Holiday House Publishing

Amazing Abe, an illustrated book that’s more than niche history

Not Lincoln, Abraham Cahan, nonetheless amazing, but not as well known as the stovepipe-hat-wearing President of the United States. Amazing Abe: How Abraham Cahan’s Newspaper Gave a Voice to Jewish Immigrants could be a tough sell to elementary age audiences. It could be, but it overcomes the non-fiction, biography resistance to unknown figures that those ages have by making the book accessible in its brief text that highlights enough of Cahan’s interesting life to make kids want to care. Amazing Abe also detailed art, but not so much so that it looks real, it’s right in the area encompassing the kind that clever kids want to see in their illustrated books.

It follows the template for making unknown figures interesting

A Giant Mess, a confidence-building, kid’s first graphic novel for K-1

Getting emerging readers to actually read is a delicate mix of content and confidence. They will know how to read sight words, but getting them to read aloud is key towards their understanding and making the bridge to early chapter books. All of this is further complicated by what’s in the book. If there are too many words it could intimidate some readers. If there aren’t enough pictures then the books might not be engaging enough. I Like to Read Comics is an imprint from Holiday House Publishing that delivers the comic book feels in a contained story that’s on par for emerging readers. A Giant Mess is a hard-back book that nails all of those points to the floor in a story that’s big, manic, and just what the doctor ordered for kindergarten kids through first grade.

A Giant Mess is a double-meaning term that’s also a great short form graphic novel for K-1.

a picture laden graphic novel for K-1

Honeybee, a massive love letter to bees that young readers will relish

It’s a testament to an author when their work can be beautiful, moving, educational and disgusting all in the same book. Somewhere in a combination of those adjectives is the secret sauce for getting elementary-aged readers hooked into a subject matter they otherwise might not be attracted to. Honeybee, The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohman is an oversized illustrated book that wrangles all of those things, as well as a little poetry AND a narrative device. The result is a coherent story that has action, the wonder of life, the reality of death, and the promise of a new day. As a bonus, it’s also a true story about something all kids and parents know of, but really don’t know anything about.

The fabulous buzz on this book is true