It begins with the cover. The intriguing image of a half realistic/ half mechanical butterfly informs readers that The Diabolic examines some fascinating ideas.  S. J. Kincaid's blend of intense action, SF,  and romance is an intriguing study of what it means to be human.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, an individual who has been engineered and programmed to kill.  She is imprinted to protect Sidonia, the daughter of Senator von Impyrean. Events take an unexpected turn when this Diabolic must take on the identity of Sidonia. Impersonating a caring, feeling person is not something that Nemesis has been programmed to do.  In a world filled with deception and destruction, can a Diabolic find her humanity?

Nemesis struggles with her identity.  Who is she? Is she a monster? Does she have a soul?
​Kincaid's exploration of what constitutes one's humanity is woven throughout the narrative. Here are a few of Nemesis observations on her identity. Many of her thoughts make excellent questions for further discussion.

While reading this book, I was horrified to see the "Made in China" label inside items of clothing in my closet. I immediately wondered about who had created these things. What it indeed a child?
​This book offers opportunities to research the complexities child labor throughout the world.  Young readers may want to identify countries where the exploitation of young children exists.  They may want to identify steps taken to protect young children throughout the world working in sweatshops.

A Teeny Tiny Halloween cover art features a view of a charming little house, overwhelmed with autumn leaves. Comparing the size of the leaves with the size of the house informs the reader that this is indeed a very small house. As darkness falls and leaves begin to blanket the house, the teeny tiny woman living inside begins to be fearful and cries out, "Oh, who will save me?"  An oil lamp illuminates her face, revealing her rising terror as her cries for help go unheeded.
What to do? This resourceful woman tries making noise with various kitchen utensils. These baking implements give her an idea and she formulates a plan to attract rescuers. 

Help comes in the form of a cat, a ghost, and a witch who get to work, removing the mountain of leaves and uncovering the source of the delicious aroma wafting from inside the house. 
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​Wahl's use of expressive language begs to be read aloud. 
The cat kicks away dry leaves: crackle crackle.
The witch sweeps leaves with her broom: swoosh, swish.
The ghost fans leaves away with billowing sleeves: whooooo, whoooo. ​
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Text size and placement enhance the storytelling experience.
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It's frogs. It's France. It's the irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread. It's an understanding mother. It's eye-popping illustrations. It's wordplay and rhyming.
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It's Nanette's Baguette.  

​It's Mo Willems at his best.

​Check out this stop motion video of Willem's paper-crafted recreation for the French village that is featured in his latest picture book.
​C'est magnifique!

Seriously, a middle grade book about a flea?
Wait... This is no commonplace flea.  ​Meet Hercufleas, a flea who dreams of life beyond the ordinary. From birth, this is an insect destined for greatness.
The village of Tumber is being destroyed by a monster. When the strongest and fiercest opponents have been unable to stop his unrelenting siege of terror, Greta seeks a hero who will save her town from destruction. She decides to place her faith in a flea. This determined girl convinces him to leave his family and set off with her on what he believes will be an adventure.
It turns out to be considerably more than he anticipated. Greta expects results. Greta expects saving Tumber. Greta expects him to be her hero. 
He learns that being a hero is much more than he envisioned. It can be frightening and require courage to face the unknown.  Add to this a generous dose of gross-out moments. Imagine a flea stuck inside the monster's nostrils. Yes, it's that disgusting. 
Gayton's book is filled with heart, humor and clever wordplay.  Ultimately this is a story of determination, courage, and hope.

​"There is always another way. You just have to believe."
​"We are all fleas on the back of a creature called Hope."

From the time that he was an infant, Lucas was obsessed with one thing: flying. Looking towards the heavens, he dreamed of taking flight like a bird.  He tried creating his own sets of wings and then launching into the air from off of his bed. Failed attempts did not deter him. Lucas wanted nothing more than to take flight. It was his only wish. 
​One day, his mother places a book in his hands. Lucas is captivated by the contents of the book and begins to read voraciously. He discovers another way to fly.His world is filled with information and ideas and books. Lots and lots of books. He owns so many books that his stack of books becomes The Highest Mountain of Books in the World. 

Wouldn't it be fun to build a mountain of books?
It's a daunting task and not particularly practical.
I searched for an application for the "mountain of books" concept.
There are many charts of various configurations to log books read, but most involve filling in boxes on a sheet of paper.
Why not think vertically?
It would be possible to create vertical charts, similar to those used to record a child's height?  While such an idea is possible, it seems awkward and unwieldy to maintain. 
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But what if...
A log of reading was a length of string and books read became "kite tails"?  Book titles could be added to the string and suspended from the ceiling or top of a bulletin board. Because the tail is relatively lightweight and doesn't require staples or glue to maintain, it can be a simple visual recognition and celebration of books read.
The kite tail fits well with the concept of flight and creating a vertical record dovetails nicely with the message of this book.

Let reading take flight!
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Meet Narwhal and Jelly. Together they form one of the most unlikely friendships that you will ever encounter.
One would think that the fun-loving narwhal would have little in common with a jellyfish. That would be a mistake. They are aquatic friends who share a love for... waffles.
​How Clanton ever came up with the idea of this unlikely friendship escapes me. But it works. Completely and charmingly works.

​Narwhal decides to form a pod: a group of friends to share a love of waffles and ocean adventures.
All that is needed to become a member of this auspicious group is a tusk tooth. Among all the other ocean dwellers, not one has this distinctive feature. Fortunately Narwhal is equipped with a supply of faux horns so that all of his friends may join in the fun.

​Through a series of short stories, told in panel form, readers share in the adventures of Narwhal and his friends. It's the perfect early graphic novel form for young readers, a delightful introduction to some interesting aquatic animals, and an excellent choice for Early Readers.
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Filled with friendship, puns, and fun. In the words of Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea this book is podtastic!