Review of Toni the Superhero

Post by **Alissa Nesson** » 03 Apr 2024, 14:34

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

5 out of 5 stars

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Most superhero stories are about the superhuman feats that these characters perform and the things that they do to save the world. Children look up to these characters as a source of inspiration. In Toni The Superhero, by RD Base, kids get to see a different side of a brand-new superhero named Toni - the way he performs the mundane, every-day tasks we all have to perform to live and thrive in our communities. Toni may save humanity sometimes, but in this book we get to read about what he does with the rest of his time. Not only does he read, draw, and play with his friends, he also rescues animals and helps his mother clean around the house. He’s humble and kind, which is exactly what we want kids to see in the people they look up to. There isn’t much of a storyline in this book, but that’s OK because it teaches kids valuable lessons in a way that’s easy for them to learn. Every child wants to be like their favorite superhero.

Toni The Superhero is written with very young children who are learning to read in mind. The sentences are simple and the format is repetitive, helping new readers become more confident with words they have seen before. The story includes bright, eye-catching illustrations that kids will love, encouraging them to ask for this book again and again. The vivid imagery depicts each activity that Toni is doing clearly, helping kids to associate the word with the activity.

It’s nice to see an African-American superhero because we don’t see many of them in our movies or TV. This may seem like a small thing, but representation matters so much, especially to children. It’s a subtle way of showing us all that no matter what we look like or where we’re from, we can do or be anything. Additionally, we all want to see ourselves in our favorite stories, and African-American children have a good role model in Toni.

This book is well-edited with no spelling or grammar mistakes. This is especially important in a children’s book when kids are first learning the correct way to write. I have nothing negative to say about this adorable book. It’s a wonderful way to teach young children a variety of lessons. Fortunately, this is only the first installment of a trilogy featuring Toni, so stay tuned for more from our new hero. I rate this book five out of five stars.

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Toni the Superhero
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