Review by Sara Kay -- Toni the Superhero by R.D. Base

Sara Kay · Post by **Sara Kay** » 26 Oct 2018, 02:24

[Following is a volunteer review of "Toni the Superhero" by R.D. Base.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Are superheroes just a myth concocted by our imagination, or are they really here among us? What does true heroism look like? Would we even recognize it if it was right in front of us? Enter Toni - the boy who strips away the mask of societal expectations to reveal the truth about superheroes.

The pages of this book are a parade of vibrant colors with child-like drawings of Toni and his adventures. Each one has a simple sentence or two, designed especially for beginner readers. However, the illustrations and words occasionally collide with each other. This might hinder an inexperienced reader from recognizing certain letters. From a teaching point of view, a few of the words used in the story might also be too complex for the recommended reading age of 0-4. Some used letter combination sounds such as “th”, “ea”, “aw” and “ing”. Other words included different “i” sounds and a silent "e". These concepts are generally taught to older age groups and might be difficult for a 4-year-old to grasp, especially if they aren’t familiar with those reading rules yet.

Apart from these design and difficulty flaws, Toni the Superhero captured my heart. He swept aside the image of superheroes performing magnificent feats of power to conquer evil. Instead, this brightly caped boy shows us how to really save the world, in the most basic language and through the most simple actions. He proves that sometimes the real heroes are the unassuming people doing those small understated deeds. The conclusion and final illustration draw everything together beautifully. If one looks closely enough, that very last page of the book unmasks a profound truth about what heroism really looks like.

I would award this book 3 out of 4 stars based on the beauty of the concepts hidden within and the importance of passing those on to a young audience. The description suggests that this book is for children from 0-4 that are learning to read. However, due to the small oversights mentioned previously, I would recommend that it be read to them, rather than by them.

In a world full of Ironman and Hulk, being a superhero is such a widely misunderstood idea. This book reconstructs the cliche into a more down-to-earth friendly neighborhood boy (not Spiderman). A boy who doesn’t save the world through extraordinary powers, but through living in a beautiful way. Each young reader can soak up this inspiration and become just like him. Perhaps, one day, they will grow their small daily deeds, living them consistently and passing them on, until the whole world is a better place. Mission accomplished.

******
Toni the Superhero
View: on Bookshelves | on Smashwords

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melissy370 · Post by **melissy370** » 07 Nov 2018, 15:25

Well done in describing the book. I especially liked the last paragraph and the mention of other well known superheroes.

Sara Kay · Post by **Sara Kay** » 08 Nov 2018, 00:09

melissy370 wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 15:25 Well done in describing the book. I especially liked the last paragraph and the mention of other well known superheroes.

Thank you! I really appreciate your feedback on my review. I've been surrounded by Marvel fans my whole life, can you tell?

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 09 Nov 2018, 01:43

What a profound review of the book! Yes, I agree with all your comments.

Dael Reader · Post by **Dael Reader** » 09 Nov 2018, 08:49

He swept aside the image of superheroes performing magnificent feats of power to conquer evil. Instead, this brightly caped boy shows us how to really save the world, in the most basic language and through the most simple actions. He proves that sometimes the real heroes are the unassuming people doing those small understated deeds.

Exactly. Nice review.

Sara Kay · Post by **Sara Kay** » 12 Nov 2018, 04:36

Miriam Molina wrote: ↑09 Nov 2018, 01:43 What a profound review of the book! Yes, I agree with all your comments.

Thank you so much Miriam!

Sara Kay · Post by **Sara Kay** » 12 Nov 2018, 04:38

Dael Reader wrote: ↑09 Nov 2018, 08:49
He swept aside the image of superheroes performing magnificent feats of power to conquer evil. Instead, this brightly caped boy shows us how to really save the world, in the most basic language and through the most simple actions. He proves that sometimes the real heroes are the unassuming people doing those small understated deeds.
Exactly. Nice review.

Thank you! I'm happy you liked that. It's true hey? I love how the book highlighted that little piece of wisdom.

Joy Boudreau · Post by **Joy Boudreau** » 13 Nov 2018, 09:44

This sounds like a really great positive message for children. I do find it interesting that they described the book as being for children 0–4 learning to read. Typically the earliest children start to understand the concept of letters and words would be 3 years old (much older than that for many children). At that, a book like Hop on Pop is much more suited for the youngest beginning readers. Thanks for the review!

Sara Kay · Post by **Sara Kay** » 13 Nov 2018, 10:34

greenstripedgiraffe wrote: ↑13 Nov 2018, 09:44 This sounds like a really great positive message for children. I do find it interesting that they described the book as being for children 0–4 learning to read. Typically the earliest children start to understand the concept of letters and words would be 3 years old (much older than that for many children). At that, a book like Hop on Pop is much more suited for the youngest beginning readers. Thanks for the review!

It's a pleasure! I completely agree with you and I love your suggestion of Hop on Pop for that age group. Dr Seuss' books are amazing! That one is a perfect example of the simplicity new little bookworms need when they're learning to read at 3-4 years old.