Thursday 31 January 2013

Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer and Alex T Smith (Scholastic Children's Books)














Look, up in the sky, is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's su...oh wait, no it isn't it's Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero. By day he's a mild-mannered kid who likes to play with his toys and read books - but as soon as the clock strikes twelve he leaps into action, ready to right wrongs, rescue cats from trees and of course save the world!

In this busy, energetic and frenetic book Anne Cottringer introduces us to the diminutive superhero and his knack for being in just the right place at just the right time. Coupled with Alex T Smith's hyper-busy panels packed full of fizzing detail, Eliot Jones makes up for his pint-sized stature by whizzing all over the place like a ginger-haired atom bomb.

I love the retro art feel to this, and of course most children will love a superhero that doesn't spend all his time biffing baddies on the chin. A superhero who is a kid just like they are.

Brilliantly paced and hugely entertaining.

Charlotte's best bit: Eliot Jones E-stamped undercrackers!

Daddy's favourite bit: Lovely retro artwork and an almost crazed energy to it. Definitely one to read to your youngsters when they're running around like mad things rather than trying to settle down before bed.