Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds, fascinating reference book for the masses

Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds, 100 New Ways to See the World by Ian Wright is an unexpected time suck in the best of all possible ways.  For example, I’ve never actively thought about those countries or territories that have smaller populations than greater Tokyo. I have also never thought about how the ratio of heavy metal bands per 100 thousand people. Regarding the later query, those in Scandinavia-especially Finland, love some metal, whereas a metal group in central Africa would have a tough time finding an audience. Some of the maps in Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds are serious, some are trivial, but for curious people 10 and up they’ll all be fascinating.

This is an unexpected book that will love. It’s unique, fun to read and educational.

The Presidents, Portraits of History-education via art

One of the most remarkable things about The Presidents Portraits of History by Leah Tinari is how non-political the book is. In a time where folks can’t say the most innocuous thing without it being viewed, positively or negatively through a political lens, Tinari has created a book that respects and casts every president as human. The Presidents is a big book. On the right pages in the book readers will see large drawings of each president through 2020.  In erratic sized font around each illustration are serious or obscure facts about each person.

The Presidents, Portraits of History is art that’ll make kids want to learn

The Boy Who Became A Dragon, A Bruce Lee Story review

Early in my marriage my wife and I set a $25 limit on gifts. The first gift that she gave me under the price restrictions at that time was a Bruce Lee DVD set. That was 13 years ago and I still have the DVDs, plus I’m still married. I mention that to drive home the point that I am a Bruce Lee fan. His talent was stunning and the legacy that he had and left behind is amazing and tragic. The Boy Who Became A Dragon, A Bruce Lee Story by Jim Di Bartolo is a graphic novel that (shockingly…) I expected to enjoy. Once I was finished the book I realized that I enjoyed it for entirely different reasons than I thought that I would.   

We loved this graphic novel, but not for the reasons we would’ve thought

How to Hide a Lion at Christmas, pretend seasonal play for 4 and up

How to Hide a Lion at Christmas is logical. The title is illogical, but considering how well-and how adept Iris is at hiding him and many adventures they’re had, it makes sense. Iris is a four year-old girl who has been figuring out ways to hide her lion for several years. She’s hidden her lion at school, from grandma and others. This book, and the others by author Helen Stephens; succeed due to the book’s perspective, its timeless/charming art and the fact that everyone has pretended to hide something from someone when they were that age.

Timeless and modern, try to hide a lion at christmas will you……

Bad Kitty Searching For Santa, early elementary Christmas giggles

Wait; didn’t Bad Kitty just have Thanksgiving? Yes, she did, but it’s a Bad Kitty world and we’re just living in it. Bad Kitty Does Not Like Thanksgiving was a board book. Bad Kitty Searching For Santa gives our grumpy cat an illustrated book format and has her try to figure out is she’s been naughty or nice. For readers in elementary school the answer to that question is an easy ‘yes!’ However, in the world of Bad Kitty it’s never as simple as that.

Bad Kitty, this is the christmas illustrated book for ages 4 and up

The Hadley Academy For The Improbably Gifted, fresh mid-school reading

The Hadley Academy For The Improbably Gifted sounds like a young adult hit movie, doesn’t it? In my mind’s eye I see the characters already cast and to an extent that’s completely accurate. The Hadley Academy is a young adult novel that establishes a new world, one that exists within sight of ours, but can only be seen by a few, select people. See, it has similarities, ideas or tropes that other well known middle grade fiction books try to achieve.  Author Conor Grennan wastes no time in creating this slightly alternate world and dropping readers right in the middle of it.

The Hadley Academy requires your attention, but you’re rewarded with a smart, twisty

Star Wars A Merry Sithmas Pop-Up Book, rises to the season

It’s natural to be scared of one thing or another. Let’s be clear, it’s not that I was scared of Star Wars A Merry Sithmas Pop-Up Book; it’s just that I was hesitant to get started on it because I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish the book in a way that’s presentable. Any Star Wars fan knows that once you open the packaging or break the seal its collectible value plummets. That’s where this book is utterly, thankfully different. “Daddy, can we do the pop-up book”, asked the 10 year-old. It’s when he asked that question I knew it was time, for better or worse to get the tape, read the directions and jump into the book.

This pop-up craft book is easy and fun to do, it’s a holiday keepsake for generations

Star Wars, The Ultimate Pop-Up Galaxy has to seen to be believed

Ode to be trapped inside Matthew Reinhart’s mind. Reinhart is an author and pop-up book genius. He’s constructed dozens of pop-up books that make you want to be a piece of paper just so he can engineer it becoming whatever magical thing might come to life in his books. We first discovered his work in Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs and Encyclopedia Sharks and Other Sea Monsters. These, and his other pop-up books are the stuff of legend and will engross anyone aged 5 and up. They’re also very complex, so if you value your books you’ll want to handle them yourself when looking at them with children under 10. Star Wars, The Ultimate Pop-Up Galaxy lives up to its name and is now our favorite Reinhart book. It maintains the intricate pop-up aspects of his other work, but digs down into many Star Wars elements that pop off of the page. 

This is a pop-up book that will dazzle fans, stimulate curiosity and boggle the mind
Copy Protected by Chetan's WP-Copyprotect.