The other day in the podcast and over on Youtube I mentioned that I read a graphic novel and had no idea of how to accurately describe its content. It’s not that it was bad or poorly presented; it’s just that the subject matter was high level and required a second reading. Having said that, even after reading Neurocomic twice I’m still unable to tell you the details from memory, despite the fact that I enjoyed reading it both times. That is also quite ironic or appropriate, given the fact that Neurocomic is about the brain, memories, and how they’re made, or in my case, forgotten.
A graphic novel that makes the brain understandable? Yup.Author: Daddy Mojo
Dragon Con is science, STEM, robotics and more for middle schoolers
It’s great to be able to attend cons again. Think of a pop culture interest and there’s a convention geared just for that. Dragon Con is a con that’s really unlike others. It’s held in Atlanta, Georgia every Labor Day weekend and every pop culture franchise that you can think of is there. Superheroes, middle earth, anime shows, television shows, and more are all represented by their fans or cast members of the shows. What about the science? The STEM, the brains behind the manufacturing of those costumes, real-world technology that goes into science-fiction, and those people who might be exploring space or the ancient history of Earth are not forgotten at Dragon Con.

Extraordinary Animals, a durable, interactive, smart book for ages five and up
If six-year-olds were in charge of bathroom books then Extraordinary Animals would be on top of every tank. The basis behind a great toilet book is that it’s fun to read and can be consumed in nuggets. Granted, in some cases, those books graduate from the water closet to mingle with the books in the general library or for leisure reading. Ultimate Spotlight Extraordinary Animals is a book that falls in that category. It also combines interactive elements from two of our favorite series of books.
Interactive, stem-oriented books for the very young you seek?Footprints Across the Planet is a soft picture book on life and impact
Did you hear about the dinosaur footprints in Texas that were exposed during a drought? I love that story because A. I love all things dinosaur and B. It reminds us that there are extraordinary things that might be just beyond our eyesight. Maybe it’s something that takes a little effort or it could be the everyday things that we simply may not appreciate as much as it deserves. Footprints Across the Planet is a picture book by Jennifer Swanson. Swanson is an author who writes non-fiction books for children, with this one being on the picture end of the teeter-totter.

The True West, an illustrated reference book on unsung old west heroes
Another great title to The True West would be The Forgotten West, but that one has more letters and it wouldn’t have been as succinct. Its brevity is one reason why students will be attracted to the book. The cover to The True West really invites people to discover some of the forgotten, rarely mentioned or unsung folks who tamed that era of history. Also, the manner in which the cover for The True West is laid out gives the book an adventure-waiting-to-happens vibe. It shows Annie Oakley, Bill Pickett, and Deadwood Dick, three old-west icons that most people know, but who share a characteristic that some might not have realized or thought about.
Non-fiction that kids will find fascinatingEpisode 31: All age comic books for September 21, 2022
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This week in all-age comic books, Star Wars, Big Nate, Spider-Man, Zits, Dragon Puncher and lots of graphic novels!
Episode 30: My Dog, Hen is a very clever and timeless illustrated book
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My Dog, Hen is an illustrated book whose illustrations and clever text combine to make it smart and refreshing for those early elementary ages who want to read about dogs…..which is pretty much every kid that age.
My Dog, Hen is a very clever and timeless illustrated book
Illustrated books can be fun, moreover, they should be fun, because the actual point of the book is for children to enjoy them. All too often we’ll run across books that didn’t get the memo on that point. They do have a point, but their message is too in your face and simply forgets that kids won’t read it if it’s not fun. My Dog, Hen got the memo on that. There’s no message, no ulterior motive and it ends so quickly that you’ll double-check to see if the final two pages are glued together. As a result, its stark graphics will pull you in and the story of a boy, his family, and their dog is just the sort of feel-good read that kids will always enjoy.
Keeping it simple, slightly weird and very fun




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