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In recognition of the up-coming U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.

SCENE: CITY ZOO



Once again, we’re not included in Thanksgiving celebrations


Did you really expect to? I mean, why should they? Who are we? Merely the tools in which they make money. That’s all - and how do they thank us? Closing the zoo for the day so we can’t even expect extra treats from visitors. This is so typically…human
 
SOUND: GOBBLE-GOBBLE… GOBBLE-GOBBLE….

















RAT


ZEBRA






























(slithering closer)








(slithering almost directly in front of TURKEY)

Well turkey – really feel for you, in the true sense of the word. I just happen to live inside in a huge glass enclosure that has lots of hiding places.  Why don’t you come back to my place and check things out? I live alone and there’s nobody to bother or see us

That’s a very generous offer on your part –


-          Manny –

TURKEY

Manny


Anything for a friend in need.




The farmer took good care of me up until before Thanksgiving. You can see for yourself when we get back to your pit.


Oh I intend to

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In order to celebrate National Tell a Joke Day, I asked fellow Oxford University Press staff members to tell me their favourite joke(s). Some of these jokes will make you guffaw and some will make you groan but hopefully all of them will make you smile. The jokes below range from the strange to the downright silly.

The post Why did the Oxford University Press staff member cross the road? appeared first on OUPblog.

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If you're on Twitter: In honor of Father's Day, Barnes and Noble @bnbuzz  is using the hashtag #DadBooks to solicit groan-worthy puns and corny dad jokes based on well-known books. Be sure to check it out or join in the pun. 

Here are a few (with links to their posts):
Oh, the Places You'll Mow
The Girl Who's Certainly not Getting a Dragon Tattoo
Gone Grill
 If you're on Pinterest, check out my board, "Comic strips featuring books."  I've been collecting comic strips that feature books and libraries for the last several years. If you have a good comic strip that I've missed, please feel free to send it to me and I'll pin it.

And lastly, since Father's Day is tomorrow, I'll share two of my favorite "dad" picture books.

•  My Dad by Anthony Browne (Macmillan, 2010) is a funny, homage to the classic jack-of-all-trades kind of dad.  On each page, tribute is paid to the bathrobe-clad dad's many great qualities. The illustrations are wonderful - even as he is depicted as a fish or an owl, he retains his brown, plaid bathrobe.  You can see them here [http://us.macmillan.com/mydad/AnthonyBrowne].

• Tell Me a Tattoo Story by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler (Chronicle, 2016) is lovingly written and illustrated.  A young tattooed dad weaves a tale for his son using his tattoos.  A sweet story that should appeal to many young families.

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A selection of darkly funny, mostly cautionary picture books.

 Share these funny gems with slightly older listeners who have a sense of humor; but spare your very timid or gentle-hearted ones - happily-ever-after is not guaranteed in these tales of comeuppance, justice served, just desserts, and cautionary advice.

If you're unable to view the slide show, visit it on Riffle Books [ https://www.rifflebooks.com/list/206136] where I occasionally create themed slide shows.

Books included in the list:

• A Hungry Lion, Or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals by Lucy Ruth Cummins 
• How to be Famous by Michal Shaley 
• Everyone Love Bacon by Kelly DiPucchio 
• Jim: Who Ran Away from his Nurse and Was Eaten by a Lion by HIlaire Belloc 
• This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
• I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen 
• The Book that Eats People by John Perry

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It's been a while since I've done a picture book roundup.  Here are three that struck my fancy:

Kind. This boy is the best!

Have you seen Elephant? 

Written and illustrated by David Barrow.
Gecko Press, 2016

A kind young boy plays hide-and-seek with his elephant friend and takes care to keep the game going, despite the fact that his friend is a very poor hider! Have you seen Elephant? is bright and cheerful and funny, and above all - kind. This is the first book I've seen from Gecko Press and the first by David Barrow. I love it!





Confined? Can the colortamer catch them all?

Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color

Written and illustrated by Julia Denos
Balzer Bray, 2016

Bright, bold, and expressive, Swatch is a color tamer - trapping and using colors in the most fantastic of ways. A bold and fearless artist, no color had escaped her artistic eye ... no color but one,

"Morning came, and there it was, fast fading and fierce, the King of All Yellows, blooming in the sidewalk crack in spite of the shadows. Swatch was ready .... At last, Yellowest Yellow would be hers."

Or would it?

This is the first book that Julia Denos has written as well as illustrated. I would love this book even if my favorite color were not the hero of the story!


Find. Where is that cat?

Spot, the Cat 

Illustrated by Henry Cole
Little Simon, 2016

A beautifully detailed, wordless book - more than just a seek-and-find, it follows the path of an adventurous cat in the city and the boy who wants to find him. Join the young boy and search the city for Spot, the cat.

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By Becca... BOOKISH WORRYING 1. To go out at night or stay home and read I don't know about you guys, but this is something I constantly worry about. I get asked to go doing something mundane, but but but this book that I'm reading is so good. I need to finish it like ASAP. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!! If I go out, all I'm going to be doing the whole time is

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Michael D. Hurley, the owner of the Temple Theatre, is hosting an essay contest. This Maine-based businessman will award his 98-year-old movie theater to the winner.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, each participant must send in a 250-word piece and a $100 submission fee. The deadline has been set for Jan. 31. Click here to read all the rules.

Here’s more from Mashable: “Hurley is accepting a minimum of 3500 entries, so he’ll collect the theater’s asking price. But don’t worry—he’s offering refunds to all participants if he doesn’t receive enough submissions. The competition will be stiff, so start drafting your entry now so you’ll have time to edit and polish a winning piece before the end of January.”

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I can't let the year end without a shout out to Sheila Turnage's Mo and Dale.  Her latest Mo and Dale Mystery is The Odds of Getting Even (Penguin, 2015).  The Mo and Dale Mystery series is my favorite middle grade series. Each new book is as good as the last.  Each is filled with insightful humor, Southern-style hospitality, and all the eccentricities of small town living. The characters in Sheila Turnage's fictional town of Tupelo Landing, NC, will leave you begging for another chance to visit.

In The Odds of Getting Even, Mo and Dale, a.k.a. The Desperado Detectives, have another case on their hands.  Dale's no-good dad is on the lam and the whole town is on edge.

As usual, the café run by Mo and her "family of choice," the Colonel and Miss Lana, takes current events in stride,

I turned back to the Azalea Women. "Welcome and thank you in advance for your generous tips."  Generous tips equals a flat-out lie, but like Miss Lana says, you don't stop pitching just because nobody's swinging.  I draped a paper napkin over my arm. "Today, our Get Out of Jail Free Delight feature Free-Range Eggs, Potatoes at Large, and Bacon a la Parole.  We also got the Colonel's famous Tofu Incognito--a vegan delight featuring tofu scrambled up to look like somebody else.  A Special runs six dollars and includes a basket of All Rise Biscuits.  May I take your order?"

"Get Out of Jail and coffee," they chorused.  "How's Dale holding up?"

Once again, Sheila Turnage has written a book that deals with a serious topic (a father who is frequently on the wrong side of the law) in a humorous way. As narrator, Mo LoBeau offers up witty, often hilarious dialogue and commentary. There is much homespun wisdom in the the little town of Tupelo Landing.  Here are just a few examples from The Odds of Getting Even:

Mo (on the perceived indignity of wearing hand-me-down clothes):

"Dale's a musician.  He enjoys vintage outfits," ... "Besides, Miss Lana says most everything in life worth having is handed down."

Dale (voicing his opinion to a news reporter):

Your articles make it seem that way.  But a lot of people thinking flat don't change round.

Mo (her take on beauty):

Attila's face would be pretty if she didn't live behind it.

Dale (on "getting even"):

The only even you ever get is inside yourself--when you don't need to get even anymore.

If you haven't read them yet, don't miss the first two Mo and Dale Mystery novels.

Book 1

Three Times Lucky - a link to my review of the audiobook read by Michal Friedman
[http://shelf-employed.blogspot.com/2013/08/three-times-lucky-audiobook-review.html]

Book 2
The Ghost of Tupelo Landing - a link to my review for AudioFile Magazine
[http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/88494/]

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SCENE: A small zoo. Preparing for the holiday performance.

At rise: The residents of the zoo are practicing for the annual holiday performance. It's the last dress rehearsal before the actual production and chaos reigns supreme.

ZEBRA
Hello? Everyone? May I have your attention, please? There is far too much cacophony among the performers. I can't hear myself think! Not you my dear...you embody the true thespian soul

CROW 1
(laughing while watching from a tree)
Uh-oh...zebra says there's too much caca-phony around here. The elephants have been using the toilets, again

CROW 2
(laughing hysterically)
Oh Cyril - you're so witty!

ZEBRA
You mean, witless. Now where were we? Oh yes...we were discussing your acting abilities, my dear.

FEMALE ZEBRA
You think I have talent? My acting coach has offered to give me private lessons

ZEBRA
Would your coach anyone I would know? Perhaps we could work together to maximize your performance

FEMALE ZEBRA
That's a very kind offer but 'CH' swore me to secrecy. He doesn't want the whole world calling him and begging for private tutoring> He's a very private person

ZEBRA
Totally understandable, my dear. Know exactly where he's coming from. I too separate myself from the lesser...well...talent-challenged among us

(ZEBRA admires his frame from all angles, in a full-length mirror)

(cont'd. ZEBRA) 'Perfection!'  (whispering) You can share the name of your acting coach with me. There is a professional code of silence among zebra directors that is adhered to. You said his initials were CH? Hmmmm....not familiar with any coaches with those initials...

FEMALE ZEBRA
He calls himself cheetah

(ZEBRA reacts with horror)

ZEBRA
Cheetah...you did say cheetah? Does this cheetah...would this coach live, perchance, in a cage in this very zoo?

FEMALE ZEBRA
He would! How did you know? He said that his style of coaching requires getting down to the bare bones of acting

ZEBRA
(horrified)
My dear, naïve, zebra! Forget about - um - coach cheetah. I, myself, shall take you on as a client, gratis, and as a cost to myself (aside to himself) ...wait 'til I get my hands on cheetah...' What am I saying? Let's just say, my dear, that his reputation and taste for zebras is well developed. Why don't you go over there in the corner and study your lines

FEMALE ZEBRA
If you say so. "I think I hear Santa!....I think I hear Santa....I think I hear Santa...'

ZEBRA
Okay...actors - places please! Mr. Squeeze - please tear yourself away from rat? We don't want a repeat performance of last year's incident

MR. SQUEEZE
I was just trying to show him some love

RAT
(gasping for breath)
Surrre! Remember the squirrel incident? We lost our Santa Claus on account of you

MR. SQUEEZE
We're good friends! Right rat? Who ever heard of a squirrel playing Santa Claus, anyway?

ZEBRA
(admiring himself in the mirror and fixing his cravat)
'You handsome devil! Your stripes don't do you justice. 'kiss-kiss....' For the record and given our budget, which is half of last year's, which was next to nothing, he was the only one who could fit into the Santa suit. Who will play the old elf this year?

(a chicken jumps down from the branch of a tree)

CHICKEN
I would like to volunteer my services for the cause

MR. SQUEEZE
(slithering up close to chicken)
Great idea! And my contribution will be to offer my help We can go over your lines in my den

ZEBRA
Not! Thank you for your...offer but I'm sure chicken can remember "ho-ho-ho..." Now if you will put on the suit, we can start our rehearsal

CHICKEN
It's a little tight...jacket won't...fit...over my...breast bone...

CHEETAH
Perhaps I can fix that problem ...

MR. SQUEEZE
...my particular qualities can definitely fix that...

(both cheetah and MR. SQUEEZE inch closer to the chicken)

ZEBRA
Stop where you are, both of you! We will make do with what we have. Please put on the red hat and black shiny boots and get on the sled. The children are arriving

CHICKEN
(smoothing his feathers and pulling the jacket over his breast)
I'm very nervous.. This is my first acting job

CHEETAH
Don't worry my friend. I'll be watching close by...in case you forget your lines, of course

ZEBRA
Places people! Mr. Squeeze - you're not in the first scene

MR. SQUEEZE
Just helping chicken get over his nerves. Everyone needs a hug


NEXT TIME: THE SHOW MUST GO ON...MAYBE
Open the curtains and let the play begin!

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Each year, hundreds of new holiday books are printed. Many are trite, forced, or pedantic—but not these gems.  Here are my five new favorites. Readjoice! 

  If you have trouble viewing the slideshow, visit it on Riffle.
Featured books:

• A Homemade Together Christmas
• Oskar and the Eight Blessings
• Me and My Dragon: Christmas Spirit
• Too Many Toys!
• Miracle on 133rd Street

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This edition of the Picture Book Roundup features three funny books, a hilarious cautionary tale, and a sweet bookish story to melt your heart. Enjoy!

Review copies of Night Animals by Gianna Marino (Viking, 2015) and In! Over! and On! by Ethan Long (Penguin, 2015) were provided by the publishers at my request. The Good Little Book by Kyo Maclear (Tundra, 2015), Everyone Loves Bacon by Kelly DiPucchio (Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 2015), and Ragweed's Farm Dog Handbook by Anne Vittur Kennedy (Candlewick, 2015)

If you can't access the slide show with reviews below, you can see it on RiffleBooks at this link. [https://read.rifflebooks.com/list/185319]

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Whew! We moved Jane back up to college over the weekend and then, back here at home, got to spend an extra day visiting with my parents, who had come to stay with the rest of the gang while we were away. And then it was hustle-like-crazy to catch up from being gone. Which is to say, business as usual.

It’s too late in the day for a nice coherent post, but I wanted to toss down some stories I’ll otherwise forget. Huckisms, mostly…he’s been on a roll. Tonight he wanted me to take dictation for his Christmas list—no moss growing on this kid. I dutifully wrote down his three longed-for items and he leaned over the page, frowning anxiously at my cursive. “What if Santa doesn’t know this fancy writing?”

***

This morning I read aloud from Child’s History of the World—our tried-and-true first history book for the younger set. Today’s chapter was about Sparta and Athens (mainly Sparta, with a thorough description of what a young Spartan boy’s life might have been like). Huck listened intently to the plight of Spartan seven-year-olds—an age only months around the corner from him—and had lots of interjections to make along the way.

After the chapter, I asked him to narrate in the casual way I generally begin with around age six or seven. Not casual enough. He instantly froze up. My kids have been about half and half with narration: three of them taking to it like ducks to water, and three feeling shy and put on the spot. Huck is one of the latter. He actually ran out of the room and had to be coaxed back by a big sister. I cuddled him into my lap and told him not to worry, it wasn’t a test, I was just curious to know if anything in the story jumped out at him.

Huck, scowling: No.

Me: Do you wish you were a Spartan boy?

Huck, galvanized: No! Because they had to leave their moms when they turned seven, and—

—and he was off, chattering away for a good five or six minutes about all the details in the chapter. This is the way it normally works with my reluctant narrators, and I smiled secretly into the top of his sweaty little head.

Suddenly, mid-sentence, he broke off and reared back to look at me, laughing. “Hey! You tricked me! I just told you all about it!”

We all melted with giggles. He was so honestly amused. All the rest of the day I was cracking up over the shocked, almost admiring tone of his “HEY!”

***

The other thing that happened this week is that Rilla invented a board game. It’s called “Elemental Escape” and involves players representing Fire, Water, and Electricity (twist!) racing to the finish on a track filled with monsters. She drew a game board and mounted it on cardboard, and the game pieces are all Legos. Pretty fantastic.

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The League of Unexceptional Children by Gitty Daneshvari is a welcome change.  No magical, undiscovered world-changing super-talented children here!  No half human, half immortal orphans!
Nope, this book revolves around two children so bland, so mediocre, so unremarkable as to be almost invisible to the world around them.

And that makes them PERFECT for the secret work that The League of Unexceptional Children does.

When the Vice-President is kidnapped in the middle of the night, Jonathan and Shelly are recruited to go undercover to find him before the VP can disclose the nation's most valuable nuclear codes.   Jonathan and Shelly don't actually need to go undercover.  They are so unremarkable that Jonathan's teacher thinks he's a new student almost every day.  No one even hears Shelly when she talks.

After a slow start involving an incompetent security guard and a short villain, the book turns into a spy thriller heavy on spycraft-ish talk and trappings and with more comic escapades than thrills.

To say much more will tell you almost all.  This is a quick fun read in which two ordinary kids fumble through saving the country.  They even compete with two superspy kids from Europe.

The best thing about this book - for me, anyway - is the way the characters of our heroes develop.  They may look and act boring to the world at large but, given a task that challenges them, they show some spunk, if not much talent.  Hmmmm, could there actually be a redeeming message in this silly book?  ....... Nope, probably not.

Key words:  Quick, Funny, Slapstick, Spies! 

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I can't republish certain reviews that have already appeared in print or elsewhere online, but I can point you to where you might find them.

The Enchanted Files: Diary of a Mad Brownie by Bruce Coville. (Listening Library, 2015)
Suggested for ages 8-12.  298 minutes.

http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/102097/

Diary of a Mad Brownie is the first book in Bruce Coville's new series, The Enchanted Files.  I listened to the audio book, and I can tell you that it was the most fun I've had listening in a long time. And it's read by a full cast!

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संकल्प नए वर्ष का ( व्यंग्य )

उफ्फ …!!! आखिरकार नए साल मे मैने क्या संकल्प लेना है सोच ही लिया .अब आपसे क्या छिपाना …हर साल जब भी नवम्बर समाप्त होने लगता और दिसम्बर जी का आगमन होता. मन मे अजीब सी बैचेनी करवट लेने लगती कि नए साल मे नया क्या क्या करना है और क्या क्या नही करना है.बस इसी उधेड बुन मे पूरा समय निकल जाता पर भगवान का लाख लाख शुक्र है कि इस साल यह नौबत ही नही आई और समय से पहले ही डिसाईड हो गया.

पता है, पिछ्ले साल मैने यह सोचा था कि सच बोलना शुरु कर दूगी. अरे नही.. नही … आप गलत समझ गए.असल मै, वैसे मै, झूठ नही बोलती पर ना जाने क्यू टीवी पर सच का सामना देख कर डर सी गई थी इसलिए बोल्ड होकर यह निर्णय लिया कि यह आईडिया ड्राप.फिर सोचा था कि कुछ भी हो जाए पतली हो कर दिखाऊगी पर पर पर .. सर्दियो के महीने मे ऐसा विचार मन मे लाना जरा मुश्किल हो जाता है.सरदी की गुनगुनी धूप हो,रजाई हो और गर्मा गर्म पराठे हो और उस तैरता और पिधलता मखन्न.मन भी पिधलना शुरु हो जाता अब ऐसे मे भला खाने पर कैसे ब्रेक लग सकती है.चलो इसे भी सिरे से नकार कर यह सोचा कि सुबह शाम की सैर ही शुरु कर दी जाए. इस पर तुरत अमल करना भी शुरु कर दिया था पर दो ही दिन मे यह मिशन फेल होता सा प्रतीत हुआ. असल मे , ऊबड खाबड सडके, सडको पर मस्ती मे धूमते आवारा बैल,और गंदगी के ढेर के साथ साथ सीवर के ढक्कन गायब.अब बताईए ऐसे मे हाथ पैर तुडवाने से अच्छा है कि कुछ और सोचा जाए.

वैसे सोचा तो मैने यह भी था कि नए साल मे किसी पर गुस्सा नही करुगी.चेहरे पर स्माईल रखूगीं. पिछ्ले साल 31 की रात सबसे यही कह कर सोई कि सभी 1 जनवरी को सुबह सुबह मंदिर चलेगे .मै तो सुबह सुबह तैयार हो गई पर कोई सुबह उठने को तैयार ही नही था. मुस्कुराते मुस्कुराते उठाती रही पर रात को देर से सोने के चक्कर मे सभी गहरी नींद मे थे. इतने मे काम वाली बाई आ गई. उसे पता नही क्या हुआ. बर्तनो को जोर जोर से शोर करते हुए धोने लगी .एक तो देर से आई ऊपर से मुहं बना रखा था इसने. मैने खुद को संयत किया कि मोनिका स्माईल … कंट्रोल कर… कहती हुई ताजा हवा लेने के लिए खिडकी पर जा खडी हुई कि अचानक मेरी नजर पडोसियो की नई चमचमाती कार पर पडी शायद कल ही के लर आए थे.बस आगे आपको बताने की जरुर नही कि ….. !!!!

इस साल भी यही विचार चल रहा था कि नए साल मे क्या संकल्प लिया जाए कि पूरा भी किया जा सके. घर के एक बडे बुजुर्ग ने सुझाया कि हम लोगो को तीर्थ यात्रा करवा दिया करो हर चार महीने मे एक बार. पुण्य मिलेगा.बात जमी नही और मै बच्चो के कमरे मे गई तो बच्चे कहते कि छोडो मम्मी… हर महीने हमे पिक्चर और पिकनिक पर ले जाया करो.काम वाली बाई भी कहा पीछे रहने वाली थी बोली कि मेरी पगार बढा दो और छुट्टी भी बढा दो. बाहर निकली तो ये बोले कि तुम फुलके पतले नही बनाती जरा श्रीमति ऋतु से सीख लो इतने पतले,मुलायम और गोल गोल चपाती बनाती है और कृष्णामूति से डोसा बनाना भी सीख लो … खश्बू से ही मुहं मे पानी आ जाता है.वो बात कर ही रहे थे कि इतने मे मेरी सहेली मणि का फोन आ गया उसने राय दी कि दो चार किट्टी पार्टी ज्वायन कर ले. थोडी सी चालाक बन बहुत भोली है तू.!!! अगले साल ही तुझे सोसाईटी की सैकट्ररी ना बनवा दिया तो मेरा नाम मणि नही!! मैने कोई बहाना कर के तुरंत फोन रख दिया.उफ्फ !!!किस की सुनू किस की ना सुनूं… देखा कितना टेंशन था.

अब आपको भी टेंशन हो रही होगी कि आखिर इस साल मैने क्या सकंल्प लिया है. तो सुनिए … पिछ्ले दो तीन सालो के अनुभव को देखते हुए… बहुत सोच विचार के मै इस नतीजे पर पहुंची हूँ कि चाहे कुछ भी जाए बस बहुत हुआ. अब और नही इसलिए इस साल … इस साल … इस साल … नए साल के लिए कोई सकंल्प ही नही लूगी.इसलिए मै खुश हू और बहुत ही खुश हूं ..

कैसा लगा आपको ये व्यंग्य जरुर बताईगा

The post संकल्प नए वर्ष का appeared first on Monica Gupta.

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I think I am predisposed to like anything done by Gianna Marino, so I requested an Advance Reader Copy of Night Animals, which is on shelves now.  I was not disappointed.

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• First Grade, Here I Come! by Tony Johnston 

A playfully rambunctious boy plans his first day of first grade, "For show-and-tell, no teddy bears. I'll bring my snake - oh joy! My friends will hold my boa up. (I call him Huggy Boy.)" For this scene, the playful illustrations show the teacher standing atop her desk while the kids hoist Huggy Boy. Cheerful, silly fun!

• Bob and Flo by Rebecca Ashdown

It's Flo's first day at preschool. Not only does she find her missing bucket, she finds a friend. Cute.

• ABC School's for Me! by Susan B. Katz

"Eating snack around the rug, Friends who share a hello hug." A cute, rhyming, and encouraging ABC book. Dad's First Day Mike Wohnoutka Here's a twist on "first day of school" books - it's Oliver's dad who has the first day of school jitters! (Picture Oliver's teacher carrying Oliver's crying dad outside.) "The teacher walked Oliver's dad outside." "Bye, Daddy!" But don't worry ... it all turns out OK.

• Monkey: Not Ready for Kindergarten by Marc Brown

In crayon-inspired illustrations, Marc Brown tells the story of a monkey worried about his first day at school. "What if his teacher doesn't like him? What if he gets on the wrong bus? What if he can't find the bathroom? ..." With time and patient help from his parents and friends, Monkey slowly gets ready for Kindergarten.

• Rosie Goes to Preschool by Karen Katz 

Rosie's not worried about her first day of preschool. In fact, she'll tell you all about it! Happy, simple, and multicultural - this is a classic Karen Katz book.

• Not This Bear: A First Day of School Story by Alyssa Satin Capucilli 

In this story of a bear's first day at school, author Alyssa Satin Capucilli shows that going to school does not mean giving up one's individuality. Bear clings to some familiar things and habits from home, but still fits in and enjoys himself at school. An interesting and reassuring take on "first day at school" books.

• Ally-saurus & the First Day of School by Richard Torrey 

Is there room for a dinosaur girl in a school filled with princess girls? Of course there is! "Taking off her favorite dinosaur pajamas, Ally-saurus dressed in her brand-new first-day-of-school outfit. "Your pants are on backward," said Father. "That's so my dinosaur tail can stick out," explained Ally-saurus. Let's wear our pants the right way," said Father. "ROAR!" said Ally-saurus."

• Eva and Sadie and the Best Classroom EVER! by Jeff Cohen 

Big sister Sadie tries to help Eva get ready for Kindergarten - but teaching her math and reading may not be the best way to help!

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Have you ever envisioned Game of Thrones as a musical? Coldplay, a seven-time Grammy Award winning band, put on this hilarious show in honor of the Red Nose Day USA.

The video embedded above features appearances from several of the HBO series’ cast members such as Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, and Peter Dinklage. Thus far, it has drawn more than 7.7 million views on YouTube.

Some of the numbers featured in this project include “Rastafarian Targaryen” (sung by The Khaleesi herself), “Wildling” (a Jon Snow performance for Ygritte), and “Still Goin’ Strong” (a tune belted out by Tyrion Lannister). What’s your favorite song from this project? (via BuzzFeed)

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Even though I have a plastic watering container, for whatever reason, punching holes in the lid of a large, empty juice container seemed like a good idea. This got me thinking - one of those "what if" moments: what if everyone reading this decided to do the same and pursue our creation on the "Shark Tank" TV program for financial backing! Would it fly?

SCENE: SET OF “SHARK TANK” TV SERIES. A FEMALE, FOLLOWED BY A LARGE GROUP OF MALES AND FEMALES HOLDING JUICE CONTAINERS, ENTERS. THE FOUR “SHARKS” STUDY HER WHILE MAKING NOTES.





MARK CUBAN


FEMALE INVENTOR


KEVIN O’LEARY


FEMALE INVENTOR


MARK CUBAN









FEMALE INVENTOR
(visibly nervous)










































(cont’d. FEMALE INVENTOR) As much as I thank you for your support, I have to decline your offer

(laughing)


KEVIN O’LEARY


BARBARA CORCORON


KEVIN O’LEARY


FEMALE INVENTOR FOLLOWED BY HER GROUP LEAVE, DROPPING THE CONTAINERS IN THE TRASH AS THEY WALK OUT

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Have you ever pictured Tyrion Lannister as a singer? Entertainment Weekly reports that actor Peter Dinklage crooned a tune recounting the demise of several Game of Thrones characters.

The video embedded above features Dinklage singing about Eddard “Ned” Stark, Robb Stark, and Joffrey Baratheon. The Golden Globe winner gave this performance in honor of the Red Nose Day fundraising campaign. (via The Hollywood Reporter)

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