Batman: The Story of the Dark Knight
Grade 1-3–The right combination of bold illustration, large lettering, and action-oriented storytelling makes this original tale perfect for young superhero fans. In simple first-person narrative, Batman reveals his secrets, describing his reasons for fighting crime and highlighting his archenemies. The text infuses humor in the form of onomatopoeia and one-liners. Cosentino's stylized art is reminiscent of mid-20th-century pulp comics with bold lines and shading. Several illustrations include monochromatic backgrounds featuring enlarged Benday dots à la Roy Lichtenstein's Pop Art. From the bat wings depicted in the grillwork of the Wayne Manor gate to a rat perching on a Gotham City trash can, the layering of different elements and textures adds great interest to the pictures, and the details will draw children back again and again. The layout tends toward that of a picture book with full pages and spreads, though a comic-book aesthetic is maintained by the frequent use of borders, word boxes, and sound effects. Series of panels number no more than four, making it easy for children to follow the action. Humor is also found in the facial expressions of the characters as they are foiled by Batman. This well-constructed and effective introduction to this hero and comic-book elements will have children revisiting the Dark Knight until the pages wear thin.–Kim T. Ha, Elkridge Branch Library, MDCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.