Jimi and Isaac Books are strongly and unapologetically informative! Sometimes they read like an instruction manual, because the kids that read Jimi and Isaac Books read a lot of instruction manuals and non-fiction. They watch TV shows and YouTube videos about building stuff, and they don't hesitate to tear something apart to see how it works.
Our hope is that a focused kid will pick up one of our books for the stated subject matter, and then trust Jimi and Isaac enough to follow them into another area of interest. In every book, a problem presents itself and the boys need to learn and work to solve the problem. They fail constantly, struggle to recover, and success is often a less limited failure. The books are short and fast moving so more readers can succeed, but they are not simple books. They're full of information and intellectual challenges.
Jimi & Isaac 1a: School Soccer
Jimi and Isaac think they’re great soccer players. They’ve played for years, with Isaac’s dad as their coach. But their new middle school coach has different ideas about…almost everything. Now they need to play tough, play smart, and score goals, not just play with style and good humor. Isaac is much bigger than he used to be, but that doesn’t mean he’s better. Jimi’s frustrated with a lot of the changes that middle school brings. But he starts where he’s at, and builds from there. Because that’s how he gets better. Lots of soccer details make this book perfect for the soccer-obsessed kid. Buy it Now!
"It's good to try new things, and this book supports that. I highly recommend this book - go buy it!" -howtogrowyourgeek.com
Jimi & Isaac 1b: Curve ball
A bigger field, leading off and stealing bases – real baseball!
Jimi and Isaac are moving up from Little League.
Jimi thinks baseball is a muscle memory game: you play how you practice. Isaac thinks baseball is just like everything else: the real game is between your head and the head of your opponent.
There's only one way to find out who's right: PLAY BALL! The perfect book for the baseball-obsessed kid! Buy it NOW!
"I highly recommend this book for boys who love baseball and would enjoy reading a can a corn baseball story." -Amazon Review
Jimi & Isaac 2a: Keystone Species
Jimi and Isaac think they’re going on a boat ride. A simple vacation with Jimi’s uncle Tim. But hanging around with Uncle Tim is rarely simple. They soon find out that Tim’s ideas about boating and environmentalism are not what they’re used to. Luckily, Tim’s girlfriend Mary knows that Tim is a mess, and she makes sure the boys learn what they need to know about boats, boating, and responsibility. When Tim’s poor planning produces poor results, the boys have to well, save everything. The best way to learn is by doing. Looks like the boys will learn a lot…if they want to get home. Buy it Now!
"..a nice choice for adventure-seeking middle graders that like knowing how things work." -The Children's Book Review
Jimi & Isaac 2b: Assistance Dog
Jimi didn't plan on raising a puppy, especially a puppy that can take care of people that need help. Sometimes things just happen. Now his summer is all booked up.
Isaac thinks training a puppy to be an assistance dog is a complete waste of time. He thinks building and training a robot would be a better way to spend the summer. Actually, he thinks Jimi should build and train a robot.
Of course, neither of them has any idea what they are doing. So maybe the puppy will have to show both Jimi and Isaac how to grow up and be useful.
A great book about growing up, full of real information about raising dogs and helping people.
"Jimi & Isaac 2b: Assistance Dog is great. Great characters, great plot, and the dog is the best part. A terrific addition to the Jimi & Isaac series.” -Early Review
Jimi & Isaac 3a: The Mars Mission
Introverted Jimi and brilliant but obnoxious Isaac pester their billionaire buddy Ash Berg into letting them “jazz up” his space expedition. Ash plays along, knowing they will fail and learn from their failure. Isaac prefers to make a limited but credible effort and claim a limited but credible victory. Middle school has plenty of other things to do that are more fun than failing. Jimi wants more – but good help is hard to find. He takes the challenge seriously as he fails and learns and fails some more. Jimi eventually comes up with something that’s not completely stupid, and is ready to send his idea to Mars. Too bad Jimi’s rich friend has forgotten about the whole thing. Maybe Jimi did all that work for nothing. Full of information about space travel, inventing, and the business of science. Buy it Now!
"...questions, mistakes, and a willingness to keep trying in the face of failure are integral to problem-solving and innovation—and that kids can be innovators, too. A lively narrative that ably combines rocket science, humor, and relatable characters." - Kirkus Reviews
Jimi & Isaac 3b: Cow Poop
Jimi & Isaac think they are going to have a fun summer away from their parents and on Grandpa’s farm. They quickly realized that living on a farm is more than sunshine and hay rides, it’s real work. There is a lot to learn about the chickens and the dairy cows and life in the country. They learn as much as they can as fast as they can, so they can help with the fun chores. Just as they are getting in the groove, Grandpa gets hurt pulling a calf and it's up to Jimi and Isaac to get all the chores done. It's up to them to get the cows fed. It's up to them to get the cows milked, and the eggs and the milk to market.
Sure, Grandpa's friends and family can help, too, but they all have their own farms and busy lives. Farmers, farmer's kids, and animal lovers will enjoy this book! Buy It Now!
"...the author knows exactly what he's talking about...the barn yard and dairy come to life as if the reader were there...also a great read for classrooms and home schoolers - Bookworm for Kids
Jimi & Isaac 4a: Solar Powered
I
saac Farmer figured the best way to win the science fair was to make the judges think he could save the planet, so he did this big display on “green” stuff. He put in everything he could think of (like solar power and wind power and stream power and outhouse power) and made it sound like it all worked and he understood everything. All he really did was copy stuff off the Internet. It fooled the judges and he won, but then the adults in his world got involved and Isaac had to actually build something that actually worked. He finds out that science is as much about working with other people as it is about working with things, and that’s not an easy lesson for Isaac. This story is about the business and art of science and the science of business. Buy it Now!
"Highly recommended...a wonderful set of books...Your kids will have a good time reading and probably won't even realize how much they're learning." - howtogrowyourgeek.com
Jimi & Isaac 4b: Show Calf
Jimi & Isaac spent last summer on Jimi's grandpa's farm, so this summer should be easy. Now that they can bale hay, cut silage, and milk cows, it's time to raise beef steers and show them in the fair! But a new summer brings a new set of challenges, and Jimi's grandpa isn't getting any younger. He can't help the boys as much as he'd like, and maybe he needs more help than he will admit. Authentic farming details make this an authentic farming adventure story. Buy it Now!
Jimi & Isaac 5a: The Brain Injury
Kirkus STAR and Best Books of 2015 Review
Isaac is used to solving problems. When Isaac’s dad falls off a roof and hurts his brain, Isaac has a new kind of problem. He has to deal with a problem he can’t solve. Maybe nobody can solve the problem. Isaac tries to deal with his dad’s injury by learning the science, but that’s not enough. He can’t fix his dad’s brain, he can’t fix how helpless his mom feels, and he can’t stop making things worse. He has to learn to deal with how he feels about medicine, science, his father, and everything. Luckily, Isaac has good friends, because sometimes good friends are a very good thing to have...even if they’re not scientists. Buy it Now!
"Highly recommended for both its quality of writing and its superb handling of difficult subject matter." - Kirkus "Star" Review
Jimi & Isaac 5b: Social Skills
In their biggest adventure yet, Jimi & Isaac need to make everybody get along, or at least keep everyone from fighting with each other. But they don't know what to do, and the people that think they know what to do are quickly making everything worse. Incredibly, Jimi and Isaac are getting blamed for the incredible spiral of disaster as the kids in their school pick sides and prepare for mayhem! Can they save their school? Can they find the help they need? This is a very short, quick book, and will make a great class/school/community read. Please contact us at our website for support materials. Buy it Now!
"Engaging and thought-proving edutainment, with relatable tween characters facing realistic challenges..." - Kirkus