Entertainment | Page 8 of 89

Mina, an illustrated book of whimsy and mirth that’s one of the year’s best

Lo, and the boat shall not be missed twice. In my mind, Vincent Price is saying those words to me as I read Mina. Mina is by author and illustrator Matthew Forsythe, the creator of one of our favorite illustrated books of all time, Pokko and the Drum. That book was released in 2019 and was on every one of the Top 10 Children’s Booklists that we saw from that year for good reason. Mina is the follow-up to that book and will receive many of the same accolades. They’re also well deserved. The combination of beautiful art, with the sublime, simple, and silly story will have audiences four and up in stitches.

Mina is an illustrated book for ages four an up that dances between gorgeous art, concise words, great story and big smiles.

Only nine more in our top-10 list for 2022 to go

Inside In, is hypnotic photo-oriented STEM for six and up

Kids are inherently curious and that’s a fact that applies to every child regardless of age. Rare is the book that makes middle school and elementary school students equally curious. Either the book is too simple for older readers, too advanced for younger readers, has content that’s in-between the two demographics or simply just is not interesting. Inside In is a book that immediately grabs the attention of kids aged six through 14 and even north of that. It’s a coffee table book for STEM-minded folks, as well as, those who simply like to take their mind on a trip. The subtitle of the book, X-Rays of Nature’s Hidden World, gives you the immediate reason as to why kids will be engrossed in it.

Inside In sounds like a typo, instead, it’s a photo-centric book on X-Rays and how they can show the art of things hidden in plain sight.

Art by another nam is just an x-Ray

Sing 2 runs the same game plan for ages 5-9

When Sing came out in 2016 it was a pleasant treat. The story about a group of underdog, singing animals seemed earnest, cute, and was genuinely entertaining. Granted a majority of the ‘earnest’ label was provided by Buster Moon, voiced by Matthew McConaughey. That character’s can-do, optimistic demeanor still delivers in this film’s sequel, Sing 2. Actually, most of Sing 2 will still deliver, assuming that the audience is in fourth grade or younger. That’s not meant to be a slam or a pejorative, it’s just the way it is, especially having just seen the film with a fourth and sixth-grader.

Sing 2, if you want to,

Fox, A Circle of Life Story is timeless, illustrated book gold

Think of one of Salt N’ Pepa’s biggest hits, but replace the word ‘sex’ with the much less salacious word ‘death’. Now, let’s talk about death. Then, make the book as much, if not more about life, and you’ve got a great overview of one of the best-illustrated books of the year, Fox: A Circle of Life Story. Also, much like D.J. Spinderella song, its misdirection makes people think it’s mainly about one thing but instead gets them thinking, or talking about something that otherwise might be challenging or off-putting.

Timeless,-and an easy entry into your ‘forever’ library

Creepy and True: Bones Unearthed!, non-fiction that fires up readers

The Goldilocks paradigm is a floating rule that I use in elementary and middle school literature. It’s too young. It’s too old. There are too many pages. It’s too scary. It’s too princessy, etc. If a book skews too much one way or another it’ll alienate those ages or types that might be interested in it, but are scared off by something about the book. Bones Unearthed! gives our Goldilocks paradigm a cheeky grin, hugs it, and then welcomes readers of any porridge type as if saying, “all are welcome here”.

Bones Unearthed! is the #3 in the Creepy and True series, this time digging up things and telling history for ages 9 and up.

Non-fiction that draws in readers aged 9 and up

Where’s Brian’s Bottom? proves that board books can think out of the box

Where’s Brian’s Bottom? is a very intelligent and unique board book that uses every square inch of its pages to entertain crawlers through first grade. If it’s been a while since you read a board book or you’re new to them then that sentence might seem odd. It’s a cardboard book with thick pages whose audience might be crawling or somewhere in first grade. How could a book like that be smart and make kids curious about its content? As we’ve covered before, board books, the same ones geared towards that crowd can talk about complex things like quantum physics. Where’s Brian’s Bottom? is a board book that flexes its graphic design muscle and infuses it with a grinning sense of humor.

Where’s Brian’s Bottom? is an interactive, fold-out creation that will really engage those crawlers through first-grade.

A board book whose content is as big as its size

Pawcasso, a charming graphic novel that sucks you in like a rainy Sunday

Elementary-aged students love reading about dogs. If someone created a graphic novel about a dog that can solve algebra problems then the issue about some kids not liking math would be immediately solved. The dog could then master the Periodic Table, learn calculus, make kids realize that popularity is a worthless currency or any number of other fabulous lessons. Pawcasso is an all-age graphic novel with a simple premise that will hook those kids who need to, and want to read about a young girl named Jo and her dog.

Pawcasso is a sly, all age graphic novel that sneaks up on you, easily charming and entertaining readers 9 and up.

Don’t overthink it. Just let kids aged 9 and up love it.

Ganbatte!, breaks down the secret sauce to being happy

Come get some. For Bruce Campbell or Joe Rogan fans, that phrase is as empowering as they come. For only three words, that phrase, to those who are down with the character Ash from the series can mean almost anything. Ganbatte is a Japanese phrase that loosely translates to ‘do your best’, but that’s where things can get lost or watered down in translation. In reality ‘ganbatte’ is an encouraging way of thinking that can power a society, and more specifically you. That phrase may be a bit too ‘chicken soup for the empowering phrase soul’, but hear me out. Even if you know nothing about Japanese language or culture, Ganbatte! The Japanese Art of Always Moving Forward is a book that upper-middle readers through senior citizens will grasp something from.

Ganbatte! is a unique book that occupies the space in the business thought/motivational/life improvement/cultural studies shelf at the store. Western audiences can somewhat equate its meaning to some sports analogies, but “ganbatte” is much stronger, personal, powerful, and impactful.

vague in definition, but, ganbatte can help anyone