Author: Chris Butterworth
Illustrator: Kate Nelms
Age Range: 5 – 9 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 4
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Having a 16 month old daughter, my wife and I have had no shortage of visiting aquariums and amusement parks like Sea World.  Due to this, our daughter has developed quite a love for aquatic life including seals. They are super cute and smart. When I heard about the book “See What a Seal Can Do”, I knew my daughter would love it. It is a fun and very engaging book which follows a gray seal on a journey from sand to sea. The book is an easy read and has become a frequent read for my daughter each day.

Official Premise: On the shore, a seal looks like a slow, dozy creature that spends its time lazing around or flumping along the sand. But underwater, it’s a different story. Splash! Seal dives deep, with a body just the right shape to shoot through the water and power down with his back flippers. He slips through a seaweed forest, and — sensing a predator nearby — dives even deeper to stay safe. Finally it’s time to make a sudden twist and turn to catch his fishy dinner.

In terms of the illustrations, the book delivers and is quite impressive. The underwater pages look great and the colors are very warm. From the front cover in fact, the whole book is very welcoming. It screams, let’s go have some fun and that is just what the book succeeds in doing. Besides the illustration, the text is a interesting mix of narrative sprinkled with facts making it interesting for both kids and adults.

Author: Nosy Crow
Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
Age Range: 2 – 5 years
Series: Pip and Posy
Board book: 24 pages
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Having a young daughter, has really opened up my world to tons of great books from Nosy Crow. They release some of the best books for kids birth to pre-school. The “Pip and Posy” series is a fun series. “The Super Scooter” is my first exposure to this series and I Aam sure not the last.

My daughter really enjoyed this and kept yelling out “Hop Hop!” at the turn of every page. The official premise of this installment focuses on Pip playing happily with his scooter in the park when Posy comes along and decides that she wants to have a turn. But she doesn’t know how to ride a scooter, and Pip has to come to the rescue.

The story is sweet and has a good message. I am not sure my 16 month told would get it yet but overtime she will and be able to take away a lot from this story. The illustrations are nice, I am not 100% in love with them but they are cute, especially the bunnies. No question overall, they will be sure to entertain the kids that are reading them and keep their interests.

Author: Juan Ortiz
Hardcover: 112 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: September 3, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Who is Juan Ortiz? Juan Ortiz is an illustrator/designer for Disney and Warner Bros. and also a hardcore Trekkie. He had created artwork for each of the episodes from the “Star Trek: The Original Series”. The style of the work was nothing like anything fans have ever seen before and really represented a unique vision. Being a huge fan of “Star Trek” and of alternate poster art, I was immediately drawn to this book.

The first thing I honestly wanted to do with these posters was to rip them out and hang up each one on my wall, they are really that amazing. The book is comes in a large format ranking in at  14.4 x 10.3 x 0.7 inches, which is much bigger than the typical art book. The paper stock is solid and very study. The colors are gorgeous and very rish as well. I have to admit though this is expected since the amazing Titan Books is behind this release. They put so much love into there books.

Official Premise: What if every Star Trek: The Original Series episode was a movie event? What would the movie poster look like? This was the inspiration to develop a one-of-a-kind set of images for the series that launched a franchise. Artist Juan Ortiz has created unique retro-style art with the look of a 60s movie poster, comic book, pulp novel cover or advertisement, one each for all 80 episodes.

Before we get to the posters themselves there is a nice background on Juan Ortiz. The posters are each scaled to around 11×17 inches and are broken up by each of the three seasons, including the unaired pilot “The Cage”. When you reach the end of the book, the fun doesn’t end since there is a brief description of each episode and where Juan got his inspiration for each poster. If you are a hardcore fan of “Star Trek”, I cannot stress how amazing this book is and is a must have!

Author/Illustrator: Aaron Becker
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Kids have the best imaginations. I remember when I was a kid, I used to dream up the craziest stuff and wish that it would all come true. I would give anything to be back in that world. When I saw “Journey”, I felt that connection. “Journey” is a wordless picture book about self-determination and unexpected friendship. I wasn’t blown away by the illustrations but I enjoy the encouragement for kids to follow their own adventures.

Official Premise: A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire?

I thought the line work and colors usage was interesting, I wasn’t completely in love with it but it did sort of draw me in. This book was inspired by Author/Illustrator Aaron Becker’s own traveling to various places including Kenya, Japan, Sweden, and Tahiti, which fed his imagination for “Journey”. This was his first book and I am curious to see what he is going to come up with next.

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Author/Illustrator: David Ezra Stein
Age Range: 2 – 5 years
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I was a kid, I was in love with anything dinosaurs. I couldn’t get enough. It was also around the time when “Jurassic Park” was released which made my addiction even easier to feed. “Dinosaur Kisses” follows an energetic young dinosaur figures out her own way to give a kiss in the latest from the creator of the Caldecott Honor–winning Interrupting Chicken.

Official Premise: For newly hatched dinosaur Dinah, the world is an exciting place. There is so much to see and do. She tries this — STOMP! And she tries that — CHOMP! Then she sees a kiss and knows just what she wants to try next. Who can she kiss? And after a few disastrous attempts, can she figure out how to give someone a kiss without whomping, chomping, or stomping them first?

I think the audience for this book is a little older than my 16 month old daughter but I am sure that this funny new picture book from David Ezra Stein would entertain kids with no issue at all. The animation is fun and the colors are very warm and welcoming. Personally, you really can’t go wrong with a good picture book if you have great animation. I think that also both boys and girls will enjoy this despite the fan that Dinah is a female dinosaur.

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Author/Illustrator: Petr Horacek
Age Range: 3 – 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
Hardcover: 20 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

What kid doesn’t love animals? My daughter is only 16 months yet she can name at least two dozen animals and on top of that give the sound that each of them makes. This book contrasts 20 different animals with the use of flaps, pop-ups, and turn the page design. Kids can find out the opposite side of these animals all shapes and sizes.

Ranging from a slow snail to fast cheetah, a heavy hippo to light butterfly, a smooth frog to prickly porcupine, those are just some of the examples given to teach contrast to kids. Author Petr Horácek also did the illustration to this brightly colored pop-up book and it makes this book a real visual treat. It also makes it very interactive as well with the flaps, pop-ups etc. I recommend this for not only fun but also learning value.

Author/Illutrator: Tim Burton
Age Range: 6 – 8 years
Grade Level: 1 – 3
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Disney Press; 20 Anv edition
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of my favorite films of all-time. I watch it over and over and never get tired.  Whenever August/September rolls around, I get the major itch to start watching it to get ready for the holiday seasons, including Halloween and Christmas.  I love the fact that it crosses over the holidays since just creates this new genre for itself. This book was released for the film’s 20th anniversary last month, yes I can’t believe either its been 20 years. I remember the first time I saw this film and was simply blown away. Tim Burton has such a unique perspective in this film and really set the scale for future stop-motion animated films. A must have for any fan of the film.

Official Premise: In this beloved picture book that could only come from the visionary mind of author and illustrator Tim Burton, we meet Jack Skellington– a well-intentioned inhabitant of Halloweenland. Jack is bored of “the scaring, the terror, the fright….tired of being something that goes bump in the night”. And so, in an effort to bring to joy to his town, Jack kidnaps Santa and takes his place as the jolly old elf. But instead of bringing joy to the world Jack, who is a little more than a grinning skeleton, brings fear by delivering creepy toys and riding a sleigh carried by skeletal reindeer. Only through a number of things going horribly wrong does Jack learn the true meaning of Christmas.

This 20th Anniversary Edition isn’t just a cash-in from Disney. It contains some updated illustrations from Tim Burton himself, including a new intro. you can tell that this project was such a labor of love for him and still is since he comments that he loved revisiting it. Now when it comes to the artwork in the book, which I loved but I am also a 31 year old man. For kids, it might be a little creepy but then again so is the film. I do not think that I will be sharing this with my 15 month old daughter…just yet but I look forward to introducing to her down the line. The words just rhyme so well and I really have a blast revisiting this timeless classic. Even though it is has been 20 years, I see myself revisiting this book and film, like Burton, for many many years to come!

Author: Michaelbrent Collings
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Release Date: August 16, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love zombies right now? With the success of films like “World War Z” and TV shows like “The Walking Dead”, they have never been hotter. Michaelbrent Collings is bringing us his latest novel, “The Colony: Genesis”, which is a volume one of a new series. I have to admit, I have no idea how this guy releases so many books in one year, all which are extremely different than the next…and all actually good. I read his been “Darkbound” and “Strangers” earlier this year and they are so engaging and entertaining that I literally couldn’t put them down. The exact same thing happened with “The Colony”. In fact, I finished the entire book in less than 24 hours, which is a new record for me personally. I do not think that I have ever been drawn in by a book in the last few years. Michaelbrent taps into the zombie genre but really adds his own style to it that really keeps the genre fresh and exciting.

Ken Strickland is a high school teacher, who is in school on an average day…until something happens that changes everything. It starts with insects filling every inch of his windows on the outside of the building to then planes falling out of the sky to his students turning into monsters attacking everything in sight. And that is only in the first couple of pages. Ken sees the entire world crashing around him and he only has one thing on his mind, which is to find his family, who are across town. He meets up with a few other sole survivors along the way as they try to stay alive, while trying to figure out what is happening around them. But do they have what it takes to survive in a world that is crashing around them?

Normally when a book starts, it gives you time to meet the characters and get settled in before the madness starts, but that isn’t that case here. Michaelbrent literally jams on the gas and hits a 100mph before the second chapter…and doesn’t let up until the end. “The Colony: Genesis” is fast, intense and in-your-face. If you think you know everything about zombies, think again because Michaelbrent changes the rules. Shoot them in the head? Nope just pisses them off. So definitely not your typical zombie book. What I love about Michaelbrent’s writing is that it is tight and very sharp. His chapters are short and literally each one packs a punch. I am not sure how he does it but he does not allow you to put the book down after each chapter, you need to keep reading to find out what happens next.

What also thrilled me was the fact that it is the first volume in the series. Michaelbrent was very smart in splitting this book into volumes because it ends leaves himself plenty of time to slowly to develop the story and its characters without having to rush through it. There are tons of questions in the book that will leave you screaming for answers. But he sets it up so well that you will literally have your finger ready to turn the page and at the edge of your seat waiting to find out what happens. Like I said, I finished this book in practically one sitting since I couldn’t put it down. I cannot wait to see what he planned for volume II, “The Colony: Renegades”. Keep them coming man, I will be anxiously waiting.

If you’re a fan of movies you’re probably already familiar with the work of Phil Hall. A contributing editor to the on-line magazine, “Film Threat,” Hall is also a well respected author of such film books as “The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies: Films From the Fringes of Cinema” and “The History of Independent Cinema.” His latest book, recently released, is entitled “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time.” Mr. Hall recently took the time to answer some questions for Media Mikes:

Mike Smith: What makes a movie “Bad?”
Phil Hall: We need to clarify what “bad” means. I am not writing about the mediocrities that you forget about after the closing credits have rolled. My book celebrates what I call the “anti-classics.” These are the films that inspire wonder – they are so profoundly misguided and egregiously off-target that you have to wonder how they ever got made. These bad films are the cinematic equivalent of narcotics – you get hooked by their toxicity and you become a happy prisoner to their crashing awfulness. It is a wonderful addiction, for sure.

MS: What inspired you to write the book?
PH: A few years ago, I was an actor in a film called “Rudyard Kipling’s Mark of the Beast,” and while on the set a number of people were talking endlessly and enthusiastically about the Tommy Wiseau film “The Room.” I recognized that people tend to become animated and involved when talking about the so-bad-they’re-good films, going to the point of quoting the screenplays verbatim, and I thought that I would bring together my choices for 100 of the best of these anti-classics.

MS: You have some critically popular films, “Mystic River” among them, on your list. Any reservations on labeling films like this “bad” when they were well received?
PH: My book is not a be-all/end-all text book. My book is an expression of my opinion as a film critic and film scholar. Remember, the appreciation of films (or any art form) is strictly subjective. I know people who loathe “Citizen Kane” and “Gone with the Wind” – that is their opinion. And remember, opinions are like a certain lower body cavity – everyone has one and most of them stink! Whether you agree or disagree with me is strictly your call. This book is my vehicle to share my opinions.

MS: Have you received any feedback from any of the filmmakers?
PH: The book covers the full spectrum of the cinematic experience, from the silent era to the present day. Thus, many of the filmmakers cited in the book are no longer with us. As for those that are still active, I don’t know if they are aware of their inclusion in the book.

MS: Do you have a favorite “bad” movie?
PH: That’s sort of like asking if you have a favorite child, isn’t it? Some of the films cited in the book — the musical version of “Lost Horizon,” “Chariots of the Gods,” “Airport 1975” – have a special emotional tug because I saw them in the theater when I was a little kid. Others hold a special meaning because I shared the viewing experience with friends and/or family. And I am always discovering new films, so today’s favorite could easily become yesterday’s corny memory.

MS: Are you planning another book?
PH: This is my sixth book that has been published since 2004. I think I am overdue a long rest!

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Author: Phil Hall
Paperback: 258 pages
Publisher: BearManor Media
Release date: July 4, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Think you know what makes a bad movie? So did I until I read the latest from Film Threat scribe Phil Hall whose latest book, “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time,” set me straight.

Hall has assembled an impressive list of 100 films that he isn’t very impressed with. Of course, the list contains some well known “bad” titles, like Ed Wood’s “Plan 9 From Outer Space” and the awful “Battlefield Earth.” But it’s not just bad directors making bad films that are taken to the woodshed here. The great John Huston, with fifteen Oscar nominations (and two wins) in his career, has placed two films on the list: “Beat the Devil” and “The Bible: In the Beginning.” Stanley Kubrick teamed up with Howard Sackler (creator of the Broadway show “The Great White Hope”) for the film “Fear and Desire.” It’s here as well. Other directors taken to task include George Cukor, Bob Rafelson and Michelangelo Antonioni. And, just so you don’t think Hall is picking on the early films of now renowned filmmakers, he also includes Clint Eastwoods’ Oscar winning “Mystic River,” calling the film “so incredibly off-kilter that it demands attention for its sheer awfulness.” Wow! I’m guessing that didn’t make Clint’s day.

Of course, “bad” is in the eyes of the beholder. There are actually a few films on the list that I enjoy watching when I catch them on cable, among them “Head,” starring the Monkees, “The Adventures of Ford Fairlaine” and the Neil Diamond version of “The Jazz Singer.” I know they’re not classic cinema fare, but something about seeing Sir Laurence Olivier weep and rip his clothes while Diamond intones, “Pop…pop,” in his deep voice makes films like this a guilty pleasure. I’m also sorry to see the Robert Altman- directed film “Health” on the list. Not because it’s a good movie but because a couple of friends and I staked out the hotel in St. Petersburg where it was filmed (the Don Cesar) in the hopes of meeting Lauren Bacall. How many teenagers in the 1970s even knew WHO Lauren Bacall was?

Like his Film Threat work, Hall packs his prose with humorous observations. One of my favorite comes from his review of “The Babe Ruth Story,” noting that though some of the Babe’s secrets were ignored “their absence was compensated by a surplus of jolly anachronisms, most notably with the presence of a beer advertisement on a billboard positioned in a stadium game that occurred during the Prohibition years.”

An enjoyable read from A (“Abbot and Costello Go to Mars” to Z (“Zabriskie Point), “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time” is a must have for anyone that enjoys the movies…good or bad.

Author: Richard Castle
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: September 17, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Who loves ABC’s “Castle”, raise your hand! It is easily one of my favorite shows of all-time. It is also one of those shows that you are simply not able to turn off even repeat. This show has expanded well beyond just being a high-rated critically successful TV series to a New York Times Bestseller book series as well. “Richard Castle”, who is played by Nathan Fillion (“Firefly”) in the show, has created this continuing universe with the character Nikki Heat, which was spun off from the show itself. “Deadly Heat” is the fifth novel in series which focuses on NYPD homicide detective Nikki Heat and journalist Jameson Rook, based on the characters Castle and Beckett. You might wonder how long can they keep this going before it gets old but this series has never been hotter. I thought that “Frozen Heat” was a great title but it just seems to get better and better.

Official Premise: Determined to find justice for her mother, top NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat continues to pursue the elusive former CIA station chief who ordered her execution more than a decade ago. For the hunt, Nikki teams once again with her romantic partner, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Jameson Rook, and their quest for the old spy and the motive behind the past murder unearths an alarming terror plot, which is anything but ancient history. It is lethal. It is now. And it has already entered its countdown phase. Complicating Heat’s mission to bring the rogue spy to justice and thwart the looming terror event, a serial killer begins menacing the Twentieth Precinct, and her homicide squad is under pressure to stop him, and soon. Known for his chilling stealth, the diabolical murderer not only singles out Nikki as the exclusive recipient of his taunting messages, he names her as his next victim.

The book is such an easy read and if you are a fan of the show you will feel like you are playing out an episode in your head. The book is action-packed, thrilling, sexy and just plain fun. One thing I like about this series is that it does have continuity from the past books but you are still able to pick it up and read without having read the prior four books and can still enjoy. So get ready to laugh yet at the same time bite those nails as you race to turn the pages on this book.  I would also be surprised if you are even able to put this book down, as I literally finished it in one sitting.  It is just one of those that nothing could get my attention away from it while I was reading.  I can’t wait to see what “Richard Castle” comes up with next in this Nikki Heat series and also I would hope to see more novels in the Derrick Storm series as well. The future seems very plentiful for this series.

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Author: L. Maria Child
Illustrator: Matt Tavares
Age Range: 3 – 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 27, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

L. Maria Child’s verse about Thanksgiving Day has been given new life in this Matt Tavares-illustrated new book. Matt Tavares’ illustrations have given new life to this classic poem. His beautiful take on a family’s trip to Grandfather’s house through a blustery cold and snow-filled Massachusetts of yore, is reminiscent of any antique Christmas card.

There have been so many ways in which Child’s verse has been put to use throughout the past, but with this beautifully illustrated book, it speaks to a new generation who will benefit from seeing what it was like to have to travel to Grandfather’s house in a horse drawn sleigh. This is something that can bridge the gap and bring families together each year to read the poem and enjoy these beautiful illustrations on a cold, Thanksgiving night. It helps bring back tradition and really would be a fantastic addition to any holiday season.

Matt Tavares outdoes himself with this particularly detailed book. Each page creates a sense of nostalgia and warmth. Whether you are in the mood for the holidays or not, you will be in full-on holiday mode after immersing yourself in this delightfully engaging holiday classic. There is also a very nice nod to L. Maria Child at the end of the book and it allows the reader to understand where this holiday classic came from and more about the incredibly talented author who penned it.

Author, Illustrator: Lucy Cousins
Age Range: 2 – 5 years
Series: Maisy
Board book: 14 pages
Publisher: Candlewick; Brdbk edition
Release Date: August 27, 2013

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Board book+ Maisy+ rhyming text+colors= a perfect combination for any preschool class!! For fans of Lucy Cousins’ Maisy books, it should come to no surprise that this book will make a wonderful addition to your classroom library! Cousins does it again and makes learning about colors fun.

“Charley’s picked bananas, a big yellow bunch! Green pears for Cyril,munch, munch, munch! Maisy and her friends all have their favorite foods, from Tallulah’s oranges to Eddie’s blue lollipop to Maisy’s juicy red apples. When they all join together for a picnic, they make a tasty rainbow — yum!” The mixture of Maisy and her friends and very easy to recognize colors and foods, makes for a wonderfully inviting read.

Our fifteen month-old happens to love Maisy books and she is really enjoying the latest installment. She’s drawn in by the characters and then kept there by the fun illustrations and is able to point to the colors with ease. Maisy’s First Colors includes rhyming text that can help introduce poetry and rhyme to younger readers. This book is perfect for children ages 6 months and higher.

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Author, Illustrator: Lucy Cousins
Age Range: 2 – 5 years
Series: Maisy
Board book: 14 pages
Publisher: Candlewick; Brdbk edition
Release Date: August 27, 2013

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Another wonderful Maisy concept book by the beloved creator of the Maisy series, Lucy Cousins. Maisy’s First Numbers is a colorful treat that creates a welcoming, easily accessible world of numbers. The illustrations are fun and the text is rhyming which makes learning to count even more enjoyable.

Maisy’s First Numbers is perfect for ages 6 months and up. The book has bright colorful illustrations. Younger readers will find it easy to hold and manipulate as it is a board book. This would be a great help when introducing number concepts to preschool-age children.

Our fifteen month old daughter, loves the Maisy series and enjoys this book because of how bright and colorful the illustrations are. She also loves to point to the three butterflies and the slow slow turtles. Learning to count to 5 just got a lot more enjoyable with Maisy’s First Numbers.

Author: Hope Vestergaard
Illustrator: David Slonim
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 27, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Digger, Dozer, Dumper brings to life every truck your child (or you) may have ever played with. Going into great detail, the book includes sixteen rhyming poems that highlight the job and personality of each vehicle. From a cement mixer who can’t sit still to a very helpful tow truck, youngsters are invited to find out which vehicle they can identify with. Children will learn more about there favorite vehicles while getting to know some new ones.

Hope Vestergaard masterfully writes poems that will interest children ages 4 and older, as David Slonim creatively brings each truck to life in his illustrations and could easily entice any child age 2 and up into following along. The amusing pictures make this book easily accessible to many ages.

Digger, Dozer, Dumper could easily be brought into any preschool classroom to get kids excited about all sorts of vehicles. The words used in this book are higher level and therefore could open up a plethora of new vocabulary for younger children. This could be a great starting off point on all new vehicles never really taught about in school. in my experiences in the classroom, I can’t remember ever seeing a quiet and determined street sweeper toy or character in a book; or a lifting and drilling skid-steer loader. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I myself learned a thing or two about the names and jobs of these various vehicles and I have Hope Vestergaard to thank! If your students enjoy playing with planes, train and automobiles, add this wonderful book to your classroom library.

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