Super Manny Stands Up!

Super Manny #1

by Kelly DiPucchio, Stephanie Graegin (Illustrator)

New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio and illustrator Stephanie Graegin bring a lionhearted new hero to life in this tender, sparkling story about standing up for what’s right—and finding your inner superpowers.

Every day after school, Manny saves the world from formidable foes.
I AM FEARLESS!
I AM STRONG!
I AM BRAVE!
I AM POWERFUL!
I AM INVINCIBLE!

Zombie bears, evil cloud monsters, and alien robots with laser beam eyes are no match for Super Manny. But when Manny encounters a real-life nemesis in the school cafeteria, will he be able to summon his superhero strength to save the day?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Superheroes, Animals, Friendship, Fiction, Storytime

40 pages, Hardcover

First published July 4, 2017

About the author

Kelly is the award-winning author of several children’s books, thousands of To-Do lists, and a few recipe cards. Two of her books, Grace For President and The Sandwich Swap, were New York Times bestsellers.

Like most kids who grew up in the 1970’s, Kelly had a pet goat and bought all her clothes from the Sears catalog. Like most teenagers who grew up in the 1980’s, Kelly had really big glasses and feathered hair.

Today, Kelly lives with her husband and three children in southeastern Michigan, where she enjoys writing just about everything except her own bio.

Reviews

[Théo d'Or]

What can someone do, when he has nothing to do ? Save the world, of course.

Once upon a time, in the idyllic town of Knowledgeville, where cleverness was prized about all else, lived a bearded entity named tout simplement - Manny.
Manny had a unique gift - he could play chess blindfolded, write Shakespeare's sonnets with his left foot, solve impossible equations, speak languages that do not yet exist, and in his spare time, save the world, or at least the blondes in it. Only three things he could not do - walk on water, Michael Jackson's moonwalk, and the split on two moving trucks.

But one day, à squadron of mysterious blondes arrived in town - the Blond Brigade of Bewilderment. Their mission ?
To challenge Manny's patience , nervous system, erudition, and his elementary particles.
One blonde, named Mindy, clad in a wizzard hat, appeared before him. " Prepare to face the ultimate test, of knowledgeable one ", Mindy said .
Manny grinned, ready to vanquish her doubts.
But misfortune came in the form of questions . Mindy put the first question : " How many moons does Mars have ? "
Manny closed his eyes, deeply concentrating...
Mindy continued : " Can you récite the quadratic formula backward ? "
Manny begins to sweat, murmuring " Uh....e.. hytdcimh...sd..."
Mindy continued : " What's the capital of Ouagadougou ? "
Manny , still murmuring - gnieb....nu..."
" What goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four ? "
A deafening silence falls like snowflakes...

Finally, Manny regrouped and decided to summon his other hidden talents. With a built-in mime, he began imitating Grucho Marx, when he's nervous.
Mindy hesitate for a moment, then say disappointedly - " I'm not a Trump fan, so sorry.."
Manny stood frozen, his superpowers failing him, as he realized that he had consumed his last trick..But suddenly, he had a jolt of hope. Wielding his chess skills, he challenged Mindy to a game.
" I'm not accepting your challenge, before answering my last question , " said Mindy .
With empty eyes, and devoid of any sorrow, Manny begins to murmure a prayer, in a low voice.
And then , Mindy's question falls like a bolt of lightning :
" How can you align the laws of quantum mechanics with the color patterns on this cube ? "
With teary eyes, Manny thinks profoundly. Finally, he decide to make a bold move. He pulled out a marker, and, with a gleam in his eye, drew mustaches and silly hats on the cubes.
" It's okay, from now, " say Mindy. " Our mission has been achieved. If you're planning to save the world again, let us know, don't do it alone, you can hurt yourself. "
The next day, Manny deleted all his posts on blondes, and he no longer save the world without appointment.

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to use to show the importance in using words when standing up for yourself and others.

[Lesley Burnap · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are fearless. You are strong. You are brave. Manny remembers his invisible cape and saves the day. A wonderful story to share with your class or your own children.

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manny wears different superhero capes for different occasions/super powers: blue, red, purple, etc. His most important one, however, is his invisible cape, which is the one he wears to school.

I love how the power of imagination helps give Manny the courage to do the right thing in a social setting, because we all know that can be incredibly hard to do, even (especially?) for adults. My daughter and I had a short but meaningful talk about Manny/the story when we read it, and I found myself hoping that this book might help her do the same thing in a similar situation if she ever finds herself in one.

Be fearless. Be strong. Be brave. Be powerful. Be invincible. And be kind.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! My 4 year old son is at school and learning how to navigate friendships. This book shows kids how to trust their voice and stand up for themselves. The illustrations are beautiful.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to show how kids can stand up to bullies. Go Manny!

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

***All questions answered by my 4 year old***

Do you like this book?
Yeah because I like Superman because he flies. I love superheroes. Can we turn this book into a robot?

What's your favorite part of the book?
I really liked the Alien Robots with the laser beam eyes! They were cool. And the zooooombie bears were scary! I really loved when super manny fought the bad guys! It made me feel sad when he was picking on the hedgehog. It's not nice to be mean to people. Super manny was nice when he told the bad guy to stop!

What do you think of the cover?
I like it. All of it is silly. The raccoon is wearing a cape and a shirt, but not pants and that is just so silly. Why doesn't he wear pants?!

Do you want me to read it again?
Yeah the next day

What Momma Thinks...

This is a great book that shows how people can stand up for others. It shows how to be brave and help others. The art is cute and I loved the "bad guys" that manny was fighting.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Manny is at home, he has different capes he puts on to fight unsavory sea creatures, angry zombie bears, evil cloud monsters and more. He is brave, strong, fearless, powerful and invincible. And at school? He wears his invisible cape that helps him battle mutant monkeys on the playground and other things. But when he hears Big One being mean to Little one, he has to summon up all his courage to confront Big one. But after facing down zombie bears, how bad can a bully be?

I love the idea that everyone can have an invisible cape to help them be strong when they need to be. It's a good idea to talk about with students.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manny has a different colored cape at home for all the various monsters he faces, but at school he wears his special invisible cape. When a bully shows up at first Manny is scared to do anything, but then he remembers his invisible cape.

A fantastic book for kids about standing up to bullies and how imagined bravery can turn into everyday bravery.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 8 year old immediately identified this as the same author as Grace for President. I was impressed!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I start choking up whenever I describe this book to others and sometimes when I’m reading it aloud to my kiddo. A beautifully illustrated story of being brave and kind.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Great message, great illustrations. Great dedication. <3

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the messages in this book.

[Jessica Furtado · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story about finding the courage to do what is right and be kind. This story offers a tale of friendship and courage, and bringing out the superhero in all of us. Kids will easily be able to relate to Manny's vibrant imagination and his desire to bring a heroic attitude to every task. Adorable illustrations make this book really pop. Would definitely recommend to families looking for books to teach kids how to stand up to bullying.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If only everyone would remember to put on their own invisible capes whenever they see bad things being done!
Original way to introduce bullying - it doesn't feel like the main theme until well into the story. It comes more as a punch line.

Stars on the cover have sparkles you can feel!

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manny and Gertie are amazing superheroes defeating yetis, vegetable monsters, and dinosaurs. Then one day they encountered a real life problem. I am bummed out the Gertie didn't even get a nod in the title. She is there on every page doing everything that Manny is doing. Why no mention?

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before school started, we filled our front-facing bookshelf with all sorts of school stories and first-day-of-school books, but our bookshelf only holds so many books... So after the first week of school, I switched it up to focus on kindness and inclusivity. A stand-out from the last month of kindness and inclusivity books has been Super Manny Stands Up! by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin. Have you read this one yet? Read on to see why my girls love it, and why I think it's an important addition to home and classroom libraries!
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Super Manny Stands Up! is the story of Manny, a little raccoon with a big imagination! Each day after school, Manny dons a different cape and fights off various enemies. He smoothly and easily conquers these imaginary foes while wearing his colorful capes, but he saves his most important, invisible cape for school. Most of his opponents at school are also imaginary, until one day, Tall One starts to push Small One around in the lunchroom. At first, Manny isn't sure what to do, but then he remembers his invisible cape and the courage it gives him to stand up...
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My girls love all of Manny's special powers. As with many 4- and 6-year-olds, they love to wear their own capes and masks and pretend to be superheroes. They can identify with his imagination, but they are also inspired by how he stands up to Tall One at school.
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And me? I love this inspiration! I love that we can talk on the way to school about invisible superhero capes and what kinds of powers they can give us. Yes, these capes can help us stand up to kids who are making unkind choices, but they can also inspire us to help others, to keep the school and playground clean, to try something new, and so much more. The conversations that Super Manny Stands Up! have inspired us to have about our very own, very real, superpowers have been incredible and impactful. This is a book worth owning, especially if your children, like so many, love superheroes and dressing up.

[M. Lauritano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something about the title or the cover illustration really made me disinterested in this book. The extruded text, the superhero cape—they felt like things I had seen on the shelves too much lately. But I saw Kelly DiPucchio’s name and figured, why not give it a look? I’m really glad I did.

Manny is a raccoon with a very active imagination which is facilitated by a series of capes. Through heroic play, he builds self confidence that he is able to use in school activities. Most importantly, he dons his super persona in service of another child who is bullied at school. It’s very cute and nicely done.

When I think back on books from my childhood that feature bullying, the emphasis seems more to be on sympathy for the victim and the idea of building a stalwart persistence. In other words, dealing with a bully is no one else’s problem but the victim’s. This might one of the first books I have seen aimed at the picture book age group that encourages standing up for someone else. I like to think if messages like this were more prevalent when I was a kid, school might have been a little easier for me or my bookish friends.

Of course I think it should be said that standing up to imaginary foes is much easier than doing the same with real ones. This might be reflected in the smallness of Manny’s first objection to the bully, but I would have appreciated a bit more emphasis on that inner struggle (as opposed to the several cape-aided scenes of fantastical heroism). Another idea which you might want to toss out to children is that standing up to a bully might go badly, but it’s usually worth doing regardless. Ultimately, the key to putting this jerk pig in his place is that many voices come together to tell him to stop. Manny is just the catalyst. It’s a good model for kids and adults alike.

In short, I’m happy to see an anti-bullying book on the shelves that manages not to be too heavy handed, but instead employs a light and playful touch. Thanks, Miss DiPucchio!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story packs super imagination together with real hero attitude in a tale that empowers kids to become heroes themselves.

Manny might seem like an everyday raccoon, but his collection of super capes leads him to heroic adventures where the imagination knows no bounds. He defeats every foe until the toughest one of all shows up in the lunchroom at school, and Manny has to dig deep to find his superhero pride.

A child's super talent is the imagination, and this book lets that talent soar. Manny is a cute raccoon whose readiness to take on every foe is contagious. Every adventure requires a different color of super cape--something kids are sure to want to imitate. The action unfolds with only a few lines of text on every spread to set the scene. The rest is in the illustrations, and these tell tales all on their own.

The pictures are done with loving care. There are details peppered in to make each glance through the pages a new experience. Although Manny goes up against the most amazing opponents, these aren't true battle scenes. Rather, the illustrations offer a mixture of action, empowerment, tenderness and plain, simple fun, making this a read perfect for young listeners.

All of the power, might and determination to do the right thing come together for a real life, heroic moment at the end. This one moment and the hesitation Manny shows, make it clear how hard it is to show true heroic strength, but it's the closing message that makes this really hit home. This story is sure to bring the super hero inside young listeners to life and have the reading Manny's tale over and over again.

I received a complimentary copy and loved this book so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 3 out of 5]

It certainly was brave of Kelly DiPucchio to construct a picture book, going through page after page, without giving us any context. What problem was there to solve? (Any published book or play usually starts with one, right?)

By contrast, this book began with the same kind of invincibility game, repeating for page after page. Soon this reader wound up with a problem. Or at least a mystery. WHY?

* Why should I keep reading?
* Why was the author expecting any of us to keep reading? Because of a fondness for raccoons?
* Why would we care about a small boy (in raccoon form) playing the same game over and over, page after page?

SUCH A BRAVE CHOICE BY THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER!

What kept me reading? Those illustrations by Stephanie Graegin are adorable, and the narration -- though not inspiring or clever, at least it wasn't cutesy.

So I kept reading. Ultimately I'd solve the mystery of WHY all this posturing and pretending and whatevering.

Then came the first clue: "Manny always saved his top secret undercover cape for school."

Following that, the drama unfolded in a way that may be satisfying to kids who are bullied. (If not impressive to this reader.) (A reader who definitely was bullied, back in elementary school.)

LOOK, IF YOUR PRECIOUS CHILD IS BEING BULLIED AT SCHOOL

Please talk to the teacher.

If need be, talk to the principal.

Following that, until the problem is fixed, sure, this fantasy-fiction book may bring some consolation

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manny has a collection of superhero capes that he wears to fight different foes. He wears his blue cape to fight sea creatures, his red cape to battle zombie bears, and his yellow cape to bring down cloud monsters. Manny always wore his top secret cape to school. It was invisible and he wore it on the playground to fight the monsters there. When a big kid starts to pick on a smaller child in the lunchroom though, Manny didn’t do anything at first. Then he remembered that he was wearing his invisible cape and stood up. It let all of the other children in the room also remember that they could be heroes too!

As always, DiPucchio writes with the ease of a master storyteller. Manny is a delightful new character whose imaginary world also bridges into the real world in tangible ways. His capes are an inventive way of showing this, including his invisible one for school. The scene with the bully is powerful as is the way that the other children stand up once Manny does. It is with one simple protest that bullies are stopped, something we all need to remember.

Graegin’s illustrations create a visible imaginary world for readers to share. The villains that Manny battles in his capes match color with each cape. Manny as a raccoon is a very friendly protagonist and one that children will relate to easily. Make sure to check out the end pages too for even more Manny (and friend).

A heroic new book that will fly off library shelves. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

provides a perfect introduction to summer vacation! It goes without saying that this talented author's work deserves attention, blending word-perfect readability with humor, surprise, and heart.
The premise is perfect for summer, even though it is a school-ish story. Populated by appealing animal characters, Super Manny Raccoon is introduced in a styling display of his many super-power capes, ones that allow him to be fearless, strong, brave, powerful, and invincible against every imagined foe! That could leave Manny feeling vulnerable when he goes to school without a cape, but (and here's the surprise!) he has a SCHOOL cape, an INVISIBLE one! That super undercover cape lets him continue his imaginative fun at school. But one day, the enemy who appears is REAL! When Manny and all all the others in the lunchroom witness BIG bullying small, Manny remembers that he carries his power with him. And it IS a magical power, because when he speaks up in defense of small, other bystanders STAND UP with him and BIG doesn't feel so big anymore.

This book is a perfect launch to summer at playgrounds, library reading circles, and at home. Outdoor play, imaginative play, interactive play were once the default setting for the kids everywhere. Whether the kids in your life are programmed throughout every day of summer or experiencing free-roam bliss, wearing an invisible undercover cape may be just the boost needed to STAND UP to bullies, for themselves and on behalf of others.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

My love of raccoons aside, this is a great picture book for all ages, but especially for young children, to demonstrate how one can and should stand up/speak out in certain situations.

I love the fact that this story features (very cute) raccoons, and I think that Manny's character is easily accessible to young children. I also like how the book touches on more than one theme -- imagination (a cape for every imaginative setting), courage in the face of bullying (kids will understand how this example could apply to them), and friendship (standing up for others, but also finding ways to share in play).

The illustrations are so cute, and I think they emphasize the innocent and simple way in which children view the world. Ex.: "Tall One was towering over Small One and laughing ...Small One seemed to get even smaller" [pg. 19-20].

A good pick for classroom reads on friendship and first day of school.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy: final copy via publisher

Review: Zombie bears definitely caught my attention. How can anyone miss out on zombie bears? Manny is a typical raccoon child who likes to imagine being a superhero swooping in to save the day. I especially love seeing the many creatures Manny has to stand up to each day. It's fun to see the affirmations Manny uses during adventures.

The key part of the story though is when Manny is at school and sees a situation requiring the courage of a superhero. Young readers will likely relate to this bullying type of encounter and could think about how they would respond. This is a book dealing with choosing to step in or be a bystander. Manny is fearful and has to make a difficult decision.

Recommendation: I will be ordering this book because it is a fun story that will open up discussion about what it means to be a hero and how we can do that in our daily lives. Also, remember, it also has zombie bears!!

[Jared White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wonderful. It incorporates a lot of imaginative play (one of my favorite things in books) in a wonderful way. Sometimes the practice and courage we gain through battling pretend monsters and having grand pretend adventures helps give us the courage to do those things in real life.

I love that how Manny defeats some of his imagined foes is not by always battling them, but sometimes reading to them and playing games with them. I also love how the rest of the family is going about their everyday routines in the midst of his adventures.

Manny conquers all sorts of creatures with the help of his magical capes. One day there is a big bully at school who starts to pick on someone much smaller than they are. At first Manny is intimidated into silence and inaction but then remembers all the more scary foes he has defeated and stands up to the bully after all, which leads others to stand up as well.

I left off the final star because, though I like how everyone ended up confronting the bully and putting a stop to his teasing...the bully is then, in a sense, gained up on and left alone. Yes, that's sometimes needed to put a stop to bullying, but sometimes the reason the bully is bullying is because the bully is scared, alone, and doesn't know how to make friends. But I suppose that's too much to deal with in a short picture book, isn't it?

Overall, a wonderful book that I plan to use in a story time. Fun, great pictures, good text, and an even better story.

[Bookjeannnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be in every elementary library, every primary classroom, and every family. Manny has a different colored cape for every foe he fights...aliens, zombie bears, unsavory sea creatures, forests giants, and even evil cloud monsters! But he saves his favorite cape for school....his invisible cape. But will he be brave enough to stand-up to a bully in the cafeteria? At first he freezes, says nothing, does nothing. But then he remembers his invisible cape! “And then he did the bravest, most courageous, kindest thing he ever could have done. He said: stop it.” His small but brave gesture inspires the rest of the students to stand up to the bully, too. Teach our children well, my friends!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manny loves wearing different colored capes and pretending to be a hero. He fights off "unsavory sea creatures," "zombie bears," and "evil cloud monsters." As he defeats these and other villains, he builds up his self-confidence. "I am invincible!" he says, "I am powerful!" Those feelings come in handy when he sees someone at school being bullied and stands up for her. It was "the bravest, most courageous, kindest thing he ever could have done."

This is a wonderful story. Manny has such a strong imagination, and his "top secret undercover" cape that he wears at school comes in very handy. Parents, teachers, and guidance counselors can read it with children and talk about the importance of standing up to bullies rather than being passive bystanders.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just in time for the start-up of a new school year, this cute picture book has a great message about being brave and standing up for kids that are being bullied. Manny has a wardrobe of capes that he wears at home to fight off an amazing array of enemies: ocean monsters, zombie bears, alien robots. But when a smaller animal is bullied in the school lunchroom, will he remember that he's wearing his invisible cape and that he's still "Super Manny"? This would be a fun read aloud to share during the first days of school and would help to start a conversation about standing up for others.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the concept here of an invisible cape, to help a boy be a super hero even when he isn't allowed to wear an actual cape. I also liked that this invisible cape concept helps to remind himself that he can be a superhero when needed, even when it means standing up when someone is being bullied. I also liked the non-preachy way of saying that standing up for someone is something that superheroes do (not just fighting super villains or evil aliens and so forth). Suitable for families and school groups, but not for toddlers.