Emily Sohn

Astro the Alien is a blue, sort of gumdrop-shaped, affable sort of alien who is curiously uninformed about the planet he is visiting. Luckily he has two children, Ben and Eva, to show him around. Each book is pretty much the same: Astro arrives, and he and the children head somewhere in his Space Pod, which can conveniently turn itself into a submarine, canoe, or whatever may be needed to facilitate the current journey. Together, they see lots of interesting animals. It is Ben and Eva who do show more the explaining—as I said, Astro is rather uninformed. The illustrations are cheerful, if not exceptionally compelling. At the end of each book are a series of exercises to help improve the young readers’ skills. This series is intended for first graders, it seems. I believe parents will be able to stimulate their children’s interest in reading better without going through these exercises. The last thing an early reader needs is to associate every pleasant reading experience with an unpleasant series of follow-up questions! Simply instilling the joy of reading in your child will have the proper effect—and by First Grade, they’ll be reading Harry Potter, not Astro the Alien.

In this book, Astro travels with the kids to a relative's farm to learn about farm animals. Interestingly, the relative doesn't seem a bit surprised to be confronted by a naked, blue alien. Perhaps the story is set in some post-alien invasion world.. None of the six books about Astro the Alien provide any kind of back story, so who knows? show less

This comic book takes a fun twist of science in a graphic novel setting where the central idea of the book is light itself and the main character Max Axiom who is a science teacher is the one describing how it works throughout the comic. This book a great captivating book that intrigues middle grade viewers through the pictures, story line, and scientific knowledge that can be learned from reading it. If I were needing to teach a middle school classroom about light reflection or refraction I show more would definitely highly recommend this book as being both educational and enjoyable for students. show less

Astro the Alien is a blue, sort of gumdrop-shaped, affable sort of alien who is curiously uninformed about the planet he is visiting. Luckily he has two children, Ben and Eva, to show him around. Each book is pretty much the same: Astro arrives, and he and the children head somewhere in his Space Pod, which can conveniently turn itself into a submarine, canoe, or whatever may be needed to facilitate the current journey. Together, they see lots of interesting animals. It is Ben and Eva who do show more the explaining—as I said, Astro is rather uninformed. The illustrations are cheerful, if not exceptionally compelling. At the end of each book are a series of exercises to help improve the young readers’ skills. This series is intended for first graders, it seems. I believe parents will be able to stimulate their children’s interest in reading better without going through these exercises. The last thing an early reader needs is to associate every pleasant reading experience with an unpleasant series of follow-up questions! Simply instilling the joy of reading in your child will have the proper effect—and by First Grade, they’ll be reading Harry Potter, not Astro the Alien.

In this book, Astro and the kids head for the North Pole. Astro even has to don a coat! More of the same, if you've read other books in the series. show less

Max Axiom: A Crash Course in Forces and Motion is a graphic novel about Max Axiom, a scientist superhero, as he travels through real-world and scientific settings to teach kids about forces like gravity, friction, and motion. The story takes place in modern times and uses comic book panels to explain science in a fun and way that is easy to understand. I would use this book with upper middle school students when introducing a physics unit, especially TEKS 8.6A and 8.6B, because it makes show more science feel exciting and relatable. The comic format, diverse main character, and clear explanations help students connect with the material while learning key vocabulary. Kids love when learning feels like an adventure, and this book makes science anything but boring. show less