and stop them, their favorite water park will become mutt puddle. Many of these pets have already shown up in the pages of Tiny Titans, so the kids are familiar with them. Beppo is one of their favorites, so I imagine Midway Monkey Madness will be their top choice. As for the other... I'm not * The Brave and the Old Blog * Beppo the Super-Monkey is having a great time eating a chocolate covered banana on top of the Ferris Wheel and enjoying all the attention he's getting. But suddenly he hears screams and noises coming from the animal sideshow. Beppo soon spots the huge problem, the evil ape Gorilla Grodd is setting all the animals free. Beppo knows this can be dangerous for the people and the animals, so he springs into action. And with the help of the Wonder Twins and their chimp Gleek, Beppo must find a way to stop the madness. (Ages 4-8) http://www.kidsbookshelf.com/index.php?option=com_bookreview&id=2234 * KidsBookShelf * Look out Krypto, there's a new Super Pet coming to save the day! Illustrated by Eisner Award winner, Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans), Midway Monkey Madness, another in the new DC Super Pets series, will draw in reluctant readers. In this installment, Superman's Super Pet, Beppo, with the help of DC Comics Super Friends the Wonder Twins and their pet Gleek, take on the evil Gorilla Grodd. Although not an essential purchase, Baltazar's many illustrations, the larger print, short chapters, and the glossary of terms at the end of the book make it a entertaining, appropriate read for those transitioning into chapter books. * NetGalley * Capstone Kids has released a new series of fun books geared towards early readers. The books were created in conjunction with comic book giant, DC, to bring about a new series: DC Super-Pets! They stories include characters like Super-Pet Beppo who is Superman's pet Monkey, along with many other clever characters. They have a comic book feel detailing the character and showing action words and sound effects in big and colorful ways that grab your attention. Right now your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Grade aged children can enter a "My Pet is Super Contest" where the child is asked to write an imaginary newspaper article about their Super-Pet and how he/she did something extraordinary! Entries will be judged on creativity, content, and originality! The top 50 entrants will each receive 2 free DC Super-Pets Books, one for the student and one for their school library. There will also be a first place winner who will win the prize of being drawn into a DC Super-Pets book and will receive the original illustration! The first place winner and their school will also win 5 copies each of the book! The contest ends on 2/28/11. I was able to review the first six books in this series. I think these books are fabulous! Both of my boys were instantly extremely interested in them and they held their attention while I read the story. I pointed to the words for my 4 year old to follow along and had him read me the few words he is beginning to learn as we came across them. I believe he will be able to begin reading most the words sometime next year. At 4 he is still a little bit young to read them independently. However, I think these books are great for getting young children interested in reading and eager to try it on their own. Every page has full color illustrations that really seem to pop off the page they are so bold! I absolutely love the comic book feel of the fun text popping out at you on each page. These books retail for $4.95/each and you can find them in bookstores locally as well as on Amazon . http://www.amomstake.com/2011/02/dc-super-pets-books-contest-review.html * A Mom's Take Blog * Midway Monkey Madness stars Beppo, Superman's Super Hero Pet. He has the same powers as Superman: x-ray vision, super hearing, heatvision, the ability to fly, and two powers Superman doesn't have: a superstrong tail and super breath. Beppo isenjoying his favorite food, a chocolate covered banana, while riding the FerrisWheel at the Bazooka Carnival. Suddenly,he hears screaming coming from the midway. Beppo flies down to check it out and there is The Gorilla Grodd. Gorilla Grodd is tearing open all the cagesand letting the animals run free. Peopleare running trying to avoid the animals, which could harm them. Beppo must get the animals back in theircages and The Gorilla Grodd into a very large cage. He needs help. The Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna, with theirmonkey Gleek, arrive to help Beppo. The illustrations include delightfully colored animals. The carnival comes to life for kids in wordand pictures, a great way for kids to learn. The story has humor and action kids willenjoy. Plus, the ending is exciting and willplease readers. This will be one ofthose "read it to me one more time, Pleeease" books that kids will not putdown. The book also includes pictures of every Super Hero Pet inaddition to every Villain pet. Beppo andGleek tell a few silly jokes that will tickle a child's funny bone. The Wonder Twins offer definitions for themore difficult words in the story. This colorfulbook is one children will love, especially boys and girls who like any of theSuper Heroes such as Beppo's Superman. * NetGalley * Being the deep thinker I am, M3 as it will be referred to the rest of the post, surmise that this graphic novel is for the younger audience, thus completing my trifecta of age groups in graphic novels. M3 has a January release date, so this little goodie cannot be placed under the tree by Santa, sorry. Sarah Stephens has others titles though that may be. Let's get right to the good stuff! "When the carnival comes to METROPOLIS, BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY isn't far behind. This CHIMP OF STEEL can't wait to chow down on chocolate-covered bananas and other fair foods. Unfortunately, the world's evilest ape, GORILLA GRODD, has other plans. He wants to turn this festival of fun into a day of destruction. With a little help from the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, BEPPO must somehow stop GRODD'S midway monkey madness." Please notice the names bandied about the synopsis. It is a marriage between some of the larger DC Comic characters and some of the lesser known ones, but still a nice vehicle to introduce the little ones to a segment of their catalog in a fun way. The artwork is what one might expect for something of this age group and it is all together a nice project. I read it with my grandson on my lap and he was enjoying the different panels and colorful artwork while I read the balloons of dialogue out loud for him. It was fun for both of us, he was engaged, I enjoyed seeing the look on his face, win-win. Midway Monkey Madness is a gamer, the only person this is rigged for is the reader, check it out. http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2010/12/graphic-novel-friday-midway-monkey.html * Gelati's Scoop Blog * I'm so excited about this new book series for early readers (grades 1-3) debuting from Capstone Publishers. The series is called DC SUPER-PETS, and it's created in conjunction with comic book giant DC. These books feature action-packed stories about the pets of the world's greatest superheroes -- Supergirl's cat, Aquaman's seahorse, Superman's monkey, Green Lantern's chipmunk, Wonder Woman's kangaroo, and Batman's dog -- as they do battle with the pets of famous villains! The first six titles in the planned 24-book series are: Heroes of the High Seas Midway Monkey Madness Super Hero Splash Down The Fastest Pet on Earth Pooches of Power! Royal Rodent Rescue Here's a fun book trailer about the series... [Email subscribers, please click on the title of this post to view the video online.] My boys are in first grade, and these early chapter books are perfect for them! They're just the right level for kids who are just getting into chapter books, and the colorful illustrations by award-winning comic illustrator Art Baltazar definitely keep my boys' interest. They've really been enjoying this fun and exciting book series! http://susanheim.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-dc-comic-book-super-pet-series-for.html * Susan Heim on Parenting Blog * To celebrate the launch of "DC Super-Pets", Picture Window Books is sponsoring a writing contest for students in grades 1-3. Children enter the "My Pet is Super" contest by writing an article for an imaginary newspaper, The Daily Planet, about why their own pet is super. Art Baltazar will create an illustration of the winning Super-Pet that will appear in a future book in the DC Super-Pets series. The winning student will receive the original illustration as well as copies of the book. Authors of the top 50 entries in the contest will also win free books. For complete rules and to enter, visit www.CapstoneKids.com. The contest runs from January 15, 2011-February 28, 2011. The DC Super-Pets series features the crime-fighting adventures of the pets of favorite super heroes from beloved DC Comics: Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Green Lantern. These intrepid Super-Pets-Krypto the Super-Dog, Ace the Bat-Hound, Streaky the Super-Cat, Beppo the Super-Monkey, Jumpa the Super-Kangaroo, and their friends save the day and foil the evil plans of the universe's most dastardly super villains. The books have been specially designed for children just learning to read independently. Included in the endpapers are illustrations of all the Super-Pets in the series (both heroes and villains), jokes, and a guide to the meaning and pronunciation for each book's most challenging words. The first six books in the series are illustrated by Eisner Award-winning DC Comics artist Art Baltazar. They debuted on January, 2nd and are available for order on Amazon.com: ? The Fastest Pet on Earth ? Heroes of the High Seas ? Midway Monkey Madness ? Pooches of Power ? Royal Rodent Rescue ? Super Hero Splash Down DC Super-Pets is the second project Capstone and DC Comics have collaborated on in recent history. The publishers launched a successful partnership in 2008 under Capstone's Stone Arch Books imprint to publish DC Super Heroes, an original book series based around DC Comics' iconic characters Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, and, coming in Spring 2011, Green Lantern and the Flash. http://www.supermansupersite.com/0106618.html * The Superman Super Site * With a small suite of writers, Art Baltazar has created a new line for DC Comics and Capstone publisher, six new books based around the Super Pets. JE Bright, John Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens have written stories around the pets of the Justice League and villainous pets they must combat. Out in the New Year, here is a Bleeding Cool sneak peek... http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/11/23/preview-alt-baltazars-super-pets/ * Bleeding Cool * Capstone Publishers and DC Comics have joined forces to produce a new children's books series, DC Super-Pets. The series will focus on the super-powered pets of heroes like Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Green Lantern. Art Baltazar will illustrate the project. The first six of the 24 books will be available this month. The titles include: The Fastest Pet on Earth, Heroes of the High Seas, Midway Monkey Madness, Pooches of Power, Royal Rodent Rescue, and Super Hero Splash Down. Here's more from the release: "These intrepid Super-Pets-Krypto the Super-Dog, Ace the Bat-Hound, Streaky the Super-Cat, Beppo the Super-Monkey, Jumpa the Super-Kangaroo, and their friends-save the day and foil the evil plans of the universe's most dastardly super villains. The books have been specially designed for children just learning to read independently." * GalleyCat * I'm a big proponent of getting kids to read comics but their choices are slim when compared to what adults are offered in the medium. So when I heard Capstone Publishers was teaming with DC to put out DC Super-Pets I was ecstatic! Then I got to read them and was filled with joy usually reserved for 8-year-olds. Here's why... The first six books in the series were released last month and are all drawn by Eisner Award-winning artist Art Baltazar. You're probably already familiar with his work on Tiny Titans. The guy is just plain awesome and he doesn't disappoint here. In fact, he ups the cuteness quotient by a lot. There's a whole menagerie of animals for Baltazar to choose from and one is cuter than the next. I'll start off with the obvious book for me, Super Hero Splash Down starring B'dg the Green Lantern and Dex-Starr the angry Red Lantern. Written by Jane Mason, this was the first one I read because Dex is my favorite. The story follows the antics of the two at a water park, which is surprising considering cats don't like water. Well, of course that comes into play. There's a lot of horsing around but eventually a superhero team-up is called for when some Sinestro Dog Corps invade the park. You'd think The Fastest Pet on Earth would star The Flash's companion but no, actually this book is all about Wonder Woman's trusty Kanga named Jumpa. Written by J.E. Bright, the story revolves around Jumpa having to protect a special Golden tortoise from Chauncey, Cheetah's cheetah on Paradise Island. Jumpa has just as much bravery and fight in her as Wonder Woman and uses not only her power but her wits to outsmart the villain. Midway Monkey Madness is filled with familiar DC characters. Written by Sarah Hines Stephens, it stars Beppo the super-monkey, the Wonder Twins Jayna and Zan, Gleek and Gorilla Grodd. Grodd decides to cause some havoc at a local carnival and Beppo makes sure everyone gets to safety while he and the rest of the heroes figure out how to stop him. Writer Bright also took on Aquaman's giant seahorse storm in Heroes of the High Seas. He stars along with Topo the octopus, Ark the sealion plus Black Manta and his pets Misty and Sneazers. I couldn't figure out what Misty and Sneezers were at first but turns out they're manta rays! This was one of my favorites out of the bunch because a lot of players got together and each had a very specific job to overcome their problem. Pooches of Power features the two most famous super pets, Ace the Bat-Hound and Krypto the Super-Dog. Hines Stephens also writes this tale in which the dogs go up against the Penguins animal companions, the Bad News Birds. Ace and Krypto must put a stop to thievery taking place at the local sardine factory before the Penguin can escape his own justice. And Bruce Wayne/Batman makes a guest appearance to congratulate his pooch. And last but not least, because it's actually my favorite, Royal Rodent Rescue by John Sazaklis stars not one but TWO felines. Streaky the super-cat and Rozz, the evil Siamese of Catwoman. This story almost puts the villain in the starring role as Rozz decides to head off to Metropolis on her own in search of thievery while Catwoman is stealing in Gotham. Streaky must intervene with the slinky cat kidnaps and royal hamster. Yup, you heard me, a royal hamster. And the fight is not an easy one as Rozz got her paws on some Kryptonite! Each book (all around 50 pages long) includes a rundown of the characters appearing in the book, a stats page of the star, knock-knock jokes and a page with definitions of some of the tougher or more unfamiliar words that appear. The front and rear of each book also holds a mural of all the super pets we'll see in the series. And let me tell you, we've only hit the tip of the iceberg. I can't wait to see some of these other pets in action. Although the book is called DC Super-Pets, it's important to note that most, if not all of the "pets" view themselves as friends or companions of the * The Nerdy Bird Blog * Midway Monkey Madness is about Gleek and Beppo and Grodd. Gleek and Beppo are super-pets. Grodd is mean to them. Beppo hears crying and Grodd lets the carnival animals get out of their cages. I like this book because it's my favorite book and it's ridiculous, preposterous and lovable. My favorite part is when Grodd locks Beppo and Gleek in the cage. And I also like when Beppo and Gleek throw the cherry on top of Grodd. I would recommend this book to kids who are lovable and like books about animals. LitLass's note: Written by the author of Bean's Games, the first board book we bought before Tintin's birth, and illustrated by the author/illustrator of the Tiny Titans graphic novels, Midway Monkey Madness is one of six new books about the DC super-pets. With colorful pictures and short chapters, it's just right for reluctant readers. Beppo is Superman's pet and shares his powers, and Gleek belongs to the Wonder Twins, who make an appearance in the book and help the monkeys save carnival-goers from the evil Gorilla Grodd. Johnny Boo really wants the rest of the DC Super-Pets books now, and his 8-year-old brother does as well. Capstone Kids, which along with Picture Window Books is operated by Capstone Publishers, is having a DC Super-Pets writing contest for 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. The contest runs until February 28, so I guess have your kid enter if you think he can beat mine. Oh, and because Beppo, a monkey, loves chocolate-covered bananas, we made our own frozen chocolate-covered bananas. http://litlad.blogspot.com/2011/02/midway-monkey-madness.html * LitLad Blog * Midway Monkey Madness by Sarah Stephens follows Beppo, Superman's pet monkey. Beppo took a trip to the fair. While he was at the fair a huge evil Gorilla named Gorilla Grodd was causing trouble at the animal sideshow. Beppo has to work to save the fair using both his mind and his super powers. Midway Monkey Madness is a super funny beginning chapter book. There was just enough action but not enough to scare young kids. The pictures were great because they went along with the story to illustrate the action in the plot. The author did a fantastic job of creating a fun read with action words set in a large colorful to help the reader create more inflection. I read this together with my daughter because it looked like a quick read and we had such a fun time reading it. She did spooky laughs and loud ROOOAR's and POW POW POW's where the author had highlighted them and it made reading the book so much fun. Appropriateness: This is a fantastic book for young readers. I would recommend it both as a read aloud (or a read together, it's fun to do one page Mom and the next page Child with this one) and as a book for readers straddling the divide between picture books and chapter books. While this book will be enjoyed by girls (and mine loved it) I'd like to highlight this book (and the entire series) as one that boys will love and adore. It's comic book like with full illustrations super hero characters and fun plot will be sure to engage even the most reluctant of readers. It is written at a second grade level with a lexile of 480 and a guided reading level of J. Netgally provided by the publisher. http://booksyourkidswilllove.blogspot.com/2011/03/midway-monkey-madness.html * Books Your Kids Will Love * I received this book as an ARC and allowed my 8 year old son to read it on the nook color. He finished it in 2 days (pretty good for an 8 yr. old) and he could not put it down! He absolutely loved this book and he is already asking if there are more books in this series he can read. My son is more of the video game/TV type kid and prefers not to read unless his life depends on it, so seeing him beg me for my nook color so he could read this made me thrilled! he said the characters were great and...moreI received this book as an ARC and allowed my 8 year old son to read it on the nook color. He finished it in 2 days (pretty good for an 8 yr. old) and he could not put it down! He absolutely loved this book and he is already asking if there are more books in this series he can read. My son is more of the video game/TV type kid and prefers not to read unless his life depends on it, so seeing him beg me for my nook color so he could read this made me thrilled! he said the characters were great and the book was "real funny" He said he could not think if anything that he did not like about this book and he gives it 4 out of 5 stars and said he will definitely recommend to his friends at school. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/94703 * GoodReads Blog via NetGalley * In this installment of a new series, DC Super Pets, Beppo is a Super-Monkey from the same planet as Superman. He is at a carnvial enjoying a Ferris wheel ride when he hears screams from below and spots the evil ape Gorilla Grodd freeing the wild animals from their cages. Beppo flies into action to get the animals back in their cages to protect all the people at the carnival. His friends the Wonder Twins and their monkey help in the fight. Reluctant readers will be drawn to the story with it's colorful illustrations, chapter headings and occassional font colors. Beppo's expressions capture his feelings throughout the book. Read as an ebook arc courtesy of Netgalley. Midway Monkey Madness will be published by Capstone on January 1, 2011 in hardcover and paperback. http://goldenlibrarylady.blogspot.com/2010/12/midway-monkey-madness-by-sarah-hines.html * Mrs. Katz's Book Blurbs Blog *
 
One of the highlights of every month around our house is the arrival of the latest issue of Art Baltazar's Tiny Titans, the all-ages title from the Johnny DC line. Consistently one of the best reads of the month, it's at the top of the To Read pile both for me and for my six-year-old daughter Georgia. I like it because it is (a) funny, (b) beautifully drawn and written, and (c) makes great use of the DC Universe that I've spent so many years exploring. Georgia likes it because it's a funny, well-drawn book about kid superheroes-but best of all, because we sometimes get to see their pets. My kid loves animals, to put it mildly. And her favorite issues of Tiny Titans usually involve the "Super-Pets" in one way or another (she's a huge fan of the Krypto The Super-Dog cartoon for the same reason). So when we heard last year that Baltazar was going to be doing a line of Super-Pets chapter books with Capstone, we were very interested. And now they're here... There are six books in the line all together (and hopefully more to come), and in the week or so since they arrived from Amazon we've read more than half of them. They are FANTASTIC. Anyone who is familiar with the DC characters at all will recognize all sorts of clever little nods and winks, but for young readers who have never encountered that world before these serve as a great introduction. I recommend them to anyone, whether you've got kids or not, but if you do have kids then you must get them. http://www.chrisroberson.net/2011/01/23/aw-yeah-super-pets/ * The Myriad Worlds of Chris Robertson *
MIDWAY MONKEY MADNESS by Sarah Stephens Summary: When the carnival comes to METROPOLIS, BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY isn't far behind. This CHIMP OF STEEL can't wait to chow down on chocolate-covered bananas and other fair foods. Unfortunately, the world's evilest ape, GORILLA GRODD, has other plans. He wants to turn this festival of fun into a day of destruction. With a little help from the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, BEPPO must somehow stop GRODD'S midway monkey madness. -- Picture Window Books HEROES OF THE HIGH SEAS by J.E. Bright Summary: Deep in the ocean, TOPO THE OCTOPUS plays some relaxing music for AQUAMAN. Suddenly, a huge whirlpool appears in the distance, threatening the city of ATLANTIS. Without a moment to lose, AQUAMAN leaps aboard his SUPER-SEAHORSE, STORM, and jets toward the liquid tornado. While the SEA KING rescues a whale caught in the deadly current, his SUPER-PETS discover the source of the problem . . . MISTY and SNEEZERS, the BLACK MANTA'S minions! TOPO, STORM, and ARK THE SEAL, must stop these evil rays, or their underwater city could be lost again. -- Picture Window Books POOCHES OF POWER! by Sarah Stephens Summary: When sardines go missing from the GOTHAM CITY Marina, ACE THE BAT-HOUND investigates. This clever canine quickly discovers a couple of clues, but something still smells fishy. To help solve the case, ACE calls on the most powerful pooch around . . . KRYPTO THE SUPER-DOG! They track down three fowl felons, the PENGUIN'S BAD NEWS BIRDS, ARTIE, GRIFF, and WADDLES. Working together, the doggy duo must recover the stolen sardines and throw those dirty birds in the can. -- Picture Window Books ROYAL RODENT RESCUE by John Sazaklis Summary: While napping in the FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, STREAKY THE SUPER-CAT is suddenly awakened by a television news alert. The evil Siamese cat ROZZ has kidnapped Prince Zouli, a noble hamster from the village of Kardamyla. UP, UP, AND AWAY! The CAT OF STEEL is on the case and quickly tracks down the royal rodent. Unfortunately, the fearsome feline has a few tricks up his fur. When ROZZ reveals a chunk of KRYPTONITE in his collar, STREAKY must help the hamster, and save himself as well. -- Picture Window Books SUPER HERO SPLASH DOWN by Jane B. Mason Summary: After traveling through the universe, the GREEN LANTERN B'DG chills out at a water park on Earth. However, when the RED LANTERN DEX-STARR shows up, his day in the sun is anything but fun. This fearsome feline chases B'DG through the pool, down the waterslide, and into outer space. While there, the two opponents discover a common enemy . . . the SINESTRO DOG CORPS! These parched pooches are looking for a place to soak their snouts. If B'DG and DEX-STARR don't team up and stop them, their favorite water park will become mutt puddle. -- Picture Window Books FASTEST PET ON EARTH by J.E. Bright Summary: The speedy super-villain CHAUNCEY THE CHEETAH is loose on PARADISE ISLAND! However, WONDER WOMAN'S SUPER-PET, JUMPA THE KANGAROO, isn't worried. This blazing-fast bouncer is the quickest critter on Earth. Or is she? When CHAUNCEY challenges JUMPA to a race, the kangaroo must prove her swiftness and her cleverness. But this criminal cat is chasing more than bragging rights. She's seeking JUMPA'S tiara as top prize. If the SUPER-KANGAROO doesn't have a few tricks in her pouch, she might lose in more ways than one. -- Picture Window Books When I first heard the idea behind the new series, DC Super-Pets, I had a feeling that Booking Son might be just a tad bit interested. And I was certainly right! You should have seen him when he first saw these little books -- his eyes got really big and he started to smile. Then, he asked me if they were for him because "I really want them." After I told him yes and that they were for early readers, he immediately grabbed a book and started flipping through it. I don't think he got my subtle dig about "early readers" but he is only 6 years old -- h * Booking Mama *
There's an undeniable appeal in the idea of superheroes, especially to kids- the ability for good to reign supreme over evil, all those powers, the awesome gadgets and costumes! The major superheroes are well-known, but with a new series, the attention turns to the animals who work with the heroes we all know and love. DC Super-Pets! brings to life a large cast of superhero pets, from Batman's pal Ace the Bat-Hound and Krypto the Super-Dog friend of Superman, to Wonder Woman's Kangaroo Jumpa and B'Dg, The Green Lantern's Space Chipmunk, among others. The first six books of the series have released in January aimed at children in grades one to three, including Pooches of Power, Midway Monkey Madness, Super Hero Splash Down, Heroes of the High Seas, The Fastest Pet on Earth, and Royal Rodent Rescue. These short chapter books are geared toward newly independent readers, with brightly colored illustrations incorporated throughout the text, although I have to say that my younger children have been fascinated by the books and keep begging to hear the stories. Each adventure sees a super-pet or two working to defeat the actions of the super-villain pets. Oh yes, some of the most well-known villains also have pets, and they need to be stopped! The story lines are creative and appropriate for young children, yet still filled with action and adventure. Also included at the end of each book are pages with silly jokes and definitions for the most challenging words from the text. http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/12359/dc-super-pets/ * 5 Minutes for Books Blog *
Picture Window Books (a division of Capstone) proudly released the first six books in the "DC Super-Pets!" series in January. I was lucky enough to receive all six books: The Fastest Pet on Earth , Heroes of the High Seas , Midway Monkey Madness , Pooches of Power! , Royal Rodent Rescue , and Super Hero Splash Down . The books are a lot of fun. The each begin with a profile page of the main Super Pet featured in the book, outlining the character's particular super powers or gadgets. The page also gives a brief background origin story and who their superhero owner is. A three chapter story is the main content of the book. While the stories are simplistic and obviously aimed at young children under the age of 10, the illustrations are colorful and full of energy. While the story focuses on one particular super-pet, they're usually joined by other super-pets or super-friends. For example, Beppo the Super Monkey is joined by Zan, Jayne and Gleek to battle Gorilla Grodd. Ace the Bat-Hound is joined by Krypto the Super Dog to take on Penguin's Bad News Birds. The Super-Pet's owners do sometimes make cameo appearances, but the books aren't about them, the focus is definitely on the Super-Pets themselves. Each book finishes with the same two-page spread showcasing all the Super-Pets and Super-Villain-Pets featured in the series. Forty four in total... Twenty two of each. The books also contain a jokes page, and a "Word Power" page which gives the definition of some of the harder words found in the story. Finally the books close out with a bio on both the writer and artist of that particular book. All six books in the original release are illustrated by Eisner Award-winner Art Baltazar. The writing duties are shared between Sarah Hines Stephens, John Sazaklis, Jane Mason, and J.E. Bright. Anyone looking to introduce their young child to the world of superheroes could do a lot worse than pick up the initial six-book run of the new "DC Super-Pets!" series. http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php * Superman Homepage *
It is really exciting to see another series by Art Baltazar. His Tiny Titans is adorable with great tongue-and-cheek humour for kids and adults alike, and Midway Monkey Madness will be a great one to recommend to beginning readers. Grodd the evil gorilla is on a rampage at the carnival, and it's up to Beppo, Super-Man's super pet, to save the day. Readers will cheer Beppo and his Super-Pet buddies on as they outwit Grodd in this non-stop action adventure, and the coloured illustrations and text will appeal to kids, especially Geronimo Stilton fans. Aw yeah, Super Pets! Looking forward to more in the series. * Netgalley *
Capstone has launched DC Super-Pets, a new line of chapter books for early readers, and they are adorable. With art by Art Baltazar, who illustrates DC's Tiny Titans line, each book tells the story of an iconic superhero's pet: Batman's Ace the Bat-Hound, Superman's Beppo the Super-Money, and Supergirl's Streaky the Super-Cat. The animal companions of Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman also get to tell their own stories. Unlike Tiny Titans, which relies heavily on the actual series for storylines and gags, the Super-Pets books are accessible to new readers, and each starts with a little infographic about the pet and its superhero companion. Background information is introduced throughout the story, so even a reader who has never seen superheroes before can enjoy these books. http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/goodcomicsforkids/2011/02/14/capstone-launches-super-pets-line-with-contest/ * Good Comics for Kids Blog *
I'm excited to share with you a fantastic and engaging new series for young readers. DC Super-Pets Books are early chapter books about the super pets of familiar superheros and super villains like Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Catwoman, and Aquaman. The Super-Pets are these Superhero's pets - Streaky the Super-Cat and Jumpa the Super-Kangaroo, for example. The pets fight crime often perpetrated by Super-Pets of Super Villains and always save the world. Each book is illustrated by Art Baltazar, the Eisner Award-winning artist, with fantastic, colorful comic-style graphics and the text is large and easy to read. My third grader thought they were great and so do I. The first six books in the series came out January 2011 and are: The Fastest Pet on Earth Heroes of the High Seas Midway Monkey Madness Pooches of Power Royal Rodent Rescue Super Hero Splash Down http://imaginationsoup.net/2011/02/superhero-pets-for-early-readers-series/ * Imagination Soup *
You root for Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and even Aquaman. You love to hate The Penguin and Catwoman. But what about their pets? What do they do all day? Lounge in the sun? Nah. Apparently they're quite busy. There is a new series of books out which is centered around the adventures of the Super Pets of the heroes and villains of DC comics. The first six books of the 24 book series are now available and are aimed at grades 1-3, with plenty of colorful artwork and a second grade reading level. To get a feel for the series, check out the book trailer. Each story contains an exciting adventure, jokes, definitions, and a guide to all the pets of the DC Super Pets. The books definitely have a Superfriends kind of feel, for those of you who watched that show back in the 1970s. (It sure was one of my favorites.) Books have plenty of bolded words and interspersed onomatopoeia, like in the old Batman series ("Kapow!"), which really gives a sense of action. Each book has usually at least a couple of good pets, and often at least two bad pets. There are plenty of happy endings and lots of saving the day. To me, the books are a lot of good fun. To my son in the first grade, they're pet-rific (his word). He especially loves the jokes. The series's publisher, Capstone, is also sponsoring the My Pet is Super! writing contest that goes through the end of February. Kids in grades 1-3 are asked to write a newspaper article about their pet for The Daily Planet. The writer of the winning submission will have his or her pet drawn by Art Baltazar, the illustrator for the series, and have the pet appear in a future book in the series. The winner and his or her school will also receive books. For complete rules and to enter the writing contest, visit the Capstone Kids website. The DC Super Pets books retail for $4.95 each. They're cartoony, superhero fun for early elementary kids. http://www.geekmom.com/2011/02/animals-save-the-day-with-dc-super-pets-plus-a-writing-contest/ * Geek Mom *
I recently received a stack of review copies from DC's new Super-Pets children's book series. These brightly colored little books all turned out to be of consistent quality and tone, so I decided to do a little round-up review for the whole set. According to the press information, the six books above are the first releases in a projected series of 24. Each is illustrated by Art Baltazar, celebrated for his Eisner Award-winning work on DC's All Ages Tiny Titans comic series. They're available in both a softcover digest format and hardcover, which is listed on Amazon as "Library Binding." That description is fair, because while the more durable format is probably a wise investment for libraries and schools, most families may find it easier to fit the 4.95 list price softcovers into their budgets. The softcovers are still quite nice, with clear high quality paper, lovely color printing, and durable feeling bindings despite their small size. They will feel much at home in smaller hands, whose owners probably won't be afraid to bend the book while hovering over their favorite pages. The books are designed from the ground up as a set. Each one follows a simple and informative format. The bright, pastel cover opens to the DC Super-Pets! logo followed by a two page spread of the series cast (repeated in the back of the book.) Then comes a title and credit page, with floating heads of a couple of the featured pets. After that, we find out who is starring in the book, on a single page introducing the pet, their nemesis, and usually the superhero or villain counterparts. Across from this page there is a colorful table of contents. Then we get a computer file on our main super-pet, which is fun - under the heading "Paradise Isle Royal Computer" for example. This file shows abilities, points out costume pieces, includes a height line up, and bio plus information like Species, Place of Birth, Age, and Favorite Food. After that there's about 42 pages of illustrated story. The stories are mostly large-type text punctuated by special font sound effects and the odd floating head showing relevant expression. Every couple pages has a half or fourth page illustration, with the odd full page or 2-page splash mixed in. The end is followed by a "Know Your Super-Pets!" 2-page spread, with the hero and villain introducing their associate animals - "Aw Yeah, Hero Pets!" There's also single pages in the back devoted to "Aw Yeah, Jokes!", "Word Power!", "Meet The Author/Illustrator!" and, of course, an advertisement/listing of the other books in the series, the publisher's website, and publication information. Now that you've got some idea of the format, I should talk about the actual content. While each book features work by Art Baltazar (a great idea to keep a single illustrator to build recognition among the kids), the authors vary. J.E. Bright, Sarah Hines Stephens, John Sazaklis, and Jane Mason have all turned in work similar enough that it should be totally indistinguishable to young readers. That, in itself, isn't a bad thing - you don't have to worry about any of these books being terrible or suddenly offensive. But the series probably won't gain any of them particular individual acclaim. Baltazar's art is nicely printed and of his usual high quality. The bright and often pastel color scheme is warm and inviting and his expressions should be immediately understood by all readers. If I had any complaint at all, it's only that I wish these were actual comics so we could see more drawings. Which isn't really a complaint - I hope they inspire many readers to seek out his comic work. The stories feature the pets almost exclusively. While there is the odd appearance by owners, usually at the start and end of a story, these animals are their own heroes. They solve problems and build relationships all on their own. The solutions they find are generally competitive but non-violent. They're sometimes * Trade Reading Order *
Though this wasn't my personal cup of tea, I bet boys would eat up this series. Capstone sure does know what elementary readers like. Really glad to preview this as a PDF rather than on Kindle so I could see the bright colors! * NetGalley *
Fun story, but the art is the highlight! * NetGalley *
Midway Monkey Madness is just one of the books from the DC Super-Pets Series. It should be noted that even Super Heroes have pets and Superman's is a pet monkey named Beppo, and he happens to have all the same powers that Superman has. Beppo the Super Monkey's favourite place is the carnival and on the day that he decides to visit and have a day of fun, so does the evil ape, Gorilla Grodd. The evil ape is tearing through the midway ripping the animals cages apart and setting them free. People are in a panic and Beppo has to save the day. With many sound sight words to set the tone, Beppo, with the help of the Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna and their monkey, Gleek, work together to stop Gorilla Grodd from destroying the midway. I thought the illustrations were quite colourful and drawn in an appealing fashion. If your child is sensitive, they may find it a bit violent but I am positive young readers will enjoy the book and wish to read other books from the DC Super-Pet Series. You will find at the back of the book a glossary of terms, a full listing of all the DC Super-Pets, jokes and more. SYNOPSIS: When a carnival comes to METROPOLIS, the evil ape GORILLA GRODD turns a festival of fun into a day of destruction! BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY, along with the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, must stop his midway madness. http://bookreviewsandotherstuff.blogspot.com/2011/02/midway-monkey-madness-by-sarah-hines.html * One Day at a Time Blog *
On the other hand, you have the Super Pets, which are not only adorable beyond belief, but they're actual prose novels for kids. The books are light hearted, fun, and wonderfully illustrated by Tiny Titans artist Art Baltazar, perfect for young kids to pick up and read - or even be read at bed time. These books are set to be released soon, and having been given the opportunity to read a few of them, I must say that I wish I had a kid to share these with. If parents are looking for something to give their children in order to acclimate them into the DCU, this is that book. Do you love Green Lantern and the character Dex-Starr? Well, there's a whole book starring him and B'dg, a squirrel Green Lantern, who fight against the Sinestro Dog Corps at a water park. The book even includes a cameo from Glomulus, Larfleeze's favorite Orange Lantern. This title is absolutely perfect for any child who has even remotely showed interest in super heroes, let alone has a love for their pets! See, as much as we want to get kids into comics, we also need to give them good options for reading. While there are tons of great youth oriented books and novels (I fondly remember reading the Fudge books, personally), it's nice that in today's market, there are legitimate options for kids to bridge the gap between super heroics and reading traditional prose pieces. This is why a book series like Super Pets or the comic Tiny Titans is so great. There is no linear timeline, no overbearing plot. These are stories that can simply be picked up, read, and enjoyed, and that's what kids with All Ages need before we can really worry about trying to explain to them Blackest Night and Brightest Day. I'm happy to give my nephew a copy of a book like Bone, which is a wonderful comic, because as he grows older this is the kind of comic he'll enjoy. But in an attempt to "get them while they're young," I'd rather give a kid DC's Royal Rodent Rescue, starring Streaky (not currently around in the DCU) than I would try and give them most any other comic on the shelf at the moment - including Thor: The Mighty Avenger. * Multiversity Comics *
In the recent years graphic novels have really made a comeback and I have done lots of research on how using graphic novels can help get those reluctant readers to read (particularly the boys). So I am always on the lookout for easy to read graphic novels to use in my Second Grade Classroom. This is not what I would consider a true graphic novel or comic but a cross over which is text with graphic novel/comic elements. best for: First and Second Graders that can read pretty fluently. Third Graders and above may think the story too easy. Interest group: While the main characters are male (except one of the twins Jayna) I think that girls will like this too. What I liked: -The story is pretty easy to follow (problem and solution) and the words for the most part are easy to read. - The story has some good points like working together to solve a problem and to not give up if things don't work out right away. -The text uses big bold words for sounds like in the old Batman cartoons and I think the kids will really like that. -The cast of characters in the front is great for the young readers who need more structure. -I also liked the glossary and the little section of jokes. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the facial expressions on Beppo and Gleek are hilarious! What I didn't like: -I think in some places it is too basic. I would have liked a little more description (showing) rather than telling us what happened. Overall I think my students would love this book and I will definitely check out the others in this series http://lost-n-book.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-01-12T19%3A31%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=7 * Lost in a Book Blog *
Superman's pet monkey, Beppo, must save a carnival from the dastardly deeds of Gorilla Grodd. Grodd is releasing all the carnival animals and people are running for their lives. To defeat Grodd, Beppo challenges him to the games on the midway. There's one rule, Grodd cannot use his mind control to win any of the games. Soon, Grodd realizes that without his powers, he's not going to beat Beppo. In a full rage, Grodd decides to stop Beppo and Beppo's friend Gleek (Wonder Twins). Do Beppo and Gleek have the skill necessary to stop Grodd for good? Once again, I see Midway Monkey Madness as delighting advancing readers. There are some tougher words, such as corral, but a Word Power guide defines these words. Overall, the vocabulary is spot on for elementary aged children. Bright illustrations pair with action-packed narrative. Kids who enjoy DC Comic's heroes will love this series. http://roundtableforkids.blogspot.com/2011/01/dc-super-pets-midway-monkey-madness.html * Roundtable Reviews for Kids *
Now that the DC Super Pets books are available, I'm considering letting each of the kids pick one out the next time I place an Amazon order. The books are geared towards early readers, ages 4-8, which means they are at the right level for The Comic Wizard, but would be beneath the recommeded reading level for Super Reader. Despite that, I suspect she'll still be excited for the books because of the characters and illustrations by Art Baltazar. Let's take a look at the first six releases: The Fastest Pet on Earth by J. E. Bright The speedy super-villain CHAUNCEY THE CHEETAH is loose on PARADISE ISLAND! However, WONDER WOMAN'S SUPER-PET, JUMPA THE KANGAROO, isn't worried. This blazing-fast bouncer is the quickest critter on Earth. Or is she? When CHAUNCEY challenges JUMPA to a race, the kangaroo must prove her swiftness and her cleverness. But this criminal cat is chasing more than bragging rights. She's seeking JUMPA'S tiara as top prize. If the SUPER-KANGAROO doesn't have a few tricks in her pouch, she might lose in more ways than one. Heroes of the High Seas by J. E. Bright Deep beneath the ocean, TOPO THE OCTOPUS plays some relaxing music for AQUAMAN. Suddenly, a huge whirlpool appears in the distance, threatening the city of ATLANTIS. Without a moment to lose, AQUAMAN leaps aboard his SUPER-SEAHORSE, STORM, and jets toward the liquid tornado. While the SEA KING rescues a whale caught in the deadly current, his SUPER-PETS discover the source of the problem . . . MISTY and SNEEZERS, the BLACK MANTA'S minions! TOPO, STORM, and ARK THE SEAL, must stop these evil rays, or their underwater city could be lost again. Midway Monkey Madness by Sarah Hines Stephens When the carnival comes to METROPOLIS, BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY isn't far behind. This CHIMP OF STEEL can't wait to chow down on chocolate-covered bananas and other fair foods. Unfortunately, the world's evilest ape, GORILLA GRODD, has other plans. He wants to turn this festival of fun into a day of destruction. With a little help from the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, BEPPO must somehow stop GRODD'S midway monkey madness. Pooches of Power by Sarah Hines Stephens When sardines go missing from the GOTHAM CITY Marina, ACE THE BAT-HOUND investigates. This clever canine quickly discovers a couple of clues, but something still smells fishy. To help solve the case, ACE calls on the most powerful pooch around . . . KRYPTO THE SUPER-DOG! They track down three fowl felons, the PENGUIN'S BAD NEWS BIRDS, ARTIE, GRIFF, and WADDLES. Working together, the doggy duo must recover the stolen sardines and throw those dirty birds in the can. Royal Rodent Rescue by John Sazaklis While napping in the FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, STREAKY THE SUPER-CAT is suddenly awakened by a television news alert. The evil Siamese cat ROZZ has kidnapped Prince Zouli, a noble hamster from the village of Kardamyla. UP, UP, AND AWAY! The CAT OF STEEL is on the case and quickly tracks down the royal rodent. Unfortunately, the fearsome feline has a few tricks up her fur. When ROZZ reveals a chunk of KRYPTONITE in her collar, STREAKY must help the hamster, and save herself as well. Super Hero Splash Down by Jane Mason After traveling through the universe, the GREEN LANTERN B'DG chills out at a water park on Earth. However, when the RED LANTERN DEX-STARR shows up, his day in the sun is anything but fun. This fearsome feline chases B'DG through the pool, down the waterslide, and into outer space. While there, the two opponents discover a common enemy . . . the SINESTRO DOG CORPS! These parched pooches are looking for a place to soak their snouts. If B'DG and DEX-STARR don't team up and stop them, their favorite water park will become mutt puddle. Many of these pets have already shown up in the pages of Tiny Titans, so the kids are familiar with them. Beppo is one of their favorites, so I imagine Midway Monkey Madness will be their top choice. As for the other... I'm not * The Brave and the Old Blog *
Beppo the Super-Monkey is having a great time eating a chocolate covered banana on top of the Ferris Wheel and enjoying all the attention he's getting. But suddenly he hears screams and noises coming from the animal sideshow. Beppo soon spots the huge problem, the evil ape Gorilla Grodd is setting all the animals free. Beppo knows this can be dangerous for the people and the animals, so he springs into action. And with the help of the Wonder Twins and their chimp Gleek, Beppo must find a way to stop the madness. (Ages 4-8) http://www.kidsbookshelf.com/index.php?option=com_bookreview&id=2234 * KidsBookShelf *
Look out Krypto, there's a new Super Pet coming to save the day! Illustrated by Eisner Award winner, Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans), Midway Monkey Madness, another in the new DC Super Pets series, will draw in reluctant readers. In this installment, Superman's Super Pet, Beppo, with the help of DC Comics Super Friends the Wonder Twins and their pet Gleek, take on the evil Gorilla Grodd. Although not an essential purchase, Baltazar's many illustrations, the larger print, short chapters, and the glossary of terms at the end of the book make it a entertaining, appropriate read for those transitioning into chapter books. * NetGalley *
Capstone Kids has released a new series of fun books geared towards early readers. The books were created in conjunction with comic book giant, DC, to bring about a new series: DC Super-Pets! They stories include characters like Super-Pet Beppo who is Superman's pet Monkey, along with many other clever characters. They have a comic book feel detailing the character and showing action words and sound effects in big and colorful ways that grab your attention. Right now your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Grade aged children can enter a "My Pet is Super Contest" where the child is asked to write an imaginary newspaper article about their Super-Pet and how he/she did something extraordinary! Entries will be judged on creativity, content, and originality! The top 50 entrants will each receive 2 free DC Super-Pets Books, one for the student and one for their school library. There will also be a first place winner who will win the prize of being drawn into a DC Super-Pets book and will receive the original illustration! The first place winner and their school will also win 5 copies each of the book! The contest ends on 2/28/11. I was able to review the first six books in this series. I think these books are fabulous! Both of my boys were instantly extremely interested in them and they held their attention while I read the story. I pointed to the words for my 4 year old to follow along and had him read me the few words he is beginning to learn as we came across them. I believe he will be able to begin reading most the words sometime next year. At 4 he is still a little bit young to read them independently. However, I think these books are great for getting young children interested in reading and eager to try it on their own. Every page has full color illustrations that really seem to pop off the page they are so bold! I absolutely love the comic book feel of the fun text popping out at you on each page. These books retail for $4.95/each and you can find them in bookstores locally as well as on Amazon . http://www.amomstake.com/2011/02/dc-super-pets-books-contest-review.html * A Mom's Take Blog *
Midway Monkey Madness stars Beppo, Superman's Super Hero Pet. He has the same powers as Superman: x-ray vision, super hearing, heatvision, the ability to fly, and two powers Superman doesn't have: a superstrong tail and super breath. Beppo isenjoying his favorite food, a chocolate covered banana, while riding the FerrisWheel at the Bazooka Carnival. Suddenly,he hears screaming coming from the midway. Beppo flies down to check it out and there is The Gorilla Grodd. Gorilla Grodd is tearing open all the cagesand letting the animals run free. Peopleare running trying to avoid the animals, which could harm them. Beppo must get the animals back in theircages and The Gorilla Grodd into a very large cage. He needs help. The Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna, with theirmonkey Gleek, arrive to help Beppo. The illustrations include delightfully colored animals. The carnival comes to life for kids in wordand pictures, a great way for kids to learn. The story has humor and action kids willenjoy. Plus, the ending is exciting and willplease readers. This will be one ofthose "read it to me one more time, Pleeease" books that kids will not putdown. The book also includes pictures of every Super Hero Pet inaddition to every Villain pet. Beppo andGleek tell a few silly jokes that will tickle a child's funny bone. The Wonder Twins offer definitions for themore difficult words in the story. This colorfulbook is one children will love, especially boys and girls who like any of theSuper Heroes such as Beppo's Superman. * NetGalley *
Being the deep thinker I am, M3 as it will be referred to the rest of the post, surmise that this graphic novel is for the younger audience, thus completing my trifecta of age groups in graphic novels. M3 has a January release date, so this little goodie cannot be placed under the tree by Santa, sorry. Sarah Stephens has others titles though that may be. Let's get right to the good stuff! "When the carnival comes to METROPOLIS, BEPPO THE SUPER-MONKEY isn't far behind. This CHIMP OF STEEL can't wait to chow down on chocolate-covered bananas and other fair foods. Unfortunately, the world's evilest ape, GORILLA GRODD, has other plans. He wants to turn this festival of fun into a day of destruction. With a little help from the WONDER TWINS and their space chimp, GLEEK, BEPPO must somehow stop GRODD'S midway monkey madness." Please notice the names bandied about the synopsis. It is a marriage between some of the larger DC Comic characters and some of the lesser known ones, but still a nice vehicle to introduce the little ones to a segment of their catalog in a fun way. The artwork is what one might expect for something of this age group and it is all together a nice project. I read it with my grandson on my lap and he was enjoying the different panels and colorful artwork while I read the balloons of dialogue out loud for him. It was fun for both of us, he was engaged, I enjoyed seeing the look on his face, win-win. Midway Monkey Madness is a gamer, the only person this is rigged for is the reader, check it out. http://gelatisscoop.blogspot.com/2010/12/graphic-novel-friday-midway-monkey.html * Gelati's Scoop Blog *
I'm so excited about this new book series for early readers (grades 1-3) debuting from Capstone Publishers. The series is called DC SUPER-PETS, and it's created in conjunction with comic book giant DC. These books feature action-packed stories about the pets of the world's greatest superheroes -- Supergirl's cat, Aquaman's seahorse, Superman's monkey, Green Lantern's chipmunk, Wonder Woman's kangaroo, and Batman's dog -- as they do battle with the pets of famous villains! The first six titles in the planned 24-book series are: Heroes of the High Seas Midway Monkey Madness Super Hero Splash Down The Fastest Pet on Earth Pooches of Power! Royal Rodent Rescue Here's a fun book trailer about the series... [Email subscribers, please click on the title of this post to view the video online.] My boys are in first grade, and these early chapter books are perfect for them! They're just the right level for kids who are just getting into chapter books, and the colorful illustrations by award-winning comic illustrator Art Baltazar definitely keep my boys' interest. They've really been enjoying this fun and exciting book series! http://susanheim.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-dc-comic-book-super-pet-series-for.html * Susan Heim on Parenting Blog *
To celebrate the launch of "DC Super-Pets", Picture Window Books is sponsoring a writing contest for students in grades 1-3. Children enter the "My Pet is Super" contest by writing an article for an imaginary newspaper, The Daily Planet, about why their own pet is super. Art Baltazar will create an illustration of the winning Super-Pet that will appear in a future book in the DC Super-Pets series. The winning student will receive the original illustration as well as copies of the book. Authors of the top 50 entries in the contest will also win free books. For complete rules and to enter, visit www.CapstoneKids.com. The contest runs from January 15, 2011-February 28, 2011. The DC Super-Pets series features the crime-fighting adventures of the pets of favorite super heroes from beloved DC Comics: Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Green Lantern. These intrepid Super-Pets-Krypto the Super-Dog, Ace the Bat-Hound, Streaky the Super-Cat, Beppo the Super-Monkey, Jumpa the Super-Kangaroo, and their friends save the day and foil the evil plans of the universe's most dastardly super villains. The books have been specially designed for children just learning to read independently. Included in the endpapers are illustrations of all the Super-Pets in the series (both heroes and villains), jokes, and a guide to the meaning and pronunciation for each book's most challenging words. The first six books in the series are illustrated by Eisner Award-winning DC Comics artist Art Baltazar. They debuted on January, 2nd and are available for order on Amazon.com: ? The Fastest Pet on Earth ? Heroes of the High Seas ? Midway Monkey Madness ? Pooches of Power ? Royal Rodent Rescue ? Super Hero Splash Down DC Super-Pets is the second project Capstone and DC Comics have collaborated on in recent history. The publishers launched a successful partnership in 2008 under Capstone's Stone Arch Books imprint to publish DC Super Heroes, an original book series based around DC Comics' iconic characters Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, and, coming in Spring 2011, Green Lantern and the Flash. http://www.supermansupersite.com/0106618.html * The Superman Super Site *
With a small suite of writers, Art Baltazar has created a new line for DC Comics and Capstone publisher, six new books based around the Super Pets. JE Bright, John Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens have written stories around the pets of the Justice League and villainous pets they must combat. Out in the New Year, here is a Bleeding Cool sneak peek... http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/11/23/preview-alt-baltazars-super-pets/ * Bleeding Cool *
Capstone Publishers and DC Comics have joined forces to produce a new children's books series, DC Super-Pets. The series will focus on the super-powered pets of heroes like Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Green Lantern. Art Baltazar will illustrate the project. The first six of the 24 books will be available this month. The titles include: The Fastest Pet on Earth, Heroes of the High Seas, Midway Monkey Madness, Pooches of Power, Royal Rodent Rescue, and Super Hero Splash Down. Here's more from the release: "These intrepid Super-Pets-Krypto the Super-Dog, Ace the Bat-Hound, Streaky the Super-Cat, Beppo the Super-Monkey, Jumpa the Super-Kangaroo, and their friends-save the day and foil the evil plans of the universe's most dastardly super villains. The books have been specially designed for children just learning to read independently." * GalleyCat *
I'm a big proponent of getting kids to read comics but their choices are slim when compared to what adults are offered in the medium. So when I heard Capstone Publishers was teaming with DC to put out DC Super-Pets I was ecstatic! Then I got to read them and was filled with joy usually reserved for 8-year-olds. Here's why... The first six books in the series were released last month and are all drawn by Eisner Award-winning artist Art Baltazar. You're probably already familiar with his work on Tiny Titans. The guy is just plain awesome and he doesn't disappoint here. In fact, he ups the cuteness quotient by a lot. There's a whole menagerie of animals for Baltazar to choose from and one is cuter than the next. I'll start off with the obvious book for me, Super Hero Splash Down starring B'dg the Green Lantern and Dex-Starr the angry Red Lantern. Written by Jane Mason, this was the first one I read because Dex is my favorite. The story follows the antics of the two at a water park, which is surprising considering cats don't like water. Well, of course that comes into play. There's a lot of horsing around but eventually a superhero team-up is called for when some Sinestro Dog Corps invade the park. You'd think The Fastest Pet on Earth would star The Flash's companion but no, actually this book is all about Wonder Woman's trusty Kanga named Jumpa. Written by J.E. Bright, the story revolves around Jumpa having to protect a special Golden tortoise from Chauncey, Cheetah's cheetah on Paradise Island. Jumpa has just as much bravery and fight in her as Wonder Woman and uses not only her power but her wits to outsmart the villain. Midway Monkey Madness is filled with familiar DC characters. Written by Sarah Hines Stephens, it stars Beppo the super-monkey, the Wonder Twins Jayna and Zan, Gleek and Gorilla Grodd. Grodd decides to cause some havoc at a local carnival and Beppo makes sure everyone gets to safety while he and the rest of the heroes figure out how to stop him. Writer Bright also took on Aquaman's giant seahorse storm in Heroes of the High Seas. He stars along with Topo the octopus, Ark the sealion plus Black Manta and his pets Misty and Sneazers. I couldn't figure out what Misty and Sneezers were at first but turns out they're manta rays! This was one of my favorites out of the bunch because a lot of players got together and each had a very specific job to overcome their problem. Pooches of Power features the two most famous super pets, Ace the Bat-Hound and Krypto the Super-Dog. Hines Stephens also writes this tale in which the dogs go up against the Penguins animal companions, the Bad News Birds. Ace and Krypto must put a stop to thievery taking place at the local sardine factory before the Penguin can escape his own justice. And Bruce Wayne/Batman makes a guest appearance to congratulate his pooch. And last but not least, because it's actually my favorite, Royal Rodent Rescue by John Sazaklis stars not one but TWO felines. Streaky the super-cat and Rozz, the evil Siamese of Catwoman. This story almost puts the villain in the starring role as Rozz decides to head off to Metropolis on her own in search of thievery while Catwoman is stealing in Gotham. Streaky must intervene with the slinky cat kidnaps and royal hamster. Yup, you heard me, a royal hamster. And the fight is not an easy one as Rozz got her paws on some Kryptonite! Each book (all around 50 pages long) includes a rundown of the characters appearing in the book, a stats page of the star, knock-knock jokes and a page with definitions of some of the tougher or more unfamiliar words that appear. The front and rear of each book also holds a mural of all the super pets we'll see in the series. And let me tell you, we've only hit the tip of the iceberg. I can't wait to see some of these other pets in action. Although the book is called DC Super-Pets, it's important to note that most, if not all of the "pets" view themselves as friends or companions of the * The Nerdy Bird Blog *
Midway Monkey Madness is about Gleek and Beppo and Grodd. Gleek and Beppo are super-pets. Grodd is mean to them. Beppo hears crying and Grodd lets the carnival animals get out of their cages. I like this book because it's my favorite book and it's ridiculous, preposterous and lovable. My favorite part is when Grodd locks Beppo and Gleek in the cage. And I also like when Beppo and Gleek throw the cherry on top of Grodd. I would recommend this book to kids who are lovable and like books about animals. LitLass's note: Written by the author of Bean's Games, the first board book we bought before Tintin's birth, and illustrated by the author/illustrator of the Tiny Titans graphic novels, Midway Monkey Madness is one of six new books about the DC super-pets. With colorful pictures and short chapters, it's just right for reluctant readers. Beppo is Superman's pet and shares his powers, and Gleek belongs to the Wonder Twins, who make an appearance in the book and help the monkeys save carnival-goers from the evil Gorilla Grodd. Johnny Boo really wants the rest of the DC Super-Pets books now, and his 8-year-old brother does as well. Capstone Kids, which along with Picture Window Books is operated by Capstone Publishers, is having a DC Super-Pets writing contest for 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. The contest runs until February 28, so I guess have your kid enter if you think he can beat mine. Oh, and because Beppo, a monkey, loves chocolate-covered bananas, we made our own frozen chocolate-covered bananas. http://litlad.blogspot.com/2011/02/midway-monkey-madness.html * LitLad Blog *
Midway Monkey Madness by Sarah Stephens follows Beppo, Superman's pet monkey. Beppo took a trip to the fair. While he was at the fair a huge evil Gorilla named Gorilla Grodd was causing trouble at the animal sideshow. Beppo has to work to save the fair using both his mind and his super powers. Midway Monkey Madness is a super funny beginning chapter book. There was just enough action but not enough to scare young kids. The pictures were great because they went along with the story to illustrate the action in the plot. The author did a fantastic job of creating a fun read with action words set in a large colorful to help the reader create more inflection. I read this together with my daughter because it looked like a quick read and we had such a fun time reading it. She did spooky laughs and loud ROOOAR's and POW POW POW's where the author had highlighted them and it made reading the book so much fun. Appropriateness: This is a fantastic book for young readers. I would recommend it both as a read aloud (or a read together, it's fun to do one page Mom and the next page Child with this one) and as a book for readers straddling the divide between picture books and chapter books. While this book will be enjoyed by girls (and mine loved it) I'd like to highlight this book (and the entire series) as one that boys will love and adore. It's comic book like with full illustrations super hero characters and fun plot will be sure to engage even the most reluctant of readers. It is written at a second grade level with a lexile of 480 and a guided reading level of J. Netgally provided by the publisher. http://booksyourkidswilllove.blogspot.com/2011/03/midway-monkey-madness.html * Books Your Kids Will Love *
I received this book as an ARC and allowed my 8 year old son to read it on the nook color. He finished it in 2 days (pretty good for an 8 yr. old) and he could not put it down! He absolutely loved this book and he is already asking if there are more books in this series he can read. My son is more of the video game/TV type kid and prefers not to read unless his life depends on it, so seeing him beg me for my nook color so he could read this made me thrilled! he said the characters were great and...moreI received this book as an ARC and allowed my 8 year old son to read it on the nook color. He finished it in 2 days (pretty good for an 8 yr. old) and he could not put it down! He absolutely loved this book and he is already asking if there are more books in this series he can read. My son is more of the video game/TV type kid and prefers not to read unless his life depends on it, so seeing him beg me for my nook color so he could read this made me thrilled! he said the characters were great and the book was "real funny" He said he could not think if anything that he did not like about this book and he gives it 4 out of 5 stars and said he will definitely recommend to his friends at school. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/94703 * GoodReads Blog via NetGalley *
In this installment of a new series, DC Super Pets, Beppo is a Super-Monkey from the same planet as Superman. He is at a carnvial enjoying a Ferris wheel ride when he hears screams from below and spots the evil ape Gorilla Grodd freeing the wild animals from their cages. Beppo flies into action to get the animals back in their cages to protect all the people at the carnival. His friends the Wonder Twins and their monkey help in the fight. Reluctant readers will be drawn to the story with it's colorful illustrations, chapter headings and occassional font colors. Beppo's expressions capture his feelings throughout the book. Read as an ebook arc courtesy of Netgalley. Midway Monkey Madness will be published by Capstone on January 1, 2011 in hardcover and paperback. http://goldenlibrarylady.blogspot.com/2010/12/midway-monkey-madness-by-sarah-hines.html * Mrs. Katz's Book Blurbs Blog *