Daddy Mojo

Discovering new ‘smart’ games with Gigamic

This is a sponsored post-all thoughts and opinions are our own. We went to The Atlanta Women’s Expo, not to get in touch with our inner-mom, but to dig into some toys. That’s the thing about expos, the headliner might not exactly be up in your wheelhouse, but some of the folks with booths cast wide nets. That was the case with Gigamic. They’re a game company who has been producing strategy games since 1991, many of which are family and right up our alley.

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Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter, a seasonal great good-night book

When the leaves start to fall I do it too. When I was hiking in the mountains the other week I found myself casually talking to the leaves on the ground, scattering chipmunks or twisted trees. The premise behind Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by author/illustrator Kenard Pak is that when children speak to the things in nature they reply back to them. It’s a simple, daydream mentality that every kid through first grade does.

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Grand Canyon by Jason Chin, a book as great and big as its topic

Wow. I know that Grand Canyon by Jason Chin is a book intended for children, but I can’t stop looking at it. This is part science book, ecological text book for elementary through early middle school and self paced reading for kids who want to discover a place that seems magical, but is real. Grand Canyon manages to do that in a way that respectful and approachable to children, describing complex natural happenings in a way that they’ll understand and want to learn more about.

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Win a classic DVD pack to celebrate The Man Who Invented Christmas

Let’s play movie association giveaway-with you getting the prizes. A Christmas Carol is the TV movie from 1984, The Sound of Music is the classic musical from 1965 and Beauty and the Beast is the live-action movie juggernaut that is destined to become a classic. All of these films have one star who is starring in the upcoming The Man Who Invented Christmas. The Man Who Invented Christmas is the story of Charles Dickens and the situations surrounding his creations of the classic book, A Christmas Carol.

Bah Humbug wasn’t always associated with Christmas and a grumpy old miser. It was a catchphrase from a book whose author was in the midst of a career slump. He had a family to take care of and ideas weren’t exactly flowing freely. It’s about three months before Christmas and the ideas start to come to him, but publishing wasn’t as simple as hitting ‘Enter’ in 1843. However, through his vivid imagination Dickens was able to pull it all together for the classic Christmas story that every kid over 8 knows.

The premise alone has us intrigued, but when you toss in Dan Stevens and Christopher Plummer we’re hooked. I’m guessing after this film Stevens will be able to shake the “guy whose character died in the car accident in season 1 of Downton Abbey” label. The Man Who Invented Christmas is in movie theaters on November 22 and is rated PG.

Win a classic DVD pack to celebrate The Man Who Invented Christmas

The giveaway for these three classic films, A Christmas Carol, The Sound of Music and Beauty and the Beast will end on December 1, so you’ll have them in time for the holiday season.

Beasts From Bricks is mid to upper-level LEGO animal magnetism

As LEGO pieces go, I’ve seen all of the individual things needed to make up the creatures in Beasts From Brick. I’ve seen them, but the end result is that the sum is more than their parts and that this book is as much ‘art’ as it is LEGO bricks. That makes sense, at their core; a LEGO brick acts no differently where it is. It’s only different when being used by a person that can really build LEGO projects and while the projects from Beasts From Bricks, by Ekow Nimako are beautiful; they’re also approachable for mid-level LEGO builders.

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All ages comics for November 15

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What are the all ages comics this week? In the podcast and YouTube video we’ll go over Dogs from :01 First Second, Adventure Time Comics, Bolivar, Simpsons Comics and Mech Cadet Yu (one of the best all ages comics of the year!). Another book that we’ll talk about is A Polar Bear In Love, it’s a manga and will resonate with animal lovers or those that want a simple manga that starts with the first issue. Here’s a look at three all ages comics that you’ll want to pay attention that are in stores.

Secret Sons #10

From DC Comics, Super Sons is the story about Damian and Jon, who are the sons of Batman and Superman. For parents: it’s not as bad as it sounds and kids will really enjoy it. It’s got enough superhero action that one would expect, while also teaching kids the mythos of Batman and Supes. This issue is a great jumping on point because they’re starting a new arc with the two tween heroes getting their own superhero digs.

Over the Garden Wall #20

Over the Garden Wall issue #20 is from Boom! Studios and has legions of fans from the Cartoon Network Show. Middle school students will follow along to the characters from show that they already love in new, ongoing adventures. The reading level is appropriate for upper elementary school and older, but the dry humor is going to be appropriate for ages 10 and up.

Your Pal Archie #4

Riverdale is everywhere, but it all started with some all ages comics and the characters that live there. Your Pal Archie is a new series from Archie Comics that is drawn in the classic Archie style. Whereas Archie is geared to tween audiences and has situations that are older, Your Pal Archie is old school Archie. This is wacky hijinks, physical gags and Archie being banned from Mr. Lodge’s house, but then ends up driving his limousine. This is the Archie to reach for if you want new stories from Riverdale that are appropriate for ages 6 and up.

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This week the all ages comics include Dogs from :01 First Second, Mech Cadet Yu, Secret Sons, Your Pal Archie and mane more for ages 6 and up.

Humor

Superhero

Action/Science-fiction

The Whiskers Sisters: May’s Wild Walk, picture perfect for grades 2-3

The Whiskers Sisters is an original graphic novel by French illustrator and cartoonist Miss Paty. This is the charming story of three sisters who live in the forest with their grandfather. He’s the Guardian of the Forest and has been gone for a long time on a business trip, so the girls think. The Whiskers Sisters are Maya, the eldest, Mia, the middle and May, who is a toddler unable to speak yet, so her sisters think.

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The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark shakes up the formula

Elementary school kids know the Pout-Pout Fish. Elementary school kids are also introduced to bullies at this age. They may not know them as bullies, at the younger age they simple might perceive them as bossy or mean, but most like that kid is a bully. The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark tackles bullying in this timely book that’s appropriate for National Bullying Prevention Month and beyond.

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