Books with author Grandpa John

An eleven-year-old boy named Robert voices typical—and not so typical—middle-grade concerns in this unique, memorable collection of hilarious poems. His musings cover the usual stuff, like pizza, homework, thank-you notes, and his annoying older sister. In addition, he speculates about professional wrestling for animals, wonders why no one makes scratch-and-sniff fart stickers, designs the ultimate roller coaster (complete with poisonous spiders), and deconstructs the origins of a new word, snarpy. A playful layout and ingenious graphics extend the wry humor that is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.

A 15-year-old girl named Jessie voices typical—and not so typical—teenage concerns in this unique, hilarious collection of poems. Her musings about trying out new makeup and hairstyles, playing volleyball and cello, and dealing with her annoying younger brother are never boring or predictable. Who else do you know who designs her own clothes and writes poetry to her cat? Jessie’s a girl with strong opinions, and she isn’t shy about sharing them. Her funny, sarcastic take on high school life is revealed through concrete poetry: words, ideas, type, and design that combine to make pictures and patterns. The poems are inventive, irreverent, irresistible, and full of surprises—just like Jessie—and the playful layout and ingenious graphics extend the wry humor.

The pictures are life-size, and the sales are larger than life:Life-Size Dinosaurs has already sold almost 400,000 copies! And now, the bestselling series features its first fantastic creatures and a children’s favorite. Continuing the success of this humongous, eye-popping series, Life-Size Dragons ventures into the realm of the imagination. We know that dragons are popular—both Dragonhenge and The Book of the Dragon became big hits with a devoted fan base. And here they are breathing fire in ten pullout flaps by digital art pioneer Fred Gambino and bigger than ever before. There’s even a close-up look into the dragon’s deathly jaws and its red-hot flaming mouth. But that’s not all: the text—written by Hugo Award-winner John Grant—delves into mythology to reveal the natural history, evolution, anatomy, behavior, and every other aspect of a variety of dragon species. How clever are they, really? Do any still live in the modern world? Dragon-obsessed youngsters (and which one isn’t?) will want to look and learn. John Grant is the pseudonym of Paul Barnett, a former editor and editorial consultant. He has written both fiction and nonfiction, specializing in sci-fi and fantasy. Among his many honors are: two Hugo Awards, the World Fantasy Award, and the rare British Science Fiction Association Special Award. Fred Gambino has done groundbreaking work in the world of digital art, and is a prolific illustrator of book covers—especially for science fiction and fantasy stories. He produced backgrounds and concept drawings for the film Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.

A 15-year-old girl named Jessie voices typical—and not so typical—teenage concerns in this unique, hilarious collection of poems. Her musings about trying out new makeup and hairstyles, playing volleyball and cello, and dealing with her annoying younger brother are never boring or predictable. Who else do you know who designs her own clothes and writes poetry to her cat? Jessie’s a girl with strong opinions, and she isn’t shy about sharing them. Her funny, sarcastic take on high school life is revealed through concrete poetry: words, ideas, type, and design that combine to make pictures and patterns. The poems are inventive, irreverent, irresistible, and full of surprises—just like Jessie—and the playful layout and ingenious graphics extend the wry humor.

An eleven-year-old boy named Robert voices typical—and not so typical—middle-grade concerns in this unique, memorable collection of hilarious poems. His musings cover the usual stuff, like pizza, homework, thank-you notes, and his annoying older sister. In addition, he speculates about professional wrestling for animals, wonders why no one makes scratch-and-sniff fart stickers, designs the ultimate roller coaster (complete with poisonous spiders), and deconstructs the origins of a new word, snarpy. A playful layout and ingenious graphics extend the wry humor that is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.