Even Superheroes Have Bad Days

by Shelly Becker, Eda Kaban (Illustrator)

Overview

"Full of action and vibrancy. . . .A good way to soothe bad days away.” —School Library Journal

When Superheroes don’t get their way,
when they’re sad, when they’re mad, when they’ve had a bad day . . .
. . . they COULD super-tantrum, they COULD but they DON'T,
because REAL Superheroes just WOULDN'T—they WON'T!

All kids have trouble getting a grip on their emotions, sometimes—even young superheroes! But what do they do when they’re having a bad day? Colorful action-packed illustrations and a dynamite rhyming text reveal the many ways superheroes (and ordinary children, too) can resist the super-temptation to cause a scene when they’re sad, mad, frustrated, lonely, or afraid. From burning off steam on a bike or a hike, to helping others, this energetic picture book has plenty of fun ideas to help kids cope when they’re feeling overwhelmed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454946595
Publisher:	Union Square Kids
Publication date:	01/24/2023
Series:	Superheroes Are Just Like Us
Pages:	36
Sales rank:	37,215
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Shelly Becker is the author of Sterling’s Even Superheroes Have Bad Days (a 2018 Blue Spruce Award nominee), which Kirkus called “an action-packed romp,” and Mine! Mine! Mine!, which has been included in many top five and top ten lists of books to teach the concept of sharing. In addition, Shelly is the author of more than fifteen children’s novelty books. She lives in Toronto, Canada. Follow her on Instagram @shellybeckerbooks.
 
Eda Kaban was born and raised in Turkey and studied illustration in the US. Her work has appeared in a wide variety of publications and her illustrations have been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, Creative Quarterly, American Illustration, and 3X3. She lives in Oakland, California, with her husband. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @petiteturk.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Shelly Becker’s Mine, Mine, Mine!:
“The book will enchant young readers and their parents for many years to come, and is destined to become a modern classic.” —Children’s Literature


“These hypothetical violent spectacles are softened by the cartoonish stylizations and juxtaposed with pages filled with heroic, ‘true’ efforts such as rounding up criminals and providing fun at an amusement park. . . . the relative scarcity of superhero picture books means there's a place on the shelf for it. An action-packed romp." —Kirkus Reviews

“When superheroes have bad days, things could get horrific for everyone. Fortunately though, superheroes have supercontrol over their emotions, according to this lighthearted exposé on how a group of superheroes deal with their frustrations. Superheroes could cope with their bad days by tossing trucks and buses around, crumbling buildings into rubble, or igniting fires with their laser eyes. But instead, they double down and use their superpowers for good deeds, such as hatching ‘super-plans to help banish world sadness / Building fabulous theme parks for giggles and gladness’ The eight superheroes, depicted in a retro cartoon-style, embody an abundant assortment of powers and come in various sizes and shapes, including both genders plus one green, horned monster. Scenes envisioning the chaos and mayhem they could cause if they let their tempers get the better of them are balanced by calmer scenes of the celebratory events that result from their good deeds . . . a spoonful of superheroes certainly helps the message go down.” —Booklist

“This narrative is filled with diverse characters, from caped crusaders to badly behaving villains. . . . The art is done with digital tools to create a cartoon appearance, full of action and vibrancy. VERDICT A suitable read-aloud choice to acknowledge intense feelings and diversify superhero collections. A good way to soothe bad days away.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

10/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—Everyone has a bad day now and then—even superheroes. In this tale, readers see superheroes with great skills, abilities, and strength succumb to ill moods. Nonetheless, "upset superheroes have all sorts of choices…./Instead of destruction and loud, livid voices/they burn angry steam off with speed-of-light hiking/or super-Xtreme outer space mountain biking." The text acknowledges all the damage that the heroes could inflict, but "with great power comes great responsibility." Readers learn how these champions channel their energies in positive ways. This narrative is filled with diverse characters, from caped crusaders to badly behaving villains. However, the rhyming story is long and somewhat forced. The art is done with digital tools to create a cartoon appearance, full of action and vibrancy. VERDICT A suitable read-aloud choice to acknowledge intense feelings and diversify superhero collections. A good way to soothe bad days away.—Briana Moore, Elmont Memorial Library, NY

School Library Journal

2016-06-22
Superheroes deal with their emotions.What happens when the empowered have a terrible day? Becker posits that while they could go on destructive sprees and wreak havoc, the caped crusaders and men and women of steel harness their energies and direct it in constructive ways. Little readers filled with energy and emotion may learn to draw similar conclusions, but the author doesn't hammer home the message. The author has much more fun staging scenes of chaos and action, and Kaban clearly has a ball illustrating them. Superheroes could use laser vision to burn down forests and weather powers to freeze beachgoers. They could ignore crime sprees and toss vehicles across state lines. These hypothetical violent spectacles are softened by the cartoonish stylizations and juxtaposed with pages filled with heroic, "true" efforts such as rounding up criminals and providing fun at an amusement park. The illustrations are energetic and feature multicultural heroes. The vigorous illustrations make this a read for older children, as the busyness could overwhelm very little ones. While the book's formula recalls How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? and its many sequels, the relative scarcity of superhero picture books means there's a place on the shelf for it. An action-packed romp. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews