Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?

I received a copy of this book from the LibraryThing early reviewers program. This is a rhyming story which is sure to appeal to children in the 3-5 year age range. The text is fun to read, and the colorful illustrations are filled with lots of action and humorous details.

I noted the sister was pretty much along for the ride and did not get to be the super hero. In many, but not all, of the illustrations, the sister had a worried or confused look on her face and did not appear to be having as much fun as her brother. The exploration of a girl being a superhero was neglected in this book. The overview written on the book jacket says “Every little boy and girl has a super hero somewhere inside just waiting to come out”, so it was disappointing to see the sister placed in such a secondary role. This may give the book some added appeal to a boy, especially a boy that has a little sister, but it may also be a turn off for a young female reader.

Each page has a question and the next page contains the rhyming answer. One page did break from this format, and answered the question with another question. While this could possibly disrupt the flow of the book, it can also provide a nice resting point for an adult to discuss the questions presented. “Do super heroes have to fix what they break?” “Even when it was a silly mistake?” This could be an on going discussion in a household with an energetic 3-4 year old.

I get what the author was trying to do around superheroes -- show different ways of being "super" and normalize it to some extent, and also help good behaviors along by associating them with superheroes. In theory the book was targeted both to boys and girls, but in practice, it was aimed primarily at a boy -- the boy was the protagonist, and the girl (his sister) is just an observer. That's unfortunate, and unnecessary -- the book could easily have showed the boy and the girl each having superhero issues, for instance. Sadly this distracted from my family's enjoyment of and appreciation for the text.

LibraryThing Early Reviewers book.

As posted on Outside of a Dog:

The world of children’s playtime is one that is well traveled in realm of picture books. The depth and scope of a child’s imagination is wonderful fodder for a story. One book that comes immediately to mind is Antoinette Portis’ Princess Super Kitty (along with her fantastic Not a Box and Not a Stick). Children can make almost anything into a game, and it is with this spirit that Carmela LaVigna Coyle has brought us her newest title, Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?.

Well, do they? The text asks us if “super heroes take teddies along for the ride”, which is, of course, “something super heroes get to decide”. Judging from Mike Gordon’s playful illustrations, the answer is yes. The book takes us through an exhausting day of play with our little super hero and his long suffering (but fully committed) family as he makes use of his blanket and cardboard boxes, eats his vegetables, makes a mess and cozies up for a good book (not necessarily in that order).

Coyle, well known for her series of Do Princesses… books, turns from princesses to super heroes, both boys and girls, but the results are much the same. There is fun and laughter and family togetherness in this title, covering a wide range from being scared of the dark (“Not after a hug and a kiss nighty-night.”), to Earth friendly awareness (a very nice two-page spread filled with ways to save the planet). Coyle’s rhyming question and answer style suits perfectly and is show more very easy for reading aloud. I particularly appreciate the relationship between our super hero boy and his little sister. There are bumps, especially when brother breaks the fish bowl (bringing to mind Edna’s admonishment from The Incredibles: “No capes!”), but all together they have a playful bond that is nice to see.

Little boys and girls that are gobbling up my Batman and Spider-Man (yes, girls read comic books, too) will love this title, and I think their parents will find a warm, comfortable book to share with their children. I have a feeling this title will fly off the shelf. show less

I get what the author was trying to do around superheroes -- show different ways of being "super" and normalize it to some extent, and also help good behaviors along by associating them with superheroes. In theory the book was targeted both to boys and girls, but in practice, it was aimed primarily at a boy -- the boy was the protagonist, and the girl (his sister) is just an observer. That's unfortunate, and unnecessary -- the book could easily have showed the boy and the girl each having superhero issues, for instance. Sadly this distracted from my family's enjoyment of and appreciation for the text.[return][return]LibraryThing Early Reviewers book.

I received a free copy of Do Superheroes Have Teddy Bears in the mail yesterday. I had forgotten it was coming and it was a great surprise! I read the story to my son at bedtime last night and we all (daddy included) loved the book. The singsong rhymes are playful and hold a child's interest. There were several concepts that required some thoughtful problem solving. The illustrations are beautifully done as well. I think this book would make a great read aloud for children of all ages.

A cute picture book about super heroes. On each lefthand page, a question about suer heroes is asked, such as "Do super heroes make capes with blankies and string?" or "Do heroes always eat their carrots and peas?". The righthand page gives a rhyming answer, such as "We can turn blankies into most anything" or "Open your mouth for the airplane, please?". Questions and answers cover common topics for toddlers, from food to bedtime. Each page has colored illustrations of the respective scene. I love that the super heroes depicted are boys and girls, with a super hero teddy bear also included for good measure. The end of the book encourages children to be their own heores. The book comes with four stickers, two with the teddy bear super hero, two with "hero" and space for a child's name. I recommend this book to all parents of little super heroes!

This was a cute little picture book. The story is told in a question and answer format as the little sister asks for guidance from her big brother. The pictures really sold it for me. There was lots of action going on in addition to the words. For example, the goldfish kept losing its fishbowl and being rescued in different ways. Covers lots of day to day situations like eating your vegetables and going to bed. Do superheroes have to do that?

Using the same concept as Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots but this time Super Heroes for the boys. The idea at the end that there are other types of heroes not just super heroes is a nice one but I think will be lost on most kids. Still I've always liked these... You can be anyone you want to be but you still have to do the dishes.

Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears? is a fantastic children's book with great rhyming and beautiful illustrations. It shows that children, whether a hero or a super hero all have responsibilities and creative imaginations. It is a fun book that will be easy for beginning readers to eventually read on there own, or would work great as a read aloud in Early Childhood classrooms!

I didn't realize I was sent a book to review until I arrived this arrived in my mailbox! What a wonderful story! Readers (or listeners) will enjoy the rhyming words which make it a great read aloud. The wonderful illustrations will easily hold a child's attention. I read this to a 3 year-old and 7 year-old who both throughly enjoyed the book and asked to hear it again.

I think this book is very cute. My 3 year old son really liked it, but probably didn't understand everything. My 6 year old son thought it was too short. I'm guessing the book is geared toward a 2-4 year old though, so I would say it's a success.

I really liked the drawings and the overall message that you don't have to be a "super hero" to be a hero.

In this rhyming story, a boy and his family explore different questions about superheroes, as he runs around in a cape and his teddy in a mask. Though I enjoyed the illustrations, the text was very arbitrary and didn't make much sense. This is not a book with a plot, but just a series of questions and answers. I also didn't like the fact that the younger sister was in every illustration but didn't get to do anything.

The is a cute book. I love it because of it's predictable, rhyming text. I appealed to many of my 2nd graders when I shared it with them. All kids have that dream of superherodom, but still need that security of a blanky or teddy. So much fun!

Answers the "frequently asked questions" by children. Bright color illustrations make this a joy. Author and illustrated both have a fine understanding of how children think. Our family is happy to add this book to our library!

I received this book as an early review. I would recommend the book for pre-school through first grade students. It has great illustrations and a fun rhyme!

"Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears" is a very cute book with wonderful illustrations. It is a great book for beginning readers and it has great rhyming which makes it a fun read aloud book.

Another great book from Carmela LaVigna Coyle! I love her rhyming text and the illustrations are excellent. My storytime toddler's will love this one!

A great children's book with wonderful illustrations. Good for helping children with reading and fun content. I loved seeing what pictures were created to go with book content.

I didn't realize I was sent a book to review until I arrived it in the mail! I teach kindergarten and can't wait to read this book to my class! I can think of a few kids specifically that it will really speak to, but I think all will enjoy the story, rhyming, and fun illustrations. After I read it to them, I'll update the review with their thoughts!