TRENDING:
how and why stuff gets popular
Written by Kira Vermond
Illustrated by Clayton ‘CTON’ Hanmer
Published by Owlkids Books, 2020
Fads and trends: How do they start? Why do they spread? And how deep can their impact be? Although trends might seem trivial, if you dig deeper, you'll find that our desire to chase the next big thing can have an even bigger impact than expected.
Established middle-grade author Kira Vermond and cartoonist Clayton Hanmer team up in this fun and accessible nonfiction look at fads. In four short chapters, the book explores what a fad is, how the latest crazes catch on, and what makes us jump on the bandwagon. Finally, it looks at the fascinating and even frightening effects of fads both modern and historic. Who knew the beaver pelt craze in 17th century Europe would change ecosystems, start wars, and disrupt life as people knew it?
Comic-strip illustrations, an upbeat tone, and reader-friendly text make this a fun and timely tool for young readers who are building critical-thinking skills in the age of fake news and a world gone viral.
Forest of reading: Yellow cedar award, 2021
A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION, 2020
“Praise for Half-Truths and Brazen Lies, also by Kira Vermond and Clayton Hanmer: “[An] intuitively clear survey of the good, bad, and ugly manifestations of lying.”
“An excellent, well-written, and comprehensive purchase for school and public libraries.”
“Hanmer illustrates the text with energetic and sometimes amusing cartoon-style drawings, which appear singly or, occasionally, in a page of connected panels tracing a process through time. An entertaining, enlightening book on an unusual topic.”
Select page examples
