Books | Page 28 of 81

Nana Loves You More, sub-par illustrated pre-k with great sales numbers

Was it not for the author’s name of Nana Loves You More, very few people outside of those who already have the first three books in the series, would be talking about it? Having said that, it merits the question, if Jimmy Fallon hadn’t written Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada, would the others in the series have ever been written? It’s a case of which came first the chicken or the egg? In this case one could also factor in if Nana Loves You More gets more children to read because of its prominent placement in stores across the country, does it really matter?

Nana Loves You More is the fourth in the Jimmy Fallon series that could easily be driven more out of obligation and sales than a yearning to tell a story.

This might not the nana book you’re looking for

Kick Push, an illustrated book that runs with enthusiasm to kids 6 and up

A book that reaches out and grabs the nape of your neck is a rare thing. It’s not something that you’re expecting as it slams your senses, wakes up your eyes, and takes you on a trip to a place that you’ve never been before. Kick Push is an illustrated book that lovingly yells at you until you pay attention. At first, it seems like that manic, out-of-control student whose only goal is to distract the teacher from the lesson of the day. But then, after you spend a couple of pages with Kick Push you realize that it’s a picture book that’s unlike anything you’ve seen before and will challenge you in all the right ways.

Kick Push is an illustrated book that screams at just the right volume. It grabs readers’ attention, makes them curious and entertains, all while teaching a lesson.

Kinetic action in a book that teaches a lesson

A Penny’s Worth, a kid’s look at money that most wish was history

The other day our youngest son wanted to cash in all of his coins for paper money. His pirate treasure chest was loaded with jangles and clinks from various coins bouncing together. I explained to him that if he goes to one of the machines that count it for him he’ll be charged, whereas if he counts it himself and goes to the bank, he’ll get all of the money. Of course, being 10 years old and wanting to see a machine do things, he opted for the first choice. A Penny’s Worth is an illustrated book that one hopes will be a historical relic within 10 years. A book on a penny, how quaint, remember when we had that copper-colored useless coin, we’ll all sit back and think. If there’s any justice in the world, A Penny’s Worth will sit alongside the book about Daylight Saving Time as things or concepts that once existed.

A Penny’s Worth is a charming, rhyming, illustrated book for early elementary readers about money in the United States and its smallest, most useless increment.

A penny saved is two pennies that it cost to do so

Sports Heroes, illustrated book on athletes breaking barriers for 8 and up

The style of art that’s used in Sports Heroes is the type that makes elementary-aged readers effortlessly flock to it. The lines are crisp, its edges are sharp, it’s loaded with contrasting colors, the shapes are absurd-but not too silly, and everything has a retro look that’s at home for Mad Men or today’s eight-year-olds. What elementary-aged readers, as well as some middle school readers will come to terms with when they look through Sports Heroes, Inspiring Tales of Athletes Who Stood Up and Stood Out; is that sports-and a variety of them can bring about the best in people.

Sports Heroes is an illustrated book on athletes who defied their sport or the times surrounding them. It’s great for readers aged 8 and up.

(brief) Stories that kids don’t know, but want to read, they just don’t know it yet

Hardcourt, the sweet spot of making kids want to read with art and sports

“Do you know Trae Young?” I get that a lot at school. And no, elementary school students- a person with an uncommon first name does not necessarily know all other people with that same name. However, the fact that most any kid in an elementary school knows that sports figure speaks leagues about the popularity of the NBA. Hardcourt is by Fred Bowen with illustrations by James E. Ransome. They’re the same duo that produced Gridiron, an oversized book that’s this one’s sibling in the best of all possible ways.

Hardcourt is a must-own for any elementary age fan of basketball. It’s approachable and tells stories from the first 75 years of the game that will hook readers eight and up.

Smart, approachable, and one that grades 4 and up want to drive into

Rescuing Titanic, an illustrated book look at the RMS Carpathia

Often times the story that’s behind the story is as interesting and sometimes more interesting than the main one. Rescuing Titanic, A True Story of Quiet Bravery in the North Atlantic is an illustrated book that takes the line and runs with it. It’s an oversized, illustrated book that looks at the story that third graders and up to know about, but examines the after-effects and how they were dealt with.

Rescuing Titanic is the story behind the story about its sinking and subsequent rescue mission by the RMS Carpathia, great for middle elementary readers.

Mid to upper elementary readers will love this story, behind the story

The Kid’s World Factbook, the straight, smart reference book that kids need

The Kid’s World Factbook is a research book for elementary school students that’s presented in a way that those audiences might not expect. It’s also priced at a point that parents aren’t expected. Of course, the price of a book is meaningless, dependent upon whether or not kids will actually willingly read it and engage with the content. This book succeeds on both fronts, wildly surpassing the former and exceeding the first qualifier for most young readers.

The Kid’s World Factbook is a no nonsense look at every country in the world, their main stats and things kids need to know.

A smart, go-to reference for ages 10 and up

Mermaid Dance, a well built interactive board book that moves and charms

Who is the king of interactive board books? It’s not like there is a fiefdom of illustrators and authors battling it out for supremacy a la Survivor. There is no tattooed ringleader with their arms outstretched asking the world whose house this is. These are interactive board books, the kind that toddlers, crawlers and pre-K kids love to paw over, pull their levers, wonder how the object on the page moves, and try their best to make the book unusable for future generations. Mermaid Dance is by the husband and wife team of Matthew Van Fleet and Mara Val Fleet. Matthew is the #1 New York Times Best Selling Author, behind Tails and Dog, as well as the Oscar the Octopus, Chomp Goes the Alligator, Dance, and more.

Mermaid Dance is an interactive board whose quality and durability is equaled only by its enjoyment by those young readers.

hardened souls who dislike all, Resistance is futile to this book