You’re a kid who likes to think big.

If you build something, you want it bigger. You want the best collection of whatever it is you love, complete with all parts and pieces. And above all, what you have should be the best in the world, right? So why not read these books that are the awesomest…

The biggest, the weirdest, the most awful, and the most awesome. Sometimes, it’s fun to learn about those things, and “Mr. DeMaio Presents! The Biggest Stuff in the Universe” and “Mr. DeMaio Presents! Record-Breaking Natural Disasters” both by Mr. DeMaio, illustrated by Saxton Moore tell you (almost) everything a kid might need to know.

Take, for instance, the “World’s Largest Gummy Bear,” which tipped the scales at twenty-six pounds. That’s more than the average one-year-old weighs! Or imagine being on the top floor of the Burj Khalifa: at 1,447 feet high, it’s the world’s tallest building for now. Take the steps up to that top floor, and you’d walk almost 3,000 stairs! Or let Mr. DeMaio tell you about the world’s largest animal ever. Hint: it’s bigger than a dinosaur!

Not quite big enough? Then check out the biggest volcano in space: no one’s sure but Olympus Mons is on Mars and it’s thought to be 72,000 feet high. Not starry enough? Then read about America’s biggest star and you’ll be surprised.

Or, well, maybe destruction is more your thing. Then look for Mr. DeMaio’s book on natural disasters and find out about the 9.6-magnitude Valdivia Earthquake. It happened in Chile over sixty years ago and caused more than $800 million in damage. Read about the Bhola Cyclone; it covered 168 wide miles of Pakistan and India in 1970 and killed up to 500,000 people. Or learn about the Mount Tambora volcanic eruption that occurred in 1815. Earth’s population then was just a fraction of what it is today, but Tambora’s eruption immediately or eventually killed some 90,000 people! Scariest of all: it’s still an active volcano!

Science + humor + comics + trivia. What more could a kid want than a Mr. DeMaio book like these?

That’s a fair question, if your child has a taste for DeMaio’s YouTube videos. If you’ve never watched them, you’re missing out: they’re super kid-friendly and they’re entertaining but they also teach 7-to-11-year-olds about various serious STEM topics using furry puppets, quick editing, a little goofiness, and facts.

Mr. DeMaio’s books reflect that same format, with photos, basic stats, and quick trivia dropped in to keep kids focused on the subjects. Just beware: while topics and accompanying info are basically age-appropriate, there are some subjects – particularly in the Universe book – that may be a bit of a challenge for some adults, so you can imagine how a kid may struggle.

Even so, these books are great for a STEM — or environmentally-minded kid who loves to learn and laugh. “Mr. DeMaio Presents! The Biggest Stuff in the Universe” and “Mr. DeMaio Presents! Record-Breaking Natural Disasters” are pretty big deals.

By Terri Shlichenmeyer

“Mr. DeMaio Presents! The Biggest Stuff in the Universe” and Mr. DeMaio Presents! Record-Breaking Natural Disasters,” both by Mr. DeMaio, illustrated by Saxton Moore
c.2022, Grosset & Dunlap
$7.99 each
both 80 pages