Back in October, I was looking for a book to help my 6 year old son better understand the upcoming presidential election and came across a book featuring the popular children’s book character, Fly Guy. The book looked like it may be what I was looking for and my son loves Fly Guy, so decided to pick it up. One of the best, unexpected finds of last year. Since the first book, we have added five more Fly Guy Presents books to our at-home library.
The Fly Guy Presents book series is currently comprised of 10 books featuring Tedd Arnold‘s popular characters Fly Guy and Buzz. Unlike Arnold’s 16 other Fly Guy books, these books are non-fiction and packed with information and fun tidbits. Each book follows Fly Guy and Buzz as they explore a particular topic while on a field trip or off on an adventure. The books strike a perfect balance between presenting useful knowledge while being entertaining.
A combination of fun illustrations and descriptive diagrams and photos guide young readers through each book’s topic. Readers are introduced to relevant individuals, vocabulary, concepts, items, and more as they turn each page. The books state they are an appropriate reading level for a 2nd grader and appeal to those as young as 5; so the wording throughout the books doesn’t need much, if any, additional explanation. Arnold has done an incredible job of writing facts at a level for young readers that is interesting and isn’t “dumbed down”. He provides commonly known information along with some less known facts and amusing tidbits. So far, Fly Guy and Buzz have accompanied readers on a quest to learn more about bats, castles, dinosaurs, firefighters, insects, sharks, snakes, space, weather, and the White House.
Since my son and I first read Fly Guy Presents The White House, we have been hooked on the series. I loved how much information was packed into the book. He loved not only all the “useful” facts, but loved learning silly things like the names of the White House pets and that there are ghosts. The book drew him and kept him engaged. After we finished it, he was asking for the other books pictured on the back cover. Each series book we have read pulls us in the same as the last. Arnold’s combination of bits of humor and facts is what makes this series better than some of the other non-fiction children’s series out there. Fly Guy Presents is the ideal non-fiction series for inquisitive young minds.
Complete Fly Guy Presents Non-fiction Series
