Books | Page 75 of 81

Making Friends, a gleeful graphic novel that is not what you think

I know this graphic novel, that’s what you’re thinking. You look at the cover and see three girls and a boy, all of whom are in middle school. They’re talking on the school bus, they all look happy and the graphic novel is called Making Friends. I thought I knew this graphic novel before reading it, thinking that it would have some tragic, Doofenshmirtz-type back story about the friends and what they’ve overcome. Instead, Making Friends is a joyful graphic novel about friendship, science-fiction, family and realizing when you’re in the right place. It’s a fast paced graphic novel that ages 12 and up will immediately relate to, but the book is appropriate for those readers 8 and up.

Making Friends is an upper elementary and up graphic novel about friendship, but with more science-fiction and action than you’re expecting.

This is a great graphic novel-and it is different than what you think it is

The Story That Cannot Be Told, deep fable for middle school readers

The Story That Cannot Be Told gives you the illusion of a very deceiving premise. It’s about Ileana, a young girl in communist Romania in WWII who has been sent to stay with her grandparents in the mountains. What’s surprising is that the book doesn’t focus on what you think it will. Instead, its story is all about telling stories and family. The result is a book that’s part fairy tale, historical snap shot, mythology and fictional story that feels real.

The Story That Cannot Be Told is a fascinating ‘story’ book for middle school readers

Mammal Takeover! is a full immersion educational graphic novel

Graphic novels can be so much more than entertaining and fun to read. They can be educational!! Really, they can be and they’re so much more than what some parents, educators or kids might think that they are. The Earth Before Us series from Amulet Books is a great example of how much and how different a graphic novel can be. Mammal Takeover! is the third book in this entertaining and educational series that is about old school Earth.

Mammal Takeover! is a semi-deep dive graphic novel into the prehistoric story of Earth

Bad Kitty Does Not Like Thanksgiving, but kids 3 and up will

Our eight year-old is in a Bad Kitty state of mind. He’s a reluctant reader who reads a couple levels below where he should. Bad Kitty is one of two things that I can count on him to read right now. Bad Kitty Does Not Like Thanksgiving has the character that he loves with its telltale grumpiness. If he were two years younger this would be the pumpkin butter jam to his turkey.

Bad Kitty goes Thanksgiving and is not too thankful

Life, The First Four Billion Years, lives and breathes

It takes a certain degree of gravitas and chutzpa to title a book Life, The First Four Billion Years and only have the book be 80 pages. A title like that implies that the book would be encyclopedia-esque, covering many volumes. This book doubles down on its confidence and is an oversized book that’s worthy of being on your coffee table, if you have one. Thankfully, Life delivers in its content and illustrations in a way that we’ve seen very few books accomplish. It covers incredibly complex material in a way that can be understood by those students in upper elementary who are interested in life.

If you’re looking for a book to pump up and encourage grades 5 and up about evolution, this is it

Ghostbusters Race Against Slime, beautiful, interactive, board book fan fun

Our kids are 10 and 8; they’ve both seen Ghostbusters and know the theme song. They saw the movie with us twice. I know, there have technically been three films thus far, but here, when we say Ghostbusters, we’re just talking about the first film. How our kids know the theme song, aside from its catchy earworm of a question that begs you to yell “Ghostbusters” when you hear Ray Parker Jr. ask the question is beyond me. Ghostbusters: Race Against Slime is an interactive board book that is aimed at fans of the film aged 5 and up, or those same ages who like movement and fun.

Roly Poly is felt-made book goodness for kids expecting a sibling

Having to share your stuff when you’re a kid is challenging, especially when, heretofore, it’s just been you. Those older kids and their parents know what I’m talking about. The younger one is just here for the party, but they need to realize that party has been happening prior to their arrival. Roly Poly is by Mem Fox with art by Jane Dyer that illustrates the feelings, actions and family dynamics that happen when a new baby is brought into the fold.

Polar bear felt sibling magic

Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl, everything you wanted it to be

The pregnant pause that older readers hear that two excellent, thought out characters will be in the same book can be painful. On one hand you want to see them in the same book, but you also hold your breath, in hope that the author is skilled enough to accomplish what fans want from the series. Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl gave me a huge grin and hope for the team up when I heard that the third book in Jack’s series would be the team-up. If you know this series of graphic novels from Ben Hatke, the news probably did the same for you. Rest easy and read on, Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl is everything you’d hoped it be and more monsters.

This is a great ending, jumping on point or continuation for readers of this awesome series for ages 8 and up