Life as a Mini Hero

K-Gr 2--Being a mini superhero is not as exciting or glamorous as one might think. It involves a lot of waiting, for one, and there are never enough adoring fans. Nevertheless, mini heroes do what they can to make the most of things. They wear their mini hero suits and faces each day, trying to be brave and confident even when they are feeling the opposite. It becomes frustrating when their mini hero ways are misunderstood or ill-appreciated, but that does not deter them from continuing to express themselves. Short, emphatic phrases fill this book, often causing a stark contrast between the text and the illustrations. For young children unfamiliar with this literary device, this book is a humorous introduction to it. The illustrations, created in pencil with select splotches of color, are wonderfully entertaining. Though two dimensional, they are spot-on in their depiction of both movement and emotion. Readers will no doubt recognize the feelings these mini heroes experience as reflections of moments in their own lives. Translated from the French, the text often utilizes challenging and unfamiliar vocabulary, which will inspire dialogue between the children reading this book and their caregivers. VERDICT This is a delightful read for families with their own mini hero as they navigate the turbulent emotions that often accompany such an active imagination.--Mary Lanni, formerly of Denver Public Library

Part field guide to children, part instruction manual for caretakers, this minimalist volume emphasizes the daily drudgery inherent in even a heroic child's life, including trips to the eye doctor and dentist, and the tedium of tidying. Thoughout, pint-size heroes clad in unbranded superhero uniforms demonstrate some of the challenges of childhood (a young Spider-Man ignores a droning friend; a small Wonder Woman expertly twirls a lasso, much to her friends' annoyance). "Mini Hereos are far too busy to ever get bored.../...except sometimes when it rains," Tallec writes, as a child sits dully in front of the television. Extending the sparse sentences' humor and meaning, expressive pencil and spot color illustrations sometimes counter a stated point, as when a scowling superchild helps another child skip rope: "Mini Heroes love to be of service. This is what distinguishes them." Tallec (What If...) captures the pain of a child's world with wit and reassurance, while providing a gentle reminder to grown-up sidekicks, who "often forget that Mini Heroes can be really slow because of the many traps they have to avoid, the number of rivers they have to cross, and the many buildings they have to climb." Ages 4-8. (Aug.)