This was an interesting take on super heroes. Manny has many capes. Each one reminds him of something different like “I am strong”, “I am powerful”. At school he wears an invisible cape that helps him help others. This story was nice. I can see it being used in anti-bullying lessons for years to come. ( )

At home, Manny uses his imagination to pretend he is a superhero battling off all kinds of foes. But when someone at school starts showing bullying behavior, can Manny pull up all the courage he gained during make-believe to use it in real life?

This was a sweet story about a child (well, in this case a raccoon) showing positive attitudes and behaviors from creativity to standing up for others. What's particularly nice is that once Manny refuses to back down from the bully, others follow his lead, showing how one person can turn the tide. While the story clearly has a moral, it is also fun along the way, not just didactic. In addition, he superhero theme is definitely one kids will enjoy. The illustrations in the book are excellently done and help to expand on the story (i.e., they show how Manny battles off the monsters during his pretend play).

My quibbles with the book are:
- even though the characters are all animals, the named ones are all male;
- the two "named" characters besides Manny are actually just called "Tall One" and "Small One," which displays an astounding lack of creativity and/or faith in children to 'get it' without being directly told (despite the book otherwise abounding in both); and
- in the back of my head is a fear that even the mild insult of "weirdo" that Tall One uses will be the bit that some children end up taking away from the story, even though the positive message should be the overwhelming one.

Overall, however, I found the book and its message enjoyable enough to recommend this book for preschoolers and elementary school-age children. ( )

good book about bullying ( )

Every day after school Manny put on a different super-hero cape and defeated the enemies summoned up by his imagination. In his games of make-believe he routed alien robots, zombie bears and evil cloud monsters. Then one day, in the school lunchroom, he witnessed Tall One bullying Small One. Frozen at first, Manny had to remind himself of his super-special invisible cape, and then he felt strong enough to stand up to the bully...

A sensitive depiction of a young child's imaginative games, and how they aided him in facing a real-life challenge, Super Manny Stands Up! addresses issues of bullying, courage, and the power of setting a good example. I particularly liked the fact that Manny's courage, in standing up to Tall One, inspires his classmates to do the same. Sometimes (not always, but sometimes), all it takes is one person speaking up. The artwork by Stephanie Graegin, done in pencil and ink and then assembled digitally, capture the imaginative world of Manny's make-believe games - I liked the fact that his imaginary foes are colorful but see-through - and the solid reality of his school encounter with Tall One. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about bullying, and about finding the courage to stand up for the bullied. ( )