Picture Books
Be Quiet! by Ryan T. Higgins
Rupert the Mouse has decided to make a wordless book. But it turns out it is quite hard to have a wordless book when you have to explain what you're doing to your friends and then they try to "help."
Target Readers:
- Higgins Fans: Those who have read Higgins' Bruce books will recognize these mice from those books (and keep an eye out for Bruce's cameo appearance).
- Humor Fans: This reads like a mouse Three Stooges routine. Poor Rupert's best laid plans end up a mess, but the results are uproariously funny (especially the other two mice's misunderstandings of some of Rupert's larger vocabulary). If you need a good chuckle, pick this one up.
- Read Aloud Hunters: This would make a very fun read aloud. (And don't miss the lines on the endpapers.)
- Animal Fans: Cute animal fans should snatch this one up.
If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't! (Magnolia Says Don't, #2) by Elise Parsley
Magnolia is headed to the beach with her mom and two siblings. Her siblings are bringing things like boats and balls…she wants to bring the piano. Her mom says ok but do not to lose it, and they head off to the beach. Of course, things do not go as planned, and Magnolia realizes what a horrible idea it was to bring her piano to the beach.
Target Readers:
- Those Working on Their Prediction Skills: Such a fun book to use with prediction exercises. Can readers predict how things will turn out? Can Magnolia manage to keep her piano safe at the beach?
- Humor Fans: Of course, this is also an excellent choice if you need a good laugh. It certainly made me laugh out loud more than once. The illustrations plus the text equal loads of fun for you.
Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, ill. by Tom Lichtenheld
Who's gonna win in an epic showdown: shark or train? Well, that all depends on the setting of the contest now, doesn't it? And boy does this book have some ideas for different shark vs train contests!
Target Readers:
- Creative Thinking Fans: I love the way this book shows how settings can make all the difference in how splendidly someone (or something) performs. There are definitely easy applications to real life and everyone's different gifts and talents, but most of all this is a super fun book.
- Creative Writers: It would be fun to use this as a story starter and flesh out one of the epic battles depicted or dream up another crazy setting for a shark vs train showdown. I think my favorites were the lemonade stands, giving rides at the carnival, the go fish game, and playing video games.
- Humor Fans: Even people who are scared of sharks and think trains are boring should find at least one spread in this book that will make them laugh.
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee (Mr. Magee, #1) by Chris Van Dusen
Mr. Magee and his dog Dee decide to go out on their boat for the day. When a little whale decides to make a new friend and play with them, Mr. Magee and Dee have a very unexpected and wild adventure.
Target Readers:
- Rhyming Text Fans: I knew Van Dusen could whip up great illustrations thanks to his contributions to the Deckawoo Drive books. I had no clue he could put together great rhyming text too!
- Adventure Fans & Humor Fans: This was quite the wild adventure. Those who like tales with a touch of the hilarious and epic, read this and all of Mr. Magee and Dee’s other adventures.
- Historical Fiction Fans/Maine Fans: The book appears to be set in the 1950s or 1960s on the coast of Maine.
- Those Who Like Not-Widely Known Info about Books: After reading this I picked up several of Van Dusen’s other non-Mr. Magee books and discovered that you can find Mr. Magee and Dee hiding in the illustrations somewhere in each one. Happy hunting.
Carnivores by Aaron Reynolds, ill. by Dan Santat
The poor carnivores get a bad rap. Other animals tease and shun them, and eventually lion, great white shark, and timber wolf get fed up with it. They hold a meeting and decide that maybe they should try not eating meat so people will like them. That doesn't go so well, so they try disguises. Somehow, the other animals seem to see right through those. Eventually, lion, shark, and wolf decide to just be themselves and ignore what others might think of them.
Target Readers:
- Those Who Speak Sarcasm Fluently: If you don't get sarcasm, you probably won't appreciate this book because it is dripping with it all over the place. If you’re trying to teach sarcasm, this is the book you need. If you like sarcastic humor, you’ll find that Carnivores is a delightful book about embracing the way you've been wired and empathizing with the misunderstood members of the animal kingdom.
- Compare/Contrast Exercisers: Read this one with The Bad Guys down below for a great compare/contrast activity.
Lower Grade & Middle Grade Graphic Novels
The Great Pet Escape (Pets on the Loose, #1) by Victoria Jamieson
GW and his friends have been put behind bars. He's ready to break out, but to his horror, he discovers that Barry the Bunny and Sunflower enjoy their incarceration at Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary more than life on the streets. GW thinks they've been brainwashed and convinces them to escape anyway, but then they meet Harriet the mouse, 4th grade pet. Harriet has some seriously messed up plans that could hurt the children Barry and Sunflower have come to love. So instead of escaping, the Furry Fiends (that's the trio's group name) decides to save the school.
Target Readers:
- Animal Fans: Kids are sure to love GW, Barry, and Sunflower. And the fact that they're in a graphic novel format...that just makes them all the more popular. It's a fun concept...what's not to love about the idea that the school pets get loose at night and are pitted against each other in a battle of taking down the school versus saving it? (And P.S. there are more books in this series on the way.)
- Graphic Novel Fans: There aren’t a ton of graphic novels out there for lower grade readers. It’s a perfect genre for beginning readers though as the illustrations help support the textual understanding. And the illustrations are full color and super entertaining.
- Humor Fans: Sunflower made me laugh out loud repeatedly. So funny.
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (Narwhal & Jelly, #1) by Ben Clanton
Jelly has never heard of a Narwhal and thinks he's imagining the new friend he just met. Narwhal has never heard of a jellyfish and thinks the same of Jelly. Together the two become fast friends, form their own pod, and discover the best book ever.
Target Readers:
- Humor Fans/Beginning Readers/Animal Fans: Narwhal and Jelly are like a graphic novel marine version of Elephant and Piggie for lower grades. The illustrations are simple but cute and emotive. The plots aren't super complicated, but are fun and things kids will identify with, and overall they're super delightful. Don’t miss Narwhal and Jelly’s other books!
Phoebe & Her Unicorn (Phoebe & Her Unicorn, #1) by Dana Simpson
Phoebe is a little girl. Marigold is a unicorn. Together they are a dynamic duo who will keep readers of any age entertained with their antics.
Target Readers:
- Humor Fans: Students (and I) love this series much more than I ever expected. Mr Beagle (author of The Last Unicorn) wrote the intro and compared this to Calvin & Hobbes. I'd add a dash of Peanuts and say he's spot on. The first five books in the series are all comic strip collections but #6 coming out soon is a full length graphic novel. (I got to preview it thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, it’s just as fun as the rest of the series!)
- Anyone!: Don't let the bright pink cover and girly look dissuade guys from picking this up. It's quite funny and explores topics that will entertain a wide group of people, from little ones all the way up to adults.
Young Adult Graphic Novels/Comics
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 1: Squirrel Power by Ryan North, ill. by Erica Henderson
Squirrel Girl aka Doreen Green is a college student. She majors in computer science and hangs out with fellow nerds. She’s also secretly a mutant superhero with squirrel-like superpowers, the ability to talk to squirrels, and a side-kick, Tippy-Toe, who is a real squirrel. Squirrel Girl is a delightful addition to the Marvel world. She’s not really new, just getting a second chance after several decades and people are welcoming her with open arms (she’ll be joining the big screen superhero crowd soon).
Target Readers:
- Normal Girl Character Fans: I love that despite her tail and ability to talk to squirrels Doreen is completely a normal girl in her shape, beauty, and her awkwardness socially. She's a very relatable character.
- Animal Fans: Doreen's squirrel friends are adorable (and can seriously hold their own against any supervillain…I mean together with Squirrel Girl they take down Galactus in the first volume...if you aren't familiar with the Marvel world, that's something not many superheroes have done successfully).
- Computer Science Nerds: In just about every collection Doreen or her friends need to use their comp sci knowledge to save the day somehow.
- Peaceful Resolution Fans: Throughout the series Squirrel Girl always tries to find nonviolent solutions before she ever throws a punch (and I seriously think North & Henderson should have her add a Psych minor to her college plans…she’s pretty good at the psychology stuff).
- Humor Fans: Squirrel Girl's current creators are comic geniuses. The subtle footnotes on each page always make me laugh. Don't miss them!
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