Elementary school | Page 8 of 30

Aggie and the Ghost, illustrated book gold for ages three and up

Children are not stupid. When they see illustrated books they’re able to tell the simpler ones from those that entertain at a more cerebral level. And just because something is not at a stupid level doesn’t mean that it’s relegated to the tucked-away lands of fancy pants books. There’s a place where clever, sublime illustrated books live. Those who have an old-soul, new-world sensibilities, intelligence and a timeless characteristic that allows the book to feel ‘new’, regardless of when it comes out. Matthew Forsythe lives there and turns out hauntingly charming illustrated books that are as endearing as they are creepy and weird. Aggie and the Ghost joins Pokko and the Drum, and Mina for a hat trick of illustrated book storytelling magic.

Aggie and the Ghost makes Matthew Forsythe 3-for-3 when it comes to illustrated books that are an instant classic.

This aint no New Coke, this is a new classic yo

Iron Man: Something Strange is fun for young readers in elementary school

When I was a teenager I loved the Marvel Team-Up comic books. Spoiler alert: I still love those comic books. It’s the thought of one cool superhero who might be slightly antagonistic, temporarily partnering with another one with complementary powers or an opposing personality. Iron Man: Something Strange is the young reader, graphic novel equivalent of those comic books. It’s the fourth in A Mighty Marvel Team-Up book series that seemingly has the goal of making reading fun and approachable to grades two through five.

Iron Man: Something Strange is the all-age graphic novel that your seven-year-old self desperately wanted. This is great fun for early elementary school ages.

Iron Man and Doctor Strange-yes please

Sibling Adventures in Axolotl and Axolittle: A Picture Book for Kids

In my Venn Diagram of animals big and small I have an axolotl and a quetzalcoatlus. I know that quetzalcoatlus, according to fossil records, lived near Mexico; and that its much smaller phonetic friend, axolotl, is native to two freshwater lakes near Mexico City. Those STEM kids know what an axolotl looks like, but they’ve probably never seen one in real life. Even saying its name is fun, axolotl. It simply begs for an illustrated book like Axolotl and Axolittle.

Axolotl and Axolittle is a picture book with big, cute characters, who are small in real life, but pack a powerful punch that softly teaches amongst the laughs. .

The cuteness can not be escaped from

It’s Busy Down in the Woods Today is a poetic seek-and-find for today

Someplace, somewhere, there is a doctor’s or dentist’s office waiting for a copy of It’s Busy Down in the Woods Today. Wait, the mere thought of associating those offices with the book might put off the pre-K or kindergarten crowd. Instead, let’s say that It’s Busy Down in the Woods Today: Friends to Meet, Places to Explore and over 100 Things to Find is the rabbit hole, busy time, chill-out companion that young, manic minds need, even though they may not want it.

It’s Busy Down in the Woods Today is a seek-and-find book in Brown Bear Wood series, but offers a homespun, poetic twist for ages two to six.

There are other things to look for than a skinny beatnik guy

The Music Inside Us, a look at the life of Yo-Yo Ma, with takeaways for all

As a younger man I was always skeptical of biographical movies because you always know how they end. Since then, my thoughts on entertainment have evolved somewhat as to what makes a movie entertaining. That same qualifier has never existed for books, even when it came to children’s literature. The Music Inside Us is the story of world-renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma. It’s a safe bet most elementary school ages don’t know Yo-Yo Ma, much less what a cello is or can isolate its deep, soul searching sounds were they to hear it. As an illustrated book, The Music Inside Us is not a typical biography. Instead, it opens the book by asking a question about the purpose of music. This soft introduction works in partnership with the art that is realistic, painted, and muted in all the right ways.

The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma & His Gifts to the World is the life story of the world’s most famous cellist, but has life applications for those who are a prodigy.

The life story of Yo-Yo Ma, but with a takeaway for everyone

Letters to Misty is a ballet-centric, self-help Q & A for girls aged 8-12

If you are an elementary school aged girl, or otherwise that age and in ballet, Letters to Misty is your jam. From its soft pink and purple cover to the lovely ballet dancer on the cover this book knows its target audience. This is self-help for those young people (mainly girls) who are navigating soft social skills and personal interactions that have the potential to vex people of any age. It might be helpful if you know that Letters to Misty is written by Misty Copeland with Nikki Shannon Smith, but it’s not mandatory.

Letters to Misty features letters from kids to ballet dancer Misty Copeland about a variety of issues concerning ages eight through twelve.

Deeply Dave: A fabulous, unusual graphic novel adventure

You have never read any book, much less a graphic novel, like Deeply Dave. It is a graphic novel, but it operates in such a unique fashion that it’s like comparing an apple to an orange. The two have one thing in common, but they are so utterly different that it does one of them a major disservice to group them close to one another. Deeply Dave is a graphic novel about a boy whose mother goes missing. She was in a spaceship, but it crashed in the bottom of the sea, and now Dave is going out there to rescue her. That’s the very basic plot, but you can throw out any ideas or preconceived notions as to how you think the story will evolve. The plot changes every five pages, with new characters, powers, locations, or secrets being disclosed that alter how others react to the Big Doom, and that is before the book’s format is taken in account.

Deeply Dave is a graphic novel that’s one of the most creative, unique and fun that we’ve read in years. It’s creative, smart and perfect for curious kids eight and up.

This graphic novel is so much fun to read

A Review of Almost Sunset: A Unique Take on Ramadan in a graphic novel

Hassan is a typical teenager in many ways. Almost Sunset is a graphic novel that follows him during that one month of the year when he’s not typical, and that’s the period of Ramadan. He’s a teen whose family respects the traditions of Ramadan and all of the sacrifices and inconveniences that accompany it. This is a graphic novel that’s not about religion, but is about the people and families that follow it. It touches on the practices of Islam, but doesn’t espouse or preach its beliefs.

Almost Sunset: A Graphic Novel takes a light hearted look at a teen during Ramadan and how it’s dealt with life’s other issues.

A teen graphic novel by any other name