Skulls!, not just for Halloween or Day of the Dead

We love to read non-fiction books to schools, our students and our children. When I’m the guest reader at our child’s elementary school, it’s some sort of non-fiction that I’ve got with me. Skulls! by Blair Thronburgh with illustrations by Scott Campbell is the sort of entertaining, illustrated book that kids will enjoy. Sure, our 7 year-old goofed around with the cover and said it was scary. After all, the book is called Skulls! and that’s not something that you see every day.

Skulls! is the kind of book that kids might be scared of, but they shouldn’t. It’s great fun, education and is one that they’ll laugh out loud at.
SKulls! this is a great children’s illustrated book, kidlit medical cranium 101 or vice versa

The Red Zone, An Earthquake Story for ages 8 and up

In 2016 a series of earthquakes hit central Italy. Author Silva Vecchini was not in the affected area, but did assist many of the survivors. Along with artist Sualzo, they’ve created an original graphic novel about the aftermath of a major earthquake, moving on and it impacts children. That’s a tall order. But it pulls it off as The Red Zone was awarded the 2018 Attilio Micheluzzi Awards for Best Comics For Kids.

The Red Zone, An Earthquake Story is an all age graphic novel appropriate for 8 and up about survival, coping, grief and life.
The Red Zone An earthquake Story is real-life, approachable and for ages 8 and up

Outback, A Photicular Book, jumps and educates in this moving series

Sometimes, I make noises when I open the mail. It’s the rare surprise or the latest in a series of books or author, that’s so superior that I just can’t wait to share it with my class, read it myself or have my children discover it. The Photicular Book series from Dan Kainen is one of these. The boys were on the other side of the room when I opened Outback and they dashed over to see what the hubbub was.  

Outback, a Photicular book continues the hybrid genius of moving photographs and text that makes young readers want to go deep.
this series of books from Dan Kainen is superb and Outback is nothing short of exceptional

Welcome to Morningtown is exactly where kids 4-8 need to be

Welcome to Morningtown is exactly where our seven year old is now. By that I do not mean that prefers the morning. It’s just the opposite as he’s not exactly captain chipper in the AM. However, Welcome to Morningtown is exactly where our seven year old is in regards to his reading level. The book is aimed at ages 4-8 who; depending on their age, want a lovely illustrated book that they can read by themselves, a good-night book by an adult or somewhere in-between.

Welcome to Morningtown is gorgeously illustrated and offers a story and pacing that any child 4-8 will enjoy looking at.
At some point, every kid between 4 and 8 says, “Welcome to Morningtown”

Big Nate, Hug It Out! review

A used car or a library book that you see at the book barn is new to you if you don’t already have it. The ‘new to you’ philosophy is one that we adhere to wholeheartedly. That’s one reason why streaming is popular in our house. If we missed something the first time then that’s an excellent way to get caught up on quality. Enter, Big Nate Hug It Out!, a collection of strips from the dependable comic strip by Lincoln Peirce.

Big Nate Hug it out!, this is class stuff for ages 8 and up, regardless of when you first see it

Tyna of the Lake is a lush, timeless graphic novel for ages 6 and up

Tyna of the Lake is the kind of book that will confound and amaze young readers.  The art style is lovingly drawn and presented on a huge storied canvas. The illustrations convey the grandiose scale of the monsters, their uniqueness and the magic of the world that lives under the lake. Tyna of the Lake is a Russian folktale that has all of the classic elements you’ve witnessed in other stories; but weaves them together in a way that’s surprising and ends like a Seinfeld episode-which is back at the beginning.

Tyne of the Lake has the quality story and art that you want to read-and that you want your kids to read, even if they don’t’ want to.
Tyna of the Lake, an utterly gorgeous graphic novel that middle Earth kids will dig

The Beast, middle grade scares that build up perfectly

The Darkdeep was one of our favorite books of 2018. Imagine a world where a sequel to Back to the Future or The Matrix isn’t known yet. Doc Brown or Neo are about to fly off into the sky that’s either a great ending or a great jumping off point for the next movie. The Darkdeep ended like that for us. And just like Back to the Future 2 (which we consider to be an excellent movie, there, we said it) and The Matrix 2 (not so much….), The Beast takes the setup from The Darkdeep and extends it into a world in which monsters live among us.

The Beast is the second book is the Darkdeep series and provides the scares, humor and plot that middle grade readers crave.
The Beast is as good as the first entry in the series, this is go-to scary stuff for middle school readers and up

Professor Astro Cat’s Stargazing, exceptional early astronomy on any level

Professor Astro Cat is the bestselling book series that aims, and wildly succeeds, in explaining potentially complex issues that kids are curious about. The combination of beautifully simple art by Ben Newman and just detailed enough explanations by Dr. Dominic Walliman add up to an entry level education that kids will want to read. Professor Astro Cat’s Stargazing continues the excellence that their previous books have laid out, but this time takes young readers to the stars.

Professor Astro Cat’s Stargazing is a beautiful and education book on stars that’ll have ages 5 through 7 (and up) looking up and wondering.
The art will hook them, the text will relate to them-ages 4 and up will love Stargazing
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