Batman: The Joker's Apprentice

Based on the popular FOX TV series, The Adventures of Batman & Robin, a colorful original adventure is certain to bring reading pleasure to fans of the Dark Knight.

Kindergarten-Grade 3?Two books that use the characters and settings from DC Comics to teach moral lessons. In Batman, young Jeffrey thinks the Joker is cool. When the villain takes him along on a real criminal caper, though, the boy changes his mind. He learns that "Hurting people isn't funny at all," and helps Batman and Robin catch the crook. In I Hate Superman, James idolizes the superhero until Superman catches his big brother in an armed robbery. He then paints anti-Superman graffiti all over the neighborhood until the man of steel himself sets the boy straight with a lecture about heroes. Full-page drawings are clear and bright, although they lack the stylized drama of the actual comics. Didactic and predictable story lines will likely bore children familiar with the more sophisticated comic books. Younger readers may be drawn in by the popular and recognizable characters and the use of modern kids as protagonists. These titles do not have the violent action that disturbs some parents. Aside from the initial appeal, though, the stories are too flat to engage and retain the interest of most youngsters.?Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library,
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 3^-5. The story is on the lame side, but the art is excellent in this book that falls somewhere between a picture book and a graphic novel. Eight-year-old Jeffrey decides that Gotham City's worst nightmare, the Joker, is pretty cool. In fact, Jeffrey wants to dress up like the Joker for a costume party. On the way to the event, Jeffrey runs into the Joker, which at first is a thrill and later a disaster when the villain tries to get him involved in one of his nefarious schemes. There should be an edge to this tale, but the text is flat with dialogue like this from Jeffrey: "I know what you are like now. My mom and dad are right about you after all." However, the artwork, slick and shiny with an airbrushed look, captures the spirit of both the Batman comic books and the movies. This may have special appeal for reluctant readers of a wide age range. Ilene Cooper