SuperJoe Does NOT Do Cuddles

August 1, 2021
Everyone knows that superheroes can do just about anything, but SuperJoe needs his mother to know that they do not do cuddles...well, usually. In the space of one day, SuperJoe, a child with brown skin and dark brown locs, rescues tourists from a ferocious and hungry tiger, stops a runaway train, and saves people "crossing over a collapsing bridge, over a raging river, deep in the jungle"--each potential calamity engineered by his nemesis, the Gray Shadow. Before he sets out on each mission, SuperJoe manages to dodge his mother's attempts to get a cuddle. However, at the end of the day, when SuperJoe is tucked in tight and ready for bed, there is just one thing that can help him fall asleep: a hug from his mom. He asks her not to tell anyone about the cuddle; after all, what would the Gray Shadow think? Readers will be amused to note, though, that, unbeknownst to SuperJoe, the Gray Shadow (depicted as a blond White child) is accepting a maternal hug at exactly the same time. The cartoon illustrations are bright and lively. When SuperJoe is on a mission, the illustrations appear in blocks and panels like a comic book or graphic novel. Readers will appreciate the illustrated easter eggs that point to SuperJoe and the Gray Shadow's imaginative playtime together. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet story about a child's active imagination, friendship, and independence. (Picture book. 4-7)

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September 1, 2021
Grades K-2 In this hilarious tale about a little Black boy coming into his own, readers meet SuperJoe, an amazing child with a vivid imagination. Joe is ready to grow up, and that means he no longer thinks he needs coddling or hugs from his mom. However, that does not stop his mom from giving advice, directions, and lots of love. He loves pretending he's a superhero, and, as SuperJoe, he fights tigers, stops trains, and battles his nemesis. But in the end, he discovers that he does need hugs and his mom after all. The takeaway that you never grow too old for a mother's love is sweetly incorporated without becoming saccharine. The lively illustrations mix spot art, panels, and full-page artwork to captures SuperJoe's imaginative adventures and loving homelife. Splashes of red, yellow, and rich purples appear throughout the book, further signaling action and dramatic scenes for the reader. Texts that pair well with this selection include Keith Negley's Tough Guys (Have Feelings, Too), 2015, and Jennifer Adams' Goodnight, Little Superhero (2020).

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