Children's book reviews, all age comic books, Kidlit, mglit, movies, entertainment and parenting
Daddy Mojo used to teach. Being an ex educator he’s interested in many things about education, such as teaching policies, best practices and bureaucracy.
We have a dinosaur tree in our front yard. It’s my favorite tree, having said that, I don’t know any people who have a preference for their tree. When Plants Took Over The Planet is an illustrated book that will really grow on STEM kids, plant geeks, science students, dinosaur people, or just those who want to be entertained while learning about plant evolution.
At work, for the past three weeks, I’ve been helping fourth and fifth-grade students craft and edit informational powerpoints. They’ve run the gamut of the usual suspects that any 10 or nine-year-old would find interesting. However, there were a couple of the students that really took the assignment one step further. These were the students that researched little-known topics that they were passionate about, as well as, those kids who were doing subjects that they simply wanted to know more about. Specifically, there was a student who writing about the history of Nintendo and one who was doing Egyptology. The World Book is a reference book that balances illustrations with elementary-aged content in a way that can provide a slightly deeper dive into countries, in addition to introducing students to new areas of Earth.
Even when you’re finished attending school, you’re never done learning. A Man Called Horse is non-fiction proof to that for us, as well as, most people who will read the book. Despite having lived in Florida for half a decade I never knew anything about the Seminole. It’s very likely that resident Floridians know the basics about the Seminole Indians. However, I had no idea of the complex history that the region had in the early 1800s. What’s impressive about A Man Called Horse is how simple and concise author Glennette Tilley Turner makes the material.
Everything old is new again. That phrase comes to mind when realizing some of the great books that came out during the pandemic that didn’t receive the attention that they deserve. A Day In The Life Of A Poo, A Gnu, and You, a Laugh-Out-Loud Guide to Life on Earth is one of those books. It’s as big as an illustrated book, yet has the depth and weight of a reference book, but has more colors and graphics than some comic books or graphic novels. As if the book is attempting to pile on its brownie points, it’s educational, funny, ridiculously entertaining, and wait for it….one that kids will really want to read.
Kids are inherently curious and that’s a fact that applies to every child regardless of age. Rare is the book that makes middle school and elementary school students equally curious. Either the book is too simple for older readers, too advanced for younger readers, has content that’s in-between the two demographics or simply just is not interesting. Inside In is a book that immediately grabs the attention of kids aged six through 14 and even north of that. It’s a coffee table book for STEM-minded folks, as well as, those who simply like to take their mind on a trip. The subtitle of the book, X-Rays of Nature’s Hidden World, gives you the immediate reason as to why kids will be engrossed in it.
Want to make a switch toward more organic living, but not interested in going totally green? I get that! I was in the same position, so I came up with ideas to help me live more sustainably in manageable ways.
Cut Down On Your Waste
While we’d all love to have solar panels on our home and live without an electric bill, it just isn’t feasible. There are smaller changes that you can make in your life that will help cut down on the fossil fuels that your family creates. A big way to help the environment is to cut down on your waste. Stop using plastic grocery bags, and definitely quit throwing them in the trash. Make a conscious effort to recycle. Find ways to use your leftovers versus simply throwing them away. Consider starting your own compost pile! It may even motivate you to start the garden you’ve been dreaming of having.
Parents of a certain age will remember going to Spencer’s. It was the cool store where you could find those pop-culture items, Greg Brady beads, and blacklight posters. Spencer’s is still around, we have one at our local mall, but the teens we know don’t have as magical an impression as we did with it back in the day. To an extent, Magical Creatures and Mythical Beasts is a book that channels aspects of that black light magic. It’s an immersive seek-and-find illustrated book that looks at worldwide mythology, putting them on display using the UV flashlight it comes with.
Our family has lots of non-fiction books on animals, nature, and science in the house. A reference book is a great thing to have around because you never know when school-age children will need something in it. Granted there is that whole internet thing, but a book allows for that random sense of discovery that online searching simply doesn’t satisfy. However, odds are that all of, or almost all of your non-fiction animal reference books are encyclopedic, or listing in the presentation. That certainly leads to discover and learn about new creatures, but might not motivate kids to read it page to page. What Breathes Through Its Butt? is a non-fiction book on animals, but it’s unlike any critter book you or your kids have seen.
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