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Grand Canyon by Jason Chin, a book as great and big as its topic

Wow. I know that Grand Canyon by Jason Chin is a book intended for children, but I can’t stop looking at it. This is part science book, ecological text book for elementary through early middle school and self paced reading for kids who want to discover a place that seems magical, but is real. Grand Canyon manages to do that in a way that respectful and approachable to children, describing complex natural happenings in a way that they’ll understand and want to learn more about.

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The Whiskers Sisters: May’s Wild Walk, picture perfect for grades 2-3

The Whiskers Sisters is an original graphic novel by French illustrator and cartoonist Miss Paty. This is the charming story of three sisters who live in the forest with their grandfather. He’s the Guardian of the Forest and has been gone for a long time on a business trip, so the girls think. The Whiskers Sisters are Maya, the eldest, Mia, the middle and May, who is a toddler unable to speak yet, so her sisters think.

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The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark shakes up the formula

Elementary school kids know the Pout-Pout Fish. Elementary school kids are also introduced to bullies at this age. They may not know them as bullies, at the younger age they simple might perceive them as bossy or mean, but most like that kid is a bully. The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark tackles bullying in this timely book that’s appropriate for National Bullying Prevention Month and beyond.

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Santa Calls is a new (to us) Christmas classic for 9 and younger

One thing about being a parent and children is that everything old is new again. New things released today, when you don’t have children, have the potential to become classics by the time you have children. That’s the case with Santa Calls by William Joyce. It was initially released in 1993 and hasn’t aged a day in its 24 years.

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Celebrate #NationalSTEMDay with a free STEM book by Geoffrey Cook

With two kids in early elementary school we’re knee deep in teaching them about STEM. As a dad I do it because I know it’s the path to getting more out of their education. It allows them to use their intelligence to its greatest potential and is a set of skills that any kid can practice and improve upon. Veronica and the Volcano is a STEM based book that will appeal to girls who are aged 8-12. It’s the story of a young girl who lives on the side of a volcano, her quest for some rare pearls and the dangers they find along the way.

Her father and best friend also accompany Veronica on this quest which somewhat true to life. The story of the book started when author Geoffrey Cook was making up stories that he was telling his real-life daughter. His daughter loved the stories and he wanted to keep adding to them so he started writing them down. Veronica, the volcano and its cast of characters started to take shape.

To receive a free copy of Veronica and the Volcano just follow this link. The first 7 people to go to the link will receive it free from Amazon.

National STEM Day is November 8. In reality any day can be STEM day for your kids. After school you can do simple experiments, watch a show that’ll encourage an aspect of it or do math lessons as you shop for groceries. How do you encourage STEM based thinking in your children?

Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power! makes you believe in Friendship

Remember when Sammy Hagar joined Van Halen and it was a big deal? If not-or it was before you knew rock and roll, let’s go back in the time machine. A famous singer, with his own band, was joining a world-famous band to be their lead singer. Most singers went solo after leaving a band. Hagar quipped that he was simply going the other way around. Lumberjanes, one of the best all ages comics on the marketplace is going Van Hagar on us by releasing Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power!, an original novel by Mariko Tamaki with illustrations by Brooke Allen.

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Hair-Pocalypse, a simple tale that grows on you

Patience and independence. We tell our 7 year old multiple times a day that he needs to be more patient. Sometimes on his math quizzes at school he’ll simply not do problems that I know he can do. It’s because he’s in too big of a hurry. Patience, everything requires practice and some things require more practice, all the while allowing for individuality. Hair-Pocalypse is a pre-K through early elementary school book that’s about a grubby young boy whose hair has a life of its own.

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School’s First Day of School, imagination exercise for Pre-K thru 2nd grade

School’s First Day of School is one of those children’s books that really speak to kids. It channels their inner joy, paranoia and imagination about things that adults take for granted. For example, what if the building that you spent at least 35 hours a week in was alive? That’s the premise behind School’s First Day of School with a story by Adam Rex with illustrations by Christian Robinson.

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