Synopsis

There’s a ghost in the walls, and V must decide if it is an ally or an enemy. The wrong decision could destroy her and her family. 

From Schneider Honor Award winning author Meg Eden Kuyatt comes a chilling and insightful novel-in-verse.

After a hard school year, V has been sent to her Grandma Jojo’s house for the summer in order to get away from it all. But unlike neurodivergent, artistic, sock-collecting V, Jojo is uptight, critical, and obsessed with her spotless house. She doesn’t get V at all. V is sure she’s doomed to have the worst summer ever.

Then V starts hearing noises from inside the walls of the house… Knocks, the sounds of a girl crying, and voices echoing in the night.

When V finds a ghostly girl hiding in the walls, they seem to have an immediate connection. This might be V’s chance to get back at her perfect grandmother by messing with her just a little bit.

But the buried secrets go much deeper — and are much more dangerous — than V even suspects. And they threaten to swallow her and her family whole if she can’t find a way to uncover the truth of the girl before it’s too late.

A contemporary novel-in-verse with a ghostly twist by the author of Good Different, this book is about the power — and danger — of secrets. The Girl in the Walls will grab you and not let go until the very last page.

Review

Huge thanks to Scholastic Press for the physical arc of this one! I was drawn right in with the cover art. 

This was fantastic. I expected to like it, as middle grade horror is usually a hit for me, but I really loved this. It’s a novel told in verse, which I did not know until I got it in the mail! It really cuts down on things we usually find necessary and proves that they aren’t always. Really concise, engaging, and moving. 

V, after getting into trouble at school, is left to spend the summer with her neat-manners-and-all-other-things-freak grandmother, Jojo. As V is different, neurodivergent and trying to find her own way, she’s always butted heads with Jojo, so being left feels like torture. Especially when V finds out her older cousin, Cat, who also doesn’t get along with Jojo, isn’t allowed over. You see, jojo wants everything perfectly prim, otherwise, what would the neighbors think? Yet V just wants to make art and wear silly, fancy socks. Most of all though, Vee wants to be accepted and understood. 

So when V finds a ghost of a girl living in Jojo’s walls, one who has been stockpiling her grandmother’s secrets, she finds it hard to say no to playing pranks with her. Even when the girl presses for darker and more intense pranks, disagreements between them push V toward giving in to the anger. If Jojo thinks so low of V, why shouldn’t she get back at her? 

Although the ghost ties back into the storyline itself in a ‘history coming back to haunt you’ way, I found that she served as a really good voice for V’s fears, angers, anxieties and even darker processing. Because of how in your face her harsh pranks are, she begins to serve more and more as the big meanie for young readers, doubling down on how wrong anger can be. And while the short pay off may feel good, what Vee really wants is her grandmother’s love. 

I found myself actually connecting things the grandmother said and did behaviorally to someone I’ve dealt with in the past. Especially the part about appearances. And this was a really unique way to see different sides to someone that maybe I didn’t think possible in real life. Everyone is multifaceted, and everyone has a past that influenced their present. It actually hit home for me, as I wasn’t allowing myself to view them as what they are just like Jojo didn’t view the real V. This one is light on the scary/horror side of things and real heavy on the emotional family turmoil side.

Synopsis

Finalist in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 10th Edition (SPFBOX)! First Middle Grade Finalist in Competition history!

Galdifort Quillpen has grand dreams of writing epic tales of heroic deeds, just like his famous aunt. Unfortunately, he’s been assigned to Tanna the Tendersword, an excruciatingly carefree would-be-champion who can’t seem to find a qualifying entry-level quest.

When things are at their most miserable, the young Questers meet an enigmatic old woman who offers Tanna a quest: follow a peg-legged, sword-wielding rooster to help save a crying mushroom lost within a haunted forest. Tanna heroically accepts, regardless of how incredibly unsafe the odd quest seems.

But Galdifort’s fears become reality when a sorceress sends her fog monster and lizard henchmen after them. Only a true Champion should confront a sorceress, and, in his eyes, Tanna is not up to the task. But if he wants to write his chronicle, Galdifort must learn to do something he certainly isn’t comfortable doing — trust in honest friendship with Tanna the Tendersword.

He’s just a chronicler, after all, not a hero!

Review

When I was a child I was raised on the stories of Harry Potter and Narnia, why am I
telling you this? Not because The Tenacious Tale of Tanna the Tendersword is similar to those books, but because this story has the capacity to be just as great and beloved as those stories, in fact I can see it surpassing them! Tenacious, as I like to call it, has so much heart, so much spirit, and is full of so many fun parts. The reason why Tenacious isn’t like Harry Potter or Narnia is because it is its own story, and that is a good thing.

Tanna, Galdifort Quillpen, and Peggs the peg-legged rooster truly shine as the
protagonists of the story, and they perfectly fit each other. Tanna is the unabashed
heroic optimist while Galdifort is the reasonable pessimist, and Peggs, well, I have a
hunch about him, but there is no doubt that he is a heroic rooster! I enjoyed reading
about their personalities so much! The characters felt so real yet fantastical that I
couldn’t get enough of it. I personally loved the characters Wink the Wildcrafter, and Old Lady Sage! Their mystical and eccentric behavior brought me so much joy when I read their scenes!

Tenacious doesn’t shy away from the weird and ridiculous and I’m all here for it. From crying mushrooms to talking door knockers in the shape of an owl, I truly couldn’t get enough! All the imaginative parts about this book filled my mind with so many cool visuals. I could go on and on about how amazing this book is. But I think the best thing I can do, is beseech anyone who sees this book and reads my review to go read The Tenacious Tale of Tanna the Tendersword, and leave a review of it because this book deserves so much and it would be amazing to see it grow and become just as enjoyed and beloved as so many great stories out there! Also this book isn’t just for kids, I believe it’s for anyone who enjoys fantastic characters and worldbuilding, and an amazing story about bravery, kindness, and humor!

About the Reviewer

S.R. Arrkewey is an epic fantasy author who wishes to captivate readers with intricate worlds and compelling characters. Living in a quiet, secluded cottage nestled by an imposing mountain, Arrkewey finds inspiration in the wonders of the cosmos and the whisper of the stories that flow over the whole of the multiverse.

Synopsis:

An accident brought Rex’s career as an interplanetary bodyguard to an abrupt end. Now, he spends his time tending fruit trees and dreaming of his exciting past. One day, he gets an unexpected opportunity to pick up a ray gun again, but things aren’t how he remembered them…  

Review:

Rating: 6/10

A middle-grade indie graphic novel with an ambitious storyline, Free by E.B. Roshan offers something for readers of all ages. Rex is a fruit picker who’s a little surly about his circumstances, and by the end of the first act, we find out he had been a warrior who lost his leg in a space battle.

He longs to return to the stars and a life he thinks is much more worthwhile than picking fruit on a remote moon. When the fruit farm’s very feudal overlord shows up for their dues, he gets his chance.

Free is a black-and-white graphic novel that uses many shades of gray, and it’s a considered choice for this story. The somewhat simplistic art style – Roshan deploys a thick, wormy line within very static panels – contrasts with a weighty storyline. Class politics, personal responsibility, and hints of PTSD crop up along with standard – and fun – scifi tropes like flying saucers.

Rex wants to be free from his moribund life, and he gets his freedom, or so it appears. Quickly – very quickly – he becomes an enforcer for Sir Sarpedon. Rex seems a little too ok with pushing around farmers for their dues for this lord he just met, but he draws the line at Sarpedon being rude to a waitress.

In fairness, she reminds him of a friend he left behind, but Rex isn’t exactly a paragon of virtue. Not that he needs to be. Morally ambiguous characters work just fine in children’s books, whether it’s The Grinch or Ebenezer Scrooge. Rex certainly doesn’t go that far, but he’s not perfect. For young readers, there’s a strong moral within the story that never gets too heavy-handed, and a worthwhile arc for Rex.

Though the story offers some interesting dynamics, the art and general layout do not. Panel to panel, the pages feel boxy and hemmed in at times, closing the iris on what is otherwise a very big sci-fi canvas. The art also lacks depth of field or a sense of perspective. For younger readers, this may not be significant, but for many, the reading experience is likely to be flat.

At 125 pages, the story is a quick, easy read for its audience. Things wrap up in a hurry without too much development, but there’s a lot lurking under the surface that Roshan does a good job of suggesting. Rex’s thoughts of the farm, his friend there, and his trauma manifest in panels that impose on his current circumstances. His future is also hinted at, with the possibility of further adventures down the road.

Synopsis

Put on your detective hat and prepare all your investigative tools, because you’ve been assigned a new case to solve: the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster!

Follow along as award-winning author Candace Fleming uses all of her nonfiction tools and storytelling prowess to investigate the enduring mystery surrounding the existence of the Loch Ness Monster.

Nestled in the lush green hills of the Scotland Highlands lies Loch Ness, a deep, murky lake with a storied history. It is also the home of the Loch Ness Monster. Numerous stories and photographs by people claiming to have spotted the mysterious monster have surfaced, often gaining immediate fame. But after decades of countless expeditions, documentaries, firsthand accounts, pictures, and videos, the mystery of Nessie continues to haunt us.

Now, Sibert Award-winning author Candace Fleming invites you to become a detective and to join the race to uncover the truth. You’ll learn how real-life detectives and scientists conduct their investigations to solve the greatest mysteries as the principles of the Scientific Method and more tools for boosting critical thinking and analysis are introduced. You will consider the evidence, see if you can tell the difference between fact and fiction, and maybe you can answer this age-old question about the Loch Ness monster: Is it real?

Review

Huge thanks to Scholastic and Scholastic Focus for the physical ARC! So cool to have one of these. 

This is really cool. It’s set up as if you are the investigator, and with the help of your Black Swan Scientific Investigations Handbook you are prepared to research the existence of a prehistoric beast! Comb through the evidence, read through the witness accounts, and try hard not to form an opinion! I can see this being such a huge hit with kids and if their imagination is good, or they have an inquisitive mind, there’ll be no end to the fun they can have. 

For me, the actual scientific research included was my favorite. From the first sighting all the way to the latest in 2024, the author has delivered an opinion free dissection of what’s been seen and recorded. Whether you’re a believer, or want to stick with the science, the information is so interesting that I think both sides can read for enjoyment. 

Is it a prehistoric plesiosaur, that not only survived the last 66 million years undetected, but also survived the fact that the loch was frozen 18,000 years ago? Or is it a new species that has evolved since the loch thawed and perhaps is unrelated? Perhaps a giant eel? Perhaps even something invertebrate that wouldn’t leave huge bones behind to be found? 

And while there is no concrete evidence to push forward as proof, there’s certainly nothing definitively proving it’s not real or possible… and if it’s not, why do people keep spotting it?

Synopsis

From R.L. Stine, the master of horror for young readers, comes ten new stories that are sure to send a shiver down your spine. 

Two kids embark on a field trip to the zoo…and stumble upon a creature they never expected to meet. A boy makes a machine that puts kids in charge…but at what cost? A child is sure his new house is haunted…but is it just in his head? And each story comes with a personal introduction from Stine himself.

Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 2 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you might be sleeping with the lights on tonight!

Review

I went with the audio for this one. It had a multi-narrator cast, mostly based on the perspective of the story, and they were pretty much all solid. 

This is 10 new short stories from the master of middle grade horror. Again, I’m not really sure on the legality of these things, but I’m always left wondering why all of his stories aren’t under the umbrella of Goosebumps. It’s his signature style anyway. 

With that being said, these 10 are spooky, eerie, a little silly, and some even have a blend of scifi. Stine continues to prove that he has quite the imagination, and I loved that these featured an introduction for each story. The intros were even recorded by Stine too, and I love that their inspiration is mostly from his childhood experiences. I just can’t imagine writing that many stories, some of which feature similar ideas and plot lines. Like how do you keep track? 

While I wouldn’t necessarily put these on the level of Tales to Give You Goosebumps or the somewhat longer shorts in Goosebumps Triple Header 1, these are still enjoyable stories for a quick little read. With all the Stine cliffhanger and twist endings you’ve always loved.

I love their covers too.

The book set for release on the US Labor Day weekend (31^st Aug – 2^nd Sept) (sorry I can’t my bring self to use the incorrect US date format )

Before we get to the cover itself, lets see what Peter has in store for us:

Buddy is no ordinary teddy bear.

He’s a Knight, crafted by The Nameless Wizard himself, and sworn to protect his Person, 10-year old Mieya, from all the Things-That-Go-Bump-In-The-Night.

When Mieya is cursed into a magical sleep, it’s up to Buddy and his friends Esteban the Bard, Sasha the Warrior-Princess, and Copper the Butterfly to journey across The Realm-Under-The-Bed and find the one responsible.

But this is no ordinary Quest. The Realm is a dangerous place, filled with jungles, deserts, lightning storms, and Monsters. But worst of all is The Queen of Sorrow who waits for them in her dark castle in the crags. To break her curse, Buddy will need more than his skill with a blade, Esteban’s witty songs, or Sasha’s ferocious might.

He’ll need Heart.

Now for the good stuff, feast your eyes on the cover below:

Title: BUDDY THE KNIGHT AND THE QUEEN OF SORROW.

Age Range: Middle Grade and up

Cover design: Candice Broersma

Editing: Sarah Chorn

Release date – 31^st Aug – 2^nd Sept

Author Bio:

Peter advises me that due to his murky past he doesn’t have a current author head shot but this is apparently an accurate representation.

Peter David is the pen name for Peter Hartog. Peter Hartog is definitely not the pen name for anyone else. Regardless, both Peters despise talking about themselves in the third person. So, I guess I won’t.

I was born in Massachusetts, raised by MTV, the A-Team, Star Trek, Star Wars, action figures, comic books, D&D, classic heroic fantasy, and Saturday morning cartoons. Then I moved to Georgia much later in life. Because the Deep South apparently needs northerners like me.  (No, they actually don’t.)

When I’m not writing, I’m working. Ok, that’s not entirely true. But mostly, it IS true. In-between that, I get run over by our cats Max, Leo, and Zoey, or Ollie, our big, goofy, fluffy golden retriever. I use “our” because I’m the proud father of two teenagers, and the equally proud husband to a most-of-the-time loving wife who possesses an infinite amount of patience. I say “most-of-the-time” because there are some days when she doesn’t like me very much…usually because of something that I said or did…which is probably true.

I’m also the author of the ongoing urban science fantasy crime thriller series (say that 10 times fast…because I can’t), The Guardian of Empire City. You can find both books on Amazon.

Thank you for reading Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow.

For more Buddy and other writerly content, please visit my website at peterhartog.com.

Synopsis

From bestselling and award-winning author R. L. Stine, Shark Night is a terrifying seafaring adventure that will leave readers gasping for more.

After an accident with the original diver, Carlo finds himself alone in a giant water tank holding a camera. A twenty-foot-long hammerhead shark is about to be lowered into the tank with him …

Carlo is helping his mom film a documentary for the Danger Channel. A twelve-year-old battling a shark! It’ll be a sensation! But don’t worry, the hammerhead is the gentlest of sharks, and this one is old and nearly toothless, so he should be fine.

But Carlo is still paralyzed with fear, and as the shark is lowered into the tank he realizes something isn’t right …

They sent down the WRONG shark!

Review

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this one! The audio by Ramón de Ocampo was pretty solid! 

This comes out July 2nd!!

The premise for this is that Liam’s mother is a screenwriter for tv. Her big idea gets picked up for the latest Shark Night on the Danger Channel and her big promise is that Liam will NOT have to be the kid inside the tank. Naturally, we know that’s not going to be true. 

As usual, this has all the silliness, the cliffhanger endings, and all the possible scares it could…just like the Goosebumps books. I’m just always curious as to why these separate releases aren’t just GB. He has a very signature style anyway. I wonder if it’s a Stine or a publisher thing. 

This was enjoyable and silly and quick, exactly what I’d want and expect from a Stine read. The only snag for me was the fact that it’s literally called Shark Night (both the book and the channel’s special) and yet the shark has the most limited page time? Especially when other ‘things’ have more.

Over the course of the past couple of years, I have been making additions to our home library with books I remember reading/being read to me as a child. I never really realized the amount of nostalgia that would hit after having a kid but it is almost overwhelming at times. At the same time, I have been Googling/Searching on Amazon/Checking out publisher’s lists for upcoming releases, just to see if there is anything that catches my eye.

Now, I feel like I have a pretty decent handle on what my kid likes to listen to, and well, what I am more than happy to crack open and read to her.

Having said all of that, I want to try to make it easier for parents with tiny humans or expecting parents to fill their library with enjoyable books. Ones that you won’t sigh at every single time your kid asks for it.

*Click the cover art for links to purchase/find out more information*

Preface this by saying – this series isn’t for your super young kiddos. I actually REALLY enjoyed it but I haven’t read it to my daughter yet. Probably a few years away, but this is up there with Captain Underpants. It has the word ‘butt’ which is a no-no in the house, so that is the main reason it has been shelved.

I stumbled on Dragons Love Tacos as it is absolutely ridiculous, but it has dragons and my kid loves dragons. But it doesn’t really stop there. Rubin has some fantastic books – though these don’t rhyme and might be a more for the “older” bunch than most of the other recs on this list – but I found them hilarious which got my kiddo laughing. The ‘Those Darn Squirrels’ series is pretty great, and I’d rec Secret Pizza Party, Big Bad Bubble, Gladys the Magic Chicken and High Five (which this one is interactive)

I’ve only read the Wallace series (which contains 13 books) but there is a series by Alice Walstead that is meant for a “younger audience”. TBH, I thought the Wallace books were just fine and ended buying a few. They cover most holidays and several fantasy creatures. They are fun, easy reads.

Hilarious stories told by a grumpy goblin. I’ve grabbed these at the library a few times and need to get copies of my own.

Nine (9) books in the series, featuring back to school, Christmas, Halloween, Springtime and Valentine’s Day. Honestly, just super cute books and I would recommend the lot of them. FYI, the Christmas one includes a battery as the tree at the end has working lights. The kiddo will love it.

While there is a plethora of books in this series, there are only thirteen (13) that I would recommend.
Red Pajama / Mad at Mama / Misses Mama / Holiday Drama / Home with Mama / Time to Share / and the Bully Goat / Gram and Grandpa / Loves to Read / Mess Mess Mess / Loose Tooth Drama / Meets the Babysitter / Back to School
The reason being is that these are the “main” books in the series that Dewdney started. The others, outside of the Netflix series readers (which do not rhyme, btw), are way shorter and IMO not worth the money – unless you want to do lift-the-flap books which help with dexterity.

Anna Dewdney also has a book called ‘Little Excavator’ that I thought was fantastic (see below).

So there are actually two (2) books in this series, but I have only read the first one. My daughter absolutely adores this book (I actually don’t know WHY she loves it so much, but it is cute).

Fantastic, especially if you are into fantasy.

TBH, I’d really only grab Book 1 (maybe The Grinny Granny Donkey if you want some laughs with grandparents). I also enjoyed Smith’s Willbee the Bumblebee.

TBH, this is probably one of my favorites to read and one that gets requested alot (alongside Llama llama). There are ten (10) books in the original series and it is really fun, and funny, set of books to read.

This series is pretty good. Quirky, hilarious farmyard tales. Currently eleven (11) books in the series.

So, as you are all aware, there have been some older Seuss books that have been banned due to different circumstances, but that doesn’t mean there are LOADS of other books that are perfect reads. TBH, you can’t really go wrong with any Seuss book but it also depends on what you enjoy reading. Use the link embedded in the cover art above for a pretty decent list including The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who!, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories, etc. Tons of classics that I read over and over – one of my favorites being Fox in Socks because I try to read it faster and faster each time. If you want specific recs, give me a shout.

I really can only recommend the Falconer novels. They don’t rhyme, but Olivia herself is a friggin mess which is perfect for me (or others with daughters) because I can just see my kiddo acting just like her in a few years.

This series has like sixty (60) books, but you have to be careful as several are like reiterations of songs like Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, etc. I’d grab the 5 minute story bundles as they have a majority of the original series – but grabbing individual hardcovers isn’t too expensive if you buy them second hand.

Nostalgia nostalgia nostalgia

I’ve only read a handful of these, but they are quick and cute.

This series was my introduction to John but he has other novels that were published prior that I plan to check out. This is a fantastic set of six (6) books – at least so far – that have some very redeeming messages.

You have probably AT LEAST read The Gruffalo before, but Donaldson has a pretty fantastic library including Superworm!, Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book, and The Smartest Giant in Town just to name a few.

We own The X-Files, Home Alone 1 & 2, Back to the Future, and Elf. Read Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Can’t really go wrong here. Can’t really speak to the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or Who’s on First books.

Hits me right in the childhood. Can’t go wrong with any book in this series.

I know. I know. Such a boy book, right? Wrong. My kid, much like dragons, loves dinosaurs. What can I say, she is a kid after my own heart. Love the first two (2), have not read Book 3 but have added it to the wishlist (literally just realized there was a 3rd…). This one was actually recommend by a friend of mine who said his son asked it to be read every single night for almost a year. He literally memorized it.

This series is probably the only one by Willems I’ll read (and honestly, the only one my kid is interested in). There is also the Elephant & Piggie series, but it just doesn’t quite do it for us. The Pigeon is a goober and just a funny read.

Fun. Funny. Yep.

Six (6) book series – so far – and isn’t just for boys. Love this series, especially when I get to make the noises of the different machinery

I’ve only read the first four (4) novels of this six (6) novel series – though I own/have read the Level 2 Step into Reading novels and the Little Book of Grumpiness (don’t recommend this one, FYI). These books don’t rhyme but they are enjoyable, and of course, a helpful tool to “get the grumps out”.

Below are some single novels by authors that I have tried and really enjoyed, or are just those classics you need on your kiddo’s shelf. Feel free to click on the covers to find out more info!

This review was featured on Twinkl in their article ‘Fantasy Books for Kids’.

Synopsis

Since losing his mother, Berg is a lone giant who survives by secretly trading forest jewels for whatever food he can scrounge.

With the human population terrified of the legend of Ünhold the Giant, Berg is also feared by association. Chased and hunted, he is consigned to a life of isolation.

When he finds an opportunity to stay with a town of ironmongers, Berg finally feels accepted. He befriends the young Anya, the first human to see him for who he is, and becomes the town’s night watchman. Yet something seems amiss when Berg is continuously placed in chains by the too-friendly town mayor and Ünhold has been frequently sighted …

Review

The Legend of the Dream Giants is a tale of isolation, loss, and finding one’s place in the world. It’s moving and poignant. It’s cruel. It’s beautiful. It has also received some incredibly unfair reviews.

You see, there’s not really a happily-ever-after here, not so much as Berg hopes for at the start of the story. Desperate to make any form of connection, he is soon exploited by the overfriendly mayor despite warnings from newfound friends. Berg, so desperate from loneliness, refuses to see he is being manipulated and it’s heartbreaking to see unfold.

And yet this is what makes the book such an engaging read. It doesn’t sugarcoat its themes of loss and loneliness. Berg mourns deeply for his mother through the prose and a series of dream illustrations Hansen has created, where Berg sees himself represented as a bear cub. The sacrifices characters make in the book carry weight and there will be many readers who identify with Berg’s grief and his longing to fit in and be accepted.

The book has received criticism for being too sad for its intended readership but I strongly disagree with this. The Legend of the Dream Giants is pure and wonderful. When Berg feels joy, we too are right there with him. When the inevitable happens, we cry with him too. I think this is important for young readers especially.

Berg’s journey throughout the book into acceptance of who and what he is makes the conclusion all the more satisfying. He has grown (physically I think he also grows about 6 feet or so over the course of the story) and I think we’ve grown along with him. It sends a powerful message.

Conclusion

If you want to give yourself a real good smack in the feels, you’re not going to go wrong with this one. Don’t listen to the “it’s too sad” criticism. It’s supposed to be sad. Nobody in Berg’s situation is going to be skipping through the woods and singing like a Disney princess but this is a heartfelt fable with a pure message and has been a really enjoyable surprise for 2022.

Synopsis

Nathan W. Pyle’s first picture book in his Strange Planet series, a #1 New York Times bestseller!

Based on his popular Instagram comics, Nathan W. Pyle presents a delightful, heartfelt, and clever picture book that young and old beings alike will enjoy reading together.

When the nearest star rises, Lifegiver has an exciting quest planned for Offspring! Follow along as they observe a strange creature that sneaks, hides, and vibrates around their house. Hilarity ensues as the blue beings try to mimic this talented creature. 

As always, Nathan W. Pyle draws humor from his unique perspective on human activity and delivers a colorful experience that is an ode to cats and humans alike. 

This book is a joy to read and share, no matter how many revolutions you’ve made around the nearest star.

Review

Thanks to the author and Wunderkind PR for a copy of Strange Planet: The Sneaking, Hiding, Vibrating Creature for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

I am sure a vast majority of you are familiar with Pyle’s ‘Strange Planet’ webcomic, and if you aren’t, you must have been living under a rock for the past few years. I don’t believe I could scroll any social media platform on a daily basis without Lifegiver or Offspring making an appearance. But it isn’t the artwork itself that makes this webcomic so genius; it’s the way in which these aliens interact with the situations, emotions, or simple everyday things we humans take to such extremes, or at the very least add way too much complexity to.

The Sneaking, Hiding, Vibrating Creature is Pyle’s first picture book and one that is, time and time again, hilarious to read through. While it differs from his previous releases in that it doesn’t take the webcomic approach, every bit of the author’s humor is here to stay.

Let’s face it, I could absolutely see myself doing these exact same things with my daughter had I even contemplated how hilarious and adventurous it would be. I used to watch Zoboomafoo as a kid and would write down every single animal they talked about that day, what they ate, and what climate they lived in. If I can be honest for a second, my kid is going to be just as big a nerd.

Throughout the book, Lifegiver and Offspring make tedious notes of how this creature interacts with its surroundings throughout a given day, and the one that continues to stand out to me is the introduction of deathblades. We all talk about how sharp cat claws are, but this one was new to me.

Highly recommend if you are Strange Planet fan, and especially if you want to introduce your Offspring to the webcomic.