Superman: The Story of the Man of Steel

by Ralph Cosentino

It?s a bird! It?s a plane! It?s Superman! All children love Superman, but until now, there hasn?t been a book written and illustrated specifically for the youngest fans of the earth?s greatest superhero. Ralph Cosentino?s The Story of the Man of Steel tells the tale of the caped crime fighter?s amazing journey from the planet Krypton to the town of Smallville, Kansas, to the big city of Metropolis. There he lives a double life as Clark Kent, mild-mannered journalist, and Superman, protector of humanity. Told in simple, child-friendly language and illustrated with bright, bold artwork inspired by the originals, Superman is the perfect introduction to this beloved American icon.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Superheroes, Graphic Novels, Comics, Adventure, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great version of the story for youngsters who are just learning about the importance of the Man of Steel!!!!

[cj · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 5 year loved it, my husband and I thought that the voice was wrong. Superman wouldn't refer to himself as "earth's greatest super hero."

[Savani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I totally forgot I was taking notes while reading that I had to re-read this book back to back!

It was a cute and fun book to read. None of the dark stuff you see in the movies. One of those books you’d want to share with a child if you were trying to get them into Superheroes. I actually purchased a copy to give to a friend that’s a diehard Superman fan.

[Laura]

Cosentino, Ralph. Superman: The Story of the Man of Steel. (2010)

Annotation: Kal- El's parents sent him on a rocket ship from his planet Krypton to Earth. Here he was found by two farmers that adopted him and realized that he had special powers. Now he uses his superpowers to protect Earth, and calls himself Superman.

Theme: Superheros, superpowers, positive choices

Way to use with children: You can use this book to talk about making positive choices and being a good citizen

Recommended ages: 5- 10

[Laura McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to Superman for small children. My 5 year old enjoyed it and the retro illustrations are really neat.

[Teacher. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oversized and bold comic illustrations make this picture book fun for readers of all ages. The story is short and simple telling the fictional story of superman, his background, his powers, etc. Perfect for toddlers and read-alouds.

[Eduarda · Rating 2 out of 5]

O melhor do livro são as ilustrações (também, se não fossem boas era mau, tendo em conta que é banda desenhada). Mas mesmo sendo um livro para crianças e mesmo sendo o Super-Homem achei que a história era demasiado simplista e até arrogante. Vale o que vale.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey kids! Wanna know about Superman? Have your parent or guardian read this book to you. If you get bored with Superman's story just wait until you get to the villain's section of the book. This book will give you youngsters a brief overview of Superman with some classic visuals.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part picture book, part graphic novel... and, if Cosentino's Batman book is any indication, will be wildly popular with little boys and girls who wish they were old enough to read "real" comic books.

[Kristin Fletcher-spear · Rating 4 out of 5]

charlie liked it so much that we had to read it twice tonight. High praise for a two year old.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice history of the Man of Steel for children, with introductions to the major villains and themes that permeate the comics.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun introduction to Superman for young kids. It's probably shelved with picture books, but it's really more an introduction to comic books/graphic novels in format.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relatively non- sexist versions of superhero stories.

[Chris Ferguson · Rating 2 out of 5]

So wanted to like this. The illustrations were a little clunky and inconsistent. I'll read to my 3-year-old for the true test...

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids loved this for Super-Hero Super Storytime! I thought it was going to be too long, but they loved answering me when I said, "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's..."

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to the traditional Superman story.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

My seven year old loved it! It read to me like a nonfiction book, I prefer ones with story lines more.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good for an early introduction to the Man of Steel!
Recommended.

[OwenJS · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was awesome and the illustrations were great. All of it was full color.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first books my son learned to read (or were those words memorized?). Now he reads it to his younger brother and the legend gets passed onto another little superman.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weaker than the Batman and Wonder Woman titles in the series. Fails to convey the ultimate morality and integrity of the character. Still, it is a good introduction to the Superman.

[Katie Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for your budding superhero lover!