Batman - The puppet master's revenge by Donald Lemke

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Raintree Publishers, 2010. ISBN 978 14065215663. Series: Super DC Heroes.
(Ages 8+) When a group of men descend from a small cargo plane at Gotham International Airport, with one of the men wearing a balaklava, then readers know that things must be awry. They are about to pull off the biggest theft in Gotham City's history and when the paintings have been stolen, Batman is called for. The evil puppet Scarface is behind the theft, and he and Batman are old foes. With Batman on his trail, things will be difficult for Scarface to survive, this time.
In a series of small, easily held, hard covered paperbacks novels, the Batman comics rise again in prose form. Well spaced with an easily read font, the print is easy to access by all readers, particularly those for whom print holds some difficulties. With colourful illustrations, an index, clear chapter headings, information at the end about the characters, biographies about the writers and illustrators, a glossary and then discussion questions and writing points, these little books will fill a void for the younger readers, particularly those who have just begun reading chapter books. But the format and content will have wider appeal, filling a niche for older boys who are disinclined to read.
Included in the group I have for review, are the title: Five riddles for Robin, Harley Quinn's shocking surprise, Arctic attack, Emperor of the airwaves, My frozen Valentine, The revenge of Scarface, Catwoman's classroom claws, The man behind the mask, Fun house of evil, Poison Ivy's deadly garden and The fog of fear. Apart from finding a place on a library display spinner or shelf, these would be great in a box in the classroom for students to pick up and read or the teacher to create a unit of work around them.
Fran Knight

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