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.
This week in all age comic books is skinnier than most weeks, but there are still a couple great releases. For example, Disney, The Little Mermaid has its second issue out this week. If you have a child who is in early elementary school and up they’ll love this. It’s an especially good fit if they’ve just seen the film on Disney + and want to read a new story about her. Middle school readers will love Science Comics: Skyscrapers and Ben 10: Mecha Madness, a new graphic novel featuring this excellent character.
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.
Board books represent a special time in a child’s life. Parents don’t realize it at the time; but they’ll come to associate board books that their children liked with that child as they get older. An example of this is the fact that we still have many of the board books that our children enjoyed when they were crawlers or in pre-k. Five Little Thank-Yous is a board book by Cindy Jin with illustrations by Dawn M. Cardona. It’s published on Little Simon Books and is just the sort of Thanksgiving book that crawlers through pre-k will enjoy for a number of reasons.
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