*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Scholastic for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post. All thoughts are strictly my own.
Scholastic is one of our favorite places to find books our kiddos love to read and today we have a roundup of great reads for ages 8 and up, just in time for back-to-school!
Now You Know What You Eat
by Valorie Fisher
(Orchard Books | On sale October 15, 2019 | Ages 4-7)
From peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to macaroni and cheese, Valorie Fisher explores the science behind our most delicious dishes! Valorie Fisher dives deep into the science of what we eat and where ingredients come from by exploring what happens behind the scenes of favorite, everyday foods like pizza, honey, milk, maple syrup, vegetable soup, and more. With the help of bold, eye-catching yet simple graphics, inquisitive minds will love discovering what makes popcorn pop, why bread rises, and how bees make honeycomb. With this book peppered with facts like how many eggs a hen lays in a year and how many gallons of sap it takes to make one gallon of syrup, readers will be fascinated by all the amazing things they never knew about the food they eat! Now You Know What You Eat also includes a glossary, and a graphic about the food groups, as well as an introduction to vitamins and minerals. With a growing focus on STEM for this early age group, this book encourages readers to ask their own questions about the world around them, and to fall in love with discovering the answers!
We are in the middle of a nutrition unit, and even though this book is geared toward younger readers, my older kiddos enjoyed reading it. It has lots of fun and useful info and really great illustrations. It is a really great resource for supporting food and nutrition education.
Both kiddos enjoy reading, so we always have a ton of chapter books on hand for "free reading." Here is what they are reading now:
Not If I Can Help It
by Carolyn Mackler
(Scholastic Press | Ages 8-12)
From award-winning Carolyn Mackler, the story of Willa, who has been living with Sensory Processing Disorder but is thrown for a BIG loop when her dad announces he's dating Willa's best friend's mom. Willa likes certain things to be certain ways. Her socks have to be soft . . . and definitely can't have irritating tags on the inside. She loves the crunch of popcorn and nachos . . . but is grossed out by the crunch of a baby carrot. And slimy foods? Those are the worst. Willa can manage all these things -- but there are some things she can't deal with, like her father's big news. He's been keeping a big secret from her . . . that he's been dating the mom of Willa's best friend Ruby. Willa does NOT like the idea of them being together. And she does NOT like the idea of combining families. And she does NOT like the idea of her best friend becoming her sister overnight. Will she go along with all of these changes? NOT if she can help it!
by Gordon Korman
From the bestselling author of Swindle, Restart, and Slacker is another hilarious story about an underachiever who learns to go above and beyond. Cameron Boxer, king of the slackers, has found something worth his time. By playing video games online in front of an audience he can find both fame AND fortune -- especially with Elvis (a beaver who seems to love video games as much as Cam) at his side. The only problem? Things keep getting in Cam's way. Like school. And the club he accidentally started. And the misguided people in his life who don't think beavers should be playing video games. It's going to take some trickery, some close calls, and a fierce devotion to slacking in order for Cam to get to his goal -- conquering the game's infamous Level 13. But if any slacker can do it, Cam can.
Project Z: A Zombie Ate My Homework
by Tommy Greenwald
(Scholastic Paperbacks | Ages 8-12)
Arnold Z. Ombee has escaped a secret government zombie project -- but now can he survive human elementary school? From the hilarious mind behind the Crimebiters series comes a new trilogy that fans of The Last Kids on Earth will love to pieces (literally). Arnold Z. Ombee has escaped a secret government lab that's developing zombies. Young, scared, and alone, he is found by the Kinders, a warmhearted couple who take him in. The Kinders decide Arnold will become part of their family. They help him disguise his undead appearance and teach him how to act like a human boy. After a lot of practice, he's ready for the ultimate test: Fifth grade!
Project Z #2: Zombies Are People, Too
(Scholastic Paperbacks | Available 9/3/2019 | Ages 8-12)
The zombie secret is out! Sort of... Scientists at the lab that Arnold escaped from claim they've changed their tune. Instead of creating super zombie soldiers, they just want humans and zombies to be friends. Too good to be true? Probably. But Arnold agrees to help teach other zombies everything he's learned so far about being a real human boy. But there's something that seems strange about these new "zombies" (well, stranger than usual). Arnold knows it's up to him to unearth the secret before it eats him up inside. And outside. And everywhere else.
"Greenwald breathes new life into the zombie story with a few twists and Norbus' fresh, funny narration. Bardin's cartoon spot illustrations add a cinematic quality that matches well with the short chapters and quick pace." –Kirkus Reviews on Project Z #1
by Melissa Grey
(Scholastic Press | On sale September 3, 2019 | Ages 12 & Up)
The ratings are real. One number, 0 to 100, determines your place in society. Earn a high rating, and the world is yours for the taking. But fall to zero, and you may as well cease to exist. Societies thrive on order, and the Rating System is the ultimate symbol of organized social mobility. The higher it soars, the more valued you are. The lower it plummets, the harder you must work to improve yourself. For the students at the prestigious Maplethorpe Academy, every single thing they do is reflected in their ratings, updated daily and available for all to see. But when an act of vandalism sullies the front doors of the school, it sets off a chain reaction that will shake the lives of six special students -- and the world beyond.
I can always count on Scholastic to offer a great selection of books for all ages and grade levels. If my kiddos are finding books that get them excited about reading, I am one happy camper and Scholastic never disappoints😊
Kick off back to school season with some fresh reads for your kiddos!
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Labels: Homeschooling, Product Review