Quarto Kids | 30 July 2019

August Book List: Back-to-School

This month’s featured book list is all about back-to-school! Whether you’re looking for cross-curricular books, introductory board books, or some hands-on fun, we have everything you need to get ready to head back to school this fall!


The Dictionary of Difficult Words
By Jane Solomon, Illustrated by Louise Lockhart
Ages: 7 to 11; Hardcover


What is a bumbershoot? Or a moonbow? And what does it mean when someone absquatulates…? Find out all this and more in the Dictionary of Difficult Words. Test your knowledge with more than 400 words to amaze, confuse and inspire budding wordsmiths (and adults). All of the words featured in this book are difficult to spell, hard to say and their meaning is obscure to most children (and most adults!) Written with simple, easy-to-understand definitions by lexicographer Jane Solomon, this dictionary celebrates the beauty of the English language for family trivia time spent around the printed page


Step into Your Power: 23 lessons on how to live your best life
By Jamia Wilson, Illustrated by Andrea Pippins
Ages: 9 to 12; Hardcover


Listen up sister! You’ve heard about heroes and read about the greats, but how do you actually get there yourself? This book shows you how to make your big dreams a big reality. Learn from the lived experience of author Jamia Wilson and illustrator Andrea Pippins as they mentor you through growing up in the modern world, and teach you how to STEP INTO YOUR POWER. ‘Slay your fear!’ ‘You’ve got this!’ ‘Take heart and trust your gut!’ In this friendly guide, ‘big sister’ Jamia Wilson helps you achieve your dreams and know your rights with caring advice and actions you can take and make your very own. Explore what it means to know and trust your insights and capabilities with stories, images, activities, resources and action prompts that you can interact with on your own time and, most importantly, on your terms. Unlock your power and be yourself – you may just change the world!


Boy Oh Boy: From boys to men, be inspired by 30 coming-of-age stories of sportsmen, artists, politicians, educators and scientists
By Cliff Leek, Illustrated by Bene Rohlmann
Ages: 7 to 11; Hardcover


Meet 30 positive male role models from throughout history. From activists like Mahatma Gandhi and Frederick Douglass to creative innovators like Prince and David Hockney, these men have fought conventional stereotypes to prove that modern-day masculinity can be defined freely. Instead of a single model of how a boy can grow into a man, this book offers 30 stories of people whose lives demonstrate that there are endless possibilities – that boys and men can do and be so much more than what we think of when we say things like ‘boys will be boys.’ Discover a world of inspirational change-makers, teachers, peacemakers, artists, scientists and more who have defied the expectations, care deeply about others, stand up for what is right and express themselves in creative and exciting ways.


TMy Kindergarten in 100 Words
Illustrated by Sophie Beer
Ages: 0 to 3; Board Book


My Kindergarten in 100 Words introduces a range of different scenes and objects, from getting dressed and eating breakfast with the family to different activities at kindergarten—including playtime, circle time, and arts and crafts—and then home time. Interspersed with labels for practical objects are more abstract terms such as happy, kindness, and family, teaching children about emotions and mindfulness as well as educational vocabulary.


The Classroom Mystery: A Book about ADHD
By Dr. Tracy Packiam Alloway, illustrated by Ana Sanfelippo
Ages: 5 to 7; Hardcover


Someone has been stealing food from Snowball, the classroom pet bunny! Can Izzy use her SEN Superpowers to track down the culprit and save the day? SEN Superpowers: The Classroom Mystery explores the topic of ADHD with an empowering story and adorable illustrations. The SEN Superpowers series celebrates the positive traits associated with a range of common SEN (Special Education Needs) conditions, boosting the confidence and strength-awareness of children with those conditions, while also allowing for better understanding and positivity among their peers. Each book includes a page of discussion points about the story, a page of tips for how to boost abilities (inclusive for children with and without special educational needs), and, finally, a further page of notes for parents and teachers. The books feature a dyslexic-friendly font to encourage accessibility and inclusivity for all readers.


Science in a Jar: 35+ Experiments in Biology, Chemistry, Weather, the Environment, and More!
By Julia Garstecki
Ages: 8 to 12; Paperback


With Science in a Jar, kids and grown-ups need only gather a jar and a few other inexpensive and readily available household objects to begin investigating and confirming the science at work all around them. The 35+ experiments included cover various scientific disciplines: life science, earth science, physical science, weather, and more. Each experiment is headed by a supplies list and difficulty level, as well as a short description of the project to be undertaken and the scientific principles with which the readers will interact. Directions and photographs guide readers through the scientific method in each experiment, while short features offer multileveled reading opportunities with explanations of terms, interesting quick facts, and brief descriptions of how scientists apply the specific concepts that readers just witnessed in the larger world today. In addition to providing readers with a better understanding of basic scientific concepts, Science in a Jar ignites curiosity, increases confidence to investigate scientific concepts, and fosters a love of science.


The Book of Space Rockets (Clever Cogz)
By Neil Clark
Ages: 5 to 7; Hardcover


Join Cogz the Robot Dog and discover all about how space machines work, in this bright and fun STEM title. Cogz and his mice sidekicks, Nutty and Bolt, guide the reader through the workings of a rocket, looking closely at all the different parts and discovering information about real space missions and the spacecraft involved, including the Mars Rover and Apollo missions. Covering key STEM themes of engineering, physics, and inventions, and with a fun quiz to test young readers’ knowledge, this book will get kids engaged and hands-on with learning. Perfect for vehicle-mad pre-schoolers, the Clever Cogz series lets young readers discover different vehicles, from space rockets to racing cars. Bite-sized text and colorful, informative illustrations introduce the transport topics in a simple, engaging way for young readers with a passion for machines.


If you have any comments on this article please contact us or get in touch via social media.
Other Quarto websites