Snapdragon, it’s great and isn’t what you think it is

Why is the title character wearing antlers? That was the first thing that I thought when I saw the cover to Snapdragon. The summary about a young girl out to see if the witch that lives in town is eating pets is correct. Snap’s dog has gone missing and while she might be scared to confront the witch, she also needs to find her dog. By the 10th page Snap has solved that problem and is onto dispelling urban myths, discovering a bit her family, making friends and having a grand adventure.

Snapdragon is a great middle-grade graphic novel for boys or girls

The Girl and the Dinosaur, a soft, dreamy good-night book

The moon sucks you in. Then, when you’re looking at the moon you pay attention to the red-haired girl who is sitting on the back of a dinosaur. It’s then when notice the tagline for The Girl and the Dinosaur, believe in the impossible. The only thing that’s missing from the book’s cover is a message from Steven Spielberg saying that he’ll be turning it into a major motion picture.

The Girl and the dinosaur is great good-night reading

Hello World!, bridges fun and education in a hunt and find book

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.

Hello World!, where story and education meet hunt and find books

Hundred Feet Tall, an illustrated book quick to grow on you

We are a sucker for pizza and children’s illustrated books with rabbits as the main character. I just realized the rabbit thing a moment ago while I was re-reading Hundred Feet Tall by Benjamin Scheuer with illustrations by Jemima Williams. Our main character is an un-named anthropomorphic rabbit who is in the country with his parents. He sees an acorn on the ground in early winter and promptly takes it with them as the three of them pile into their red car with a BU-NNY license plate.

Hundred Feet Tall is rabbit fun in a great good night book

Sleeping Bronty, updates the fairy tale with dinosaurs and chili

The story seems familiar, but Sleeping Bronty is the second in a series of the Once Before Time board books. Epic! Originals is an imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing and are producing this very cute, left of center board books for young children. Board books are awesome for young readers because those pages can take a beating, either from hands that are practicing coordination or teeth that need something to chew on. Sleeping Bronty has the hardwired story of a sleeping princess, but throws lots of curve balls (and chili!) so that new audiences will enjoy its age-appropriate, slightly irreverent take.

Sleeping Bronty is the board book that follows the familiar tale of sleeping princesses, but modernizes it with dinosaurs and chili.
You know the story, but pre-K will love the twist that the book provides

Nothing Wee About Me!, imagination play that’s just OK

The title of the book flows off the tongue. On the cover we see a young girl who we’ll come to know at Liesel, she’s taunting a dragon ten times bigger than her with a ladle. Once we open the book we’ll also meet her younger brother and her grandmother. They all go into her seaside cottager where the kids set upon playing with their imagination as they visit a castle, volcano and meeting all manner of friendly animals. But whatever you do, don’t accuse Liesel of being a wee girl. Grandma does and her response becomes the rallying cry for her as she fights down pirates or anything else that seems impossible.

The art is great, but the text is too long for a good-night book

Creature Campers has the ticket for elementary aged kids

Creature Campers is a new series of early reader books by epic! originals and The Secret of Shadow Lake is the first release. It takes a novel look at the first day of camp through the eyes of a non-traditional camper. In this case the camper is a Big Foot style monster named Norm. He’s headed to summer camp where a human named Oliver and all sorts of other animals, fairies or aliens will also be having typical tween and teen summer fun.

Continue reading Creature Campers has the ticket for elementary aged kids

Undersea Mystery Club has just the ticket for early elementary girls

Undersea Mystery Club, Problem at the Playground is the first in a series of books by epic! originals on Andrews McMeel Publishing. Violet is a purple mermaid who lives in Aquamarina with Wally, her narwhal. This is logical because if an early elementary reader series of books is going to have a fish in the story it had better be the closest real animal to a unicorn out there. They’re near the city’s new park for its grand opening, only it’s evident that something is immediately wrong.

Undersea Mystery Club is one that early elementary girls will want to join
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