We Are the Keystones, an oversized look at biomes and fauna that bind us

I was at a school for the first time this school year the other day. They were explaining to me the ‘new’ method that they were teaching students on how to write compelling paragraphs. For reference, this class was on-level and in eighth grade. For further reference, all of this is coming forward to a review of We Are the Keystones: Animals That Hold Habitats Together. This is an oversized illustrated book that uses inlay art on its cover, set against the silhouettes of some of the animals that young audiences will meet inside its pages. The cover evokes a Native American vibe due to the massive amount of Earthy tones that are set against a black background. At the same time, the cover encourages readers to trace the meandering rabbit path like Billy from The Family Circus. It’s also oversized, about 40% wider than other illustrated books this young age is accustomed to. The book commands your attention, and pays homage to the three tenants of selling and teaching that my school system just ‘discovered’.

We Are the Keystones is a book whose lush illustrations, concise poetry and conversational STEM sentences make these biomes and fauna relatable to young readers.
Oversized for a reason and it works

Golden Boy-good-time chapter reading for those who think they don’t want to

Golden Boy is kind of like the Afterschool Special that you never saw. The Afterschool Special was usually smaltzy movies that were on ABC ( a television network that Disney purchased….) and usually had soft melodramatic lessons on empathy. They had popular teen actors like John Travolta, Jodie Foster or maybe even Kristy McNichol staring in them. Golden Boy reminds us of those movies, but is a much more lighthearted, comedic version. It’s very easy to enjoy Golden Boy, but it does require you to suspend disbelief and believe that a dog can be transformed into a teen. OK, maybe to some people Golden Boy is the canine and football version of Freaky Friday. However, since that inspiration also starred Jodie Foster and was from the mid-70s, we’re taking the win on the reference. *

Golden Boy is the implausible, silly on the face of it, mglit that you didn’t ask for, but can’t resist reading about a dog that turns into a boy.
Resistance is futile

Claude, wordless allusions on not letting perfect be the enemy of good

Young audiences love chaos and dogs. In real life, chaos isn’t something we want. It’s not something that anybody encourages from young children. Adults want kids to have the illusion of control, but without the inherent threat of physical danger or damaging material goods. Claude is a lovely, almost wordless book about three things that kids love. Dogs. Chaos. Unpredictability. It could certainly be argued that those final two go together, but let’s deal with why kids will dig Claude.

Claude is a wordless book about the fun and chaos a kid, her dog and a paint project can get into when they let down their perfectionist guard.
Don’t let good and fun be the enemy of perfect

My First Seek and Learn: At Home, makes learning Spanish seem like play

No bones about it, full immersion is the best way to learn a second language. Full immersion is also a luxury. If you don’t live in a country where your native tongue isn’t the primary language or can’t afford a school where that’s the modus operandi of teaching, it’s also not an option. This is where you’re thankful for those relatives who still speak a second language fluently or need to seek out books that start at a very young age. My First Seek & Learn: At Home, Mi Premer Busca & Apprende: En Casa is the same either way you say it. It combines the curious element that toddlers have hardwired into their brains and adds a bi-lingual element that will pay dividends for years to come.

My First Seek and Learn: At Home uses common, household words and happy illustrations to make learning Spanish a seek and find, for ages two and up.
Open, abierto el libro y apprendre

Unproven, Unlikely and Firmly Believed-a smart, funny quickly paced book

I read Unproven, Unlikely and Firmly Believed, but didn’t get it. My wife normally reads books with a pastel or a spring-colored spine. Typically these books are about a cute young guy who manages a book store in Maine. There’ a generational corner store in town that’s about to be managed by a cute young girl.  Both of their worlds will be upended when the data center or online warehouse open up its newest facility in the valley.  My wife normally reads books like that, but apparently there was a disturbance in the love and missed-connections book force which meant that she had nothing to read. She looked over at Unproven, Unlikely and Firmly Believed and asked me what it’s about.

Don’t let the conspiracy nature of Unproven, Unlikely and Firmly Believed deceive you into thinking this isn’t smart or fun to read. It’s clever, fast paced, education and doesn’t drag you down the rabbit hole.
Smart, but not too smart in its take on conspiracies

The Sherlock Society Art Attack balances intrigue, family, action and humor

The Sherlock Society: Art Attack, AKA, The Sherlock Society 3 knows its family, and its role. It’s very important to know your role. The Sherlock Society is the literary sibling to City Spies, which is the literary best friend to Spy School. Note that the first two series are related and the third one is RIYL. The Sherlock Society is mid-elementary through middle school as middle school metaphorical manna. Art Attack is a fun, confidence-building romp that’s got travel, age-appropriate relationships, a surprisingly twisty plot and characters audiences will grow along with.

The Sherlock Society 3, or The Sherlock Society: Art Attack, is the answer for upper-elementary, mglit people who want a semi-grounded, great book.
Neatly fits in the upper-elementary through mid-middle school puzzle

Jazzy the Witch in Friend Fiasco is an early go-to girl’s graphic novel

Jazzy is a witch who likes to ride bicycles. She likes to ride real bicycles. These are the pedal-powered bicycles that depend on centripetal force for their turns and are 100% reliant on people to move forward.  Jazzy is also a lot like most kids in elementary school. Friend Fiasco is the second book in the Jazzy the Witch series and is just the charming, low-key, comfort reading that kids in mid through upper-elementary school want to read.

Jazzy the Witch in Friend Fiasco is the second in a very cute graphic novel series for early elementary school and up with puns, action and a soft lesson or two.
Early elementary girls, this one’s for you

What the Road Said is illustrated, message book gold for the ages

One of the popular tropes for parents of high school seniors is to purchase a copy of Oh, the Places You’ll Go. Many of their influential teachers will sign the book. It’s meant to be a look back at what they’ve accomplished, and a glance forward to their post-high school life. What the Road Said, by Cleo Wade, with illustrations by Lucie de Moyencourt, channels the same vibe. It does that, but it’s also a read-aloud parable about the situations and challenges young people will encounter. The book asks realistic, yet vague enough questions that allow any kid to realistically see them asking it. They’re the things that kids secretly fear or openly wonder if they’re weird for thinking about it.

What the Road Said. It has a lesson, but isn’t a message book. It’s timeless, illustrated magic on dealing with life, for ages 5 and up.
A great book says “what?”

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