How to Save a Superhero by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves
| How to Save a Superhero by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Tony Taylor
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| Summary: Albie the superhero is a fantastic new release in this wonderful series of picture books. Boys will absolutely love Albie and this new adventure leaves us just wanting more adventures. Familiar in style to previous Albie stories which is comforting for bed time story. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: October 2016 |
| Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1471144783 | |
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It's just an ordinary day for Albie – he's playing with his toys just like any little boy. However little does he know that his day is going to be super in more ways than one. This is another fantastic adventure in the series of books by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves.
Having read all of the previous Albie books to my children, I was delighted to see the latest edition. These books are perfect for boys. Each one seems to tick off the next big interest. Previous stories have included pirates, animals, dragons, dinosaurs, aliens and monsters – what a perfect list for a young boy! This latest offering based on Super Heroes is the next logical step to engaging boys in stories.
What I particularly enjoy about these books is that each book follows the same very distinct pattern. The openings are similar with Albie playing with his toys, he is just about to do something then his mum shouts ‘’Albie’’. At this point he drags himself away and gets sucked into an adventure. In addition to this familiar format, the rhythm structure and bounce is very similar in each story. It feels like I'm reading a book which is an old favourite although it is brand new and I have never read it before. It's interesting how children often don't like new bedtime stories each night as they prefer the security and comfort of a story which they already know. This is where the latest Albie works really well – security and comfort within a new story and setting. My wife, also a primary school teacher, read this book to my four-year old son. I asked her what she thought, she replied with ‘’Albie is Albie.’’ This is not negative in any way at all, it simply shows that it is a new version of a familiar series of books. I see this as the most important praise towards this book.
There's also great familiarity in the illustrations. Albie has the same toys and cuddly toys in all of his books. The eagle eyed children will spot Albie’s teddy lion and teddy dinosaur – both of whom have featured as main themes in previous stories. I especially love the last page of this and all Albie stories where it gives a clue and a hint as to where the next Albie book will be set. I won’t spoil here where we expect Albie to go on his next adventure. The book is wonderfully illustrated in a way that's absolutely perfect for young children. The pictures are all bright with strong bold colours and repeated characters throughout.
The authors have created a wonderful character: a normal boy just like those children who are listening every night, who goes on the most exciting adventures. Albie really becomes a hero to children and in this latest release, Albie becomes a super hero to them.
For further reading I would suggest Aliens In Underpants Save The World by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort. This is another great series of stories loved by boys. Many thanks to the publishers for sending a review copy to TheBookBag.
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You can read more book reviews or buy How to Save a Superhero by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy How to Save a Superhero by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves at Amazon.com.
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