Daddy Mojo

Science Comics: Crows, Genius Birds is much more than a flight of fancy

True story: when I was a child I had a pet crow. Its name was Big Bird. I was about nine or ten and my parents wouldn’t let me have a cat or a dog, so they got me a crow. I don’t know where they got a crow from, it’s not like there’s a crow store down the street. But for a very short period of time, it was my pet. Crows do not make good pets. Before Science Comics Crows: Genius Birds came out I would’ve bet that one couldn’t make an entertaining, much less educational book about crows. To that, author/illustrator Kyla Vanderklugt says hold my magpie and has delivered a corvid graphic novel that’s really something to crow about.

non-fiction for ages 9 and up doesn’t get much better than this

Solar Story a book that straddles entertainment/education for kids 4 and up

Author/illustrator Allan Drummond has a way with children’s books. They’re geared for those young children aged 4-8, but they aren’t babyish. Our 10-year old reader was looking over my shoulder as I was reading Solar Story. He said, “I like the art-and it’s a book about solar power, cool”. As he left the room he commented that he should read that sometime. His eight-year old brother squealed when Solar Story arrived in the mail. Mind you, he wasn’t expecting the book; it’s just that the book has that vibe that makes children want to open and read it.

This book has something for everyone aged four and up

American as Paneer Pie, cultural, realistic fiction for ages 9-13

Prior to reading American as Paneer Pie I didn’t know what paneer was. Actually, after reading the book I still didn’t know what paneer is. That’s not the important part. Most people are able to surmise from the front cover that it’s a story about adapting to where you live and managing to hold onto what makes you, you. Like Arnold’s, Bruce Springsteen or a Ford truck, it’s as American as that, except the shrinking world impacts whose experience is more authentic-and does that even matter?

Paneer, cheese and growing up for girls 9-13

The Great Pet Heist, a tail worth reading for ages 9-13

There are some books that elementary aged students like to read that demo up. For one reason or another, they’re accessible to older ages through their humor or heart. The Great Pet Heist is a book that mid-elementary through lower middle school readers will really enjoy. Will it demo up to those older readers?

Far from ruff, this book is fun for ages 9 and up

Hop Little Bunnies, quality the lift-the-flap with cuteness aplomb

When is a board book not a board book? When the book is much bigger than those whom it might be compared to and its pages are just a bit thinner. That sounds like a riddle and by could fit almost any book by that definition. However, some books have the same vibe, similar footprint and will be magnetically attractive to those late crawlers through pre-K kids. Hop Little Bunnies is this kind of book and it’s based on the song that you’re probably humming right now. The content is aimed at ages 3-6, but those ages are too big for board books. Granted, they’d benefit by reading them, but their pre-k pride knows that the aforementioned books are for babies and they’re big kids.

Hop on young reader, they’ll love this book

Peter & Ernesto Sloths in the Night, caps this all age series with a grin

A kid’s first graphic novel is a great thing. We include the all age graphic novels in our run down of the week’s new all age comic books. Early through upper elementary school-aged kids want to have a graphic novel that they can read and appreciate. This is something that is their jam. The older kids might like it too, but this the kind of graphic novel that they can enjoy without any assistance from mom, dad or their older sibling. Peter & Ernesto is one of two elementary school based graphic novels that pop up in my mind. The third and final entry in the series, Peter & Ernesto: Sloths in the Night is out and caps the series in a perfectly happy and friendly manner that will leave ages 6-10 grinning from ear to ear.

If you’re looking for a great graphic novel series for elementary school ages this is the sign

Pets and Their Famous Humans, short, artsy tails for 8-10

I’m a glass half full kind of guy. So when I first took a look at Pets and Their Famous Humans I had to set it down. I love pets. I really like humans and I enjoy art. In theory there’s nothing I shouldn’t have not liked about the book. Sensing that I was missing something I showed the book to our 10-year old son. He also loves books, animals and people. “It’s classy”, he succinctly said before diving back into the middle grade book he’s reading.

Pets, the muse behind some famous folks in this book for young readers

Center of Gravity, switches gears for the better

I really like books that I didn’t think I would like. Center of Gravity is a book like that. Personally, there’s nothing about the subject matter that appeals to me. Tessa’s mother passed away relatively recently and her dad has started dating again. Things have gotten very serious and the two of them are packing up things in Denver to move to a coastal California town. The new girlfriend is much younger than her dad and her family is apparently loaded. At first, Center of Gravity feels like a middle school companion to Karate Kid. However, as the book moves along it takes a much more serious turn. In doing author Shaunta Grimes delivers a character study that’s as much about teenage grief as it is insecurities, acceptance and moving on.

An honest look at kids circa 1985 that’s not what you expect