SUPERHERO

Maleek is deeply enamored of superhero comic books. Reading about their adventures fuels his active imagination and leads him to create his own. He has a secret identity complete with hidden costume; there’s also a laboratory filled with his invented gadgets. Since every superhero is motivated by the desire to do good deeds, when all the city parks disappear, it’s Maleek to the rescue. With his robot assistant, Marvyn, and a Time-O-Matic-Whenever-Wherever machine, he goes back in time to collect plants. Back home he uses these specimens to create a formula for Gigundo Juice, which he spreads around the city to recreate the parks and save the day. Tauss has created a feather-light tale that celebrates a child’s creativity and offers a positive spin on the comic-book format. Unique black-and-white collage photography captures just the right atmosphere for a super adventure. Bravo, Maleek. (Picture book. 5-9)