Real Friends by Shannon Hale is really wonderful for 8 and up

Sometimes on the podcast we’ll talk about examples of the graphic novel as art form. To listeners that don’t read many graphic novels or comic books that might seem like hyperbole, but it’s not. Graphic novels are designed to entertain, while a very others make you think, teach lessons or possibly change your behavior-while at the same time being entertaining. Real Friends, an original graphic novel by Shannon Hale, with illustrations by LeUyen Pham manages to do that in one of the most surprising books that you’ll pick up this year.

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Cars 3: Driven to Win review and giveaway         

Have you seen Cars 3 yet? If so then you know there are a couple, gentle curves to the story of Lightning McQueen, Radiator Springs and the handful of new cars that are introduced to audiences. The film is also solidly entertaining and the very rare G-rated movie that the whole family can enjoy. Cars 3: Driven to Win is the video game companion piece for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch™ and Wii U™ that takes the plot from the movie and extends it to your game console.

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Boudreaux’s Butt Paste stops diaper rash cold

I partnered with Life of Dad and Boudreaux’s Butt Paste® for this campaign, but all opinions are my own. Expectations and milestones. These are things that parents and DIY homeowners will toast with equal celebration and dread.  When you first move into a house it’s no big to paint a room. Fast forward a couple of years and that room begets a tree that need chopping down, dry wall that has to be patched and a lawn that needs to be mowed every week for nine months. The milestones for a child are different. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste® can be key to knocking down a big one for children, diaper rash.

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Dash is a front row seat to watching your kids learn STEM-and love it

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.  STEM is where it’s at. Parents with kids in elementary through middle school have been hammered with the memo that any aspect of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) will be a huge part of their life and success. To that end, Dash is here to help children aged 6 and up become excited about technology and coding to a level that makes it one of the best children’s computer products we’ve ever seen.

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Why does being a dad rock? #ThanksBaby for these reasons and more

I partnered with Life of Dad and Pampers for this promotion. A politician once said, there are known knowns and known unknows.  That’s a riddle, parable for parenting and political babble all mixed up in one. With Father’s Day upon us it’s time to say #ThanksBaby for making us dudes into people who we otherwise wouldn’t be.

Prior to being a father I was just a guy trying to figure things out. Even after our first son was born I didn’t know what I was doing. Now that our second born is five I feel like I know more than I did the first time, but we’re dealing with an entirely different person, so things are different. Two years from now I’ll look back where I am currently and willingly acknowledge that I didn’t know anything.

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New all age comics for June 14, 2017

Welcome to another week where there are some truly stand out comic books. The new all age comics this week are geared more towards boys, but don’t let that keep girls 9 and younger away from seeing them. That’s especially true for these five releases that highlight some of the diversity in this week’s new all age comics.

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Cars 3

This film gets the quality right in the Cars franchise and makes its film predecessor come off like a cheap cartoon. Cars 3 graphic novel essentially tells the story of the current film, so don’t read it first unless you don’t want to spoil the surprise. And that’s the hook; there is a twist in the film that people might not see that totally works. Even with that aside Cars 3 is a winner and this graphic novel will take kids through the story at their own pace.

Legion of Super Heroes Bugs Bunny

Last week saw the 2000 re-release of the Bugs and Supes mash up. This week has Legion of Super Heroes, Bugs Bunny. The premise is classic Bugs Bunny. He falls asleep in his rabbit hole that is on Clark Kent’s farm, but this time a robot from the future is beside him when does so. The robot blasts him to the far away future where the super heroes are expecting to see Super Boy from the past, but instead meets Bugs Bunny.

Kid Sherlock

It’s Sherlock and Watson, set in elementary school. This take is so different that it doesn’t qualify as ‘Muppet babies’ for us. This is fresh, quirky and clever stuff that just might encourage young readers to dig into the source material Kid Sherlock will be OK for any age, but kids older than 6 might need help reading it on their own.

Plants vs. Zombies

It was last year when comic creator and workaholic Paul Tobin stopped the monthly Plants vs. Zombies comic book. Dark Horse said that they’d produce original graphic novels with Zomboss and Crazy Dave and Plants vs. Zombies, Volume 7, Battle Extravagonzo is here. Kids 7 and up will love this series. They’ve played the game and the comic book is even better.

Star Wars Color By Numbers

Have Star Wars, will color. Star Wars, Color By Numbers is meant for young adults and older. Shade away and color from episode 1 through Rogue One. Look for this with the books or order it online for easiest delivery.

The music in the podcast is from Ending Satellites. It’s some of the best stuff we’ve heard this year, listen to it without us talking and it’s even better.

 

Humor

 

 

Despicable Me coloring book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superhero

 

 

 

Turtles

Action/Science-fiction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Father’s Day book idea bound to entertain: The Bourne Initiative

We partnered with Grand Central Publishing for this post. All thoughts are our own. The book is better than the movie; we’ve all heard that phrase. But what about those instances where the films are really good too? That’s the case with Bourne. The classic and bestselling book series created by Robert Ludlum have their 14th book coming out in time for Father’s Day. The Bourne Initiative continues the story of Jason Bourne, who has proven to be one of the most popular characters in contemporary fiction, as well as on the big screen.

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National Geographic Kids sets their 10th Guinness World Record

This is a sponsored post-all thoughts are our own. Do you remember all of those toilet paper rolls that were sent to the offices of National Geographic Kids in the spring? The rolls have been tallied, glued and taped to create the World’s Largest Toilet Paper Roll Sculpture. It’s in the shape of a rocket and was put together in Washington D.C. at the offices of National Geographic Kids.

Photo credit: Hilary Andrews National geographic kids, Guinness world record, toilet paper rolls, worlds largest toilet paper roll sculpture, jimmy coggins

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