My sister is a superhero by Damon Young

cover image

Ill. by Peter Carnavas. UQP, 2016. ISBN 9780702253928
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Sisters. Family. Bedtime. In wonderful rhyming couplets, the story of the little girl and her amazing sister will resonate with the readers as the story affirms the close bond between sisters. Each line opens with something that other sisters do,
'Some sisters roll in carts, under jacaranda trees
Some sisters ride their sleds over waterfalls that freeze
Some sisters glide on scooters next to lanes of tooting cars'
ending with 'But my sister... '
and children will hoot with laughter at seeing the things sisters do and what the superhero sister does, calling out the rhyming word in the last line. The sisters at the start of each line do fairly ordinary things compared with the superhero, but children will love to recognise things they do together.
What a wonderful affirmation of family life, of siblings, of one sister looking out for the other, reading and telling stories to her at bedtime. Carnavas' illustrations reflect a variety of funny situations engaging the reader readily with their humour, complimenting the words on each page. Children will love searching out what happens in each illustration and seeking out the superhero and her sister and the things they do together. This is a wonderful addition to the other two by Young and Carnavas, beginning with the hilarious, My gran is a Ninja, and following with My pop is a pirate, both characters making a reappearance in this book, along with a curious hen.
I do like the endpapers with the superhero and her sidekick in superhero poses. Another reason to like this book so much.
Fran Knight

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