Templar

Templar
by Jordan Mechner (Author), LeUyen Pham (Illustrator), and Alex Puvilland (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Martin is one of a handful of Templar Knights to escape when the king of France and the pope conspire to destroy the noble order. The king aims to frame the Templars for heresy, execute all of them, and make off with their legendary treasure. That’s the plan, anyway, but Martin and several other surviving knights mount a counter-campaign to regain the lost treasure of the Knights Templar.

Snippet: From the 28 page preview at boing-boing

BONUS! Download the free 86-page e-book The Making of Templar.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Howtoons: Tools of Mass Construction

Howtoons: Tools of Mass Construction
by Saul Griffith (Author), Ingrid Dragotta (Author), Nick Dragotta (Author, Artist) and more!

Booktalk: Howtoons celebrates their 10th anniversary with a 360 page remastered collection containing more than 70 projects of the “best of” Howtoons over those years, along with new material, photos, and essays by the creators of the series.

Combining comics and real-life science and engineering principles, Howtoons encourages kids to become active participants in the world around them. Follow Celine and Tucker as they learn through play! Challenged to make something “other than trouble,” this brother-and-sister pair use everyday objects to invent toys that readers can build!

Snippet:

See the large scale hovercraft video!

See the zoetrope video!

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Manga Classics: Les Miserables

Manga Classics: Les Miserables
by Victor Hugo (Author), Stacy King (Editor), and SunNeko Lee (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Adapted for stage and screen, loved by millions, Victor Hugo’s classic novel of love & tragedy during the French Revolution now appears in a new manga adaptation of Les Miserables. (So read from right to left…)

Snippet:

Preview the first chapter.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Everything Goes: In the Air

Everything Goes: In the Air
by Brian Biggs (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: Zoom along with Henry and his parents as they take off on an airborne journey and learn about all kinds of flying vehicles in this oversized picture book that looks like a comic.

Snippet:

HENRY: Wow! Where is everyone going?

DAD: Everywhere! They’re traveling on vacations and for business to places like London, Paris, and Hawaii.

MOM: Planes leave from here and go all over the world.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Cookie, the Walker

Cookie, the Walker
by Chris Monroe (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: In this picture book that looks like a comic, Cookie the dog walks on her hind legs. That catches the attention of a show producer, who turns her into a star. And with fame come benefits: bacon, candy, a fanny pack, her own mini-fridge… But the more Cookie walks, the more people expect from her.

Snippet: Cookie and Kevin were at the park.

KEVIN: Hi, Cookie! What are you doing?

COOKIE: Walking!

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Hearts

hearts cover_905

Hearts
by Thereza Rowe (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: When Penelope the Fox drops her heart into the sea, she’s swept off on a perilous journey, dodging sharks and royal cat-guards until a cartwheeling chicken leads her to the land of lost things. (Beginning reader comic)

Snippet:

hearts 1_905

hearts 2_905

See the book trailer!

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Super Diaper Baby 2: The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers

Super Diaper Baby 2: The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers
by Dav Pilkey (Author, Illustrator)
192 pages

Booktalk: Dr. Dilbert Dinkle started his career as an ordinary, everyday evil genius/inventor/bank robber. But when he awakens one day transformed into a walking, talking puddle of pee, he vows to destroy every toilet in town. Will the devious Dr. Dinkle and his conniving cat, Petey, ruin restrooms for the rest of us? Or could this be a job for the death-defying duo of Super Diaper Baby and Diaper Dog?

Snippet:
It took 24 hours
from when he’d begun,
‘Till the Robo-Kitty
Three Thousand was done.

“All I need is a driver.
I need someone mean.
I need someone evil
to run my machine.”

BONUS! See the video!

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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