Chupacabras, Amphibian Friends, & Surprise Board Games

Something you can read now

Feo the Chupacabra by Sequoia Blankenship and Rob Thompson

Sequoia and Rob are animators at Pixar. Looking at this book, you can see why. It’s just gorgeous. It’s a fun story too. Set in 1950s Mexico and filled with classic monsters alongside the “hoping to be famous” chupacabra.

Feo the Chupacabra

Something else you can read now

Long-time readers know I’m a big fan of Tim Probert’s Lightfall series. Well, Tim is one of the contributors to Bangarang. And if your kid loves Lightfall too, this is the only place they can read this side quest story with Kipp, the charming rat thief.

And my goodness did Tim knock this cover out of the park or what?

Get your copy here.

Board Game Included

Don’t know if I have any readers from the UK but if so, you’ll want to check out the Waterstones Exclusive edition of The Thieves Beneath the Floorboards by Mikey Please. It comes with a board game in the back! So cool. I love the creative thinking that goes beyond the norm.

Video Here

Brief Bio – Arnold Lobel

I, like so many others, grew up with Frog and Toad. When I had a child, Frog and Toad reentered my life. My wife or I read to our kids every night before bed. I adore these stories. The gentle problems and relationship of these two friends.

This 2 minute bio of the Frog and Toad author Arnold Lobel popped up in my timeline. I was struck that I didn’t know anything about him. And find myself missing someone I didn’t know and who has been gone 40 years.

Arnold Lobel

I suppose on some level that the ridiculous-natured Toad is my spirit animal. “We must stop eating!” cried Toad as he ate another.

Books and Kindness

Short Instagram video on how reading and the kindness of librarians changed a boy’s life.

Judge Olly Neal grew up in Arkansas during the ’50s and didn’t care much for high school. He recounts how a book cover—and a little nudge from two helpful librarians—turned him around academically.

Watch it here.

BONUS

The dark is only the shape of how early you are.

This short video about the darkness of the space between stars is fascinating. Maybe if you’re working on something that hasn’t connected yet perhaps you’re just early. (Though hopefully not by millions of years.)

Watch it here.

Favorite thing I drew month

I am going through and prepping the Woodland Hills art for the colorist. I’ve been going through and making corrections on the stuff that bugs me. The old version wasn’t bad but I’ve gotten better at drawing JB along the way.

A quote to end on

“The way to get kids reading is to get good books in their hands.” Ann M. Martin, author of The Babysitter’s Club.

That’s it for this round. Now if you haven’t already, go to comicbangarang.com and subscribe to Bangarang – The Comic Magazine for Kids!

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