Regin of the Sea Dragons

All hail Jerome, King of the Sea Dragons!

Collard, Sneed B. and Plant, Andrew. Reign of the Sea Dragons. Watertown, MA : Charlesbridge, 2008.

Plot: While dinosaurs claimed nearly every ecological niche on land, a variety of sea monsters ruled over the water. The text reviews the extinct marine reptiles claiming the apex predator role in pre-history. Such creatures include the dolphin-like ichtyosaurs, elegant elasmosaurs, and monstrous mosasaurs. Hand-drawn illustrations allow readers to envision the giant reptiles, while the text describes the creatures as well as the history of their discovery.

Genre: Animals, History, Science

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Sea Monsters, Ichtyosaurs, Ocean Monsters

Personal Thoughts: I have read a number of titles about prehistoric animals (surprising, I know), but this one stood out for several reasons. It avoided most of the more sensational images found in most titles (only one predator is shown with a gaping mouth facing the reader, for example). Also, it noted the controversy surrounding ancient reptiles, such as the flexibility of elasmosaur necks and body temperature of icthyosaurs. Additionally, it used hand-drawn images instead of computer-generated ones. Neither is necessarily superior to the other, but the contrast was pleasant. As such, I recommend the title to fans of prehistory.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster

 I couldn't get a picture for this entry, so please use your imagination to merge these two images

Hopkinson, Deborah. Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. New York : Scholastic Press, 2012.

Plot: Everyone knows about the disastrous voyage of the RMS Titanic, but the actual people involved with the event are often romanticized, idealized, mocked, or ignored. The text attempts to amend past misinformation by focusing on the people involved with the ship's design, creation, utility, and demise. Images from the ship's first voyage and surviving relics add context to the story. To further the human aspect of the story, the text also offers a short list of the "main characters" and their post-Titanic lives. The title includes a bibliography of additional resources and links to interviews from some of the survivors.

Genre: History

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Titanic, National Geographic Kids: Titanic

Personal Thoughts: I already knew the ending.

All questionable attempts a humor aside, the book provided an enjoyable and enlightening read. Like many students, I learned about the Titanic in middle school. However, most of the texts I read focused on the folly of the ship's design and foolishness of her passengers. This book focused on the people as people, instead of object lessons. Also, it reminds readers that life continued, often with difficulty, after the ship sank. Many lost all they had in the disaster, while a few gained a degree of fame and fortune through their survival. Many managed to live for years after the disaster, while some died of health complications caused by the wreck shortly after their rescue. The texts presents the Titanic as a real, human story, instead of a warning against arrogance.

Too Cute

So adorable...

Too Cute presented by Animal Planet.

Plot: The series follows the first weeks of young animals. Dogs and cats form the bulk of the episodes, but other animals, such as ducks and goats, eventually find their way into the show. The animals are filmed from birth to approximately eight weeks of age, showing their developments while referring to the history of their breeds. Additionally, the show touches on training animals for various tasks, such as agility courses and shows. The result is a show that is overwhelmingly cute, but still educational.

Genre: Documentary, Animals

Reading Level: Rated TV-G (some of the animals are slimy when they are first born, so sensitive viewers may appreciate a warning)

Similar Titles: Animal Odd Couples, America's Cutest

Personal Thoughts: While some parts of the documentary are clearly set-up (a puppy running away from home and a litter of kittens escaping their room, for example), the series does show the various stages of growth young animals experience. It also alerts viewers to necessities present in specific breeds, such as the need for warmth with sphinx cats, frequent grooming with Havanese, and socialization with bullmastiffs. As such, the show appeals to audiences seeking cute films while warning future pet owners of their animals' requirements.

Battle Bunny

 Mosasaur forts: the only known protection against battle bunnies

Scieszka, Jon. Battle Bunny. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013.

Plot: Originally a sappy story about a rabbit recepiant of a surprise party, the title morphs into an epic tale through the intervention of Alex. Alex utilizes his imagination and pencil to transform an overly-cute birthday present into the record of a helmeted, patch-eyed, meglomaniac bunny and his quest to take over the world. The planet seems doomed until the intervention of an unlikely but undeniable hero.

Genre: Humor, Animals

Reading Level: Aimed at preschool through fourth graders, but it made me and my family laugh.

Similar Titles: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, The Math Curse, Help Me Mr. Mutt: Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems

Personal Thoughts: Anyone ever obligated to read, accept, or acknowledge a title clearly written for a lower reading (or interest) level will appreciate Alex's creative solution to the problem. The "original" illustrations and text are appropriately sickly-sweet, while Alex's improvements tap into the typical drawing and interest style of elementary students. The result is a title that, while hard to describe, is undeniably fun to read. 

Mega Man (Volume 1): Let the Games Begin

A metal man in a wooden sea...

Flynn, Ian and Spaziante, Patrick. Mega Man (Volume 1): Let the Games Begin. Mamaroneck, N.Y. : Archie Comic Publications ; London : Turnaround, 2011.

Plot: A re-telling of the first Mega Man game in comic form, the title consists of the first four books in the series. The story begins with the opening of Light Industries, a new robot development facility. While Dr. Light eagerly reveals his newest creations, the Robot Masters, his assistant and fellow roboticist, Dr. Wily, remains frustrated outside the limelight. Determined to make the world recognize his genius, he reprograms the Robot Masters and threatens to take over the planet. Rock, a small housekeeping robot offers to fight the evil doctor and restore the Robot Masters. With the help of a creative upgrade and supportive family, Rock becomes Mega Man, the fighting robot.

Genre: Comics, Video Games

Reading Level: Intended for younger readers, but the nostalgia will tempt older ones as well.

Similar Titles: Sonic comics, Super Mario Adventures comics

Personal Thoughts: Archie Comics, longtime producers of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series, branches out to an older video game. Working with games from the eight-bit era often presents problems, since most of the plots of such games displayed limited plots and loose, if any, characterization. As such, comics from such games often add a variety of details that do not always correspond to player experiences. This series, though, manages to effectively build on the basic story of Mega Man while branching out in a believable manner. The idea of Dr. Light and Dr. Wily's original relationship, for example, is explored, and explains why the doctor suddenly became a megalomaniac. Some additions to the original story are also given, such as characterizations for the Robot Masters and Rock's struggle with his new powers. Bright illustrations consistent with the original game designs also enhance the story. Some of the pacing seems unnecessarily quick, but for the first four books in a series, the collection manages to establish characters, plots, and settings for future titles.

This will be the last Mega Man title I will review.  

Robin Hood

Beware of falling mosasaur

Robin Hood presented by Disney.

Plot: The tales of Robin Hood remain some of the most popular in the English-speaking world. However, Disney offers a new view of classic folklore by telling the story with animals. The dashing fox, Robin Hood, with the support of the ursine Little John, robs from the rich to feed the poor. Eventually, the duo become bitter enemies with the false king, Prince John. Escaping the traitor prince's traps multiple times buys the two time, but they eventually must confront the evil lion in his own palace. Still, the adventurers manage to find assistance through the local clergy, innocent paupers, and pretty vixen.

Genre: Animals, Movies, Animation, Folklore

Reading Level: Rated G

Similar Titles: The Rescuers, The Aristocats

Personal Thoughts: This version of Robin Hood is one I, as well as many tweens, grew up with. It is considerably more light-hearted than many of the original tales, but still manages to capture the adventurous aspects of the first stories. However, I was surprised to learn the story was, originally, about another fox, Reynard. While Reynard was, understandably, not a suitable hero for a Disney film, his antics manage to sneak their way into this movie. The result is a colorful, nicely-made movie.

Mega Man: Robot Master Field Guide

 The charming tale of a robot boy and his robot dog

Udon. Mega Man: Robot Master Field Guide. Richmond Hill, Ont. : Udon Entertainment Corp., 2012.

Plot: The text offers a visual guide to the robots and humans involved in the Classic Mega Man franchise. Each entry includes the robot's creator, biography, and weakness. Additionally, the entries include artistic illustrations and in-game graphics.

Genre: Video Games

Reading Level: Grades 5-10

Similar Titles: Megaman Battle Network: The Complete Works, Mega Man: Official Complete Works

Personal Thoughts: This, surprisingly, is not a completely self-serving read. True, the franchise is over 30 years old, is no longer particularly aimed at tweens, and tends have a simplistic plot. However, Nintendo recently announced Classic Mega Man as a character in an upcoming Super Smash Bros. game, bringing the blue bomber back into the public eye.