"Boy - am I glad to see you!
I have to swim in deep water
today, and I'm scared.
Can you use your superpowers
to help me?"
What an adventure for a boy whose comic book hero is Robo-Kid!
Opening pages show Robo-Kid saving the city from a dangerous asteroid; it is what he is accustomed to doing. In accompanying illustrations which help frame the story, Henry with his canine pal providing close comfort is reading his Robo-Kid comic book. Mom calls; Henry needs a minute to finish. He slams the book shut as his mom becomes impatient.
The slam causes discomfort for Robo-Kid and his own robot canine pal. In parallel stories, Henry heads uneasily to his swimming lesson while Roby explains to his family that saving the day (every day) has become routine and quite boring. Something's missing. Roby notices Henry in the real world and climbs up and out of the comic to check on him. The adventure then turns to spreads in the here and now.
"Yes - it's me!
The famous superhero!
I'm here to save the day.
You look worried.
How can I help?"
Henry can't believe his great good fortune; the two spend the swimming lesson supporting one another - in a role reversal of sorts. What a confidence builder for Henry! The final page shows the end result of their time together within their own nuclear families. What a day!
Ms. deGroat does a fabulous job of artfully creating dual worlds based on a shared experience. Her engaging, detail-rich illustrations invite careful consideration of every spread. The contrast between the two worlds makes for a warm-hearted read. In the end, young readers will understand that both Henry and Robo-Kid have proved their worth when it comes to the work of superheroes.
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