Why I Picked It Up
This one was selected for my 5-year-old who is very into all things superhero at the moment. We started with Bedtime for Batman, and he was thrilled to find out there were more in the series (ok, I was too!). At first glance, I also liked the bright, bold colors, and the simplicity of the text, which makes it a good read aloud.
Why I Finished It
Good Morning, Superman, as with all of the books Dahl has written in this series, is a very rich read with a ton of imagination. We’ve read it many (many, many) times, and I still catch something new every time we read it. I love books like this!
The text actually narrates two different, parallel stories. As a young boy goes through the process of getting ready for school, the Man of Steel is also getting his own day started. Most kids like to picture themselves as superheroes, and this book does a fantastic job of juxtaposing the exciting life of a superhero over everyday activities, which makes them exciting too! It’s all in how you look at it.
I also liked the morning checklist in the back of the book. If you’re like us, mornings are a struggle. There doesn’t seem to be many things to get done, but they seem to take FOREVER to get done! I was able to point out to my son that even Superman has a routine to get ready for the day. With a little imagination, his mornings have gone more smoothly since we checked this one out from the library!
Who I Would Give It To:
For surface level reads, it’s ideal for lower elementary school. However, it will make a great mentor text for upper elementary in several areas! Also, anyone with kids that have trouble getting going in the morning (maybe it’s just me?).
Integration Ideas:
Compare/Contrast – Visual Literacy
Good Morning, Superman practically begs to have its pictures analyzed! The illustrations add incredible depth to such a simple picture book.
From the way the main characters’ eyes are facing and the direction of movement to the actions each character is performing, to objects in each picture, there is so much to glean!
Take one of the spreads and first just have the students study the pictures, noticing the details. We don’t recommend paid resources very often, but I would HIGHLY recommend Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang as a resource for analyzing pictures. She illustrates several principles of design, including the impact of shape, color, and size of objects on creating an overall image with a certain tone, mood, or message. It’s a great step-by-step resource to help students, even in elementary, begin to develop awareness of the components of the pictures they see all around them and become aware of how the creator of that image has purposefully constructed it to convey certain meanings and emotions.
Then, have students read the words. How do the words illustrate each of the two pictures? What are the words not saying that the pictures show? Students could practice descriptive writing and write a more detailed version of one of the pictures, using the text on the page as a starting point.
This would also be a great opportunity to practice comparing and contrasting the two stories they see in the pictures. You can use a traditional Venn diagram on a piece of paper, or try this nifty (free!) app/online interactive from ReadWriteThink.
Writing – Personal Narrative or Creative Writing
Getting ready for school in the morning isn’t necessarily an exciting event, however, this author has written a whole book about it! Help kids see that they can write about anything! Have students think about their daily routines – maybe getting home from school, deciding what to play at recess, going to a sports/activity practice – what could they explode into their own personal narrative?
If students still think their own lives are boring, ask: What would that part of your routine be like if Superman was doing it? Or Wonder Woman? Or [insert your favorite superhero here]? What would be the same? What would be different?
Use an app like Shadow Puppet EDU or a tool like Storyboard That to illustrate your story.
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