Review of Toni the Superhero
Posted: 20 Aug 2024, 20:12
[Following is a volunteer review of "Toni the Superhero" by R.D. Base.]
“Toni the Superhero” by R.D. Base is a children’s book written for early readers. It takes you through a day in the life of Toni, a young boy who is both a superhero and enjoys ordinary, everyday things. Toni enjoys playing outside with friends, helping his family clean the house, and having fun with various activities throughout the day.
There were a handful of things that stood out to me, which I appreciated about the book. One aspect I particularly liked is that Toni is depicted as a child of color. I have a two-year-old daughter, and of the many books she has, very few feature a racially diverse cast. Racial diversity in children's literature is crucial for social development and equality, and as someone who is multiracial myself, I really appreciated this.
I also appreciated the vibrant colors of the book, the depictions of healthy food, exercise, and the completion of chores. The verbs used throughout the book, such as "run," "swim," or "play," were all simple enough for young children to understand. I shared this book with my daughter, and though she cannot read yet, she was able to point out the different foods and activities. The book is short enough to keep a young child’s attention as well. Sometimes, if a book is too long, my daughter will lose interest and push it away, but “Toni the Superhero” kept her engaged from beginning to end.
If I could make recommendations for the author, I would note that, with the exception of one image, the walls of Toni’s house often appeared empty or somewhat bland. I might recommend adding paintings or artwork of animals, boats, airplanes, or something that children can point out to help them engage with the book as they read through. The windows throughout the book often appeared blank, with no scenes of the outside world, such as birds, trees, or the sun, visible through them. Even when playing outside, aside from the grass, there were often no trees, birds, squirrels, or any sort of flora or fauna. I would consider adding some of these details to bring the story to life. At one point in the story, the kitchen floor takes up a significant portion of the page; in this case, it may help to orient the image upwards to keep children’s attention.
Though there are a couple of areas that may be worth improving, overall, I appreciated the content of the story, the depicted racial diversity, and the vibrant artwork. Toni was relatable in the activities he engaged in. Each page was inspirational and morally instructive. The story was easy to understand and appeared to be professionally edited. For these reasons, despite my minor critiques, I am giving “Toni the Superhero” 5 out of 5 stars, and I really look forward to future installments of Toni’s story!
******
Toni the Superhero
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
“Toni the Superhero” by R.D. Base is a children’s book written for early readers. It takes you through a day in the life of Toni, a young boy who is both a superhero and enjoys ordinary, everyday things. Toni enjoys playing outside with friends, helping his family clean the house, and having fun with various activities throughout the day.
There were a handful of things that stood out to me, which I appreciated about the book. One aspect I particularly liked is that Toni is depicted as a child of color. I have a two-year-old daughter, and of the many books she has, very few feature a racially diverse cast. Racial diversity in children's literature is crucial for social development and equality, and as someone who is multiracial myself, I really appreciated this.
I also appreciated the vibrant colors of the book, the depictions of healthy food, exercise, and the completion of chores. The verbs used throughout the book, such as "run," "swim," or "play," were all simple enough for young children to understand. I shared this book with my daughter, and though she cannot read yet, she was able to point out the different foods and activities. The book is short enough to keep a young child’s attention as well. Sometimes, if a book is too long, my daughter will lose interest and push it away, but “Toni the Superhero” kept her engaged from beginning to end.
If I could make recommendations for the author, I would note that, with the exception of one image, the walls of Toni’s house often appeared empty or somewhat bland. I might recommend adding paintings or artwork of animals, boats, airplanes, or something that children can point out to help them engage with the book as they read through. The windows throughout the book often appeared blank, with no scenes of the outside world, such as birds, trees, or the sun, visible through them. Even when playing outside, aside from the grass, there were often no trees, birds, squirrels, or any sort of flora or fauna. I would consider adding some of these details to bring the story to life. At one point in the story, the kitchen floor takes up a significant portion of the page; in this case, it may help to orient the image upwards to keep children’s attention.
Though there are a couple of areas that may be worth improving, overall, I appreciated the content of the story, the depicted racial diversity, and the vibrant artwork. Toni was relatable in the activities he engaged in. Each page was inspirational and morally instructive. The story was easy to understand and appeared to be professionally edited. For these reasons, despite my minor critiques, I am giving “Toni the Superhero” 5 out of 5 stars, and I really look forward to future installments of Toni’s story!
******
Toni the Superhero
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
