Holy Early Readers, Batman!
You may have noticed in our listings of movie tie-ins, that Harper has developed “I Can Reads” to tie in to both Iron Man and the Dark Knight.
Slate takes a look at this phenomenon in a slide show/essay, “See Iron Man Run; Hollywood Wants to Teach Your Kid to Read.” Tracing the history of early readers, beginning with Dr. Seuss, the article points out what makes a really good early reader, with some great examples. And now, Frog and Toad now have company;
Some of this summer’s hottest new early readers are based on movies like Prince Caspian (PG), Iron Man (PG-13), The Incredible Hulk (PG-13), and The Dark Knight (PG-13). In fact, at many chain bookstores there is now a specifically labeled “At the Movies” tier on the early-reader rack.
The article is aimed at helping parents select good titles and most of the movie tie-in titles fall short, although “some of them are not awful.” I Am Iron Man and Kung Fu Panda: Po’s Crash Course get the best marks.
The author tells parents, “Because there are so many early readers to choose from, I suggest enlisting the help of a savvy librarian or bookseller in the selection process.”
Kung Fu Panda: Po’s Crash Course
- Reading level: Ages 4-8
- Paperback: $3.99
- Publisher: HarperTrophy (April 22, 2008)
- ISBN-10: 0061434612
- ISBN-13: 978-0061434617
