Tiny Titans vs. The Fearsome Five
This is the first in Stone Arch’s line of Tiny Titans books, reprinting DC’s popular and Eisner-winning children’s title. Characters like Robin, Starfire, Kid Flash, Speedy, Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy—who will be familiar to many young readers from cartoon shows like Teen Titans and Young Justice—gallivant through several fast-paced vignettes focusing on group dynamics and school life. Putting superheroes into real-life situations and environments familiar to the readership is likely to charm, and the humor is well calculated for the age level. The art balances classical cartooning that exaggerates various features, actions, and emotions, with a modern stylization and color palette that exemplifies the motion and energy. The only real downside here is that you get only a single issue’s worth of story, while the softcover collections currently published by DC contain six full issues. Back matter includes character introductions, a glossary, and some educator-targeted visual questions and prompts. Grades K-2. --Jesse Karp