Oppenheimer sits alongside the best films ever made

Oppenheimer, the film by Christopher Nolan has usurped Russians from Dream of the Blue Turtles as the leading edge of cultural awareness for “father of the atomic bomb”. In that song, Sting flippantly introduced the subject as “Oppenheimer’s deadly toy”. In reality, his relationship was much more complex with nuclear weapons than that; but kudos to Sting for introducing a name to millions of folks who otherwise wouldn’t have heard it until now. Oppenheimer is a big film in the most Christopher Nolan manner possible. It’s a three-hour dramatic tour de force that grabs viewers by their shirt collars and maintains its grip for the vast majority of its run time.

Oppenheimer is a massive 3-hour movie that introduces a man who you probably don’t know, tells you why you should care and has parallels to today’s times.
You will remember the first time that you saw it

Time to Roll, continues to move with middle school, mglit ease

You don’t need to read Roll With It in order to enjoy Time to Roll. As a matter of fact, that first book snuck up on us because it adhered to the age-old saying of not judging a book by its cover. Time to Roll follows that formula so successfully that it doesn’t feel like a sequel to another book, but it is. Part of that is our fault because we’ve seen too many follow-ups, sequels, or properties that intended to make themselves multiple entries; but instead merely check off formulaic boxes. Middle school readers, if they give Time To Roll an opportunity, will find themselves enjoying a story that they never thought they would.

Time to Roll is realistic fiction, great storytelling that tells us about two people that we don’t know, but seems a lot like someone that we might.
Realistic fiction that’s on a roll with readers

Watch Out For The Lion!, fear not the young kids who want this book

Watch Out For The Lion! Is the brother from another mother to The Monster at the End of This Book: Starring Lovable, Furry Old Grover. It’s a trick that will cause young readers will lean forward as books like this are being read to them. The page shows a yellow tail with a bob of tan fur at its end, surely this is the lion that the book warned readers about. This is the fun, breathless sort of book that runs with energy when the reader and the crowd are synchronized.

Watch Out For The Lion! is a faux monster book that sets up something scary that never comes in a read-to-me romp that kids will love.
Pre-K through Kindergarten, this is your sign

Bug Block, don’t let the board book nature fool you, this is smart stuff       

We need to stop asking the folks at Abrams to stop trying to raise the ante with their Abrams Block Book series. Both of our children learned their ABC’s with them, mastered their numbers, had fun with dinosaurs, and more. They’ve gone to space with Space Block, learned about love with Love Block, and even went the Disney route with Star Wars Block and others. It’s an Abrams Block Book world and we’re just living in it. That’s what you think if you’re a four-year-old child who is digging into those high-quality, board books that don’t treat babies like babies. Bug Block follows the same format as the others, but if it’s not broken and your audience is always moving on, why change it?

Bug Block is the latest in the go-to board book series from Abrams, this time shining a light on the little creatures in our backyard.
Durable, engaging and entertaining for crawlers through K

Family Style, a moving graphic novel proving that less is more

Graphic novels are not all superheroes in tights. Graphic novels are capable of teaching lessons, even those that are biographical or non-fiction. It’s important to remind yourself of those basic truths every once in a while. Family Style, Memories of an American from Vietnam is a powerful and moving graphic novel whose potentially unattractive topic matter (to some) is made palatable with the thing that binds us all: food.

Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam by Thien Pham demonstrates the ability of a graphic novel to reach past where people think the medium should be.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

I Am A Tornado, a great read-aloud illustrated book that seeds STEM curiosity

Illustrated books teach best when it’s done via a metaphor that’s so obvious it makes adults question if the book is really about what they think it’s about. I Am A Tornado by Drew Beckmeyer is an illustrated book that completely fits that bill. The book is obviously about a tornado, in a meteorological sense, and presented at a level for early elementary school ages to enjoy. The book is an over-the-top metaphor about how kids can become out of control when their emotions aren’t in check. Isn’t it obvious? I Am A Tornado is a mix of the two ideas and is presented with infectious, energetic art that brims with movement and fun. No, I Am A Tornado is almost certainly an age-appropriate book on the whirling wind that kicks up in the summer months.

I Am A Tornado is an illustrated book on those windy cyclones, with a possible metaphor on cranky children, that will please all ages 4 through 8.
Metaphor or STEM, it’s up to you, but great for all

The Town With No Mirrors oozes realistic fiction for mglit fans

Bad advertising, collectibles, and social media have one big thing in common; and it’s one that I wish ages 12 and up would realize sooner. If you ignore it, pay no attention to what’s said, or have a more active hobby then you won’t be affected by any of its social collateral. The Town With No Mirrors is mglit, realistic fiction that alludes to characteristics of one of those. It starts with a hook, builds upon it patiently and by the time things come to a crescendo the plot is running like Zola Budd.

The Town With No Mirrors is reluctant realistic fiction for mglit readers who like their plausible stories paired with mystery.
fear not the realistic fiction middle schoolers

Zap! Clap! Boom! The Story of A Thunderstorm, a demystifying read aloud

Pre-k through middle elementary school kids know who their El Guapo is. It’s the thunderstorm. Those ages can be as happy as a clam in a tide pool but their mood will shift like the sands when they see black clouds on the horizon. Zap! Clap! Boom! The Story of A Thundstorm is an illustrated book that those ages, especially the younger ones, will enjoy. Older folks are able to appreciate the fringe benefits that are associated with thunderstorms. That’s one thing that the book does a great job of incorporating to those young ages. They have difficulty seeing how the big noise, torrents of rain and white-hot light can be beneficial at all. However, they can be and Zap! Clap! Boom! The Story of a Thunderstorm does a great job at illustrating to kids that everything has a purpose.  

Zap! Clap! Boom! The Story of A Thunderstorm is an illustrated book that explains and demystifies the loud thing that scare so many young kids.
Explaining why they are could be the key to chilling them out
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