Little Brown and Company

Road Trip Earth, a science graphic novel for the non-science sect

There are different literary vehicles for upper elementary through middle school students to get their Earth science on. A commonality between most of the interesting ones is that there is not a narrative device. Sure there are dozens to hundreds of engaging photos and text that do the trick but organizing this non-fiction stuff in a way that keeps them reading is challenging. They might jump in for one nugget, but it’s a different story when trying to lock down their attention for an entire book. Road Trip Earth is a book from Molly Bloom, Marc Sanchez, and Sanden Totten, the folks who created the Brains On! podcast and seems intent on shifting expectations, or at least reading duration.

Road Trip Earth is a science graphic novel that juggles laughs, education, reference material, entertainment and more without dropping a ball.

Science, meet graphic novel, graphic novel, meet science

Roto and Roy, Helicopter Heroes is just the ticket for your emerging reader

Kids of a certain age love rhyming books. These kids are mastering the art of walking, phrasing things like a big kid, and working on not having accidents. The books are those clever, heavily illustrated ones that have the goal of making pre-k through third graders as happy as clams. Author Sherri Duskey Rinker has been accomplishing that since 2011 with her illustrated book classic, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. It was then turned into a juggernaut of a book series incorporating any massive vehicle that could move dirt or pick up things. Her newest series of books is Roto and Roy, the first book is Helicopter Heroes and has a can-do, positive, attitude that ages four through eight will gleefully embrace with a smile.

Roto and Roy, Helicopter Heroes, is the start of a beautiful illustrated book friendship for pre-k through early elementary action readers.

Good, action-oriented rhyming fun for ages 4-8

Earth Friend Forever, early elementary illustrated, with laughs and smarts

Funny, as in genuinely producing a laugh, is something that eco books don’t normally do, especially picture books aimed at kindergarten through third grade. However, Earth Friend Forever, manages to produce a laugh or two, in addition to driving home the eco point to those young audiences. It’s an illustrated book on our use of plastic that’s not too heavy, doesn’t speak down to young elementary students, and provides basic ideas on how they can help with the problem.

Earth Friend Forever is a guilt-free, illustrated book that introduces early elementary to too much plastic-and what they can do about it.

A great blance of message, entertainment and smarts