We were compensated for this post. All thoughts are our own. It’s funny the childhood memories that stick with you decades later. For me one of the first ones that come to mind is a family trip was our visit to Land of Oz. Land of Oz isn’t just a metaphor, back in the early 70’s it was a real place in Beech Mountain, NC. This was a theme park devoted to its classic moniker and our family, who never traveled, went there for some reason. I remember that it was the first time I had to have the family stop the car so that I could use the bathroom on the side of a highway, lots of yellow brick, potentially scary costumes for a 6 year old and much more. These memories tie in with Beyond the Sun, a new family movie about travel and adventure that’s based on stories from the Bible. To celebrate the film’s release we’re giving away at $50 gift card to Target and the film makers are sending one winner and three guests to Italy where they’ll receive a private tour of the Vatican, plus front row tickets to an audience with Pope Francis.
All age comic books for May 16
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New comic book day is every Wednesday; it’s when comic book stores receive their new comics. In those shipments are a dozen or two all age comics that are Ok for younger readers. In this post we highlight lots independent press comic books, as well as the big houses, DC and Marvel Comics. If you’re new to all age comic books and looking exclusively at those two publishers you’ll only be seeing a minority of the comics that are OK for kids. In the podcast we’ll chat about the ‘life’ comics that are good for tweens, plus Moe from The Simpsons gets his own one shot, Steven Universe, Sonic the Hedgehog and more. For now, let’s look at three all age comic books that will be appropriate for ages 6 and up.
Future Quest Presents, #10
DC Comics has this great series that blends classic Hanna-Barbera properties in new stories that will entertain readers 8 and up. Future Quest Presents #10 is about Dorno of the Herculoids. Yeah, I didn’t know who they were either, but in the late 60’s that was a cartoon jammed with dinosaurs, dragons apes, huminoids and science-fiction. This is fun, creative stuff that kids won’t be familiar with, but will love nonetheless and be the cool kids sharing things that their friends don’t know about yet.
Garfield 2018 Vacation Time Blues
Boom! Studios is one of the largest houses that produces all age comic books. A certain lasagna-loving cat has his adventures printed there and Garfield 2018 Vacation Time Blues is an oversized issue that packs in Odie, Jon and Liz as they enjoy the summer. Garfield is timeless and just as funny in a comic book format as he is in cartoon strips.
Invader Zim, #30
Darkpoop Cola might have evil plans. Dib is out to get a bottle of it before Gaz stops him. Kids might have seen Invader Zim on television or maybe they’ve read through one of his comic books. Either way, Invader Zim is just what kids want, it’s gross and rude enough to where they can laugh, but not too inappropriate for some kids. Ages 8 and up will love this comic book. Who am I kidding, kids even younger than that have probably seen the show, so parents, use your judgment on this one.
Humor
Superhero
Action/Science-fiction
Bad Mermaids Make Waves is great reading for girls 8 and up
I am not enjoying a book about mermaids….I tell myself….but I am. Bad Mermaids Make Waves is the type of madcap, creative, fun book that will utterly entrance readers who are 8 and up, even boys, if they dare. This is a book that will mainly cater towards girls due to the title and subject matter. However, I, as a grown adult male stumbled into Hidden Lagoon and can wholeheartedly recommend Bad Mermaids Make Waves for several reasons. Continue reading Bad Mermaids Make Waves is great reading for girls 8 and up
Dr. Critchlore’s School For Minions, Twice Cursed review
Dr. Critchlore’s School For Minions, Twice Cursed is the fourth and final book in this series by Sheila Grau with illustrations by Joe Suthpin. It’s three-ring-circus of a book for mid-elementary through middle school that jams monsters, plot twists, more monsters and laughs. Just when you think that nothing else could happen in the book, something does and it only adds to the greater story. Continue reading Dr. Critchlore’s School For Minions, Twice Cursed review
The Ring of Honor, a return to form for middle school fun reading
Everyone hits a moment where things don’t click and that goes for book series too. That was the case with the Secrets of the Seven book series by Sarah. L. Thomson. The first book in the series The Eureka Key was a fabulous first book in the series. It was quickly paced, relatable for kids 9 and up and felt like a kidlit cousin to the film National Treasure. At the end of the first book I was waiting for the second book. When it did the next year, The Eagle’s Quill failed to deliver. It was darker, didn’t have the punch of the first one and left us lukewarm about a third book. The Ring of Honor returns to the swagger and fun that populated the first book so well and makes this a book that kids will really enjoy reading. Continue reading The Ring of Honor, a return to form for middle school fun reading
This Story Is For You is far away comfort food for kids 3-7
Greg Pizzoli has a way with the characters and colors that he uses in his books that really speak to small children. The colors he uses in his books are crisp, but also on the softer hued side of things. His characters, either people or animals, are pleasant, amenable and immediately put children at ease. This Story Is For You is a book that celebrates the uniqueness of childhood friendships and the physical distance that sometimes happens between them. Continue reading This Story Is For You is far away comfort food for kids 3-7
All age comic books for May 9
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Everybody back in the pool, Free Comic Book Day was last week. This is a great chance to visit that comic book store again, to see the new all age comic books that arrive on Wednesday. Just as FCBD happens the first Saturday in May, new comic book day (#NCBD) is every Wednesday and this week has a nice selection of all age comic books that’ll prove to kids 6 and up that FCBD offers more than just freebies once a year. Over in the podcast we’ll chat about Peanuts Vol. 9 from Boom! Studios, Star Wars Block from Abrams Books, a Phoebe and Her Unicorn board book, plus two books with geek roots that’ll inspire tween girls to read. For now, let’s look at three all age comic books that will entertain young readers aged 6 and up.
Jim Henson Fraggle Rock #1
It’s 35 years of Fraggle Rock and Boom! Studios has a gorgeous new four-issue mini-series to celebrate with Mokey, Gobo, Wembley, Red and the others. This is a simpler mini-series than the one that came out a couple of years ago. It’s also impeccably beautiful, drawn with love and painted with watercolor. Kids aged 6 and up won’t be able to read it, but they will love (hint, hint….) to have it read to them. The spoken dialogue, in addition to the art that they will be able to appreciate will make them want to visit Fraggle Rock over and over.
Spongebob Comics #80
Patrick wants to live in a kelp maze. Mr. Krabs has his miserly heart set upon winning an Underwater Book of Records award and Squidward and Spongebob are in the kitchen cooking. This is one of the best all age comic books that you’ll pick up on any given month. It’s $3.99 and our 8-year old has been reading it since he was 5. Disclosure: we read it also and adults who allow themselves to truly relax will enjoy it also.
Star Wars Block
The Block books from Abrams Books are phenomenal. They’re board books that have previously taken a look at cities, the alphabet, dinosaurs and numbers. Board books you scoff….but these are the cleverest, highest quality, board books that we’ve seen. Each page folds out to display a key image that Star Wars fans, young and old will immediately recognize. The text in Star Wars Block will be appropriate for any age, while those who are 6 and will be able to read some of the sight words by themselves. As a testament to how well constructed these books are, we still have our Alphablock book from 2013, it’s taught two children and still holds up physically, with its pages and fold outs intact.
Humor
Superhero
Science-fiction/action
The YA graphic novel All Summer Long knows the soul of tween girls
If you have read a comic book or original graphic in the past ten years that speaks to the soul of girls nine through sixteen you’ve most likely read something by Hope Larson. Larson is an author and illustrator who knows tween girls like Sandra Boynton knows animal board books. All Summer Long sounds like déjà vu from a John Cusak film-set against a different decade, but as long as you included Curtis Armstrong in it then you’d be OK. In this instance though, All Summer Long is an original graphic novel about life, friendships-real and fake, plus growing up and knowing when to be true to you. Continue reading The YA graphic novel All Summer Long knows the soul of tween girls
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