Engage!
Who cares about a damn apple…I NEED TO KNOW IF ASH FROM ALIEN IS GOING TO KILL ME.
Comic artist and writer Jeffrey Brown has managed to create an alternate Star Wars universe that will satisfy all hardcore fans of the original trilogy while still appealing to young kids who may not understand why their parents are bat shit insane over it.
What better way to introduce your own Huey, Dewey or Louie to comics?
Middle School is a horrible time in every person’s life, but in this book, the horrors deal not with being bullied by your peers, but realizing that your new state-of-the-art school just might be a portal to a different world. Add to that a two-headed rat, a secret attic above the library that no one seems to know anything about, and a teacher that may or may not be a monster, and you have the makings of a coming-of-age story that dives deep into RL Stine territory…in a good way.
Perfect for any kid who has no interest in sparkly vampires or moody werewolves.
When I was a little girl I was never interested in dolls or playing house, instead I played games like Ghost (put a sheet on your head and scare your little brother) or Knife Butcher (same concept only chasing him down with a plastic butter knife). So a story about a monster named Waga who lost his scare and is trying to get it back would be high on my reading list back then (of course, I was kinda weird and, according to my mother, most likely possessed, so keep that in mind if you happen to be looking for a kid’s book about a scary monster).
Now, don’t let the subject matter fool you. This is a story of perseverance and being true to yourself, which are two very important attributes that all children should learn about at a young age. And, seeing that the main character is a monster, it will more than likely keep the kindergarten-3rd grade reading group engaged in the moral of the story rather than boring them to death like those stupid Serendipity books I was given back in the day.
So yay monsters!
I’m all about educating young people.
Children need to read as much literature as possible in order to undo all the damage that “Must See TV” has done to them. And starting with a collection of classic adventure stories should begin to help them refocus their brain and appreciate the “internal TV” that occurs when one reads a great book.
Now, I know that handing a tween a book that doesn’t have One Direction on the cover can be a challenge, so might I suggest telling them that their favorite band member reminds you of some of the lead characters in the books (this might help them get into it) and reading the stories with them.
And, if that doesn’t work, tell them that these are required reading in high school so they might as well start reading them now.
Winter is coming (and I’m not talking about The Game of Thrones) which means that the kiddos are going to be stuck inside all day…with you, which means that you should probably engage them in something other than all-day video game marathons before their brains atrophy from a lack of use.
And wouldn’t you know it, someone (author Chris Alexander) has married your love of Star Wars with an activity that will keep your kids occupied for hours.
Oh, Happy Day!
The Star Wars Origami book comes not only with instructions on how to fold and make 36 different characters and ships, it also comes with special Star Wars paper that, when folded correctly, will make said constructions look exactly like they should (although, for practice purposes I would have the little shavers start out with regular paper first).
I tell you, once those little bastards get a taste of folding paper into tangible things, they are going to want to do it every day…which is great since Winter lasts frakking forever.
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Writer/illustrator William Joyce is one of the most amazing artists in picture book literature and if you have any doubt as to why you should have a special shelf in your kid’s bedroom dedicated to him, then pick up a copy of The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore (the inspiration for his Academy Award winning short film) and find out why.
This is a book about the magic of stories (regardless of the form, be they books, e-books or apps) and why it is important to surround yourself with them.
Magical, beautiful and down-right inspirational
Get it now!
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