Give Boys Super Reading Powers

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

23 Mar 2011 11:56 PM

In many ways my 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old nephew are like two peas in a pod. They both enjoy racing Hot Wheels, collecting rocks and pretending they are wolves in the wild. However, when it comes to books, the path splits and while one willingly devours tales of whimsy, the other heads for the hills in hopes that a stray title doesn't accidently fall in his lap.

It is a well-known myth that girls excel at reading while boys, due in large part to their superior spatial awareness, kill at math. And so it goes with my two cuties. My daughter is a certified book worm while my nephew has no use for tomes other than stacking them up to create a makeshift launching pad for his rocket ships. Well, that was true until...

Until HarperCollins sent me a bunch of books that made my nephew reconsider his aversion to reading. Once he laid his eyes on the likes of Superman versus Mongul, Transformers: Hunt for the Decepticons: Prime Target and Spider-Man and the Movie Mystery, two words: "moth" and "flame."

The little boy who would much rather send a book into flight rather than open its pages and see where the words and his imagination could take him, has a new love: Superhero books.

If you are looking for a way to get your tough guy to flex the muscles in his brain, then tempt him with these titles that will surely hone his superhero reading powers:

Superman Classic: Superman versus Mongul

There is no shortage of action in this 32-page paperback that is filled with eye-popping pictures pitting the Man of Steel against Mongul, the evil space villain. The possessed alien creature wants to destroy Metropolis, and is well on his way when Superman steps in and sends the bad guy packing.

The book is a Level 2 Reader, which is perfect for beginners and those who are still learning how letters become words. Younger kids may be unfamiliar with some of the book's vocabulary, such as "cyclone" and "cosmic," but the vibrant illustrations help fill in the blanks. The pictures are far from cartoonish; rather, they are rich, movie-like and compelling. If you have a Superman fan in your family, then this book is a must-have addition to your home.

Transformers: Hunt for the Decepticons: Prime Target

This high-octane story includes amazingly dynamic illustrations. Pull back the book's cover and it's as if you have been transported to a living story board for an upcoming animated Transformers TV show. The plot is exciting, but not so complicated that young readers would get lost.

In the book, bad guy Megatron forces good guy Optimus Prime into a pickle involving a massive magnet, which interferes with his ability to change from truck form to Autobot form. Kids will get a kick out of how good defeats evil in this engaging read.

Spider-Man Classic: Spider-Man and the Movie Mystery

Spider-Man never looked so good in this adventure that finds our web-shooting superhero trying to rescue a damsel in distress. The damsel is actually Peter Parker's gal pal, Mary Jane, who just happens to have landed the lead in a major Hollywood movie. Things are only rosy for a short time as the wicked special effects wizard Mysterio lets his jealously get the best of him and kidnaps an unsuspecting M.J. Will Spider-Man save the day by rescuing his alter ego's beloved from the vile clutches of Mysterio?

Kids don't even have to be good readers to find out. The stunning illustrations that give the story a comic-like feel provide all the answers.

Superman versus Mongul, Transformers: Hunt for the Decepticons: Prime Target and Spider-Man and the Movie Mystery can be found at HarperCollins.com as well as major book stores across the country.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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