Book Review: Ironman: A New Hero

With the new Ironman movie set to be released in theaters, some of the promotional material is coming out in the form of books. While I wouldn’t really recommend that a young child see this movie (my brother opted not to let Lil B see Ironman during a recent trip to the theater – they saw Horton Hears a Who instead), I find it particularly interesting that there is plenty of advertising and marketing geared towards a younger audience. While I don’t think it is necessarily fair to make a kid excited about a movie they’ll never get to see, the books are at least age appropriate.

When you look at the superhero aspect of the Ironman storyline, the series really is marketable to a wide group of people. Adults can get their movie and kids can enjoy the toys and the books. Still, I fear some of the marketing may make the movie seem like it is suitable for a pint sized audience, and by all impressions I get from the trailer, it’s not.

Release Information:
Ironman: A New Hero was released on April 1, 2008. The movie has yet to be released so it is safe to assume that Ironman: A New Hero was released to help promote the movie and get the hype up for it. The book, which is recommended for children aged 3-7 was released by Harper Collins Kids. It can be purchased at your favorite local bookstore or online at Amazon where it retails for $3.99 with the eligibility for Free Super Shipping!

The Ironman: A New Hero Plot
This is a quick retelling of the Ironman story. This story explains who Ironman is (Tony Stark). This also explains who Tony Stark is, as well as why he built the Ironman suit. This book is a short read with lots of pictures. The illustrations are incredibly dynamic. The illustrator, Marcelo Matere did a remarkable job with the comic book style drawings he offers.

Ironman: A New Hero is 21 pages in total. There is not much more than a paragraph per page so it isn’t overly intense reading for the young child who is reading this book. Basically, the story takes on the age old theme of good versus evil. The story is filled with action that revolves around the fact that the plans for his iron suit have been stolen. Ironman eventually has to take on Iron Monger, who wants to use his suit for diabolical purposes. Ironman is upset because his suit is supposed to be used for good, so a battle ensues.

I think kids will really like Ironman: A New Hero. I don’t know if it is just me, but the pictures really remind me of Turbo Man from the movie Jingle All the Way. In some of the pictures, it looks like Arnold was the inspiration for Ironman. For all of the books I’ve seen about Ironman, these look the closest to the Ironman that is presented in the movie.

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Technical Aspects
For the age group, this book is perfect. A 3-4 year old isn’t going to be able to necessarily read this book on their own but 5-7 year olds should be able to tackle the short, to the point sentences. While the material isn’t dumbed down, it isn’t so difficult or complex that a child will be confused by what they are reading. Overall, the writing style is reminiscent of a comic book so kids who are comic fans are going to love this and those that aren’t will want to get into comics!

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Bottom Line:
While I am not one for advocating any form of violence in the 3-7 age range, I think that the positive storyline shines through much more than the battle sequence does in Ironman: A New Hero. There is a lesson to be learned in this book and the story was made to suit its audience without making it lame or unbelievable. I really think kids are going to like Ironman.

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Technorati Tags: Ironman, A New Hero, Harper Collins, Kids, children books, preschoolers, elementary school, picture book, reading

Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
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Ashtyn is in her early 30s. She is a mother, writer, college student, and music lover. Ashtyn has had a successful career as a writer since 2003. She turned to blogging in 2005. Ashtyn attends Wright State where she is getting a degree in Psychology. She has extensive knowledge in SEO and Social Media Development.