Children's book reviews, all age comic books, Kidlit, mglit, movies, entertainment and parenting
Author: Daddy Mojo
Daddy Mojo is a blog written by Trey Burley, a stay at home dad, fanboy, husband and father. At Daddy Mojo we'll chat about home improvement, giveaways, family, children and poop culture. You can find out more about us at http://about.me/TreyBurley
Am I getting too old for animated films? That’s the question I posed to myself after being utterly bored with four out of the past five animated films that I’d seen. Our boys like those four films well enough, but it was also hot outside, so perhaps they just wanted to sit on the sofa too. We were unanimous in our love for Mitchells Vs. The Machines. After watching The Boss Baby: Family Business my animation faith is restored. It’s a very funny movie that surpasses the original in terms of originality, emotional feels and overall look.
Boss Baby 2: Back in Business is as funny too. It’s not funnier than the first one, but given the overall superiority of the aforementioned terms, it is a better movie. And who would’ve thought that? It’s a property that had a great first film, was turned into a funny television series on Netflix, and has come back to theaters even better. Templeton, how very Empire Strikes Back of you.
A basement is a huge perk for homeowners, but unfortunately, it’s often a space that is closed off and not thought about enough. Most homeowners (especially if the basement is unfinished), just push the project off to the side and do not really make use of it. And I get it – unfinished basements feel dark and dingy, so at best, you might just use it as storage, or perhaps you’ve put a spare fridge or your washer and dryer down there. But finishing a basement opens up an entire world of possibility, not only giving you quite a bit more usable square footage in your house, but also upping your home’s value. While finishing your basement might be a big investment, it’s almost certainly one that’ll pay off. Check out some of these ways to make your basement more enjoyable, finished, or not:
Waterproofing
One thing that most people hate about a basement is that it always feels musty and damp. If this is the case, your basement probably has some issues with water. First of all, you want to make sure that you waterproof your basement because you do not want to run into mold issues down the road — trust me. Then, once you get that issue figured out, purchase a good dehumidifier. It is a quick fix and it will help keep your basement comfortable – especially during the summer months. It will not only help it feel better, but if you had (or have) bugs, it will help protect against them, as well.
Add in a pool table
What better way to make a basement more enjoyable than to add in games, such as a pool table, like this Olhausen Coronado Pool Table from Absolute Billiard Services? This one was handcrafted in TN and constructed of solid maple or oak. Plus, it is available in 35 different finishes and comes with all playing essentials, which includes four cues, bridge stick, wall-mounted cue rack, set of billiard balls, 8-ball and 9-ball racks. It also comes with a lifetime warranty! Absolute Billiard Services does not just sell pool tables, though. They are a full-service billiard company focused on providing master-quality work matched with exceptional customer service. They move, recover, assemble, disassemble, calibrate, and repair all makes and models of pool tables including antiques. So, if you need help moving, repairing, or maintaining your new pool table for years to come, definitely call them. Their ratings are fantastic and they have over 17+ years of experience!
Sixth grade is a magical time. It’s when kids are getting old enough to do some of the really cool things in life, are discovering their own social circles, and are just clinging on to that ability to be utterly silly. On the surface, Long Distance by Whitney Gardner, feels like some other early middle school graphic novels that you’ve seen. There are some overlapping themes and it’s easy to compare Long Distance to Lumberjanes as a sister by another mother. But just one moment, do not get lulled into a sense of malaise or that you fully know what to expect with this graphic novel.
As an ex-Great Movie Rider I shouldn’t like Disney All Aboard! Mickey’s Railway. While this over 3-foot board-book is not directly related to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at The Disney Studios in Orlando, Florida, it looks like the ride’s concept work. As if to pour salt in the wound out 11-year-old just commented, “Mickey’s Railway”, isn’t that a ride?”. I’m glad that our son follows the comings and goings of WDW, and if he were about eight years younger, Disney All Aboard Mickey’s Railway would be his board book jam.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. I know the saying. Yet, I was completely judging Sharkblock before looking at it. Ironically, my first thought was that the ‘block’ series has jumped the shark. How could Franceschelli and Peskimo make a block book about sharks that was something more than just a board book asking young readers to look at the sharks? Quicker than you can say ‘hold my cartilage they’ve made a book that continues the excellence that you’d expect from this series. Sharkblock has the thick, interactive pages that fans of the series expect to see, but has added education in the most kid-friendly way possible to their subject matter.
Geek culture, con life, and having a hobby all have some crossover within a Venn Diagram. Otaku is a Japanese word that has one meaning, with countless degrees of intensity. If you look it up online the meaning is “a young person who is obsessed with computers or particular aspects of popular culture to the detriment of their social skills”. Yikes, that doesn’t sound like a compliment, does it? Otaku Japan is a book that travels that county, documenting interesting sites on all four major islands. Also, as a former resident of Japan, I would take issue with the internet’s technical definition of otaku, but more on that in a moment.
“This better not end in a cliffhanger”, I told my wife as I was finishing Mission Multiverse. It’s not that I don’t like cliffhanger endings, it’s just that sometimes when they end that way I feel cheated. Mission Multiverse is a great book. It sounds like I’m setting it up for some form of a backhanded compliment, but I’m not. It’s a very satisfying middle-grade book that exceeded my expectations. The reason that the words are coming out wonky is that it initially didn’t seem like it would be an entertaining book.
Getting emerging readers to actually read is a delicate mix of content and confidence. They will know how to read sight words, but getting them to read aloud is key towards their understanding and making the bridge to early chapter books. All of this is further complicated by what’s in the book. If there are too many words it could intimidate some readers. If there aren’t enough pictures then the books might not be engaging enough. I Like to Read Comics is an imprint from Holiday House Publishing that delivers the comic book feels in a contained story that’s on par for emerging readers. A Giant Mess is a hard-back book that nails all of those points to the floor in a story that’s big, manic, and just what the doctor ordered for kindergarten kids through first grade.
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube