Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom
Given the gigantic bouffant a young Rocco is sporting in his author shot (not to mention our main character’s name is “Rocco”), we’re probably safe assuming this is based on a true story. Character Rocco believes that his unruly hedge of hair is responsible for his superpowers—you know, upside-down tire-swinging, bicycle jumps, and the like. Together with his three wildly haired friends, they are a force of justice, until Rocco is “captured” (in the family station wagon) and dragged to the “villain’s lair” (the barbershop), where he is removed of most of his hair. He tries hair replacements—leaves, a mop, his dog—to no avail. His similarly shorn friends are just as dejected, until a chance to save the day on the playground proves that they are more than their dos. Rocco (Blackout, 2011) does not let a single illustration go by without an emotional undercurrent: the superhero world is backgrounded by biff-pow cartoon textures while the hairless adult world is a pale gray. Great fun, and that aforementioned author photo serves as the surprise ending. Grades K-2. --Daniel Kraus