elementary school | Page 5 of 7

The Natural Tolls of Digging Holes, playfully weird STEM for 4 and up

Moles Present The Natural Tolls of Digging Holes ironically reminds us of Dirt. That book was a vertical, poetic, look at something that we see every day. The art was varied and the whispy text showed how the tiny things that live in dirt can be a world unto itself. The Natural Tolls of Digging Holes takes that same spirit, has a more animated form of illustration, adds simpler text that rhymes and opens up its world to anyplace that you might see that’s been dug. This is an illustrated book that feeds curious young minds, softly teaches them and gets them to think while they’re smiling.

Moles Present The Natural Tolls of Digging Holes is silly on the surface, but makes ages 4-8 think about what’s under our feet.

STEm by any other name

You Should Meet John Lewis, a big kid book with a format to entice all

Recently I wrote about how an illustrated book, in some cases, can be for older audiences. They can provide talking points for people or events in history or pop culture in a way that’s more direct, effective interesting, and softer. Early and emerging readers are certainly familiar with the Ready-To-Read book series. There’s a book in that series for any student in pre-k through middle elementary. Those readers who like a challenge, or for those aged seven and up need to check out books in the most advanced series, Level Three-Superstar Reader. These books have the same format but have a more complex story, lots of three-syllable words, challenging vocabulary, and a story that requires those readers to pay attention. You Should Meet John Lewis is the first book that we’ve seen in this series and it really fills a gap that many elementary school readers have.

Ready-To-Read Level Three, You Should Meet John Lewis is a smart book that introduces longer chapters to readers in third grade and up.

Non-fiction chapter book that’ll hook second grade and up

Egg Marks The Spot is intelligent storytelling for young readers

What if the book DNA from Indiana Jones and Frog and Toad were magically strewn together? It would be a rollicking adventure that followed two friends as they went about their quest for a relic, or perhaps a rock. But, we’d also need to include lots of intelligent banter between the friends that are on par with an age-appropriate Sherlock. Egg Marks The Spot is a Skunk and Badger Story and is very close to fulfilling that order. The result is the second book in a series that’s smarter than most kids are used to reading, that’s partnered with more action than you’d expect from a skunk and a badger.

This proves that smart books aren’t a chore for kids to read

Revver The Big Race Home, still ripping doughnuts for elementary school

Revver The Speedway Squirrel was one of the mid through early middle school comfort reads released in 2021. The premise about a squirrel and how he’s able to communicate with humans, in addition to not getting squished by cars going 150 miles an hour is inherently interesting to elementary school kids. It’s Frogger, but in a kidlit friendly way that makes you root for the squirrel and the humans. Revver The Speedway Squirrel: The Big Race Home sees our favorite squirrel traveling with the race crew. Reluctant elementary school readers unite because this book continues the folky, adventuresome tales of a rodent with a shade tale and a penchant for speed.

Back for more reluctant reading elementary school fun

Stuntboy is the start of a fabulous, fart-free, graphic novel series

In the best of all possible ways, Stuntboy has an old-school strand woven all through the book. Even before you read the graphic novel that seed is sown when you turn the cover and see what author Jason Reynolds has written. It’s the dedication page where authors and illustrators dedicate the book or thank influential people in their lives. Reynolds’ blurb simply says “For ten-year old me” and illustrator Raul the Third’s is dedicated to the Village Two apartments where he grew up. Stuntboy has the DNA of a 10-year-old all through it. It’s also a graphic novel with the sensibilities of a traditional book, where the written words navigate its direction.

Stuntboy is the start of a great graphic novel series that will sit alongside Captain Underpants in elementary school libraries.

A graphic novel series that will be shared and constantly checked out

A Day In The Life of A Poo, A Gnu and You is a go-to STEM reference

Everything old is new again. That phrase comes to mind when realizing some of the great books that came out during the pandemic that didn’t receive the attention that they deserve. A Day In The Life Of A Poo, A Gnu, and You, a Laugh-Out-Loud Guide to Life on Earth is one of those books. It’s as big as an illustrated book, yet has the depth and weight of a reference book, but has more colors and graphics than some comic books or graphic novels. As if the book is attempting to pile on its brownie points, it’s educational, funny, ridiculously entertaining, and wait for it….one that kids will really want to read.

A Day In The Life of A Pooh is at the intersection of comic book, reference material, large-form graphic novel, and humor mag that’s been given a STEM jacket to wear.

The intersection of comic/graphic novel/reference, funny book

Inside In, is hypnotic photo-oriented STEM for six and up

Kids are inherently curious and that’s a fact that applies to every child regardless of age. Rare is the book that makes middle school and elementary school students equally curious. Either the book is too simple for older readers, too advanced for younger readers, has content that’s in-between the two demographics or simply just is not interesting. Inside In is a book that immediately grabs the attention of kids aged six through 14 and even north of that. It’s a coffee table book for STEM-minded folks, as well as, those who simply like to take their mind on a trip. The subtitle of the book, X-Rays of Nature’s Hidden World, gives you the immediate reason as to why kids will be engrossed in it.

Inside In sounds like a typo, instead, it’s a photo-centric book on X-Rays and how they can show the art of things hidden in plain sight.

Art by another nam is just an x-Ray

Cat Ninja: Time Heist, a graphic novel purrfect for elementary ages

How elementary schools receive their books is a fascinating world. I’m in a different elementary school library almost every school day and the fact that I don’t see some series is quite surprising. One of them that is top of mind is the Investigators series. That series of graphic novels is one that every kid aged eight and up would love. In other cat-egories, Cat Ninja is a graphic novel series that elementary schools (and their readers) would laugh at, share, talk about, and would be constantly checked out by an eager queue of boys and girls alike. The second book in the series, Cat Ninja: Time Heist rips through the psyche of a typical nine-year-old-like catnip that’s been teasing placed on the back of a tiny revolving toy mouse.

Cat Ninja: Time Heist is the second of three graphic novels that needs to be in any elementary school library.

This book, and this series is peferct for ages 8 and up