DC Super-Pets!: The Fastest Pet on Earth

The Fastest Pet on Earth by J.E. Bright. Illustrated by Art Baltazar. (Canada) - (US)
DC Super-Pets! series

Pages: 52
Ages: 6+
Finished: Apr. 12, 2011
First Published: Jan. 2, 2011
Publisher: Picture Window Books
Genre: Easy Reader, Superheroes
Rating: 3/5


First sentence:

Jumpa carried Wonder Woman through the jungles of Paradise Island.

Acquired: Received a review copy from Capstone Publishing.

Reason for Reading: Ds read aloud to me for his reader.

This new series "DC Super-Pets!" is a younger sibling to the already established "DC Super Heroes" series by the publisher. While the latter series is for established, and perhaps reluctant readers, this new series is for emergent or reluctant readers. All six books in the series are at a GR. 2 level with this one being at a RL:2.9. Following the same format as the established series, DC Super Pets uses colourful cartoon graphics for all the sound effect words. It goes on to make the books more appealing to younger readers by using different colours of text for each character's spoken words. There are also illustrations on every page, using a variety of formats from full-page to half-page to single illustrations amongst the text. This may sound crowded at first but the lines of text are double spaced creating a nice graphic display, easily read on each page.

This story features Wonder Woman's steed (not pet) Jumpa who is a Kanga (similar to a Kangaroo) but endowed with a super powered tail and mighty jumps. Kangas are only found on Paradise Island. Unlike the others in this series we have read so far Wonder Woman actually is a character in the story for the first chapter and returns at the final third chapter. Kanga and WW find a nest of tortoises but amongst them is a golden tortoise which is very rare and revered on Paradise Island. A golden Tortoise can enhance the powers of whoever is holding him. Wonder Woman goes off to the temple to tell the others and figure out a way to protect the golden T. while Jumpa is left behind to guard the nestlings. Meanwhile Chauncey the Cheetah has been snooping around Paradise Island looking for a prize to present to his owner Cheetah Girl and he snatches the golden tortoise right from under Kanga. Thus now his super speed is increased by the Golden T.'s powers and the chase begins. But Kanga will have to do more than quick jumping to save the golden T. This is also going to take some quick thinking.

I enjoyed this book as much as the others we've read. The quality is on par and the story is fast-paced and just what you expect from this set of readers. My son says he did not like this one much though. When asked why, he didn't really have a reason. It's not because it's about Wonder Woman. He has a WW action figure with all his other superheroes. After thinking about it, I think perhaps that the super powers of Chauncey Cheetah (running fast) and Kanga (jumping high and fast) were underwhelming to him. He's a superhero fanatic and he has seen way more cool superpowers than to be impressed by running fast and jumping high.

But seriously, not every book is going to impress every kid but I'm still pleased with the quality, content and presentation of this early chapter book series for emergent or reluctant readers.