Simon & Schuster | Page 9 of 12

The Wisdom of Picard, bite-sized smarts from Star Trek’s main man

Our 11-year-old son giddily tossed the 2021 Hallmark Christmas Ornament catalog my direction. “Dad, there are lots of Star Trek ornaments in it-I know that you love Star Trek”, he said. Internally I was thinking, it’s not that I like Star Trek more, it’s just that we have more Star Trek Christmas Ornaments than any other franchise*, but I didn’t correct him. That got me thinking about Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard, a book of quotations from everyone’s wisest and most follicly challenged captain.

The Wisdom of Picard presents bite-sized smart nuggets of conversation or quotes from Star Trek’s main man.

Smart it is, Make it so you will say

Nerdycorn, a fun, smart illustrated book for all, plus unicorns

If the world were a fair and just place there would be 10 copies of Nerdycorn in the book rack at our local big box store. As mentioned earlier, we were there and saw copies of a book that has a similar theme, but wasn’t nearly as great at Nerdycorn. This is an illustrated book that revels in color, has text length that makes it a great good-night book, funny characters, lessons to learn, and intelligence. It also has unicorns, which for some will be the main reason for reading. If that’s the case then that’s cool, come for the unicorns and stay for the STEM.

STEM, pictures and unicorns-What more could you love or want?

Keeping The City Going, fabulous art and poetic look at city shutdown

There’s a surge of illustrated books coming out now about COVID and how it impacted people or the places that we live. Brian Floca is an author and illustrator who works in both aspects with equal ease. In Keeping The City Going he’s the author/illustrator and has captured what New York City looked like during the peak COVID pandemic time. While the book takes a look at that city specifically, the labels or departments could easily be thought of as “Any City USA” and the heartfelt lessons of thanks and sacrifice are just as valid.

Keeping The City Going is an illustrated book that’s an art driven, poetry laden look at a big city that’s been shut down due to the COVID pandemic.

The illustrations take front seat in this book about the heroes of COVID

Cougar Crossing, well-paced animal-taiment on city wildlife

Cougar Crossing is based in southern California. It’s worth noting that Courtney Cox and Jennifer Anniston do not live at that intersection. This is an illustrated book that tells the story of P-22 a mountain lion that lives in the Santa Monica Mountains near Hollywood. Welcome to the land of city wildlife, near Beverly, Hills that is, swimming pools, movies stars and some rogue animals that don’t belong anywhere near them. This is a clear-cut case of the fact that the cougar, P-22 and his ancestors, were on the land first, but those desert hills kept attracting more residents. What’s a natural predator to do?

A City wildlife tale with broad appeal

Super Turbo Saves the Day! a true all-age graphic novel

I’m in a third-grade class right now. A mere ten minutes ago I was teaching the kids writing while some of the brighter kids started talking about the books they’re reading. Rick Riordan was the main author that those kids were talking about. Some of these nine-year-old students aren’t as advanced when it comes to reading. I heard some of the kids call their books ‘baby books’, so I had to jump in and clear things up.

This is not a ‘baby book’, nor is it actually the book that those kids were reading. It also may not be the first time that readers in your house have seen a Super Turbo book.

What we have here is Super Turbo Saves the Day!, an all-age graphic novel from Little Simon. This is truly for all ages. Those kids who are only five years old can pick up Super Turbo and make some sight words or at least really enjoy the pictures. Getting your pre-k or kindergarten-aged student to eagerly look forward to carrying around a book, even if they can’t read all of the words yet is half of the battle.

Fun graphic novels for ages five and up is what ye see here matey

Wilderlore The Accidental Apprentice, a book series with quick hooks

On its surface, Wilderlore, The Accidental Apprentice seems like a book that you’ve read before. For me, it’s because I recently read Fartquest, a book whose tone is quite different but does share an overarching theme in common with it. Those older readers might even find threads of How to Train your Dragon, Nevermoor, or LOTR in the book. As you might have guessed, The Accidental Apprentice involves a quest that has monsters, beasts, and kingdoms. The mglit angle is firmly hit by the book because it’s one that middle school readers will enjoy due to the fact that it’s fun, has a very quick pace, and a pair of teen characters who will ride their imagination.

Wilderlore The Accidental Apprentice is the first in a series of books that hooks readers in fifth grade and up.

This book plants roots for future stories

Saucy is a swine reading time for middle-elementary through middle school

When I was a kid I had fringe pets. These were animals that didn’t qualify under the domesticated category that most people associate pets with. For example, I had a rabbit, granted lots of people have rabbits as pets but these rabbits were outside, never came inside, and rarely graced the touch of a human hand. We also had a crow, who ironically had the same home the rabbit did, albeit a couple of years later. Saucy is a book that’s aimed at upper elementary through Middle School readers and is all about those fringe pets. The cover has a pig who is running with glee, possibly running away from or towards something as the back jacket as a small family who is chasing him for some reason. That illustration gives you a great feeling for how the book reads.

Saucy, try not to say it in an austin powers voice

A Charlie Brown Christmas Pop-Up Edition still delivers the goods

When is A Charlie Brown Christmas on TV is one of those seasonal search terms that roars in popularity during the first week in December. It’s special because the show is one of those communal experiences that bring people together to watch it in their own homes. Much like the classic Crowded House album, we’re Together Alone and watching one of the great stories come to life. A Charlie Brown Christmas Pop-Up Edition brings the classic charm of the show into an heirloom book that will remain in your family for generations.

Happiness, get yr seasonal Holiday Christmas Happniess here