When is a board book not a board book? I’ve asked this riddle before, but it deserves to be asked again. Busy Bots is a board book that occupies one of the interesting corners of the crawler book library. It’s a STEM-minded board book that turns real tools into insects, animals or pretend animals that will leave ages two through seven grinning for multiple reasons.
Our youngest has always loved Bad Kitty. As a book series though, Nick Bruel’s lovable, paranoid, manic, and odd kitty has been much like the titular character. They felt like a graphic novel in its story and fun approach to it, yet its delivery had more in common with manga. That is most likely due to the fact that most non-Asian readers are used to having stories in color unless it’s in the funny pages. If that’s the case, then you’d probably categorize those who still use ‘funny pages’ in conversation as old and outdated. I’m looking at me. All of this rambling aside, Bad Kitty Goes on Vacation seeks to solve that quandary by being in full color.
Readers have to hand it Fart Quest. It clearly states what the book is about in its title. Granted, you have no idea what the quest entails, but are fairly certain that someone is on a journey and they’re probably gassy. Author Aaron Reynolds takes a simple premise and makes it so much more. Not content to simply make an upper elementary through middle school book; he’s written an adventure book about a mage in training that, at times, has more in common with Lord of the Rings than Captain Underpants.
Do Not Go In There! is an illustrated book that looks at the two types of people. Some see the glass half full and those who see it as half empty. It’s a world made up of people who see possibilities and others who see reasons why something shouldn’t be done. Morton and Bogart are the two creatures that toss about the pros and cons in the book. They’re best friends, but like most best friends they don’t see eye to eye on everything.
Suddenly everyone’s a school teacher, and I mean that in the highest form of a compliment. With most school age children at home doing virtual learning to some degree; it’s a great time for some complementary classroom instructors. Macmillan Publishers, home to some of our favorite children’s authors is having MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse from April 27-30 at 1:00 PM ET. The lessons will include art, science, social studies, language arts and your instructors will be best-selling authors.
It’s great when our 10 year-old discovers a new book that he enjoys. That was the case with Ben Braver and the Vortex of Doom. Even though this is the third book in the series it’s the first one that he read and hadn’t heard of the character before. However, Vortex of Doom has that vibe about it that’s just the sort of thing upper elementary school readers through middle school will eat up.
Beast Face-To-Face With The Florida Bigfoot arrived on my desk without any advance knowledge on my part. Truth be told, my oldest son opened the package and said, “Dad, you’ve got a book about Bigfoot!” Mind you, it’s the Florida Bigfoot, a creature that I’ve never even heard of. I’m no Bigfoot aficionado; sure I’ve seen the Patterson-Gimlin film and saw Steven Austin get carried away by Andre the Giant in that tunnel in 1976. But a middle grade book on the Florida Bigfoot must sure be hokey, right?
There is a period in the lives of most young when Ethan Long is their favorite author. It’s that period after board books when they’re making the switch to illustrated books. Our youngest first discovered Long with Lion & Tiger & Bear: Tag You’re It! He loved its energy and art that it’s a book we’ve saved for the permanent library. Hello World! is the first in the Happy County book series that’s aimed at ages 3-6.
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