humor – Page 14 – Mom Read It

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur… You Could Really Get A Lot Done.

Posted on April 13, 2014April 13, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur, by Linda Bailey/Illustrated by Colin Jack. Tundra Books (2014), $17.99, ISBN: 9781770495685

Recommended for ages 3-7

Part owner’s manual, part wish list, If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur is a running list of all the amazing things you could do if only you had a dinosaur. Worried about burglars? No longer! They’re also built-in gardening help, coffee grinders and potato mashers, umbrellas, snowplows, and more. But be careful – there are also somethings that dinosaurs are NO GOOD FOR. Like, anything to do with food.

I loved this book. Dinosaurs are very popular with children, and Ms. Bailey’s writing style, which calls Laura Numeroff’s If You Give… series to mind, will get readers ready to anticipate what’s coming next. The art, rendered digitally, is very retro-1970s, and absolutely enjoyable. The dinosaurs are colorful and have goofy expressions; the people in the book have friendly faces with big expressions. The black font is fairly plain with a little flourish, which will draw the attention of new and fledgling readers, and make for a fun storytime for littler listeners. The art stands out against the white background of the pages, with the exception of a spread or two.

This would be a great read-aloud book for preschoolers. I’d love to put some plush dinosaurs around the story room for the kids to enjoy as I read. The story lends itself to a fun discussion about what other uses there are for dinosaurs; it may even be a fun craft idea to let the kids draw some uses for dinosaurs. There are some great dinosaurs songs and fingerplays online, and there are virtually hundreds of coloring printables for a takeaway.

The author’s webpage offers information about her author talks and her books, an FAQ, and contact information. If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur hits shelves on May 13. The book’s ending makes me hopeful that this will be a new series, so let’s keep an eye out!

Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Tween Reads

Tao, the Little Samurai: Fun Comics for Kids!

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Tao, the Little Samurai, #1: Pranks and Attacks!, by Laurent Richard/Illustrated by Nicolas Ryser. Lerner Publishing Group/Graphic Universe (2014), $6.95 (paperback), ISBN: 9781467720953

Recommended for ages 8-12

Tao the Little Samurai is a very cute series by writer Laurent Richard and illustrator Nicolas Ryser. Pranks and Attacks is the first book in the series, which follows the daily adventures of Tao, a little boy in training to be a samurai – but he’s constantly late to school, tries to avoid his chores, and would rather play a samurai video game than train most of the time!

The book features 1-2 page story strips, which is a good way to keep younger readers interested without overwhelming them with a big story. They can read about Tao’s adventures in short bites, put it down to do homework (or watch TV and play video games), and come back to it at their leisure. The stories are sequential – this is a graphic novel – and there are recurring characters, which will give the readers a comfortable sense of familiarity. The stories are also fun – Tao is a regular kid. He’s in trouble for being late, he wants to play with his friends rather than do schoolwork, and he has grand visions for himself – he even writes, on a hall of successful students, “This Space Reserved For Tao”.

The art has a manga influence – think manga for younger audiences, like Hamtaro – with exaggerated facial expressions, particularly the eyes, and movement. The colors are bright and eye-catching. This is light reading, which is great for summer reading, especially for over-tested, stressed out kids. Tao: The Little Samurai is out in paperback now, and is part of a series, including the adventures, Ninjas and Knockouts! and Clowns and Dragons!

Fiction, Graphic Novels, Tween Reads

Salem Hyde’s Back, and she’s making birthdays bigger and… well, interesting.

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Misadventures of Salem Hyde, Book Two: Big Birthday Bash, by Frank Cammuso (2014). Abrams Kids, $14.95, ISBN: 9781419710254

Recommended for ages 8-12

Fledgling witch Salem Hyde is back, along with her talking cat, Whammy (short for Percival J. Whamsford III). Whammy’s still trying to hold onto his remaining five lives as he helps Salem navigate her new magic powers. In Big Birthday Bash, Salem has a friend’s birthday party to attend, but the local Mean Girl is trying to one-up her gift. Will Salem use magic to come out on top? You know she will – the question is, what is going to happen next?

This is my first Salem Hyde book, and I enjoyed it so much that I’m going to go back and get the first one. The art is adorable; it’s cartoony, expressive, and fun. Salem is a kid who happens to be able to use magic; she’s having fun with it. She makes herself big, she shrinks other people down, she just wants to have a good time. Poor Whammy is great as her put-upon companion who ends up getting into his own trouble (wait until you get to the Slurpees) as he accompanies Salem on her travels. It’s a great story for younger readers, and the graphic novel format teaches sequence and pacing.

The book arrives in bookstores on May 20th, and I foresee this on a lot of summer reading lists. It’s a great read for girls and boys alike, although boys may shy away from the hot pink cover.

Frank Cammuso is the creator of the popular Knights of the Lunch Table series, and creates beginner graphic novels with Toon Books. His website provides contact information, author information, links to social media, and a store.

Fiction, Humor, Middle School, Science Fiction, Tween Reads

M.E. Castle’s The Clone Chronicles concludes with Game of Clones

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Game of Clones: The Clone Chronicles, #3, by M.E. Castle. Egmont USA (2014), $15.99, ISBN: 9781606842348

Recommended for ages 8-12

In M.E. Castle’s third installment of the Clone Chronicles, seventh grader Fisher Bas and his clone, Fisher-2, put aside their differences to team up and fight Three, the Fisher clone created by the evil Dr. X. Three’s gone rogue, with plans for world domination on his mind, and he’s on track to make it happen – will Dr. X make an appearance? Is the enemy of Fisher’s enemy a friend?

The book is a fast-moving action-adventure series that should appeal to both middle grade boys and girls. Fisher and Fisher-2 have allies in their classmates, Amanda and Veronica, both of whom serve as the boys’ crushes and as intelligent, strong females in the series. Fisher tends to be an overthinker, and Alex struggles to define his own personality despite being a Fisher clone. This struggle runs throughout the book, and mirrors many a tween’s burgeoning identity and personality clashes and crises; where Fisher-2 is a clone, a tween pushes back against being merely “the son” or “the daughter”. Three wreaks havoc in Fisher’s neighborhood and school, forcing him to think of creative solutions and seek help outside of his gadgets; he realizes the power of friendship and of reaching out to ask for help, and it makes him a better person.

Overall, it’s a fun book in a popular series that tweens will enjoy. Game of Clones is part of The Clone Chronicles series; the first two books are Popular Clone and Cloneward Bound.

Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle School, Science Fiction, Tween Reads

The Glorkian Warrior Delivers a Pizza: Middle-Grade Hilarity in a Graphic Novel Format

Posted on February 25, 2014July 3, 2020 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Glorkian Warrior Delivers a Pizza, by James Kochalka (First Second, 2014), ISBN: 978-1-59643-917-7, $17.99
Pub Date: March 2014

Recommended for ages 8-12

I first discovered James Kochalka a few years ago, when my son read and adored his book, Peanut Butter & Jeremy’s Best Day Ever. I loved the cartoony art and fun dialogue; when I saw this title available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it, knowing I’d be in for a fun read. I was absolutely right.

Not knowing about the successful Glork Kickstarter that Mr. Kochalka and PixelJam games had back in 2010, I came to Glork as a brand new audience. The book is hilarious and surreal on a level that middle schoolers can truly appreciate and adults will just laugh out loud looking on. The Glorkian Warrior is sitting at home with his Super Backpack, when the phone rings – it is destiny? Well… kind of – it’s a pizza order. While Backpack wants the Glorkian Warrior to disregard the obviously wrong number, the Warrior will not be put off – this is his mission! He grabs a partially eaten pizza from his fridge and sets off on a journey that will introduce him to alien babies and add strange and unusual toppings to the pizza, including ash, tears, and fire damage. Will the Glorkian Warrior fulfill his delivery destiny? Don’t look at me for answers, read the book!

The book, which hits bookshelves in late March, is great fun. The cartoony art is perfect for its middle grade audience, as is the goofy humor. The Warrior is hilariously oblivious, Backpack is the brains of the operation, and together, the two are responsible for bickering and laughs on the level of Star Wars’ C3P0 and R2D2.

I enjoy graphic novels for kids, for several reasons. The first reason? Reluctant readers. They may stare at a page full of words and shut their brains off, but how can you look at a brightly colored, fun adventure and say, “No thanks”? You can’t. This will draw in reluctant readers, who – sadly – also tend to be boys. Having an alien warrior delivery a pizza with his laser-powered sentient backpack will definitely help bring the boys to the reading table. The second reason? Graphic novels teach sequence. Sequential art – art that is broken up into panels, a sequence – gives kids a sense of pacing and “what happens next” – very important concepts in the Common Core these days.

I thoroughly enjoyed riding shotgun with the Glorkian Warrior, and look forward to seeing him again. Reserve this book for any young readers you may have – they’ll get a kick out of it. The book also opens itself up to some great reading group discussions, including drawing your own alien workshop/top your own alien pizza workshop, map out the mission mapmaking sessions, and make your own comic book programs.

Mr. Kochalka has a Tumblr, Kochalkaland, where he features some webcomics (not necessarily young child-appropriate, but then again, neither is Tumblr) and a webcomic at American Elf (again, not young reader-appropriate). You can follow Glorkian Academy on Twitter for news about the books.

I found some interior art from The Glorkian Warrior Delivers a Pizza on the publisher’s website:

Preschool Reads

Book Review: Food Fight, by Carol Diggory Shields/Illus. by Doreen Gay-Kassel (Handprint Books, 2002)

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Recommended for ages 3-8

Late at night, when we are fast asleep, who knows what goes on in our refrigerators? In Food Fight, it’s the cat who bears witness to this story about what happens when the food in a kitchen decides to throw a late-night party. The story, told in rhyme, escalates when tuna fish tells the garlic, “You stink”, angering the chili pepper, and the rumble is on. The artwork, done in modeling clay, brings life to the food, creating a wide variety of facial expressions and movements. The multicolored text, in different sized, exaggerated font, swirls and flows around the artwork and stands out against the brightly colored backgrounds, adding more fun to the book and for the reader. The endpapers offer a cursory look into the refrigerator, showing assorted groceries on shelves.

This would be part of a fun, food-related read-aloud for preschoolers and kindergarteners. It could fit in with other fun food books, like Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, and can also lead to a discussion about healthy eating. Putting out plastic food for children to play with will provide a fun playtime, as will singing songs like “On Top of Spaghetti”.

Food Fight has received numerous awards and accolades, including designation as an ALA Notable Children’s Book (2012), Colorado: Children’s Book Award Nominees (2013), Horn Book Fanfare (2011), Indies Choice Book Award for Picture Book (2012), Irma S. & James H. Black Picture Book Honor (2012), NY Times Best Illustrated Books (2011), NY Times Notable Children’s Books (2011), Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Books (2011), Texas: 2×2 Reading List (2012), Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor (2012), Virginia: Readers’ Choice Award Nominees (2013).

Preschool Reads

Book Review: What Will Fat Cat Sit On? by Jan Thomas (Harcourt, 2007)

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Recommended for ages 2-5

“What will Fat Cat sit on?” is the inquiry that kicks off this story as the Fat Cat in question looks for a seat, terrifying animals – a cow, a chicken, a pig, and a dog – as they imagine him sitting on them. When the mouse offers an alternative seat – a chair – the next question is, “What will Fat Cat have for lunch?” Toddlers and preschoolers can join in the fun, repeating the opening question throughout the story and identifying the animals who try to avoid being sat on. The cartoon illustrations are bright, set against vivid backgrounds. The animals’ facial expressions are exaggerated and simple, easily conveying the emotions of panic and relief. Characters are boldly outlined, allowing them to pop off of the page, and lettering is big and brightly colored, with simple sight words that beginning readers will easily recognize.

This could be part of a “silly animal books” read-aloud. Mo Willems’ Pigeon books are similar in tone and illustration, as is Katie Davis’ Who Hops?; these books offer similar participation opportunities. There are many silly songs and fingerplays about animals that could work well with a silly storytime, including Six Silly Spiders. Jan Thomas’ author website provides printable mask and finger puppets for the Fat Cat and each of the animals that work well for a coloring craft or, as the website suggests, a Fat Cat play, where readers can wear their masks and call out the sounds for their chosen animal.

Fantasy, Humor, mythology, Tween Reads

Book Review: Thor’s Wedding Day, by Bruce Coville (Harcourt, 2005)

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Recommended for ages 8-12

Based on the humorous Norse tale about the theft of Thor’s hammer, Bruce Coville fleshes the story out with other pieces of Norse mythology to give readers this amusing story of cross-dressing gods, talking goats, and dopey giants.

Told by Thor’s goat boy Thialfi, Thor’s Wedding Daybegins with Thor discovering his mighty hammer, Mjolnir, missing. His trickster brother Loki discovers that their enemies, the giants, have somehow gotten hold of the hammer and refuse to give it back unless their sister, Freya, marries Thrym, king of the giants and Thor’s enemy. Freya refuses, and Loki concocts a scheme to dress Thor up as Freya and get his hammer back. Loki agrees to accompany Thor as a bridesmaid and Thialfi must dress up to be Thor’s goat girl. While in the company of the giants, Thialfi discovers that their plan goes far deeper than just handing Mjolnir back to “Freya” after the wedding, and he finds himself in the position of saving Asgard.

Bruce Coville can tell a funny story, and Thor’s Wedding Day is no exception. He stays true to the tale that inspired him and to make it accessible to new, younger audiences. It’s downright silly in some parts with a touch of adventure and intrigue – a good combination to keep more reluctant readers interested.

Bruce Coville’s website offers information about this and other Coville titles. For readers interested in learning more about Norse mythology, there are a variety of resources available on the Web.