Tom Strong Collected Edition Book 1

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Tom Strong Collected Edition Book 1

Author: Alan Moore

Quote: I should tell you that although I've never much liked hitting women, I do quite enjoy punching fascists.

Why you should read this book: Sending his character from the dawn of time in one direction to decades hence in the other, but mostly covering the whole of the twentieth century and paying homage to the history of the comic book with every device, Alan Moore presents us with his vision of the perfect man: Tom Strong, Science Hero. With more gear than Batman and a healthier outlook on life, Tom Strong is the kind of guy who takes a break from fighting criminals to go home and marry his childhood sweetheart, from whom he never strays; in fact, she and their daughter, along with a steampunk robot and a surgically enhanced gorilla all use technology and intelligence to battle the Science Villains who constantly threaten Millennium City, where airplanes are outdated and everyone travels by cable car, personal blimp, or jet pack. It's a very intelligent and deft bit of silliness from a guy who probably understands the graphic medium better than anyone else.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You were a member of the Comics Code Authority in 1954.

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Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

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You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

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Dragon's Library

Saturday, January 12, 2008