Our 11-year-old used to obsess over books like these from National Geographic Kids. He’d grab one from his collection and regale those in the car who were lucky enough to be near him. It didn’t matter who was in the car either. It could’ve been just the driver, his brother, or friends with him; he loved sharing those tidbits of information. National Geographic Kids Brain Candy is a square book that’s jammed with the kind of vibrant, emotive photographs that make books like these stand out from the crowd.
The book is called Brain Candy because the pages have factoids of knowledge that will make elementary school ages feel intelligent. Ironically, those same facts will make their parents or teachers think to themselves that they used to know these things and or why is it that kids are so much smarter nowadays.
This is one of those weeks in all age comic books. It’s a great week with lots of comic books that will entertain elementary school aged readers all the way through those middle and high school readers who are looking for something just left of center. Lumberjanes is winding down its series and #75 is its next-to-last issue. This comic book blends science-fiction, humor, friendship and so much more that each issue could be classed as science-fiction, action or humor. It’s great for upper-elementary and up. Visit any middle-school library and you’ll be lucky to find any Lumberjanes graphic novel because they’re more than likely checked out.
Elementary school students, and their libraries, love Looney Tunes. Looney Tunes #257 is out this week and everybody will love it. I love it. Our 11-year-old has loved this comic book since he was seven-years-old. It’s a classic.
Marvel Action Avengers #2 is one of those all age comic books that combine humor, as well as, the action that young readers want. This comic book is one that doesn’t water down or ‘baby-ize’ it to make it interesting to those ages. It’ll be appropriate for ages eight and up.
If you’re a middle school reader or older and want an intelligent graphic novel that delivers dread check out Jim Henson The Storyteller Ghosts. The art and story in this graphic novel are as good as it gets in stories that are OK for children. It might be a bit too much for elementary school, but if you love deep, rich art with spooky dread this is a must-read.
I’m a firm believer that the answers to the problems that you’re currently having are usually right in front of you. In the case of our nine-year-old, he’s reading Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light. He’s on the tail end of the reading level for this book. The book’s key audience is pre-K through third grade. However, this is one that he can easily read for the most part. For him, it’s more about the message and the soft lesson that the book is illustrating.
‘Young minds’ is relative when talking about 50 Maps of the World. As a kid, I remember scouring over the world atlas our family had. It was an atlas in the truest sense of the word. There were brown patches for mountains, greens for the valleys, tan for the dessert, and varying blues for the vast amount of water. It was a cold, serious atlas and I loved it. 50 Maps of the World takes that innate curiosity that kids have about the world, enlarges it on brightly colored engaging maps, and amps up the wanderlust.
The first Thanksgiving was a good 399 years ago. It’s one of those holidays that elementary kids know the basics, but may not the reasons or its history. They know that they’re eating at the small table, part of the extended family will gather in one location, crafts are done, and sometimes football is watched. Our kids know the main vocabulary words like pilgrims, Indians, the Mayflower, and maybe where they landed. Mayflower: The Ship That Started a Nationis an illustrated book that can change that to some degree.
This week in all age comic books is fun and diverse. It kicks off with two releases from Archie Comics. Archie & Friends Fall Festival is a comic book that retails for only $2.99, while Archie Milestones Jumbo Comics Digest is the square publication that you’ll see at the check-out lane at the supermarket. Both of these are new and on point for those readers in upper elementary and middle school.
Middle school readers who are looking for a fun graphic novel should check out 7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up. Upper elementary school readers will love Super Side Kicks-No Adults Allowed by Gavin Aung Than on Random House. Those same ages who are looking for a left-of-center comic book need to look at The Magnificent Ms. Marvel. This is great for those tween readers who want superhero action, but need something that’s not typical and still very fun. Power Rangers also starts a new chapter. This new series brings a new team with all new dangers. Those upper elementary readers who are looking for a series that’s loaded with action should give this a look.
Hilda and the Time Worm is a novel that ties in to the Netflix show. This character and the world that creator Luke Pearson have created is timeless and words great for kids aged 8 and up. There’s a great number of all age comic books out this week, to see all of them just jump on past the graphic.
Humor
Archie & Friends Fall Festival #1, E
Archie Milestones Jumbo Digest #11, E
7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up, M, H
Super Side Kicks-No Adults Allowed, UE, M
Superhero
The Amazing Spider-Man #52, UE, M, H
Magnificent Ms. Marvel #16, M, H
Power Rangers #1, UE, M, H
Teen Titans GO! Roll With It, UE, M, H
Science-fiction/Action
Goosebumps Secrets of the Swamp #2, of 5, UE, M,
Great Naval Battles of the Twentieth Century, M, H
Hilda and the Time Worm, UE, M
Star Wars The Jedi Mind, M, H
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #111, UE, M, H
Sonic the Hedgehog #34, E, M,
Transformers #24, UE, M, H
At one point in time, I knew most of what the government of the United States does. I know that when our nine or eleven-year-old asks me questions about this or that regarding the government it all sounds familiar, but nailing down the precise answer is challenging. For situations like this, you need The Constitution Decoded: A Guide to the Documents that Shapes our Nation. This is a reference book for The Constitution. It presents the preamble, all of the articles, amendments, The Declaration of Independence, and the Articles of the Confederation. It has these documents in their entirety, and on the page opposite, it explains it in simple English.
The Screaming Hairy Armadillo is a book whose title will grab mid-elementary school through middle school readers by their nape and drag them in. It won’t be an unwilling situation at all. Most young readers will see the animals drawn on the cover, read, or make out ‘screaming hairy armadillo’ and be curious. Those critter readers will jump right into the book and read about 77 seriously strange animals that they’ll probably never see.
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