Top Books of 2014 by Erik at "This Kid Reviews Books"

Today I'm proud to introduce an inspiring young man, reader, blogger, and writer also known as Erik the Great! His dedication to books is impressive and this is a kid to watch in the industry. He's already interviewing, meeting, and learning from some of the best writers in the business. Without further ado, here's Erik with his list of top books for 2014! Check these out for your last minute gift shopping.

Hi, y’all! I’m Erik, the creator of the This Kid Reviews Books book blog (www.ThisKidReviewsBooks.com). I started it when I was nine, and as of January 2015, I will have been blogging for 4 years! On my blog, I review books, but also do the occasional giveaway or interview and post some of the things I write myself. My favorite feature on my blog is Creative Kid Thursday (CKT). CKT is a feature where I get to tell the blogging world about other Creative Kids and the awesome things they do. Sometimes I have a kid-guest book reviewer too.

Speaking of creative kids, recently, another kid-blogger, Felicia (a friend of mine and kid-author extraordinaire (check out her website at www.StanleyandKatrina.com )), and I started a vlog (a video blog) where we interview authors and illustrators we admire. Please visit www.TheWriteChat.blogspot.com and check out our past episodes, sign up for our monthly newsletter and take a peek at our upcoming guest which including Tom Angleberger, Bart King, Tara Lazar and none other than Jennifer Alvarez!

Enough about me – I’ve come here to talk BOOKS!

If you know anything about me it will not be a surprise that I like to talk books. I was thinking back about all the books I’ve read this year (as of December 13th I am up to 303 – I’ve been trying to keep track of all the books I read, but I forget to add some to my list – you can check it out by clicking HERE) and I’ve made a list of the ones that really stuck with me and I know I will go back and read again. I mostly read middle grade books but I have a huge appreciation for picture books and graphic novels too. Here is my list of books published this year that I can’t stop thinking about!



Picture books

Mix It Up! by Hervé Tullet: Mr. Tullet is a great author, and he has a whimsical style for his books. I think that tons of kids would enjoy this. Mix It Up has lots of interactiveness in it – all without flaps or apps! This book introduces the mixing of colors, with simple instructions. It is quite fun to do and it is super educational. We're Going to the Farmers' Market by Stefan Page: Go on a trip to the farmer’s market to buy food! This board book is packed with awesome illustrations. I love the shapes and boldness in them. This is a really great-looking nonfiction picture book filled with information for little kids about a farmers market. It gives a healthy food message while showing how fun visiting a market can be.

Belches, Burps, and Farts – OH MY! by Artie Bennett After tackling the subjects of butts and poop (THE BUTT BOOK and POOPENDOUS) where else would Mr. Bennett turn – body gasses of course! This is another hilarious yet scientifically amazing book from Artie Bennett! He handles these subjects with so much ease and humor, you just can’t put this book down!

Flashlight by Lizi Boyd: I love when a wordless picture book is done really well! The illustrations in this book have such a story to tell! It is cool how Ms. Boyd draws the night scenes with very little color, except where the boy’s flashlight beams. There are little cut outs on the pages that tie the pages into each other nicely. You can look through the book several times and keep picking out little details and see all that the flashlight beam is missing.

Flora and the Penguin by Molly Idle: This is a wonderful wordless picture book by Ms. Idle. It is the sequel to her book Flora and the Flamingo, and it still has that marvelous, warm feeling to it (even though it's on ice ;) )! Ms. Idle’s illustrations are beautiful, realistic and makes the reader feel the flow of the skaters. The colors in the book are pretty much just shades of blue and it adds to the whole wintery feeling of the book. I love the story of friendship that it tells through its' illustrations. The flaps are fun to flip, and really give the effect of the characters swishing across the ice. Flora is a wonderful character. I like that she is not "princessey" (if that is a word). She looks like a regular little girl and that is a good image. The ending is fantastic!


Chapter Books

Bad Kitty Drawn to Trouble by Nick Bruel: With the (unwilling) help of Kitty, Mr. Bruel teaches readers how to write a good story. You learn about protagonists, setting, plot, conflict, foreshadowing and much more in a fun-filled way. The story’s plot is, Kitty needs to go on a diet of turnips, because she’s gained a LOT of weight recently. But, Kitty HATES turnips, Puppy is eating all of her food and there is a giant octopus outside the house keeping Kitty from running away. This is a hilarious and educational addition to the Bad Kitty series.

The Zero Degree Zombie Zone by Patrik Henry Bass: The combination of this zombie story along with the great illustrations make this book a winner! A lot of kids will get into the story because it is a fun action-packed read. Bakari is a great main-character who is very believable as a fourth-grader. I like how he handles everything (including bullies) even with the threat of a full-scale zombie invasion looming. Kids who like NERDS and Diary of a Wimpy Kid-type books will enjoy this book.

Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus by Tom Angleberger: This was a great final installment in the Origami Yoda series, even if it made me sad to see it end. Mr. Angleberger has written a wonderful, funny, and altogether memorable series about a bunch of kids and their origami Star Wars guys and all the wisdom their origami creations give them. I like how the kids in this book go to Washington DC, and also how they creatively break the NO ORIGAMI! rule, while not breaking it. For a Star Wars geek who does origami in his spare time, this series is the jackpot for me! Tommy is a great main character. I love how he handles situations. All the kids in the book seem very realistic to me. This was a great ending to an AWESOME series!


Middle Grade

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm: Ellie’s parents keep telling her she needs to find her passion in life, but lately Ellie is only feeling numb. The start of sixth grade is not going well. Things get a lot more complicated when her mom brings home a pushy, teenage boy who happens to be Ellie’s scientist grandfather (Melvin) who found a cure for old age. I loved everything about this book. I really like that the book isn’t focused on the wacky science experiment that turned Ellie’s grandfather into a teenager, but rather on Ellie’s struggle to find her “passion,” dealing with growing apart from a friend, and getting closer to her grandfather. I love Melvin. He is so cranky and nerdy! It also teaches an important lesson about the power of science and how it has to be used wisely.

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan: This book is hilarious! Percy Jackson’s point of view on common Greek myths is one of a kind, and full of wit. I find it completely funny that Percy explains all the myths in the modern language of a teenager. And that he also wise-cracks at the gods’ antics. I was laughing out loud at this multiple times! I think that Mr. Riordan has written a fun story that will get kids interested in the Greek gods and their myths. All that and the artwork is AMAZING! I recommend this book to anyone interested in mythology, Percy Jackson or just good books – you’ll love it!

Loot – How To Steal A Fortune by Jude Watson: This. Was. An. AWESOME BOOK!!! Ms. Watson has written an amazing, thrilling, and completely action-packed book that kept me on the edge of my seat at all times Ms. Watson has a way of drawing you in, and not letting you go until that final period. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story took another turn. I loved that I never really knew who to trust in the plot. March is a great. He hurts no one, and makes theft an art-form. The book is appropriate for all ages, but the scene where Alfie dies may be a bit much for some young kids (nothing too graphic). The first ten pages of the story were a bit slower than I am used to with Ms. Watson’s books, but then – BAM! – she grabs you by the nose and doesn’t let it out of the book until the end. After I got done reading the book, I realized how much of the story was set up in those first ten pages. Ms. Watson is a masterful author.

Starfire by Jennifer Alvarez: This is a fantastic book! It reminded me a little bit of the Warrior Cats series by Erin Hunter, with all of the Herds and all – but it was also very different (not just because it’s about pegasi). I really liked it. The Guardian Herd series is very unique. It hooks you marvelously, right in the very first paragraph! I could not put it down! Ms. Alvarez is a great author with a descriptive writing style that gets the reader involved. Star is a character you really come to care for. He is a great main character, and is a nice guy pegasi. I like how Star’s character developed during the time he spent exiled in the cave. I love how Ms. Alvarez describes the world of Anok. It felt like I was really there, diving through the trees, galloping through the plains! I thought all the interactions between the herds and members of each herd was interesting. You got to learn about their society and chain of command and such. I can’t wait for the other books in this series! Bonus points for an awesome cover too!

Almost Super by Marion Jensen: Mr. Jensen has written a fun superhero story that has a different twist. The book is packed with lots of humor and written in a style that all ages can enjoy, especially fans of comics and superheroes. It is a great choice for young advanced readers who are looking for something more than a chapter book. Rafter is a great guy. You really understand how he feels. He’s surrounded by totally super family – his great-aunt (whose power is way less than it was when she was younger) has a stronger power than he does! Benny is a character you just hope succeeds. He’s the really nice guy and he keeps trying and trying. The story also has a good message – Don’t draw conclusions based on rumors/gossip or what other people are telling you. People aren’t always what other people tell you they are.

How to Outrun a Crocodile When your Shoes are Untied by Jess Keating: This was a great book. I read it in one sitting – that’s how good the story was – I didn’t want to put it down. It was very realistic, and I thought that, given certain circumstances, it could actually happen. Ms. Keating has gotten the middle school experience down pat. Ana is a nice girl and I think if I knew her, I would be friends with her. I was cheering her on while she tries to make sense of her life. There is a good amount of humor in it. I love the ending of the book. I thought it suited the book well.

Seeing by Joseph Falank: This book is absolutely amazing. First off – the characters are marvelous; Jake is a great kid. It’s not his fault that his life was turned upside down. Jake seems like a normal kid – nice boy, bullied, but still tries to keep positive. His life is harder than it seems to outsiders. I like how Mr. Falank’s writing style shows the depth of the bond between Jake and his grandfather. Mr. Falank writes very realistically. He seemed to get into Jake’s head well. Even though this isn’t the typical action/adventure book I usually go crazy over, the book really left an impression on me. The story, even though is one of loss, is also one of hope. It is motivating, in a way. For anyone who says small press publishers don’t produce good books – check out Seeing. It will change your mind in many ways.

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Thanks for sharing these books with us today, Erik.
Thank you for having me, Ms. Alvarez!