May 1, 2017 | Page 2 of 4

The Loud House, Season 1, Volume 1 review and giveaway

Lincoln Loud, you are forgiven. Heretofore, the only episodes that I’ve seen of The Loud House were on YouTube. Unfortunately those episodes are presented with incorrect aspect ratios, bad audio and at a speed just above normal. Our son would come back home (from someone that had cable) and watch The Loud House. It’s the story of a well meaning 11 year old boy, his ten sisters and his best friend. The Loud House, Welcome to the Loud House, Season 1, Volume 1 is available on DVD on May 23.

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New all age comics for May 24, 2017

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Gird your loins parents because the end of school is nigh. For us that means taking the kids to the comic book store on new comic book day to dig into some of the new all age comics. It doesn’t really take much for us to do that, it’s just that in the summer we have to take the kids with us and they really do love it. Here are five all age comics that will entertain readers as young as 5 years old, with a couple that will encourage middle school kids to dig deeper.

Casper

Casper The Friendly Ghost is back in monthly comics from American Mythology Productions. Wendy and Hot Stuff are also along in three all new stories that are great for ages 5 and up. Casper has lots of name value and will certainly register with parents who remember reading the comics back in the late 70’s.

Disney Pixar Cars

Cars 3 is coming to movie theaters in June. Disney Pixar Cars is a new graphic novel that tells the story that happened in the first movie. The art in this book is great and it’ll really speak to reluctant readers-or those readers that are just starting out, but love Cars.

Count of Monte Cristo

Manga is a universe unto its own. We’re just a casual fan of manga, but librarians know the true power or manga and their ability to get middle school students reading. Manga are some of the most checked out books in any library and The Count of Monte Cristo will not be an exception. Classic literature-meh. Classic literature that is word for word produced in a manga-yes. These books from Udon Entertainment will exceed your expectations and possibly make young readers curious about reading the source material.

Science Comics: Flying Machine

Similar to manga, this series of books from :01 First Second manages to make kids legitimately interested in things that might otherwise be challenging. In this case-science! Previously they’ve put out books on dinosaurs, coral reefs, bats and volcanoes. These are science books that are cleverly wrapped in a story based graphic novel. There is as much science as there is enjoyment in reading them. Science Comics: Flying Machines: How the Wright Brothers Soared is about man’s curiosity and history of flight.

Jim Henson Power of the Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal is becoming cool again. Jim Henson Power of The Dark Crystal is a new mini-series from Boom! Studios that will be of interest to readers 9 and up. The content will be fine for ages 5 and up, but the story might be too detailed for those younger readers to keep up with. The art in this comic is fabulous and will remind old school parents just how cool The Dark Crystal is. Middle Earth kids will also enjoy this comic book.

The music in the podcast is from Jahzzar, please check out all of his music at Free Music Archive.

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Action

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, good for ages 10 and younger

The Wimpy Kid book series is responsible for millions of children worldwide wanting to read. It’s a story that families of more than one child can identify with it’s only natural that movies be made from them. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is the fourth film in the wimpy cannon and in this case it’s culled from the ninth book in the series. The Long Haul proves that the adage, “the book was better” is correct, but the film still offers laughs for middle school and younger viewers.

In The Long Haul the Heffley family is taking a road trip Meemaw’s 90^th birthday. Greg and Rodrick have a side plan to attend a con that’s happening a couple of hours away from it. Chaos fun, brotherly love, confusion, mistaken identity, fart jokes, sight gags and ultimately family bonding make up Dairy of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul.

We’re glossing over the plot because anybody reading this who is expecting the film to be a live action Pixar version of a family road trip will be disappointed. However, if you’re 10 or younger this is a film that will meet your entertainment needs and have you laughing on the trip home. It’s a movie that is entirely built for younger audiences-and that’s ok.

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We Are The Dinosaurs is picture book magic for 6 and under

Do you or the kids watch Dinotrux? Its transition from solely being a book to also include television was seamless. Of course a show about trucks as dinosaurs going about their life is entertaining you say now. It might not have thought like that initially though. This is much like the classic song from Laurie Berkner, We Are The Dinosaurs. Unless you’ve had a child go through pre-K in the past 20 years that song doesn’t mean anything to you. However, if you’ve seen your kids stomp, march and roar then it’s probably one of your favorite memories of their school play. Whaddaya think of that?

We Are The Dinosaurs is now a book by Laurie Berkner with illustrations by Ben Clanton and it has a lot going for it. For starters it’s got a built in audience of young readers who know the words and love dinosaurs.

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New all age comics for May 17, 2017

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If there were a theme to the books for all age comics this week it would be fresh. This week sees lots of new books that young readers haven’t seen before in print. They certainly know some of the characters, but they’re new to the comic book format. Let’s jump in and check out five unique comic books that kids 5 and up might like.

Ready to Read: The Great American Story of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang!

This one certainly has the longest title. The Ready to Read series from Simon & Schuster has a book, or series of them for any category that a kid might want to read about. The Great American Story of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang take a look at some of the true trivia that made up one of the classic comic strips of all time. A Charlie Brown Christmas was voiced by some regular kids that lived in the producer’s neighborhood. This readable book has that nugget, plus many others that kids of any age will enjoy and relate to.

The Loud House

The Loud House is one of our kid’s go-to television shows. The Loud House: Fullest House is a graphic novel with brand new stories about Lincoln Loud and his 10 sisters. From the opening credits of this show it feels like a comic book. Now Papercutz has brought the all-but mandatory elementary school cartoon to print in its first stand alone story. If you liked the Free Comic Book Day offering from The Loud House or dig the show, then you’ll enjoy this one.

Yo Kai Watch

Yo Kai are everywhere. All Nate wants to do is protect his hometown from those mischievous creatures, but Yo Kai are everywhere. First the manga and show from Japan, then Disney purchased the television rights and now Yo Kai Watch is in a monthly comic book. The vocabulary is OK for ages 5 and up, but those younger kids will need help reading the bigger words.

Star Wars Prequel Trilogy

This is a graphic novel version of the first three Star Wars films, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Sure kids may know the story, but it’s always fun to read about it too.

Michael Recycle

Michael Recycle is a new mini-series from IDW where he helps the Monarch Butterflies when their flight path from Canada to Mexico is threatened. This has great all age comics style art with a story that’ll speak to nature kids.

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Action/Science fiction

The Adventures of Kung Fu Robot, silly, fun interactive graphic novel

The Adventures of Kung Fu Robot is the online comic and game that your kids (or you….) might have been playing. From the retro feel to its manic action it was only natural that it make the transition to graphic novel. The Adventures of Kung Fu Robot, How To Make A Peanut Butter, Jelly & Kung Fu Sandwich is out, and it’s out with a twist. It’s from AMP! Comics for kids and retains the bright colors and style that fans who loved the online comic, but it also has interactive elements to wow the crowd who are coming at it from a book perspective.

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Bats, Learning To Fly is fun-based education in a graphic novel

One of the great and illusive qualities of non-fiction books, regardless of subject matter, is making it entertaining for young readers. Historical fiction is one way to get kids hooked into a subject. However, much like the disclaimer, based on a true story muddies audience’s reaction to a film; the ‘fiction’ element throws a monkey wrench as to how much of the story is actually true. Science Comics from First Second books doesn’t have that issue. Their latest book, Bats-Learning to Fly is 100% entertaining for upper elementary school and up. They’ll laugh, re-read it several times, learn lots of true facts about bats and maybe ask questions about what else they can learn about.

Bats is a mix between a graphic novel and a book. Its content is all graphic novel. The glossy pages to the overlapping panels of art that are different sized will immediately invite readers into its world. The cover is hardback, durable and built to withstand years of backpack trips, vacations to the beach or being checked out of the library hundreds of times.

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Ride The Rails is can’t-miss railroad fundraising fun in North Georgia

Ride The Rails is a fundraiser for Tri-State Model Railroaders and the Historic Bluff Depot. I didn’t know either of those organizations either. However, what I do know is that kids love trains. At my core, I love trains too. I had model trains when I was a kid, rode the train across Russia for seven days and still enjoy riding the subway. Ride The Rails is just the thing that kids will want to do and see.

The fundraiser takes place Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21 from 10-3 at the Historic Bluff Depot in Mineral Bluff, Georgia. From Atlanta the drive is one hour and forty five minutes away. However, sixty miles into the drive it becomes wooded, with rolling hills, farms along the way and is very pleasant with many optional side trips.

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