#MMBBR National Geographic Round-Up @NGKidsBooks

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2017 (release attached) (ages 8-12, $14.99) -- The world's best-selling almanac for kids is back with new content, new features and an interactive Almanac Newsmaker Challenge activity that encourages kids to make their own time capsule.  This latest edition of the New York Times best selling book is THE gold standard in nonfiction "edutainment" and features not only the latest discoveries in the worlds of technology, conservation and nature, but also grabs kids with cool weird-but-true facts, activities to keep 'em busy all summer long and amazing animals from around the world. 

MY REVIEW:
This book is quite speculator!  Within this amazing book there are 500 photos of some of the coolest things to grab our attention for 2017.  In addition to all the fabulous photos, there are facts and tidbits galore.  While you peruse the book you can look through the chapters and read things that interest you the most.  The chapters are:  Your World 2017, Amazing Animals, Going Green, Culture Connection, Awesome Adventure, Fun and Games, Super Science, Wonders of Nature, History Happens and Geography Rocks.  When this book arrived my son was instantly reading it bouncing from topic to topic...all I heard was "Did you know that...." followed by some amazing factoids and "Wow, look at this..." followed by me looking at some crazy cool things. These are the type of books that capture the attention of young readers because they have amazing vibrant photos with fun facts, game, puzzles and digital extras.  I love that I can trust that my child will be learning interesting and important facts and that their attention will be captured over the summer with this book.  Every time you open it up you read you learn something new.  This will be a staple read for my boys over the summer!  5 stars 

National Geographic The Angry Birds Movie:  Red's Big Adventure (ages 8+, $14.99) -- The OFFICIAL nonfiction companion to The Angry Birds Movie coming out at the end of the month, this title is filled with all of the facts and information that Red and the flock need to embark on their Big Adventure. Vignettes about each of the characters are paired with helpful tips about surviving and navigating in the wild, understanding island ecology and how to read maps. A unique, entertaining and engaging book for Angry Birds fans.

MY REVIEW:
Who doesn't love the Angry Birds!?!?!?!  They are just too funny and interesting not to be transfixed by them.  In this book you get to go on some pretty cool adventures while learning everything you ever wanted to know about those angry birds and those crazy pigs!  This is the official companion to the Angry Birds movie!!!  You work through the book levels (Level 1: Bird Island, Level 2 Bird Village, Level 3 The Search for Mighty Eagle and Level 4 Beyond the Island) and learn some cool and interesting facts about island life.  There are vibrant and colorful photos that capture the sheer and unbelievable beauty of nature and the animals that live there. This book is jammed packed with so much information and organized in such a perfect way.  You can read it cover to cover or bounce around and read little bits at a time.  This book is a must for any lover of the Angry Birds or those that love nature, adventure, survival and facts.  You will learn everything there is about island life and will have a blast doing it!  5 stars

Awesome 8 (ages 8-12, $12.99) - A new series from Nat Geo Kids Books, Awesome 8 is the ultimate go-to guide for curious kids who want to know the who, what and where of the coolest things on the planet.  With 50 top-8 lists, every turn of the page presents a different theme and counts down the greatest of the great top 8 of its kind. Awesome 8 lists include Coolest Coasters, Haughtiest Hotels, Wicked Water Slides, Perilous Predators, Remarkable Ruins, Weirdest Wonders and Swankiest Subways.  Great for reluctant readers, each Awesome 8 list appears in photographs, layered with fun facts and insightful stories.

MY REVIEW:

This may be my son's (9 years old) favorite book.  He devoured this book.  He was rattling off facts and showing me pictures nonstop since this book arrived.  I cannot ever begin to find the right words to capture how completely AWESOME this book really is.  I love how it is set up. Respectively, each 2 page spread is a list, with vibrant photos and facts, of 8 awesome things in each category.  There are 50 picture packed top 8 lists that will rapture the attention and interest of children and adults alike.  From 8 hair raising roller coasters, to 8 fantastic flyers, to 8 ultimate toilets, to 8 wicked weapons in history, to 8 ingenious inventions to so much more. This 111 page book is one that will be a hit for a long time in this house.  With an extensive table of contents to an index that is also very detailed, you can either read straight though or look up and then look over the lists that interest you the most.  This book is sheer perfection and my kids and I LOVE it so much I think we are going to start making our own lists of AWESOME 8's.  I also love this book because it will aid in my summer work we do at home.  There are so many things that the kids can write about from this book.  Amazing, wonderful and fantastic...5 HUGE stars.