The Big Book of Superheroes

Is It Hard to Become a Superhero?

Yes! For starters, you need the perfect superhero name, a secret identity, a cool costume, and a burning desire to fight evil.

But where are you going to get all that? Right here, inside The Big Book of Superheroes!  It will teach you everything you need to know—including how to get mind-blowing superpowers. (They’re good for your self-esteem!) This hilarious book also tells how to:

  • battle costume wedgies
  • find a good battle cry
  • defend yourself from preschooler supervillains
  • interview and hire sidekicks
  • customize your Secret Lair

The Big Book of Superheroes even explains how to become a super-genius! (I’d explain it here, but you wouldn’t understand yet.) In these pages, you can snicker at superhero humor, snort at the Ten Lamest Superpowers, or just sneeze if you’re allergic to its super-awesomeness.

Reviews

“This book promises to teach readers how to defend themselves against pre-school villains, invent a satisfactory battle cry and decorate secret lairs… Fans expect nothing less of author Bart King, whose sense of everything silly and sublime remains intact [and makes] this book funny and useful.” —Brandy Allport, The Florida Times-Union


The Big Book of Superheroes offers a tongue-in-cheek guide to adventure and all things heroic. King mixes superhero lore with tips on how to be a superhero … This highly browsable book [has] entertaining black-and-white comics peppered throughout. This is … an excellent addition to library and classroom collections.” —School Library Journal


“Bart King’s amazing, amusing book [is] geared to girls and boys… Youngsters learn how to choose a superhero name, identify their special powers, dress the part and interview a sidekick… The how-to narrative invites reader interaction through interlaced quizzes, cartoons, dynamic fonts and playful experiments.” —Mary Quattlebaum, Washington Parent Magazine



“When I found the The Big Book of Superheroes, I knew this would be perfect for my superhero loving kids. Ninja style, I left it on the kitchen table.

‘What’s this, mom?’ my son asked, thumbing through the book.

A half hour later he was still sitting there reading, an occasional giggle or snort escaping from his throat. Then his brother snatched it away. The book kept my sons entertained for days.” —KidLiterati


“An awesome book about how to become a superhero. Hilarious! Rating: Five out of five bookworms.” —Erik Weibel, This Kid Reviews Books


“This heavily illustrated book covers all of the basics about being a superhero. Comic superheroes are analyzed and quoted, there are quizzes and activities… and amusing sidebars abound. … I can see this being a good book to give to a ten-year-old at the beginning of the summer… this would be an awesome resource and a great jumping off point for a lot of activities. Just remember not to jump from very far up!” —Ms. Yingling Reads



“This book is the superhero’s bible… King uses text, lists, asides, blue boxes of comic facts, activities, pop quizzes, and comic illustrations, which all keep the book hopping and kids interested… This is a substantial book filled with enough superhero information to keep a middle grader’s nose between the pages for hours… Reluctant readers will find The Big Book of Superheroes a great choice for summer reading. [It’s] entertaining on every page.” —Kid Lit Reviews


“It’s super fun! This book is chock-full of info, along with quizzes, crafts, and comics. It’s tongue-in-cheek and even downright silly… but always entertaining. Kids will lap this up, while you’ll enjoy dipping into it. Think of it as Everything You Wanted to Know About Superheroes and How to Become One (But Never Thought To Ask).” —Joanne Fritz, My Brain on Books


“If you are looking for a book to give a ten-year-old… look no further than The Big Book of Superheroes… I found myself enjoying the book so much that I summoned my younger child to sit next to me on the sofa so that we could enjoy it together. He was hooked, and it went off to camp with him the next day… What I really loved about this book was that Bart King has a lovely dryish wit to his style, laughing at absurdities while still treating this whole superhero thing and its long history more or less respectfully… It’s great.” —Charlotte’s Library