Monday, April 1, 2013

Bill the Boy Wonder: the Secret Co-creator of Batman by Marc Tyler Nobleman

Grades: 3-6

Who really created Batman? After years of obscurity, Batman’s true
creator is finally credited with the invention of one the most famous
superheroes of all time.

Author Website: http://noblemania.blogspot.com/
     ***NOTE: Some school filters may block this BLOG***

31 comments:

  1. If you are interested in really true stories of people's lives AND want to know more about the story behind the creation of Batman, then this book is for you! It has lots of details and information. The illustrations add a lot to the story. There are comparisons between the first idea of Bob Kane's Batman and what Bill Finger added to it. You might be as surprised as we were when we found out that Bob Kane took all the credit and that Bill Finger didn't make as much money as he should have. Most of the people in our class gave it a 5 star out of 5 star rating! Those who did not were those who were not at all interested in Batman. Mrs. Silverman's 3rd grade class, Winsor Hill School, Johnston, R.I.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This book is about who really is behind the story of Batman. It is about Bill Finger's life who is the person who helped Bob Kane bring Batman to life as a comic superhero even though he never got the credit (or money!) he deserved. Our class was pretty divided when it came to rating this book so we would have to say that it earned a 3 out of 5 stars. We thought the details of the story were tweaked by the comic-like illustrations. We would recommend this book to anyone who would like to know what is really behind the story of Batman or maybe someone who likes superheroes in general. Only they need to remember: this is NOT about Batman. Unlike the fictional character, this is about a factual person. The book may be of interest to people who like to read biographies as well. Mrs. Landi and Mrs. Toppi's Grade 5, Winsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bill Finger is the unknown co-creator of Batman. Bob Kane did NOT do it alone. That pretty much is what this book is about. A third of our class did not care for this book mostly because they are kids who have little interest in superheroes. The rest of the class DID like it because they like Batman stuff, even though this story really isn't about the fictional character so much. Some especially liked this book because they are interested in learning about people and like reading biographies. We found it interesting to see that some people are not who they say they are: Bob Kane is NOT the sole creator of Batman according to this book and the author's research. We recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the true diary of a not-wimpy Batman. Mrs. Farone's Grade 4, Winsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think that book was interesting because Batman is a popular superhero.And that Bill changed his name. Before his name was Milton Finger! That book is one of a kind because Bill was a creative person and that Bob Kane was a little selfish to Bill so really Bill SHOULD HAVE gotten more money because he did most of the thinking and drawing.Out of a 5 star rating I would give it about a...5 because I is interesting and full of details. By Leah

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am not a big fan of this book because I do not have any interest for batman or any other super hero's but I would recommend it to someone that likes super hero's .

    ReplyDelete
  6. Our class liked how the first idea of Batman from Bob Kane changed and grew with Bill Finger's help! A few students in our class really appreciated the puns that were included in the book (Bill Finger used to add puns to his Batman stories on purpose!). This book showed that Bill took time to develop his ideas, even sometimes handing his work in late. We liked how the author researched and told the truth of the story. Also we liked it because we like to learn the true story of things. We thought that the illustrations helped our imagination see things more clearly. They described in detail what the text was saying. Over 2/3 of our class gave this book a 4 star rating out of 5 stars. This book would be good for someone who likes comics, superheroes and puns. Ms. Herchen Grade 4, WInsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  7. Some students in our class didn't like this book because they were expecting more action like in the Batman comics or movies. Others liked the book because it WAS about Batman and it taught us the true origin of Batman. We gave this book a rating of about 1.5 stars out of 5 stars so you can tell we were not that fond of this book. The illustrations were an important part of the story however because they helped our imagination make things more real. They described the past in pictures so we could understand it better. We would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about the true story of the beginning of the Batman character of comics. It would also appeal to readers who like true stories, comics and superheroes in general especially Batman. If you like puns, you might also enjoy finding them throughout this book. Mrs. Aiello's 5th Graders, Winsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  8. About a little less than half of the students in our class did not like this story for various reasons. Some because they were not Batman fans. Others thought that the story made them unhappy because of all the unfairness to Bill Finger and some of the illustrators because of their treatment by Bob Kane. There just did not seem to be enough fun in the story. Lastly, others thought the author should have included more information. Those students in the class that liked the story were Batmanians and liked knowing how he was created. They liked the illustrations for their art quality and how they helped move the story and taught them details about the drawing of Batman, showing us a before and after picture of Batman. We gave it a 2.5 stars out of 5 star rating. We would recommend this book to anyone who likes non-fiction particularly biographies, or like Batman, or just likes cool illustrations. Someone who wants to know how the story of Batman was developed would like this book. They would enjoy how the author turned his research into an interesting story. Mrs. Doutre's 3rd graders, Winsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bill Finger is a creative man. Bob Kane is sort of selfish. I thing bill should get more rewards because he is a kind and understanding man. Leah R Johnston,RI 02919

    ReplyDelete
  10. This book is about the true story of the making of Batman and how even though one person gets all the credit (Bob Kane), he did not work alone. Bill Finger both helped to create the original character and then wrote many of the Batman stories. One third of our class did not like this book that much. Most of them said it was because they don't like superheroes. They also said that there was not enough action in the story so that it was not interesting. The rest of the class liked the story because they like Batman! They were also glad to find out the true story of the making of Batman. They liked the history behind the story. We gave this book a solid 4 stars out of 5 stars. We would recommend this book to anyone who likes comics, superheroes (especially Batman) and wants to know more about the story of Batman. The illustrations in this book were important because they were done like a comic book to fit the idea of Batman. Mrs. Petrucci's 4th grade class, Winsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  11. One quarter of our class students did not like this book mostly because they were not fans of Batman. They felt it was not that entertaining. They felt there was not a lot of action. Some also thought that there were many lies in the book, meaning that Bob Kane was a pretty dishonest person. The rest of the class liked the book because they like Batman. The class likes non-fiction books because they like to learn the history of things. They felt the book had really good illustrations. The pictures were important to the story because it was in picture book format. They help tell the story better. Students also liked uncovering the mystery of who is responsible for the Batman stories. Our class gave it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. We would recommend this book to a non-fiction reader. A person who likes superheroes especially Batman would enjoy this book as well as someone who is interested in the history of comics. Ms. DeConte's Grade 5, Winsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  12. Our class was divided in their opinion of this book. 15 students in our class did not like it for various reasons. Some because they don't like Batman.
    Others because they thought the book was too long and did not have enough facts about what Bill actually did. 11 students really liked the book and felt that it DID have lots of facts and was an interesting story. They were happy that at the end of his life Bill Finger began to have some credit for his work on Batman even though he never got all the money he deserved. They appreciated the truth behind the story. The class thought that the illustrations helped move the story along especially the illustration of the old Batman. WIthout it we would not have been able to see what Bill Finger added. We gave this book a 3 out of 5 star rating. We would recommend this book to a person who likes Batman and other superheroes. A person who likes comics or likes to draw their own would most likely be a fan of this book. If you like informational books you might like this book, too, because it would give you the history of the making of Batman. Mrs. Casey's 3rd graders, Winsor Hill, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think that behind the creations of batman it is cool. By Leah R Johnston,RI 02919

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mrs. Ramm's 4th grade class, Barnes School, Johnston, RI

    This book is about the true story of Batman, how he came to be a comic book character. It is about Bill Finger who helped Bob Kane create the character.but never really got the credit he deserved. 11 students from our class did not like this book very much. Some because they simply were not Batman fans. Others because they didn't think there was enough information about the end of Bill's life. They wanted the book to be more entertaining and exciting. 7 students liked the book because they like Batman. They liked finding out the true story behind his creation and wanted to learn more. We gave this book a 2.5 out of 5 star rating. We felt the illustrations were important to the story because they added details at different stages of Batman's development that we could not get from the text alone. We would recommend you read this book if you want to learn the true story behind Batman.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Our class was pretty much evenly divided in their opinion of this book. Half of the class liked it because they either liked Batman or superheroes in general. They liked learning the facts behind the true story of Batman's creation. They appreciated all the details that were included by the author from his research. The other half of the class did not like the book because they were not Batman fans or they felt that the story was not as exciting as they expected a story having anything to do with Batman should be. They really wanted more Batman and less of Bill. Others thought the story was too sad because Bill didn't get what he deserved. Some girls thought it was more of a boy book. But some boys who did not like the story either disagreed. Because this book was so evenly divided we had to give it a 3 out of 5 star rating. We felt the illustrations were very imjportant because how would you know what Batman would look if you had never seen him before. Plus Bob's first picture idea of Batman was so very different from what he turned out to be thanks to Bill and without that particular illustration, how would you know? The illustrations can stop the frustration of imagining what everything would like in Batman's world. The illustrations add to the text to tell the story. The illustrator tried to copy the style of comic books in this picture book. We would recommend this story to anyone who likes superheroes especially Batman and would want to know more facts about him. This would be great for anyone who still believes that Bob Kane is the sole creator of Batman. Mrs. Sgambato's Grade 3, Barnes School, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  16. This book is about who is really behind the story of Batman. 13 of the 18 students in our class did not like this book very much. The reasons they gave were: not into Batman or comics and they really didn't care very much about how the character of Batman was made. The remaining 5 students liked the book because it was rather short, Batman is a fun guy (they really like the character and comics in general), they like the way the pictures were drawn and they like to hear the truth behind stuff. We gave this book a 2.5 out of 5 star rating. We felt the illustrations were very important to the telling of this story. After all, a picture is worth a 1,000 words! These illustrations helped to tell the story of before Bill got involved and after. We would recommend this book to you if you like Batman, comics or superheroes and think it's good to know the truth behind stuff. This book might be worth your while for its illustrations alone. Mrs. Morel's 5th graders, Barnes School, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  17. The story of how Batman was created and one of the creators who didn't get any credit is the subject of this book. About half the class did not like this book because they either didn't like Batman or felt that there should be more about Batman in the book. Some even thought that the book was more for boys than girls (there were both girls and boys that strongly disagreed!) Some students would have liked more about Robin and the other characters. The students who liked the book mainly liked it because they were Batman fans or because they got to find out about the earlier Batman sketched by Bob Kane. We gave this book a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. We think the illustrations make the book more interesting because they are comic-like. Even the real people have been made into cartoon types. It also included some graphics of other Batman characters. We could see how Bob Kane's first drawing needed lots of help and how Bill Finger added to it because the illustrator made sure it was in the book. We would recommend this book to you if you like learning about how Batman was created. It sort of is a mythbuster about Bob Kane as Batman's creator. Ms. Guadagno's 4th graders, Barnes School, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  18. I really like this book because I really like batman I watch batman TV shows. I give this book 5 out 5 rating. My friends draw comics about batman and make books about him and guess what I`m being for Halloween since I`m a girl I`m going to be Batgirl for Halloween. By the way my dog`s going to be batman. By Haley C Johnston, RI 02919

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think behind all the stories of Batman it is marvolas. Batmanians are good because I like Batman too! Even though I am a girl can`t I still like batman? So out of a 5 star rating I would give it a 5. I think Batman is cool. Bill Finger is a popular man. Leah R Johnston,RI 02919

    ReplyDelete
  20. This book is about Bill Finger who wrote stories of Batman and helped make the character but never got credit for it. Our class liked this book because it was fun! We liked it because we are fans of comics. This was like a 2-books -in -1 book because it had a story but also was a comic. We liked how Bill and Bob's creativity was shown in the book. Also, we are fans of non-fiction. We did feel a little sad about Bill dying without ever getting the credit he deserved. We gave this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars! The illustrations were very important because they not only helped to tell the story but added a lot to it. Bob Kane's original picture of Batman was very different from the improved Bill-influenced version. You should read this book if you want to know the truth about the Batman story, how Bob Kane drew him and Bill Finger told his stories. Mrs. Aldrich's 3rd grade class, Barnes School, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  21. This story is about Bill Finger who co-created Batman and wrote many of his stories but didn't get credit for his work. 14 students in our class did not like this book for various reasons. One student actually said he didn't like books! Most of the others said they didn't care for the book because they don't really like comics or superheroes. Some said there was not enough detail or at least not the kind they wanted. They wanted more action. Some students didn't like the author's comic book style. They thought this book might be better enjoyed by younger kids. The 4 students who liked the book were comic book fans especially those about superheroes and Batman in particular. They also liked the illustrations that focused on the Batman story such as the page about villains. We gave this book a rating of 2 out of 5 stars. Some of the illustrations in this book are very important like the one of the old Batman by Bob Kane. Others could have been left out like the shoe salesman page. We agreed that since this was a picture book, illustrations were helpful. They show us what we can only imagine. We would recommend this book to people who like comics and/or superheroes who might also enjoy Comic Con. Mrs. Romano's 5th grade class, Barnes School, Johnston, RI

    ReplyDelete
  22. Bill, the Boy wonder, was a great read. It's really enjoyable to find out how Batman was created. While you read, it takes you step by step on his journey. I would really recommend this for other people, except if they hated Batman. I'm glad it got picked to take part in this event (RICBA)! This is a great book!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Bill,the boy wonder, is about the real way Batman was created. This book takes you step by step through the world of Batman and his history. I like the way it is created. I never thought Batman was created like this!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I enjoyed this book and am happy that bill Finger finally got some recognition and credit for the creation of Batman. I do however find the book lacking a bit of detail (like where they were inspired to create Batman) and maybe a bit of action. I do love the illustrations and that original batman pictures were shown. I also love the comic book style writing and found it very creative. I would give this book a 4 1/2 out of a 5 and would defiantly recommend it. I am very happy that this book is part of the RICBA.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Do you like Batman and Robin? If you do you should read Bill The Boy Wonder. It is a good book about how Batman came to life. My favorite part was when it told about how he created Batman.




    J.A. gr.4
    Greenbush Elementary School
    west warwick

    ReplyDelete
  26. i love batman so i loved the book about Bill Fingers.The origanal writer of the beloved batman comics.Batman is my favorite comic super hero.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I think this book is great for Batman fans to learn about the secret co-creator of Batman.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Bill the boy wonder was the co-creator Batman. Some one took the credit for one of his ideas. This book is non fiction. I think you should read this book because you can learn a lot like I did not know he was the co-creator.

    Shamarey 4th grade Meeting Street

    ReplyDelete
  29. The reason I read this book is because I love Batman. I wanted to know more about DC and Batman. I had no Idea that there was a co-creator. I would give it a 6 1/2 because the lack of details. I liked the illustrations but the details were not so good. so that is what I thought of the book ''Bill the Boy wonder''


    Aaron. D 4th grade
    grace school, provide RI(meeting street)

    ReplyDelete
  30. I enjoyed reading Bill the Boy Wonder by Marc Tyler Nobleman. It is a biography about a man named Bill Finger. If you like famous people and superheros you will enjoy this book. This book was about the uncredited creator of Batman. The main characters of this book are Bill and Bob. If you have read the book Boys of Steel by Marc Tyler Nobleman you would like this book.

    Travis M.
    Greenbush Elementary School
    West Warwick

    ReplyDelete