admin, Author at Daddy Mojo

Calculating Chimpanzees is smarter-than-average STEM book that rewards readers

The educator wonk in me loves books that aren’t scared to display their intelligence. The realist in me knows something that’s too smart will scare off some readers. The second book in the Extraordinary Animals series is Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities. That’s a mouthful of a title and it has the intellect to back up. Not that a reference, non-fiction book aimed at elementary school readers has a beef with anybody, other than ignorance.

Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities is STEM for kids that’s accessible, with more of a scientific, narrative flow than some its over-the-top brethren.

This book (and the animals listed therein) are smarter than some of my students

What’s the difference between high school math and Macbeth?

The other day, during lunch I was on the school’s walking path with a math teacher. A student asked them when was the last time they used the math they learned in high school. It’s a fair question. This person, an accredited math teacher with just a hint of irony in their voice, said, “The last time I used this math in the real world was in high school.”I’ve had some students posit the same type of question to me when we start reading Shakespeare. “Why are we reading Shakespeare? Nobody talks like this anymore.” That too is a fair question, and here is what I tell my momentarily frustrated ELA friends, an answer which also assists in the math conundrum my co-worker had.

High school math and Macbeth meet in a bar, why should high school students care? The two seemingly disparate subjects have more in common then you might think.

Oh, AI AI-generated image of Macbeth, math, laser cat, show me the way..

The Christmas Contest: An Advent Novel, early chapter fun opening pages

Don’t think about The Contest from Seinfeld, don’t think about The Contest from Seinfeld. Nay you 90’s fans of quality television this is The Christmas Contest. It’s a book that’s been too long dormant on my to-do shelf, but is now seeing the top of my desk and ready for its close-up. And…I feel an initial pang of regret because its hook, if you’re down with Advent, is very logical and addictive. Side note: worst headline ever.

The Christmas Contest: An Advent Novel is for young readers that combines opening a new thing, with an early chapter book story.

hARK THE aDVENT ANGELS READ

The Black Market, age-appropriate scary or a prank too many?

It’s a fine line between mglit that’s age-appropriate scary, and those that skew younger. They’re both easy to wrangle because they have a cover that guides them to their audience. The Black Market is certainly in the correct category of mglit. Its content is the sort that upper-elementary will enjoy-to an extent. The cover has a spooky costume that’ll confuse those readers for just a moment. However, this is where mglit has varying lines of interest, with some crossing much higher than the name implies, and some sticking stubbornly to middle school, #67.

The Black Market is seasonally spooky MGLIT for ages eight through 11, but it’ll challenge itself to find those kids who find this to be their jam.

Leads who are hard to love

The Avengers in The Veracity Trap, a great self-aware, multi-verse story

This is a great comic book that I forgot I had read before, it’s what you might be thinking as you’re digging into The Avengers in The Veracity Trap!. The heroes on the book’s cover have their classic 60’s era appearance. Hulk’s pants are a deep-hued purple. Captain America has his wings on his cowl, evident for everyone to see. Iron Man’s mask is obvious, not melding into his suit and its colors are a very pure yellow and red. But the book’s format is larger than most graphic novels and the story breaks the fourth wall. This is an original graphic novel that old-school comic fans will embrace. It will also give next-generation fans a glimpse at seeing why these comics were so awesome, without worrying about damaging those golden age gems.

The Avengers in The Veracity Trap is a new graphic novel with a multi-verse tale and one you will want to read.

IT’s a throwback spirit in a modern day package, built to love to read

Howdy! Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry gives to the place past its fanbase

In 2023 I saw Crowded House at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. I didn’t know anything about the venue or its historical significance. I simply knew it was the first time they had toured in a decade and that this was the closest stop to me. Once you get to downtown Nashville the history and pedigree of that venue casts a long shadow. Howdy! Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry! Is an illustrated book that’s as much a love letter to live entertainment, as it is to country music and the physical entity where that great band from New Zealand played.

Howdy! Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry is an illustrated book that uses mixed media and short text to be effortlessly entertaining

Holla! YEE Haw! Hee Haw! Fun Reading come hither

Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales! Troubling Tonsils!, chapter book fun ages 6-9

How do you make an excellent pizza even better, or at least maintain the same level of quality at a different location? Jasper Rabbit has that issue. The three illustrated book in Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales had they problem when they were initially released, but more on that in a moment. Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales! Troubling Tonsils! has the same spirit as those now classic illustrated books, but ups the demographic. This is a chapter book aimed at those early elementary age students who were, just yesterday laughing at Creepy Carrots! or Creepy Pair of Underwear! Can Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown corroborate on a chapter book as cohesively as they did previously?

Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales! Troubling Tonsils! is the first in a series of fun chapter books that continues the young creepies for ages 6-9.

You will want to become seven years old again…just to read this for the first time

The Moment is Special: A Dia de Muertos Story is holiday magic 411

For people of a certain generation, Coco emblazoned The Day of the Dead and its significance to Mexican people and those of Latino heritage. In addition to being a fabulously told story, it’s a well-made movie and introduced a large about of people to the customs behind the holiday. This Moment is Special: A Dia de Muestros Story is an illustrated book that channels the same spirit and has a twist.

This Moment is Special: A Dia de Muertos Story serves as a primer for The Day of the Dead, as well as, an enjoyable standalone book.

The Day of the dead is more remembrance, than spooky