One thing about being a parent and children is that everything old is new again. New things released today, when you don’t have children, have the potential to become classics by the time you have children. That’s the case with Santa Calls by William Joyce. It was initially released in 1993 and hasn’t aged a day in its 24 years.
Continue reading Santa Calls is a new (to us) Christmas classic for 9 and younger
With two kids in early elementary school we’re knee deep in teaching them about STEM. As a dad I do it because I know it’s the path to getting more out of their education. It allows them to use their intelligence to its greatest potential and is a set of skills that any kid can practice and improve upon. Veronica and the Volcano is a STEM based book that will appeal to girls who are aged 8-12. It’s the story of a young girl who lives on the side of a volcano, her quest for some rare pearls and the dangers they find along the way.
Her father and best friend also accompany Veronica on this quest which somewhat true to life. The story of the book started when author Geoffrey Cook was making up stories that he was telling his real-life daughter. His daughter loved the stories and he wanted to keep adding to them so he started writing them down. Veronica, the volcano and its cast of characters started to take shape.
National STEM Day is November 8. In reality any day can be STEM day for your kids. After school you can do simple experiments, watch a show that’ll encourage an aspect of it or do math lessons as you shop for groceries. How do you encourage STEM based thinking in your children?
Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Bloggin’ Mamas & North Point Mall to share these free family events with my readers, and am being compensated for this partnership. All opinions expressed are my own.
As a kid I was skeptical of going to see Santa. One reason I was anxious-and probably not behaving as well as I normally did was the fact that you had to wait in line. The giver of toys in a bright red suit combined with an unquantifiable period of time in line as you wait does not produce a happy child. Now parents can make appointments to see Santa Claus and this year he’s bring his toy factory with him. Through Sunday, December 24 at North Point Mall you can visit Santa’s Toy Factory and get a photo with the big guy in person.
Continue reading Santa’s Toy Factory: Play with toys, meet the Man at North Point Mall
We have been itching to see The Man Who Invented Christmas. It’s not that we’re super eager for Christmas films. The Man Who Invented Christmas is the story of Charles Dickens, author of A Christmas Carol. I don’t know anything about his personal life, other than the fact that he wrote that classic book that we all knew by heart and then was made into that film that starred Bill Murray. Only knowing that, I watched the trailer for The Man Who Invented Christmas and was chomping at the bit to see it.
The jury is still out as to whether or not our 8 year old would like it. Granted the film is only rated PG-and that is for thematic elements and mild language. It’s that he is not too familiar with the actual story of A Christmas Carol to enjoy the process, thoughts and situations that Charles Dickens went through while writing it.
After the sneak preview we’ll determine if our 8 year old would enjoy seeing it. This giveaway is for a 4-pack of tickets to see The Man Who Invented Christmas in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 15. To enter just leave a comment in the blog post and winners will be notified on Friday, November 10. That way they’ll have plenty of time to plan, get a sitter or tell the boss that they need to leave work early.
The Man Who Invented Christmas begins its movie theater run on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, just in time for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and beyond. To enter, just leave a comment in the post, easy, peasy.
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What are the all ages comics this week? As with past years, the week immediately after Halloween is skinny, but don’t let that put you off from visiting your local comic book store. The 900 pound gorilla this week is actually a book. It’s book 12 in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series, The Getaway. The Heffley family is leaving town and going someplace tropical. Expect venomous insects, family in-fighting, teen angst, lots of comic situations and many stick figures in the book. Grades two and up will be able to read these books, with their sweet spot being upper elementary to low middle school. We’ll detail some more graphic novels, books and comics in the podcast and YouTube video. Here’s a look at five new all ages comics that you’ll want to pay attention that are in stores.
The Archies, issue #2
Riverdale has brought forth lots of new adventures. The Archies is the comic book brother to Archie, which is the print originator to the very popular Riverdale on the CW. The Archies is one of those almost all ages comics that will be of interest to middle school students and older. There is nothing graphic in the content for younger readers; it’s just that they won’t identify with the stories as much. The Archies follows Archie Andrews and the story of his band. Because of that, older middle school students who are in band or play an instrument will really identify with this book.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, #60
The Cutie Mark Crusaders are trying to come to terms with one of their own who is unsure about following the family way. My Little Pony is a classic, with characters that generations of elementary school girls have followed, read and dressed up as. Girls aged 7 through 9 should love this comic book. In this issue the aforementioned pony is having a coming of age crisis-do they do what they want to do or what they think others want them to?
Squirrel Girl, issue #26
Squirrel Girl is one of the most creative, bizarre and interesting almost all ages comics that you get every month. This series is great for kids in middle school and up who want something that’s well written and unexpected. Issue #26 of Squirrel Girl takes that spirit and amps it up for a special one-shot of things you don’t expect. This is funny, surreal and a superhero unlike others who does it all while maneuvering high school, albeit with a large tail.
Red’s Planet, Friends and Foes
Red’s Planet, Friends and Foes is one of the best graphic novels of the year. The fact that it’s an all ages graphic novel is even more remarkable. Red is a young girl who is on an alien planet. She’s making the best of it and in her second book she’s coming to terms with its residents, leadership and new aliens. From the sharp art, beautiful drawings and funny, personable characters this is one graphic novel that kids 7 and up will immediately love.
Nathan Hale’s, Raid of No Return from the Hazardous Tales series
Nathan Hale tells true tales about history through graphic novels. Because the stories are real and often take place in wartime, they’re suited for readers in middle school. Raid of No Return is the 7th book in his Hazardous Tales book series and details the little known story about a team of soldiers from the USA who were on a secret mission to Japan in WWII. Their plane was detected before arriving in Tokyo and the story of what happened to the soldiers is amazing. This is history. It’s approachable history for readers without being graphic or going into the hard realities of war.
Nathan hale, hazardous tales, raid of no return, reds planet, friends and foes, reds planet friends and foes, graphic novel, all ages comics, squirrel girl, my little pony, MLP, the archies, diary of a wimpy kid, the getaway.
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It’s sometimes difficult to jump into an existing book series. You feel like you’re late to the party, wish that you would’ve discovered it first or are hesitant because you don’t know the characters. Red’s Planet, Friends and Foes is the second book in Eddie Pittman’s series and our first introduction to the characters and I’m eating crow. Hello metaphorical crow, I eat you, not because I said that Red’s Planet wasn’t a good book, rather, I simply thought that based on its cover.
Continue reading Red’s Planet, Friends and Foes, sharp art, great story-fabulous book
For personal entertainment I grade superhero films on a curve. As a film for other people we grade them as most folks would determine the enjoyment of the movie. That’s important to admit, especially when you’re talking about this genre of films. Thor Ragnarok enters this arena, both literally and figuratively as an example whose predecessors were graded on such a curve. Characters won’t die, heroes don’t change and their movies have an all too familiar pattern about them. That’s a shame because the medium that brought forth these stories; comic books has given people memories-or at least the template to have stories and characters that are fun, adventurous and a joy to escape with.
Continue reading Thor Ragnarok, a fun, solid time at the cinema that also shakes it up
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What are the new all ages comics this week? It’s a great week for some all age graphic novels including the sequel to one of our favorites from last year, Dream Jumper. Dream Jumper, Curse of the Harvester continues the story of Ben, who is now in the business of dream jumping and business is booming; but a new force in the dream world is about to cause chaos. Dream Jumper is a great graphic novel series from Graphix for ages 7 and up. Also in the podcast we’ll talk about Snow White, a new Mutts Treasure called #LoveMutts, Dog Man and more. Here’s a look at five new all ages comics that you’ll want to pay attention that are in stores.
For Better or Worse
For Better or Worse The Complete Library is for the fans of this classic comic strip. This strip started in 1979 and ran through 2008. For Better or Worse is still in over 2,000 newspapers as reruns. This book was done with creator’s Lynne Johnston’s help and tracks the Patterson family through key points of their three decades in print. This was one of the few comic strips that had their characters age. Fans of the strip still remember reading about the death of Farley, the Patterson’s first English Sheepdog.
Simpsons Comics Explosion
Because you might not be able to purchase every issue of Simpsons Comics…..Simpsons Comics Explosion is published annually. This is a whopping 96 pages of bright blue hair, yellow skin, blue onsie, white shirt fun from Springfield’s favorite mess of a family, the Simpsons. Issue #4 of Simpsons Comic Explosion has Homer taking on a job as a stand-in for Krusty, a Professor Fink story, a Power Plants Vs. Zombies story and much more. Priced at $9.99 this is for those that already like Simpsons Comics, but it’s one of the best all ages comics that kids 7 and up can pick up on a monthly basis.
Adventure Time
Adventure Time is one of the most popular shows for kids in upper elementary school and up. Realistically, the show is best enjoyed by teenagers as most of the humor and attitude will be understood by them without having to explain what is and isn’t appropriate or real. To that end, the Adventure Time comic book from Boom! Studios fills the void of younger kids who want to know Adventure Time, but whose parents don’t want them watching the show. This is one of the all ages comics that teens will legitimately enjoy, in addition to younger readers, without sacrificing cool points or incurring the distrustful eye of mom (or dad). Adventure Time #70 kicks is part 1 of 4, so it’s a nice jumping on point for new fans.
Usagi Yojimbo
Usagi Yojimbo is one of those perfect comic books. It has ninjas, action, drama, wry humor and anthropomorphic animals. Usagi Yojimbo #163 has our favorite ninja being asked for assistance from a local thief, who has been stealing in order to return things to the public. Each issue of Usagi has a story that is greater than the sum of its panels and manages to combine action, heart and consequences into each issue. Usagi Yojimbo costs $3.99 from Dark Horse Comics and is best enjoyed by ages 8 and up who like comics that concentrate on story and art.
A Die Hard Christmas
With tongue firmly in cheek and intended for ages 10 and up, A Die Hard Christmas takes its cue from “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Enter John McClain in Nakatomi Plaza, without any shoes as he evades one of the best baddies of all time Alan Rickman, who played Hans Gruber. A Die Hard Christmas will make fans of the original movie smile, but probably won’t resonate with those that haven’t seen it. Having said that I’m smiling.
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Superhero
Action/Science-Fiction
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