February. The month of Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, and the sinking feeling of discovering it’s *still* stinking winter?! And, of course, another book club flyer…
Elf
How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? – I love this series. this is another example of teaching manners and so on done really, really well. They are funny and silly, but then get around to pointing out how this should go, all illustrated by Mark Teague’s comical, and very human, dinosaurs.
Classic Family Favourites – sometimes the packs are a fine balance of the good stuff and the weak spots, but this set is full of very good stuff at a very good price. There are some real favourites in here, and even the weakest few are at least middling. Definitely a worthwhile buy.
***Red is Best – This is quite simply one of the best picture books going. Stinson clearly understands how kids think, and this little girls’ insistence on red everything rings perfectly true.
***David Shannon Collection – There is a lot more to David Shannon’s work than just the No, David books, though a few of those are included here as well. he’s a phenomenal illustrator with a great sense of humour (his faces are fantastic), whether he is working with his own words or someone else’s. There isn’t a loser in this bunch.
Diary of a Bug Pack – Imagined diaries of insects make up a series of three silly stories from the same author as Click Clack Moo – who knows from funny. These are a little more sophisticated, but grades 1 to 3 quite enjoy the humour.
Do Your Ears Hang Low? – I love song books – and this one is cute and it’s funny and if you like silly stuff, it’s a good addition.
Favourite Stories on DVD Set – I don’t often recommend DVDs, but these are seriously great picture books brought to life in animation that is faithful to the original text and images. They are originally from Weston Woods, who wins awards for their work all the time, and come with great pedigree. Really great stuff, but it is worth keeping in mind that the full set with something like 30 DVDs will likely show up over the year at some point, so if you really want to invest in these, it’s worth thinking about whether this set is the one you want.
SeeSaw
The Napping House – This is a terrific cumulative rhyme about the napping house, where everyone is sleeping – until they aren’t, and the peace is disturbed abruptly and very, very thoroughly. It’s cute, has an excellent pattern to it, and is also perfect for reading aloud together.
How Do Dinosaurs Say I’m Mad? – I love this series. this is another example of teaching manners and so on done really, really well. They are funny and silly, but then get around to pointing out how this should go, all illustrated by Mark Teague’s comical, and very human, dinosaurs.
Count to 100 Pack – Both of these counting books are fun, bouncy, highly readable, and unlike so many, count by tens up to one hundred. They’re a good choice for solidifying counting skills.
The Day the Crayons Quit – I love Oliver Jeffers, and his quirky artwork works well with this story of crayons taking labour action when they just can’t get along. This is a fun new read that is getting a lot of buzz.
***African Tales Pack – reading folk tales from a given tradition is a nice way to celebrate someone’s heritage and get a little of the flavour. These are two solid classics from the African tradition that are really well-pitched for little guys and fun reads. I’d definitely recommend these as a nice bookshelf addition, even if you aren’t going to focus on the connection to Black History Month.
That Is not a Good Idea! – This is one of Mo Willems’ newer titles, and it’s great fun. Told in a style reminiscent of silent movies with titles between scenes, it’s the story of a mother duck’s encounter with a fox, who invites her into his kitchen. Her increasingly frantic ducklings suggest that this is NOT a good idea – and a funny twist ending shows you why. This one I bought a couple of months back, I loved it so.
Mo Willems Pack – This is a nice smattering of Mo’s work, a sort of sampler of his hilarity – but if you think your family is going to want the full run of each series, you might be better off waiting for the individual packs for Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and Elephant & Piggie. They’ll come.
G is for Gold Medal – There isn’t a ton about the Olympics for young children, it’s mostly aimed higher, so this is a good entry point. There is a whole series of these alphabet books for different things (seasons, professions, sports, etc.), and they do give a nice overview, looking at different aspects of the topic for each letter.
National Geographic non-fiction – Nat Geo is turning out great non-fiction for kids these days. The pictures are everything you’d expect from them, the facts are solid, and they have pitched them well for browsing and more thorough reading alike, depending on the kid. I recommend these if your kid would find the topic interesting.
Grow-a-Reader Animals Pack – These beginning to read books are simple, for those just starting out, and all about animals. This reading stage can mean some dull stuff, so finding something that taps into a kid’s interest can be really helpful – so if your grade 1ish kiddo is into animals, this is a very good choice.
***Alexander Pack – Alexander keeps having things go awfully wrong, and he reacts, like any kid, in ways that are not always productive. Fortunately, even if his brothers make things worse, his mom helps out, and he also discovers that tomorrow is another day. These are classic fare for kids on the upper end of this range and even into SeeSaw territory.
Bear and Friends Pack – I love the bear stories, which are set in a great rhythm and rhyme, and feature really, really good friends. These do show up in various different packs on and off through the year, so if you want more of them, hold off.
Lucky
National Geographic non-fiction – Nat Geo is turning out great non-fiction for kids these days. The pictures are everything you’d expect from them, the facts are solid, and they have pitched them well for browsing and more thorough reading alike, depending on the kid. I recommend these if your kid would find the topic interesting.
Magic Tree House – This long-running series is still going strong, and I’m still enjoying the adventures of Jack & Annie as they explore times, places, and major historical figures. It’s a nice bridge between fiction and non-fiction, and though definitely on formula, still an enjoyable, decently-written read.
***Charlotte’s Web – I doubt I need to say this, but this is a classic every kid should read. it’s simply magical, even if it is a tear-jerker at the end. If you don’t own this, buy it and start reading it aloud together.
Black History Month Pack – Henry’s Freedom Box is about a young boy’s journey along the Underground Railroad, a beautifully illustrated story, while the other is a more factual book about black history in Canada. If you are looking to give your child a good grounding in the topic, this is a perfect pack.
***Miss Nelson Pack – Miss Viola Swamp is the meanest substitute teacher ever, and somehow always appears when Miss Nelson is away… These books about the worst class in the school are hilarious, classic, and perfect examples of the genius of this author and illustrator combo. LOVE these for kids in grades 2-5.
***Clementine Pack – There are lots of books about spunky, precocious girls for these grades, and one of my favourite stars among them is Clementine. She is a good kid at heart, who just has trouble with her self-control, and gets into some pretty funny messes because of it. her family, though, is wonderful, and her teachers do pretty well at working with her, too, so I like that the overall is a picture of warmth and understanding, rather than a bratty kid at odds with exasperated adults.
Big Nate – This is one of those imitators I mention below – sort of the natural successor to Diary of a Wimpy Kid – half-graphic, sassy, and great kid appeal. A touch cheekier, but still funny, any fan of the former is pretty sure to enjoy these.
Valentine’s Day Chapter book pack –Valentine-themed installments from each of four popular chapters for grades 2-3ish make for some fun February reading, if your kid enjoys holidays and doesn’t mind a touch of the mush. it’s a nice way to try out a few series for not much investment.
Captain Underpants – Okay, I know. he’s rude, crude, and enough with the fart jokes. But? He’s also hilarious and plenty of boys love him, not to mention the half-graphic format works really well for reluctant or less confident readers. As much as they make some parents crazy, these really are fun and a great hook for the kid who needs something a little sillier to get engaged.
Hockey Legends Pack – Mike Leonetti is making a name for himself as a go-to-guy for hockey books for youngsters. It’s obvious he has a serious love for the game and its history, and his growing series of books about some of the legendary names from the past reflects that, sharing some of his passion with kids. For the hockey-obsessed, this is a sure hit.
The Boy Who Cried Ninja – Crazy stuff keeps happening in this kid’s house, and no one in his family is buying his story that ninjas are behind it all – until one day, they catch one up to no good. This book is cute and funny, and I really enjoyed it.
A to Z Mysteries pack – This series does, as the name suggests, have a mystery for each letter. Nicely pitched for grades 2-3, these are fairly popular and will work
well for a kid who likes mysteries.
Lego Play Book – Ooh! I’ve been wanting one of these to show up so I can grab it for my kids, who are fully Lego-obsessed. This one is full of ideas to get them using their bricks in different ways and start them thinking about what else they could turn them into. With Lego getting more specialized all the time, this is a great return to building from the basics.
Arrow
***Rules – This is a phenomenal book about a girl who helps look out ofr her brother with autism, but also comes to realize that she is way more self-conscious and embarrassed about him than she needs to be and finally starts accepting more. Loved this.
BabyMouse – Babymouse is a graphic series for about grades 2-3 with a lighthearted flair and humour. They skew girly, with their pink and black colour scheme and the storylines, but I love that it’s a nice intro to graphics for girls, who may not all have been into the comics that usually draw boys to the idea of visual narrative.
***Percy Jackson & The Olympians Boxed Set – This series has been HUGE, and with very good reason – it’s excellent. The writing is solid and fast-paced, to almost cinematic effect, the characters are enjoyable, and the action is based on Greek mythology, which I love. They are a pretty classic quest story, and a perfect follow to other fantasy series if you haven’t read them yet. (And you really should.)
The 39 Clues – This series is written by some of the top names in adventurous kidslit, and keep kids guessing and following along. Be prepared to have an obsessed kid, but here you have the whole set, or, as these are another often-featured set, you can always put this on the back burner and know you can order later, too.
Hokey Pokey – This one I haven’t read – but Jerry Spinelli? Is a good bet, so I’d say if your kid likes his quirky characters and insights into what makes people tick, it would be surprising if this one really missed.
Tunnels Pack – when a couple of kids find a whole hidden world underground, they get drawn deeper and deeper into an adventure. There’s danger and survival, of course, and these have been a pretty big hit with kids.
Titanic Trilogy – Korman has a few trilogies, all with an adventure/disaster/survival theme that gives them great boy appeal (think Everest, Kidnapped, and ones about being trapped on a deserted island and one about a dive). They are well done, and this was timed with the 100th anniversary of the sinking in 2012, when attention was on Titanic everywhere.
Captain Underpants – Okay, I know. he’s rude, crude, and enough with the fart jokes. But? He’s also hilarious and plenty of boys love him, not to mention the half-graphic format works really well for reluctant or less confident readers. As much as they make some parents crazy, these really are fun and a great hook for the kid who needs something a little sillier to get engaged.
Big Nate – This is one of those imitators I mention below – sort of the natural successor to Diary of a Wimpy Kid – half-graphic, sassy, and great kid appeal. A touch cheekier, but still funny, any fan of the former is pretty sure to enjoy these.
I Am Canada – These series are written by some seriously top-shelf authors, and tell the stories of some big moments in Canadian history in the format of diaries of young people who lived through the events. For kids who are interested in history or drawn to historical fiction, these are very well done and really let them imagine what it might be like to live during interesting times. The I Am Canada series is written as if by boys – and is, of course, marketed accordingly.
Alex Rider Pack – Alex Rider is a spy kid, set in a fun, popular series of adventures that span in libraries from upper kids and into teens, so these are at the high end of the range, but for the kid who loves some action, this is good stuff.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – This series has been a massive hit with kids and spawned a few imitators, as well. It is very funny, and the half-graphic format makes it a favourite with reluctant readers. The newest is on offer here. This is a pretty nearly monthly offering, so you can count on being able to pick them up at any point through the year.
National Geographic non-fiction – Nat Geo is turning out great non-fiction for kids these days. The pictures are everything you’d expect from them, the facts are solid, and they have pitched them well for browsing and more thorough reading alike, depending on the kid. I recommend these if your kid would find the topic interesting.
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