Review by Booklist Review
There is always a need for a superhero, and Little Jumbo the elephant is more than ready for the job if only he could get his cape to behave and people to appreciate his talents! The role is harder than he expects, and things like superspeed and secret identities are not always celebrated, especially when they create mishaps. Koehler's text plays straight man to his illustrations, which create the most humor as our masked hero determinedly rescues popcorn meant for the birds, helps snails cross the street, and accidentally destroys the contents of a refrigerator while showing off his superstrength. Koehler uses minimal background, focusing on Little Jumbo's antics, and the use of black pen to outline the characters emphasizes their actions. The linear nature of the environment suggests order in a disorderly, but very funny, series of events. Pair with Ed Vere's Max the Brave (2015) for another tale about a sweetly bumbling, well-meaning little hero.--Ching, Edie Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Little Jumbo, the cute little elephant from How To Cheer Up Dad (2014), is back, this time making mischief in the name of his superhero alter ego, Super Jumbo. Once again, Koehler's narrator is firmly aligned on the side of his hero, while the pictures tell another story: when Super Jumbo's father discovers that his son has ransacked the refrigerator and made a barbell out of two watermelon halves and a broomstick, the narrator notes, "No one seemed to appreciate his super strength." After Super Jumbo has "tirelessly crusaded" his way into being a nuisance (disrupting traffic, chasing a cat up a tree), the neighborhood is ready to revoke his cape and mask, but Super Jumbo still has one friend who thinks he's pretty super. Although this story veers a little too much into sitcom territory, Koehler's artwork continues to impress: his thick black outlines give his characters a reassuring emotional groundedness, and he finds the comic sweet spot in each composition, such as when Super Jumbo flattens himself on the crosswalk as he helps a snail family across the street. Ages 3-5. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-This companion to How to Cheer Up Dad (Dial, 2014) plays up the humor of Little Jumbo's life as a superhero. From acting as safety patrol while a family of snails crosses a busy intersection to assisting a cat complete its mission of climbing a tree, no task is too small and no creature is so insignificant as to be disregarded by Little Jumbo. Though he may mistake the good guys for the bad guys, misuse home goods as crime-fighting tools, or inconvenience the majority of the town's residents in performing his good deeds, there are the rare occasions when Little Jumbo is able to successfully come to the rescue. When Little Jumbo encounters a child crying over a broken wheel on a red wagon, he overcomes his weakness for sweets and helps repair the vehicle, earning a friend and sidekick. This heartwarming story is full of humor. Especially noteworthy is the use of a gray patterned texture that resembles elephant skin, which appears throughout the artwork for floors, walls, and backdrops. VERDICT This story begs to be read aloud. A terrific purchase for storytime collections.-Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A small elephant's superhero ambitions leave unintended chaos wherever he goes. The determined Jumbo, in gray overalls, takes a creative approach to being super: he hoists barbells crafted from two halves of a watermelon, fires a plumber's helper from a curved bow, and sports a bright yellow cape and eye mask cut from the middle of the living-room curtains. Messes abound in his wake. Out in the neighborhood, Jumbo stops traffic (assorted animal pedestrians and drivers) for a small parade of snails. He brings a ladder to "help" a cat up a tree. He shoos birds away from popcorn scattered by an elderly elephant in the park. These deeds go unappreciated, as the young audience will guess. Yet faced with the opportunity to be of real assistance, sweet-toothed Jumbo resists the call of the wares in the cake-shop window. He hurries to help, has just the right tool at hand, and makes a friend. Koehler's chunky, bold lines and varying perspectives are comical and lively, while the simple text offers several moments of nicely silly contrasts between the elephantine wannabe superhero's intentions and his results. Amusing vignettes of the superhero on the title page, verso, and dedication page offer glimpses of Jumbo's challenges. A box of Jumbo cookies makes its appearance early on and reappears several times before the end. Broadly entertaining. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
