The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man [NOOK Book]

( 36 )

Overview

The first picture book from bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon.

This NOOK Kids Read and Play book features narration, animation and interactivity. Kids can choose to hear the story read aloud and play activities on select pages of the book. Animations replay with a simple tap. Plus, kids can tap to enlarge text and pinch & stretch to zoom in on pictures.
...
See more details below

Available on NOOK devices and apps

  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (NOOK Kids Read and Play)    
A digital children's book with interactive features and embedded audio that can be turned on or off, for use with the NOOK Color reader
$12.99
BN.com price

More About This Book

Overview

The first picture book from bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon.

This NOOK Kids Read and Play book features narration, animation and interactivity. Kids can choose to hear the story read aloud and play activities on select pages of the book. Animations replay with a simple tap. Plus, kids can tap to enlarge text and pinch & stretch to zoom in on pictures.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Chabon (Summerland) ventures into picture books with a tongue-in-cheek superhero story that soars, thanks to energetic and slick illustrations by comics artist Parker. Awesome Man, speaking in companionable slang, describes how he battles villains like arch nemesis the Flaming Eyeball and hangs out with his canine buddy, Moskowitz the Awesome Dog. In regard to his name, he explains, "I'm just basically awesome." But as superhero fans know, great power equals great responsibility: "I have to be careful. I can't start hitting stuff," he says. "I might hurt somebody." When he gets angry, he retreats to his undersea Fortress of Awesome (which looks like a suburban home), sits on his twin bed, and wraps himself "in a ginormous Awesome Power Grip. It calms me right down." Parker (Missile Mouse) usually pictures the hero as an athletic fellow with a shiny mask, trim spandex bodysuit, and impeccable coif, but Chabon drops hints regarding the hero's secret identity, which is revealed in the final pages. Though the story meanders a bit, young caped crusaders and Chabon's adult fans alike will grin at this self-consciously witty portrait. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)
San Francisco Chronicle
"It’s a wonderful celebration of tough-guy fantasies and down-to-earth boyness, perfectly matched with the retro stylings of animated film artist and comic book illustrator Parker."
ALA Booklist
"Chabon’s first-person narrative is that of a boy-zealous, goofy, and antisister-and the story reads like the play-by-play antics of an action figure in a kid’s game."
New York Times Book Review
Praise for THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY: “The depth of Chabon’s thought, his sharp language, his inventiveness and his ambition make this a novel of towering achievement.”
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2—Awesome Man can smash through the time barrier, shoot positronic rays out of his eyeballs, and combat mutant Jell—O from Beyond the Stars. "But don't think it's nonstop fun and photons being Awesome Man. Sometimes it can be pretty hard…." When a superhero feels tired and angry, he can always head for the Fortress of Awesome, where Mom is waiting with cheese and crackers and chocolate milk. Chabon's first picture book discharges delectable language like "several billion kilojoules per nanosecond," "Professor Von Evil in his Antimatter Slimebot," and "thermo vulcanized protein-delivery orb." Things are more likely to skloosh and skarunch than not. Verbiage like this nudges the story into read-aloud territory, and children will be swooping around the room as they listen. But if they stop long enough to peek at the pages, they'll enjoy the way Parker kicks it up another notch with hyperkinetic, hypercolored comic-book action scenes. The depiction of a showdown between Awesome Man and his nemesis—the Flaming Eyeball—is priceless. Readers may notice that there's a moral peeking out from Awesome Man's cape, but they'll still grab this story in their "ginormous Awesome Power Grip" and not let go.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY
Kirkus Reviews

Chabon snags his youngest audience yet with this first-person profile of a superhero who battles both bad guys and anger issues.

Awesome Man zooms about in his stylin' costume, decapitating a giant killer robot with the positronic rays that shoot out of his eyes here, schooling Professor Von Evil's Antimatter Slimebot ("Antimatter slime is extra gross") there. In between, he stops both a disaster-bound train and mutant talking Jell-O from Beyond the Stars with his Awesome Power Grip. But when arch-nemesis Flaming Eyeball gets away, Awesome Man needs a timeout (plus a snack delivered by costumed sidekick Moskowitz the Awesome Dog) to cool off before heading out again to "kick a little bad-guy behind." Awesome indeed is masked Awesome Man in Parker's melodramatic illustrations, cutting a heroic figure as he poses with granite-jawed nobility between bouts with one oversized and luridly menacing foe after another. A.M.'s secret identity remains unrevealed until his closing return to the suburban Fortress of Awesome, but sharper readers may pick it up early from several ingenious verbal and visual clues.

Rest easy, regular people; you supervillains better watch out. (Picture book. 6-8)

Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780062113900
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 9/6/2011
  • Sold by: Harpercollins
  • Format: NOOK Kids Read and Play
  • Pages: 40
  • Sales rank: 23,012
  • Age range: 4 - 8 Years
  • File size: 22 MB
  • Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

Meet the Author

Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon is the bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the Mysteries of Pittsburgh, A Model World, Wonder Boys, Werewolves In Their Youth, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, The Final Solution, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, Maps & Legends, Gentlemen of the Road, and the middle-grade book Summerland.

He lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife, the novelist Ayelet Waldman, and their children.

Biography

In 1987, at 24, Michael Chabon was living a graduate student's dream. His masters thesis for the writing program at UC Irvine, a novel called The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, was not only published -- it was published to the tune of a $155,000 advance, a six-figure first printing, a movie deal, and a place on the bestseller lists. Mysteries, a coming-of-age story about a man caught between romances with a man on one side, a woman on the other, and the shadow of his gangster father over it all, drew readers with its elegant prose and an irresistibly cool character, Art Bechstein, racing through a long, hot summer.

Following this auspicious debut, Chabon penned a follow-up short story collection, then hit a serious snag. After five years of fits and starts, he abandoned a troublesome work in progress and began work on another novel, a wry, smart book about, natch, an author hoplessly stuck writing his endless, shapeless novel! With 1995's Wonder Boys and its successful film adaptation by Curtis Hanson, Chabon found both critical praise and a wider audience.

In the year 2000, Chabon rose to the challenge of attempting something on a more epic scale. That something was The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, the story of two young, Jewish comic book artists in the 1940s. Like Chabon's other books, it explored a relationship between two men and dealt with their maturation. But unlike his other books, the novel was grander in scope and theme, blending the world of comic books, the impact of World War II, and the lives of his characters. It won a Pulitzer, and secured Chabon's place as an American talent unafraid to paint broad landscapes with minute detail and aching emotion.

Chabon's ability to capture modern angst in funny, intelligently plotted stories has earned him comparisons to everyone from Fitzgerald to DeLillo, but he has fearlessly wandered outside the conventions of the novel to write screenplays, children's books, comics, and pulp adventures. Clearly, Michael Chabon views his highly praised talent as a story that hasn't yet reached its climax.

Good To Know

Chabon usually writes from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

He has a side interest in television writing, having written a pilot for CBS (House of Gold) that did not get picked up, and a second one for TNT.

Chabon also has an interest in screenwriting; he was attached to X-Men but dropped from the project when director Bryan Singer signed on. Now he is adapting The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay for the big screen.

After slaving for five years on a book called Fountain City (parts of which can be read on his web site), Chabon finally decided it was not going to jell and abandoned it. At a low point, he switched gears and began Wonder Boys, the story (of course) of an author hopelessly stuck writing his endless, shapeless novel.

Read More Show Less
    1. Hometown:
      Berkeley, California
    1. Date of Birth:
      May 24, 1963
    2. Place of Birth:
      Washington, D.C.
    1. Education:
      B.A., University of Pittsburgh; M.F.A., University of California at Irvine
    2. Website:
      http://www.michaelchabon.com/

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 36 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(16)

4 Star

(7)

3 Star

(7)

2 Star

(3)

1 Star

(3)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 36 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 27, 2011

    Okay...

    The book was just okay. My boys like super heros, so I thought this would be a great book for them. However, the plot is a little strange and there are some questionable expressions in the book. I am a little conservative when it comes to what expressions my children are allowed to use. "What the heck" and "shoot" are not what I consider polite. The book would have received five stars if these expressions would have been omitted.

    13 out of 27 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted September 30, 2011

    My Kids Love It!!

    It is pricey, yet the read and play book has the kids, and myself, laughing and enjoying this together. What more can I ask?! I wonder if there will be another or if this is the only book about Awesome Man! I have a preschooler and a grade schooler - they both like the colors, the words and think it is fun.

    12 out of 14 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 14, 2011

    Fantastic

    My son loved this book. The read to me feature is really cool...

    8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 11, 2012

    Hilarious!

    The story is great, the animation is "super!" I love that Chabon has taken superheroes to the most ridiculous extreme. Buy it, it's worth every penny.

    7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 20, 2011

    Everyone loves it

    Grandma loves the messages this book provides. Six-year-old grandson just loves the story and all the interactive activities. A real winner all around.

    6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted September 5, 2012

    LOVED IT! My superhero obsessed son thinks this book is GREAT! :)

    My sons LOVE this book! It has a really cute story and also some really funny parts. Almost every page is interactive which my sons also LOVED! VERY cute superhero book! :) I highly recommend it!

    4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 7, 2011

    Can't wait to read this!

    Looks amazing!!!

    4 out of 16 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 29, 2012

    Awesome just like the title

    My son absolutely loves this book (AGE 2). He won't let me tuck him in at night without reading it at least once. The activities on the play feature are great as well as there is a decent variety from one activity to the next. I highly recommend this book to spend some quality time with your son or daughter, especially if they are into super heroes!

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 20, 2012

    Chuck norris

    HEY KIDS! CHUCK NORRIS IS WAY AWESOME THAN HIM!
    CHUCK NORRIS CAN DEFEAT ALL OF THE EVIL GUYS,
    WITH OVER 9000 ROUNDHOUSE KICKS! GET THE BOOK NOW!
    ONLY AT YOUR LOCAL BOOK STORE!

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 27, 2012

    Cant open!

    I have complained to barnes and noble twice! I still cant open this book and read it! Asking for a refund. Very disappointed.

    3 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted September 27, 2011

    My two boys love this book! its a bit pricy but it is a good book. The story is worth 5 stars but i gave it 4 stars due to the pricepoint.

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 14, 2013

    fun read from Michael Chabon

    I like Chabon's work and it was fun to stroll through the kids section as I often do and see this! I purchased for the Nook, and it's an enjoyable (though wordy) kids book. Nothing groundbreaking, but taps into the psyche of a boy at play really well.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted September 13, 2012

    My 4 yr old grandson loves this book. So much so that he has pra

    My 4 yr old grandson loves this book. So much so that he has practically memorized the story. This turned out to be a great birthday present!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 25, 2012

    Wonderful super hero

    I bought this book for my four year old son and he loves it. It is his favorite bedtime story. This book has a wonderfully positive message for children and it is quite funny. The inneraction is great. I wish the author would write follow up books for the children to enjoy.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 29, 2012

    Dbvcnjffmg

    BAD AND YAL KNOW IT

    2 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2012

    Looks cool

    I really want to see this book. Looks AWESOME

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 12, 2011

    Great kids book

    I actually got the book for free at this years nyc comic con but i highly remand it. Its the story about a superhero and his sidekid dog. Kids will love it mines did

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 24, 2012

    Whaaaaaa?

    Whaaaaaa?

    1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 24, 2012

    Not working???

    I just spent $12.99 for this and it will not load on my Nook Color!!! What is happenning??

    1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted June 6, 2012

    Not for our grandson

    After reading the book with my grandson, all he said was, "I didn't like the book. They said the word 'awesome' too much!" My grandson is 6 but he enjoys shared reading of Magic Tree House series. This is for a much younger audience.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 36 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)