Daddy Mojo, Author at Daddy Mojo

Dr. Critchlore’s School For Minions, Twice Cursed review

Dr. Critchlore’s School For Minions, Twice Cursed is the fourth and final book in this series by Sheila Grau with illustrations by Joe Suthpin. It’s three-ring-circus of a book for mid-elementary through middle school that jams monsters, plot twists, more monsters and laughs. Just when you think that nothing else could happen in the book, something does and it only adds to the greater story. Continue reading Dr. Critchlore’s School For Minions, Twice Cursed review

The Ring of Honor, a return to form for middle school fun reading

Everyone hits a moment where things don’t click and that goes for book series too. That was the case with the Secrets of the Seven book series by Sarah. L. Thomson. The first book in the series The Eureka Key was a fabulous first book in the series. It was quickly paced, relatable for kids 9 and up and felt like a kidlit cousin to the film National Treasure. At the end of the first book I was waiting for the second book. When it did the next year, The Eagle’s Quill failed to deliver. It was darker, didn’t have the punch of the first one and left us lukewarm about a third book. The Ring of Honor returns to the swagger and fun that populated the first book so well and makes this a book that kids will really enjoy reading. Continue reading The Ring of Honor, a return to form for middle school fun reading

This Story Is For You is far away comfort food for kids 3-7

Greg Pizzoli has a way with the characters and colors that he uses in his books that really speak to small children. The colors he uses in his books are crisp, but also on the softer hued side of things. His characters, either people or animals, are pleasant, amenable and immediately put children at ease. This Story Is For You is a book that celebrates the uniqueness of childhood friendships and the physical distance that sometimes happens between them. Continue reading This Story Is For You is far away comfort food for kids 3-7

All age comic books for May 9

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Everybody back in the pool, Free Comic Book Day was last week. This is a great chance to visit that comic book store again, to see the new all age comic books that arrive on Wednesday. Just as FCBD happens the first Saturday in May, new comic book day (#NCBD) is every Wednesday and this week has a nice selection of all age comic books that’ll prove to kids 6 and up that FCBD offers more than just freebies once a year. Over in the podcast we’ll chat about Peanuts Vol. 9 from Boom! Studios, Star Wars Block from Abrams Books, a Phoebe and Her Unicorn board book, plus two books with geek roots that’ll inspire tween girls to read. For now, let’s look at three all age comic books that will entertain young readers aged 6 and up.

Jim Henson Fraggle Rock #1

It’s 35 years of Fraggle Rock and Boom! Studios has a gorgeous new four-issue mini-series to celebrate with Mokey, Gobo, Wembley, Red and the others. This is a simpler mini-series than the one that came out a couple of years ago. It’s also impeccably beautiful, drawn with love and painted with watercolor. Kids aged 6 and up won’t be able to read it, but they will love (hint, hint….) to have it read to them. The spoken dialogue, in addition to the art that they will be able to appreciate will make them want to visit Fraggle Rock over and over.

Spongebob Comics #80

Patrick wants to live in a kelp maze. Mr. Krabs has his miserly heart set upon winning an Underwater Book of Records award and Squidward and Spongebob are in the kitchen cooking. This is one of the best all age comic books that you’ll pick up on any given month. It’s $3.99 and our 8-year old has been reading it since he was 5. Disclosure: we read it also and adults who allow themselves to truly relax will enjoy it also.

Star Wars Block

The Block books from Abrams Books are phenomenal. They’re board books that have previously taken a look at cities, the alphabet, dinosaurs and numbers. Board books you scoff….but these are the cleverest, highest quality, board books that we’ve seen. Each page folds out to display a key image that Star Wars fans, young and old will immediately recognize. The text in Star Wars Block will be appropriate for any age, while those who are 6 and will be able to read some of the sight words by themselves. As a testament to how well constructed these books are, we still have our Alphablock book from 2013, it’s taught two children and still holds up physically, with its pages and fold outs intact.

Humor

Superhero

Science-fiction/action

The YA graphic novel All Summer Long knows the soul of tween girls

If you have read a comic book or original graphic in the past ten years that speaks to the soul of girls nine through sixteen you’ve most likely read something by Hope Larson. Larson is an author and illustrator who knows tween girls like Sandra Boynton knows animal board books. All Summer Long sounds like déjà vu from a John Cusak film-set against a different decade, but as long as you included Curtis Armstrong in it then you’d be OK. In this instance though, All Summer Long is an original graphic novel about life, friendships-real and fake, plus growing up and knowing when to be true to you. Continue reading The YA graphic novel All Summer Long knows the soul of tween girls

All age comic books for May 2

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It’s the week of Free Comic Book Day. The first Saturday of every may is Free Comic Book Day and your local comic book store has full size comic books that are free! Truth in advertising is not dead. Even better, many of these free comic books are OK for all ages. To look at all of the comic books that you can choose from just visit their website. Most comic book stores will allow you to take up to five comic books, so take accordingly, experiment a little bit and ask one of the store employees if you have a question. Because it’s a special day, most stores will be crowded in the morning, but they’ll also have lots of special happenings which could include comic book authors, artists, specials on books or more.

As it’s a special week, the new releases are lighter than normal, but there are still a couple of great all age comic books out this week, plus some that we didn’t highly last week that merit your attention. In the podcast we’ll chat about All Summer Long, The City on the Other Side, Zero’s Journey and a couple others. For now though, let’s look at three comics that will interest kids aged five and up.

Zodiac Starforce: Cries of the Fire Prince #4

Think Jem and the Holograms, but with less music, but with more science-fiction and action. Zodiac Starforce is a blast of bright colors, team work action and loose fun that will appeal to girls more than boys. The U.S. Zodiac Starforce team has to team up with the U.K. Zodiac team to take down the demon Pavos. Can the two teams put the soccer/football and lift/elevator problems in the past and save the day?

Go Go Power Rangers #8

You may not be reading this comic book because you’re tied up, we get it. Consider this your chance to get in on the ground floor of a cool summer story in Go Go Power Rangers. This is the prelude to Shattered Grid, a story that’s taking place in the monthly Power Rangers, as well as Go Go Power Rangers. The first chapter in the Power Rangers comic book has sold out four times, this issue from Go Go Power Rangers is in its second printing. This is setting the ground for a great story so jump on in before it really starts to get good.

Betty and Veronica Friends Forever #1 At The Movies #1

There are 299 reasons to love Betty and Veronica Friends Forever At The Movies #1. Those first 299 reasons are the price, if you pay in pennies. Even if you pay in paper money or charge it this is still a great all age comic book for kids, mainly girls, aged 6 and up. This is classic Betty and Veronica, drawn in the style that parents will recall from back in the day. In this new series our two favorite girls from Riverdale either go to the movie or have stories about them in famous movies. Either way, this is a great price point and a classic title for young readers to get the book bug by.

Humor

Superhero

Action/Science-fiction

Is Avengers: Infinity War OK for children?

Avengers: Infinity War and the overall view of the cinematic MCU is fascinating. It’s an amazing cinematic experiment that, for better or worse, redesigned what people think of films. Avengers: Infinity War brings together almost all of the characters from the first ten years of the MCU on film in a fun-yet also quite dark at times movie that will satisfy most fans, but leave others in a lurch.

Bottom line: As an adult who has seen most of the Marvel movies I really liked it. It’s very quickly paced and has some great action sequences that will entertain people regardless of how many, if any, Marvel movies they’ve seen. The joy in seeing Avengers: Infinity War is the interaction that happens when the superheroes who don’t know each other finally meet.

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The City on the Other Side, an action based fairy story for 8 and up

Fairies are not the sort of thing that make up action stories-and other falsehoods. That’s one way to look at The City on the Other Side, a graphic novel from Mairghread Scott with art by Robin Robinson. The fairies in The City on the Other Side are made up by two groups who rule two different regions in the forest. Seelie are the fairies that make up the majority of the planet. However, those Unseelie fairies rule the crumbling logs, mushrooms and other forest spots that are typically more unattractive. The result of these two tribes and their story is a surprisingly fun, action packed original graphic novel that boys or girls, 7 years and older will enjoy.

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