Macmillan Publishers | Page 2 of 3

The One and Only Sparkella, celebrity-authored meh

I was at a big box retail store and saw about ten copies of The One and Only Sparkella on the shelf. For comparison, the other picture books on the shelf had one to three copies of them. The book is written by Channing Tatum, whose name is in font almost as large as the title and listed above it. I’m torn on my opinion about this for a couple of reasons that boil down to book advances, celebrity status, and the overall impression that the book leaves on children. At the end of the book (or day), is The One and Only Sparkella something that kids will want to read, or will they enjoy it?

The One and Only Sparkella, an illustrated book from Channing Tatum that’s bright and happy, but has been covered better previously.

A forgetable celebrity author’s turn at illustrated commerce

Busy Bots, a board book that turns tools into animals

When is a board book not a board book? I’ve asked this riddle before, but it deserves to be asked again. Busy Bots is a board book that occupies one of the interesting corners of the crawler book library. It’s a STEM-minded board book that turns real tools into insects, animals or pretend animals that will leave ages two through seven grinning for multiple reasons.

Proving that board books can be smart and STEM little kid minded

Bad Kitty Goes on Vacation races ahead in full color

Our youngest has always loved Bad Kitty. As a book series though, Nick Bruel’s lovable, paranoid, manic, and odd kitty has been much like the titular character. They felt like a graphic novel in its story and fun approach to it, yet its delivery had more in common with manga. That is most likely due to the fact that most non-Asian readers are used to having stories in color unless it’s in the funny pages. If that’s the case, then you’d probably categorize those who still use ‘funny pages’ in conversation as old and outdated. I’m looking at me. All of this rambling aside, Bad Kitty Goes on Vacation seeks to solve that quandary by being in full color.

It’s great Bad Kitty-and it’s in color

Fart Quest is a middle school modern classic that’s smarter than you think

Readers have to hand it Fart Quest. It clearly states what the book is about in its title. Granted, you have no idea what the quest entails, but are fairly certain that someone is on a journey and they’re probably gassy. Author Aaron Reynolds takes a simple premise and makes it so much more. Not content to simply make an upper elementary through middle school book; he’s written an adventure book about a mage in training that, at times, has more in common with Lord of the Rings than Captain Underpants.

Funny and more than the sum of its puns is Fart Quest

Do Not Go In There!, a glass half-full/full glass illustrated book

Do Not Go In There! is an illustrated book that looks at the two types of people. Some see the glass half full and those who see it as half empty. It’s a world made up of people who see possibilities and others who see reasons why something shouldn’t be done. Morton and Bogart are the two creatures that toss about the pros and cons in the book. They’re best friends, but like most best friends they don’t see eye to eye on everything.

Great premise, but the execution has been done better

MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse, April 27-30 at 1ET with best-selling authors

Suddenly everyone’s a school teacher, and I mean that in the highest form of a compliment. With most school age children at home doing virtual learning to some degree; it’s a great time for some complementary classroom instructors. Macmillan Publishers, home to some of our favorite children’s authors is having MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse from April 27-30 at 1:00 PM ET. The lessons will include art, science, social studies, language arts and your instructors will be best-selling authors.

Break up the home schooling with online classes by best-selling authors, for free

Ben Braver and the Vortex of Doom review

It’s great when our 10 year-old discovers a new book that he enjoys. That was the case with Ben Braver and the Vortex of Doom. Even though this is the third book in the series it’s the first one that he read and hadn’t heard of the character before. However, Vortex of Doom has that vibe about it that’s just the sort of thing upper elementary school readers through middle school will eat up.

Manic energy fun is in store for ages 9 and up in this book

Beast Face-To-Face With The Florida Bigfoot review

Beast Face-To-Face With The Florida Bigfoot arrived on my desk without any advance knowledge on my part. Truth be told, my oldest son opened the package and said, “Dad, you’ve got a book about Bigfoot!” Mind you, it’s the Florida Bigfoot, a creature that I’ve never even heard of. I’m no Bigfoot aficionado; sure I’ve seen the Patterson-Gimlin film and saw Steven Austin get carried away by Andre the Giant in that tunnel in 1976. But a middle grade book on the Florida Bigfoot must sure be hokey, right?

Upper elementary and middle school dread doesn’t get better than this