It looks like we’re supposed to stay inside for a bit longer, so if your middle schooler is looking for some epic fun might we suggest the Almost Epic Squad series.
The Almost Epic Squad series of books (Scholastic) includes: Mucus Mayhem, What Blows Up, Super Sketchy, and Irresistible, each one written by a different Canadian author: Kevin Sylvester, Ted Staunton, Lesley Livingston, and Richard Scrimger respectively.
The Almost Epic Squad is about four pre-teens who discover crazy new superpowers as they turn thirteen. It’s set at a time in life when children start to notice weird things happening to their body. We’re talking about puberty, not developing superpowers, but we think it’s very important for children to understand that everyone – even, and maybe especially, children exposed to a mysterious element at birth – goes through changes.
We especially love how each superpower is tied to an aspect of growing up, from growth spurts to allergies to discovering new interests. It’s really cool how all four authors embrace the uncertainty of puberty and tie it into great stories.
If your kids love the Almost Epic Squad books then they will want to visit the website as well. It’s packed with fun videos, book excerpts, and more! You might even find out what happens when you put four talented author/illustrations in room to create something amazing. Can’t wait to find out? Check out this video to see what happens.
We were lucky to have Richard Scrimger and Ted Staunton visit us at the Boys and Girls Club in Hamilton to help us learn how to write and illustrate a graphic novel. This is the perfect activity for creative kids and all it takes is some paper, a pencil and your imagination.
This is normally the part of the blog where we would suggest visiting local libraries, but for now it’s online visits and downloads. Can’t find what you’re looking for online? Ask your kids to message or call their friends to see if they have copies of the Almost Epic Squad, for borrowing. If you simply can’t wait for new books, call your local bookstore and ask if they deliver. Supporting local businesses is more important now than ever.
We hope these stories inspire your children and if they write a story, book review or create some artwork, we’d love to share it with our Telling Tales audience. Send your original works by email along with your name, address, and age.
Happy Reading!
