Children's book reviews, all age comic books, Kidlit, mglit, movies, entertainment and parenting
These are books that kids will want to read-or should read, but will enjoy doing so. Board book, picture books, kid lit, elementary school books, middle school books, high school books, all age comic books and more will be talked about here.
The Story That Cannot Be Told gives you the illusion of a very deceiving premise. It’s about Ileana, a young girl in communist Romania in WWII who has been sent to stay with her grandparents in the mountains. What’s surprising is that the book doesn’t focus on what you think it will. Instead, its story is all about telling stories and family. The result is a book that’s part fairy tale, historical snap shot, mythology and fictional story that feels real.
Graphic novels can be so much more than entertaining and fun to read. They can be educational!! Really, they can be and they’re so much more than what some parents, educators or kids might think that they are. The Earth Before Us series from Amulet Books is a great example of how much and how different a graphic novel can be. Mammal Takeover! is the third book in this entertaining and educational series that is about old school Earth.
Our eight year-old is in a Bad Kitty state of mind. He’s a reluctant reader who reads a couple levels below where he should. Bad Kitty is one of two things that I can count on him to read right now. Bad Kitty Does Not Like Thanksgiving has the character that he loves with its telltale grumpiness. If he were two years younger this would be the pumpkin butter jam to his turkey.
It takes a certain degree of gravitas and chutzpa to title a book Life, The First Four Billion Years and only have the book be 80 pages. A title like that implies that the book would be encyclopedia-esque, covering many volumes. This book doubles down on its confidence and is an oversized book that’s worthy of being on your coffee table, if you have one. Thankfully, Life delivers in its content and illustrations in a way that we’ve seen very few books accomplish. It covers incredibly complex material in a way that can be understood by those students in upper elementary who are interested in life.
Our kids are 10 and 8; they’ve both seen Ghostbusters and know the theme song. They saw the movie with us twice. I know, there have technically been three films thus far, but here, when we say Ghostbusters, we’re just talking about the first film. How our kids know the theme song, aside from its catchy earworm of a question that begs you to yell “Ghostbusters” when you hear Ray Parker Jr. ask the question is beyond me. Ghostbusters: Race Against Slime is an interactive board book that is aimed at fans of the film aged 5 and up, or those same ages who like movement and fun.
Having to share your stuff when you’re a kid is challenging, especially when, heretofore, it’s just been you. Those older kids and their parents know what I’m talking about. The younger one is just here for the party, but they need to realize that party has been happening prior to their arrival. Roly Poly is by Mem Fox with art by Jane Dyer that illustrates the feelings, actions and family dynamics that happen when a new baby is brought into the fold.
The pregnant pause that older readers hear that two excellent, thought out characters will be in the same book can be painful. On one hand you want to see them in the same book, but you also hold your breath, in hope that the author is skilled enough to accomplish what fans want from the series. Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl gave me a huge grin and hope for the team up when I heard that the third book in Jack’s series would be the team-up. If you know this series of graphic novels from Ben Hatke, the news probably did the same for you. Rest easy and read on, Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl is everything you’d hoped it be and more monsters.
Nancy who? Nancy Drew? Is this shorthand for Fancy Nancy? Nancy’s Genius Plan is a new board book staring Nancy. She’s the distinctively drawn character with the brillo-esque hair, polka dot skirt and sly grin. Her best friend is Sluggo, a buzz cut boy who could easily be confused for a know-nothing hooligan. Nancy was introduced in the 1930’s and had an almost constant presence in the now metaphorical comic strip page since then. In 2018 Nancy did take a two-month break for a slight modernization. The comic strip is funny, filled with dry observations and humor that appeals to kids and adults. Nancy’s Genius Plan has the same DNA, but it doesn’t take off in the board book.
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