Written and Illustrated by John Rocco
Rocco, a.k.a. Super Hair-O, is a boy with a big curly quoff that gives him superpowers, or so he thinks. He hangs with a crew of other shaggy superdudes who use their hair powers to perform daring deeds, such as bike jumps and skateboard kicks. What will happen to Super Hair-O’s powers when he is kidnapped, thrown into the back of a station wagon and taken to the villainous barber’s lair? I’m sure young readers will identify with the boy and his group of playground avengers, including the kid who only says “Dude.” They look like a fun group of kids and I’m hoping that we get more stories about them in the future. Despite the ’70s detailing to some of the art, there is a refreshing contemporary feel to the book that matches his last book, Blackout. These feel like real kids you would see at the playground today. Rocco continues to stand out in the picture book world for this reason. Elements of the book are slightly reminiscent of the Ladybug Girl series, but Super Hair-O is more humorous, more inspired by comic book art, more boy-ish, and less didactic. Highly recommended.
Review by Joshua Whiting, Granite School District Library SpecialistMedia Center
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades K and Up
Author Website: roccoart.com
Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom
Written and Illustrated by John Rocco
Disney/Hyperion
32 pages
Release Date: May 21, 2013
ISBN: 9781423121893 (hardcover)
