Andrews McMeel Publishing | Page 3 of 4

Sounds All Around provides onomatopoeias around the world

Until a couple of years ago, I easily confused a mnemonic device with onomatopoeias. Shortly after doing this I’d flip flop my stance on both of them and reminisce about Johnny Mnemonic, the lovably cheesy film from 1995. Fun fact: that film takes place in 2021. After teaching onomatopoeias to a handful of Chinese students online, as well as incorporating that into my science lessons at school-BAM, I’ll never forget what they are. Sounds All Around takes a global look at these words that sound like what they are, and in turn, has created an entirely new genre of graphic novels.

BOOM! ACHOO! WOOF! they’re not the same in other languages

Cat Ninja has the prrrower to be your child’s favorite graphic novel

Someplace between Captain Underpants, Dog Man, Phineas & Ferb and Teen Titans GO! is Cat Ninja. It has the must-read & elementary school watercooler vibe of the first, the heart of the second, and the madcap humor and action of the third. Granted, it could be said that any of those initial titles have a degree of all of those characteristics. We’re merely putting them in the rank that our children have unofficially ranked them. It’s all of those characteristics and more. Cat Ninja is more, because it manages to be familiar, all the while being something that’s entirely original, relevant, and has fabulous colors, but more on that in a moment.

Cat Ninja sits alongside Dog Man, Investigators and Captain Underpants

Generation Brave, comfort food for the middle school activist’s soul

Generation Brave wants to be loved. In this case, it’s also a book that wants to be loved. If it’s a loose happy, compilation of young people who are out to change the world then Generation Brave, The Gen Z Kids Who Are Changing the World may not be your scene. To the book’s credit, it doesn’t hide its activism. It clearly states upfront, just in case any middle school or older reader is unfamiliar with the people being highlighted, that these people are opinionated and not afraid to stand up to authority. Cue that song by John Mellencamp in 3, 2, 1. If you’re an activist young person on the left side of the aisle then this book is preaching to you. It’s loaded with mainly liberal young voices or organizations who are very passionate about what they believe. Because of that, the book will be a guidebook for those who speak truth to power and a book full of tripe talking points to the other half.

Generation Brave, meet the new boss, the same as the old boss

Who is the Bucks Bandit? stumbles in this otherwise engaging series

As a family, we are knee-deep in the struggles of getting an elementary-aged student to learn to love reading. One series that he does enjoy is the Diary of a 5^th Grade Outlaw series by Gina Loveless with illustrations by Andrea Bell. The third book in the series is Who is the Bucks Bandit? and it feels very different than the first two. Elementary-aged students who are already enjoying the series will gamely follow along. However, those passive readers who were reading the book just to placate their parents will feel like they’ve been here before. The result will leave librarians and parents of those younger kids who are coming into the series hoping that the fourth book in the Diary of a 5^th Grade Outlaw series finds its mojo again.

The third book in this series feels too familiar

Zombies Of The World, a real (and entertaining) look at the unreal

In a more sensitive time Zombies Of The World would’ve had umpteen hundreds of people calling the police to warn about the hoards of approaching zombies. At times resembling the literary zombie equivalent to The War of The Worlds radio broadcast, this book is a realistic middle grade look at zombies. It’s also much more entertaining than you think it would be, especially for the passive zombie or undead enthusiast.

Research, wit,respect and more in the time of zombies

Mutts: Hot Dogs, Hot Cats is a classic comic in a new wrapper

Mutts by Patrick McDonnell is that friend who you might not have seen in years. The two of you had excellent conversations. They were your ying to your yang. You really like chocolate and they really like peanut butter and it was never a problem if the two accidentally rubbed against one another. It’s the Snoopy to your Woodstock. Mutt, Hot Dogs, Hot Cats is a collected works of this classic comic strip that have been released in book form that’s as fabulous the first of fourteenth time that you read it.

Hot dogs, hot cats is must-read stuff for any season

All age comic books for March 4

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This week in all age comic books is not much to laugh at. Well, almost. There’s only one humor graphic novel that elementary aged students will enjoy, but that is a big one. The newest collection, Big Nate Blow The Roof Off! is the kind of book that mid elementary school kids are curious about and those upper elementary ages will read and memorize. Middle school kids also will read Big Nate and know that this comic book parallels their lives. In the podcast we’ll talk about that, Magnificent Ms. Marvel, Marvel Action Captain Marvel, Ben 10 The Manchester Mystery and much more. For now, here are all of this week’s all age comic books.

These are the new all age comic books for this week

Sleeping Bronty, updates the fairy tale with dinosaurs and chili

The story seems familiar, but Sleeping Bronty is the second in a series of the Once Before Time board books. Epic! Originals is an imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing and are producing this very cute, left of center board books for young children. Board books are awesome for young readers because those pages can take a beating, either from hands that are practicing coordination or teeth that need something to chew on. Sleeping Bronty has the hardwired story of a sleeping princess, but throws lots of curve balls (and chili!) so that new audiences will enjoy its age-appropriate, slightly irreverent take.

Sleeping Bronty is the board book that follows the familiar tale of sleeping princesses, but modernizes it with dinosaurs and chili.

You know the story, but pre-K will love the twist that the book provides