Humor – Page 11 – Mom Read It

Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Papercutz brings The Sisters to the USA

Posted on April 1, 2016August 24, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Sisters, Vol. 1: Like a Family, by Christophe Cazenove/Illustrated by William Maury (June 2016, Papercutz), $9.99, ISBN: 9781629914930

Recommended for ages 8-12

Wendy and Maureen are sisters who adore one another as much as they drive each other crazy – like most siblings. They both have strong personalities, are independent, and have firmly established likes and dislikes. Wendy is a teen who’s discovering makeup, boys, and cute actors, and Maureen is school-age, tries to emulate her sister (even when she thinks she’s a little weird), and can’t stop trying to break into Maureen’s secret diary.

This first volume of stories about Wendy and Maureen features a series of short vignettes about the two siblings, giving us a little look into their life: we meet some of their friends, their parents (whose faces we don’t see), and most importantly, we see the girls together. Even when they’re at their worst and separated by their parents, they want to be together. And that’s the sweetest part about The Sisters: it’s a fun, upbeat look at siblings and family life. The series was originally published in France; Papercutz is giving the girls their U.S. debut.

Give this book to your Raina Telgemeier fans and your Amelia Rules fans. They’ll love you for it. Take a look at some more of the book courtesy of the Papercutz website.

Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

The Only Girl in School is no shrinking violet!

Posted on March 28, 2016March 28, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Only Girl in School, by Natalie Standiford/Illustrations by Nathan Durfee (Jan. 2016, Scholastic Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9780545829960

Recommended for ages 9-12

Claire’s best friend, Bess, moves away just before the start of fifth grade, leaving her the only girl in her entire elementary school. To make matters worse, her other best friend, Henry, has just decided to stop talking to her, and replaced her with Webby (aka Webster), a colossal jerk! How is Claire going to get through this school year?

Told in letters from Claire to Bess, The Only Girl in School is a quick, fun read about growing up, friendship, and the hunt for pirate treasure. Claire is a funny and sympathetic protagonist, whether she’s lamenting the loss of the girl’s locker room, now the coach’s private office (“he probably likes having an office with his own shower in it”) or asking “Yucky” Gilbert – who has a tremendous crush on her – to crew for her for the upcoming boat race (“…the first and most important rule is: No Slobbering”). It’s a story about change: friendships change; being on the verge of leaving elementary school for middle school; and approaching the way boys and girls see one another. It’s also about how adults may treat boys versus girls, especially when there’s only one girl in an entire school: when there’s only one female voice, injustices, no matter how seemingly small, are overlooked a lot more easily, whether it’s removing a locker room where Claire can change or ignoring aggressive and chauvinistic behavior on a soccer field.

I like Claire: she’s smart, she’s athletic, and she’s spunky. She calls out unfair attitudes and behavior when she sees and experiences it, even if it’s happening in her own dining room. She isn’t going to let anyone get to her or make her feel badly for being the only girl in her school. She misses her best friends, but she doesn’t mope around school. She draws pictures on the wall in her “clubhouse” at school to journal her feelings but when her sanctum is invaded by someone who’s defacing her pictures, she takes it upon herself to act and launches an investigation. She’s a fun heroine, and the fact that she can inject snarky humor into her story should resonate with tweens.

The Only Girl in School is a fun middle-grade read and open the doors for interesting discussions about gender relations. Ask boys and girls alike to read it, and see what the different feedback sounds like. Read along with The Last Boy at St. Edith’s and compare the two main characters’ situations!

Fiction, Humor, Puberty, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Kill the Boy Band takes aim at fandom

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Kill the Boy Band, by Goldy Moldavsky, (Feb. 2016, Point), $17.99, ISBN: 9780545867474

Recommended for ages 14+

Four super fangirls stalk their boyband favorites with disastrous results in this insanely funny dark comedy.

The Ruperts are the boy band of the moment, and our narrator – who takes on the names of ’80s teen movie heroines – and her three (mainly online) friends have a plan to be near them, securing a room in the same hotel as the boys. When one of the girls encounters her favorite Rupert (they all have the same first name) at the ice machine, she overreacts and the girls find themselves with an unconscious boy bander in their hotel suite. And things get crazier from there. Each girl has a different agenda, and before the day is over, there are going to be some ugly revelations and even uglier circumstances.

Kill the Boy Band is at once a laugh-out loud black comedy in the vein of Pulp Fiction and Fargo and a scathing look at fandom and fangirl culture. Ms. Moldavsky takes aim at the culture that expects us to destroy our idols, even as we worship them. She looks at the long-established culture of loathing popstar girlfriends, celebrity stalking, and what happens when you find out that the man behind the curtain really isn’t Oz at all.

As a Duranie who was a teenager during the social media-bereft ’80s, Kill the Boy Band made me laugh and cringe, often at the same time. With boy band and fandom culture at an all-time frenzy now, teens will recognize themselves (hopefully, not too much) or laugh in recognition of someone they know. There’s a great whodunit that will keep readers guessing until the very last page – and maybe even after. You’ll laugh, and you’ll think – it’s a great book to have a discussion group with.

Great addition to collections with a thriving teen population that’s plugged in. This should be a good summer read. For older teens, consider introducing them to Pamela Des Barres’ I’m With the Band for a look at pre-online fandom culture.

Kill the Boy Band has been selected as an Independent Booksellers’ Debut Pick of the Season.

Adventure, Animal Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate, Science Fiction, Uncategorized

Finally! Ricky Ricotta and the Naughty Nightcrawlers from Neptune!

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. the Naughty Nightcrawlers from Neptune, by Dav Pilkey/Illustrated by Dan Santat (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $5.99, ISBN: 9780545631440

Recommended for ages 5-10

FINALLY, the last two books in the Ricky Ricotta series are here! You don’t understand; about a decade ago, my son – now a junior in high school – devoured the first seven Ricky Ricotta books. He loved them. I loved them. And then, there was nothing. We were down two planets! We waited. We watched. We hoped. We saw new Captain Underpants books hit the shelves, but Ricky remained silent. And then, a glimmer of hope: the entire line of existing Ricky Ricotta adventures were re-released, with Dan Santat’s amazing and colorful art taking the whole series up a notch. I ordered two sets for my library and booktalked this series like my rent depended on it (which, kinda, it does).

VINDICATION! In January, we got Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot and the Naughty Nightcrawlers from Neptune! Patience pays off!

Ricky and Robot are finally back, and trying to think of something fun to do that won’t cause a giant mess. They find an old building that they can use material from to make a giant fort, and it looks like they’re going to have a great, stress-free day after all. Nah, just kidding: grumpy Farmer Feta next door is annoyed about the noise the two friends are making, and lets the evil Neptunian scientist, Nimrod Nightcrawler, use his property to dig a tunnel over to Ricky’s property to wipe them out! With some help from Ricky’s cousin, Lucy, and the now-tame Jurassic Jackrabbits from Jupiter, Ricky and Robot have to save the day again.

The adventure is laid out like the other Ricky adventures, with Dan Santat’s art really rebooting this whole series. He’s managed to leave in the most fun part of the books, though: the Flip-O-Rama fight sequence, where readers can flip the right hand page back and forth to make the picture look animated (and add their own sound effects). Nimrod ends up in jail with the seven previous bad guys, and we see one more cell waiting…

My son now considers himself too old for Ricky Ricotta. I, however, am just the right age; I’m also a completist – how could I not finish the series? I had a great time reading this book and revisiting a series that I enjoyed then and I still chuckle at now. Kids are drawn to Dan Santat’s art, and when I tell them that the same artist write and drew Sidekicks AND Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, they’re even more excited, because they love seeing how they can recognize his art and yet spot the subtle differences in a picture book, graphic novel, and a chapter book.

Bottom line: this is a great series for libraries and collections. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll love it; if you’re not, and you like fun humor with over the top robot fights and villains, you’ll love it.

Be on the lookout for Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. The Unpleasant Penguins from Pluto in May!

gaming, geek, geek culture, Guide, Humor, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Tween Reads, Video Games

Yogscast: The Book!

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Yogscast: The Diggy Diggy Book, by The Yogscast, (Feb. 2016, Scholastic), $8.99, ISBN: 9780545956635

Recommended for ages 8-13

Yogscast is an insanely popular YouTube channel by gamers, for gamers. They have skits, animations, videos, songs – it’s like SNL on crack for gamers, and it’s pretty kid-friendly (otherwise, Scholastic wouldn’t be putting this book out). If you have Warcraft and/or Minecrafters in your household, library, or classroom, you’ve likely heard of Yogscast, or the kids in your life have.

My gamer boy was a faithful Yogscast fan when he was 7 or 8; I’d see him curled up with his iPad and headset in, cackling and snorting, and wondering what in the world he was listening to. So I asked him, and he told me, and then he showed me.

Yogscast is HUGE. The channel has over 4 BILLION views. If they were a movie, they’d be Deadpool PLUS Avengers, and that is just something that warps my fragile little mind. When I saw that they had a book out, I knew I’d need to check this out.

The Diggy Diggy Book is for people who know this channel and know it well. You will meet the creators and explore different areas. There are tons of in-jokes, a tour of YogTowers, a the tourist’s guide to Datlof, and the chance to become a JaffaQuest cadet. I was pretty clueless reading this book, because it is such an inclusive community (yes, I know calling a community of millions and billions inclusive is hilarious), but if you’re a fan, you’ll love the book. Carry it in your library at your own risk, though – there are workbook-type pages in here and they’ll most likely get written on. This book will do gangbusters at the Scholastic Book Fairs, bet on it.

Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction, History, Humor, Intermediate, Middle Grade

George Washington, friendship, and time travel: The President and Me

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The President and Me: George Washington and the Magic Hat, by Deborah Kalb/Illustrations by Robert Lunsford, (Feb. 2016, Schiffer Publishing), $12.99, ISBN: 9780764351105

Recommended for ages 8-12

Fifth grader Sam is feeling down. He’s a bit of an introvert, and when his best friend, Andrew, seemingly abandoned him to get more involved in sports, he feels more alone than ever. Plus, the most annoying kid in school took the part he wanted in the school play: the role of George Washington! During a trip to Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, Sam finds himself drawn to a beat-up old hat in the gift shop, but this is no ordinary hat: it’s a magic hat that sends him off to the 18th century, where he meets George Washington himself! As Sam travels back and forth between the present day and the 18th century, he finds himself witnessing pivotal moments in George Washington’s life, and just possibly, building a friendship with the charismatic leader.

The President and Me is a fun middle grade fantasy adventure. The hat has a personality all its own, which makes for some amusing moments; whether he’s trying to find out what a bus is or what this newfangled century is all about, or blathering on while Sam’s trying to keep him a secret, the hat is a good supporting character for Sam, often encouraging him by showing him a time in George Washington’s history that teaches Sam a lesson he desperately needs – lessons that operate under the guise of history, but carry some pretty great lessons that help Sam learn about himself, too. Black and white illustrations add interest.

Readers will find some interesting history and facts about George Washington in the book, too. Most of us know by now that George didn’t really chop down a cherry tree, let alone confess the fact to his dad, but did you know that Mount Vernon was his brother’s estate first? Or that he wanted to be a sailor before he wanted to be a soldier? The author includes some helpful sources in her acknowledgements; pair that with some resources of your own and give kids a great George Washington or Colonial America bibliography. There are a few questions left unanswered, but you can use those areas as kickoffs to discussions. (What would happen if George Washington were given a LEGO spaceship?)

A light, fun addition to your historical fantasy fiction collections.

Adventure, Animal Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate

Geronimo Stilton introduces… Micekings!

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Attack of the Dragons (Geronimo Stilton: Micekings #1), by Geronimo Stilton, (Mar. 2016, Scholastic), $7.99, ISBN: 9780545872386

Recommended for ages 7-10

Our favorite mouse reporter is back with another new series! Micekings takes place in the frozen north village of Mouseborg, where Geronimo Stiltonord, advisor to the Miceking chief; his sister, Thea, a horse trainer; and cousin, Trap, an inventor of wacky things, join leader Sven the Shouter and his team as they go in search of mint to cure the village’s best cook. The only problem is, the cure lies in dragon territory!

Geronimo Stilton is one of those can’t-miss series. The kids love them. I’ve got Geronimo’s and Thea’s graphic novels; I’ve got the Cavemice, I’ve got Creepella von Cacklefur, and now, I’ll have Micekings. They’re fun adventure stories that introduce new vocabulary and emphasize words to keep readers interested and thinking. The colorful illustrations get readers’ attention and break up the books into manageable portions for readers who are just graduating to longer chapter books. If you haven’t introduced the kids in your life to Geronimo Stilton, it’s time.

There’s a companion Geronimo Stilton website where kids can “mousify” their photos, write an article for The Rodent’s Gazette (Geronimo’s employer), sing along with Geronimo, and play some online games.

Animal Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Middle Grade

Lights, Camera, Scarlett! A Star on the Run

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Scarlett: A Star on the Run, by Jon Buller and Susan Schade (Nov. 2015, Papercutz), $14.99, ISBN: 9781629912912

Recommended for ages 8-12

Scarlett is a movie star with a touch of the diva about her – she’s also a talking cat, living with other animal actors at Pafco Labs. They live in cages, get energy shots, and have their lives pretty much controlled by Sloan Pafco, the scientist/head of the studio, and Scarlett is just sick of it. She spots an empty window in the rec room and grabs her chance at freedom – which lands her in the freezing snow; luckily, a wacky but kind-hearted guy named Frank takes her in; Trotter, her canine best friend, also ran away from the lab and joins her at Frank’s. While living with Frank, the two learns all about being human: ordering food, playing the lottery, and watching TV. He thinks he’s hearing voices, so their cover is safe for now. When Frank falls ill, Scarlett poses as his housekeeper and calls the ambulance; while Frank’s away, Scarlett and Trotter set about making some improvements to the house and their lives. But can their secret stay safe forever?

This was a cute animal buddy story. Using a combination of graphic novel and chapter book, narrated by Scarlett, to tell the story, is a great way to bring in readers who don’t have the patience to stick with an entire chapter book just yet. Scarlett on the Run is an overall light book, but touches on issues like animal testing and experimentation and hoarding, and offers the opportunity for a good conversation with kids interested in learning more.

Author and illustrator husband and wife duo Jon Buller and Susan Schade have a webpage where you can see more of their work, learn about the rest of their books (including one of my son’s favorite graphic novels series, The Fog Mound), and find a cute lesson on cartooning.

Animal Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Intermediate

Bunny vs. Monkey: Power struggle in the forest!

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bunny vs. Monkey, by Jamie Smart (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $7.99, ISBN: 9780545913751

Recommended for ages 7-10

A team of scientists send a monkey into space… but he doesn’t get very far. (Budget cuts to the space program really cause problems.) He crash lands in a peaceful forest, but don’t tell Monkey that – he thinks he’s on a new world, which he quickly claims for his own, and decides that he’s going to rule his world by banishing all the other animals and remaking the forest the way he wants it. Bunny knows this monkey is nuts, so he assembles his team of forest friends: a squirrel named Weenie, a pig named… Pig, and a crafty fox named Le Fox, to thwart Monkey at every turn. Monkey teams up with a Skunk named Skunky, who brings along his own crowd: Action Beaver and a dragon named Metal Steve, and the battle for the forest begins, with hilarious mayhem to follow.

Bunny vs. Monkey is a British comic featuring a series of crazy interactions between Bunny, Monkey, and their respective friends, taking place from January to June. Readers will see the seasons change and the plots increase in wackiness, from keeping Monkey awake after making noise all night, to driving a giant mole robot through the earth. The dialogue is manic, as is the action, but kids are going to love the back and forth between the animal teams and the crazy plots they come up with to outdo one another. A fun addition to younger graphic novel collections.

Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Middle School, Tween Reads

David Walliams’ DEMON DENTIST is taking appointments!

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Demon Dentist, by David Walliams (March 2016, HarperCollins), $16.99, ISBN: 9780062417046

Recommended for ages 8-12

Weird things are happening in Alfie’s town, and they seem to have started when the freaky new dentist, Ms. Root – who insists everyone call her “Mummy” – shows up. Kids are getting terrible things under their pillow – eyeballs, bugs, slugs, and more! – instead of a shiny coin from the tooth fairy. Alfie’s own teeth need some serious dental work, but there’s no way he’s going to be Mummy’s next victim – but his social worker, Winnie, has other ideas. Can Alfie and his friend Gabz figure out Ms. Root’s secrets? Or will they find themselves in the demon dentist’s chair?

I’ve been a fan of David Walliams since the decidedly un-child-friendly (but HILARIOUS) show Little Britain, where he and comedian Matt Lucas created insanely funny sketches and characters. He’s become a prolific children’s author in the UK, but I’ve never had the chance until now to read any of his work. Demon Dentist, I believe, is his first US release, and I am thrilled – I already ordered a copy for my library.

Walliams’ work has a distinct Roald Dahl influence: Alfie’s poor surroundings and sickly father in particular remind me of Charlie Bucket’s family; but like Charlie, he doesn’t let it get to him. He takes care of his dad; it’s Alfie and his dad against the world. The two have more than a deep love for one another; they’re devoted to each other. Alfie’s dad spins tales of imagination that take them both on journeys and adventures far and wide, and although, as Alfie gets older, he’d rather be playing video games, he continues to go on these journeys with his dad because he loves him and knows what it means to his father. Winnie, the social worker tasked with checking in on Alfie and his dad, is brash, loud, and funny, with a heart of gold and the best of intentions. Doctor Root is a brilliant, 3-D villain that leaps off the page and hides under your bed.

To add to the Dahl-esque feel, we have Quentin Blake’s wonderful black and white illustrations. I love his artwork for so many reasons, not the least being the memories of reading Mr. Dahl’s books as a kid, curled up in my little reading corner. Blake’s illustrations are wickedly funny here, giving more life to Walliams’ story.

There are larger than life personalities in here, laugh out loud humor, made-up words galore (clearly asterisked for you!), and a bittersweet, gorgeous story about family that will leave you cheering as you wipe a tear away from your eye. My next move: download the rest of Walliams’ novels for my Nook.