Wonder Woman for Kids

Both Stone Arch and Harper's I Can Read series have recently tackled the origin of Wonder Woman. Both do a good job with the story and offer a nice balance of old and new. (Stone Arch also has additional adventures of Wonder Woman; details at http://www.capstonepub.com/product/9781434226518.)

Dahl, Michael. Trial of the Amazons. Illus. Dan Schoening. DC Super Heroes: Wonder Woman. Minneapolis and San Diego: Stone Arch Books-Capstone, 2010. 56 pp. 978-1-4342-2263-3

Retells the origin of Wonder Woman and details how the Amazon princess Diana, by showing “not only bravery and strength, but also […] kindness, fairness, and self-sacrifice,” proved herself worthy of being her people’s emissary in the outside world (43). Her mission, as it has always been, is to aid humanity in its ongoing struggle with the war god Ares and, as Diana vows, “lead the mortals to peace and harmony” (18).

Dahl’s story also includes two nods to older fans of Wonder Woman. First, Diana is prompted, at least in part, to leave her home in order to see a wounded pilot (obviously meant to be Steve Trevor), whose plane has crashed nearby Themyscira, returned safely to his home, and, second, Dahl makes use the Invisible Jet as one of Wonder Woman’s tools to be employed in achieving her goals.

The book concludes with brief histories of Hippolyta, Diana’s mother, and of the Amazons, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts



 

Stein, Erin K. WonderWoman: I Am Wonder Woman. Illus. Rick Farley. I Can Read Level 2. N.p.: Harper-HarperCollinsPublishers, 2010. 32 pp. 978-0-06-188517-4

Stein’s Wonder Woman: I Am Wonder Woman is an account of Wonder Woman’s origins and career as told by the hero herself. Princess Diana of Paradise Island, seeking “to fight for justice,” wins a contest among her Amazon sisters to be the gods’ champion in the world, for, as she explains, “Mankind needed someone to keep the world safe” (9, 6). 

As Wonder Woman, Diana is granted a variety of powers and tools, including the Invisible Jet, to achieve her mission. 

In keeping with popular conceptions of the character, Wonder Woman also describes her life as Diana Prince, her mundane alter ego, and in further homage to the television show, notes how she spins to effect a transformation between her two identities. 

The final pages show Wonder Woman in action and describe her relationship with fellow heroes Superman and Batman.