Thank you Kelly DiPuccio and publisher Simon and Schuster for sending us Super Manny Cleans Up for review! All opinions are our own.
Super manny is saving the world again but this time he’s cleaning up the Earth! Gertie, the hedgehog and Super Manny are faced with the challenge of destroying litter bugs who have taken over the city park! We love how Kelly DiPucchio gives Gertie a bigger voice in this sequel! Every reader will feel empowered to help keep our planet clean after learning how Super Manny and Gertie work together to defeat the litterbugs. We loved the important message this book shares and how tangible Kelly makes it for even the youngest of children to feel helpful! Stephanie’s illustrations bring all those monsters and litter bugs to life so we can imagine just what Manny and Gertie do as they see the world!
Super Manny Cleans Up! is out today!
Kelly was kind enough to answer 3 questions about the book & 3 questions about her.
3 Questions about Super Manny Cleans Up!
What are three words you’d use to describe your book?
Inspiring, sweet & SUPER!
What was your inspiration for writing about Manny cleaning up the Earth?
Like with the first book, Super Manny Stands Up! I wanted to write about another real-life situation that might inspire kids to make a positive impact in the world by tapping into their own unique superpowers. Being kind to the planet seemed like a good (and important!) topic to address in Manny’s second mission.
What was the process you used to determine which animals would play which roles, especially Gertie?
From the beginning I knew I would give Gertie a bigger role and a stronger voice in the second book. In Super Manny Cleans Up! Gertie, not Manny, declares that something must be done to help the environment. I felt it was important to show that Gertie was more than just Manny’s sidekick. She is a compassionate leader who is equally capable of wrangling dinosaurs and taming ferocious lions.
3 Questions about You
If you weren’t a writer, what would you want to be and why?
A beachcomber or a time traveler. Why? The former would be incredibly relaxing and the latter would be extraordinarily cool.
What is one book that has stuck with you since you’ve read it?
Choosing one is very difficult because so many books stay with me forever but most recently one that I keep coming back to is The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken. The line, “Do you see-how with each mistake she is becoming?’ slays me every single time.
What is one item in your refrigerator that tells us about you?
Chia seeds.
To learn more about Kelly and all the other wonderful books she’s written, visit her website or follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
Mamas, I loved this interview! Thanks for sharing! I’m a big Super Manny fan (I mean, really, how can someone NOT be a fan?), and I look forward to sharing this interview with my students (also fans!).