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All too soon, we've come to the last post for our Fifth Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series. If you're new here, clicking on the link in that first sentence will bring you right up to speed. If you're not new here, you can click the link, too, for nostalgia or for a refresher...or not. But whether you're New or Not New, if you click, don't forget to come back to this post to see what's up for today.
The first three posts in this year's Picture Book and Poetry Palooza sub-theme have had the following Variations on the Overall Weirdo Theme:And now, let's revel in one last variation for this 2014 series:Animals Are People, Too (And Vice Versa)
Pretty self-explanatory, this one. Also, if you'll recall from the Weirdly True post, we promised one anomaly would be included in this otherwise all-picture-book-and-poetry presentation: a novel. And today's post has that novel. (We're big on keeping our promises here at Bugs and Bunnies.) Here we go:
Stuart LittleWritten by E.B. WhitePictures by Garth WilliamsAges 8 - 12 Summary graciously provided by Chez Wheedleton's own Lovely Girl:
When the Little family welcomed their second son, Stuart, it was obvious from the start that he was a little...different. He wasn't much bigger than a mouse. In fact, he looked like a mouse in every way. Let no one say that the Littles weren't open-minded about things, though. From doll's clothes to a bed made out of a cigarette box to a tiny mallet to turn the faucet handle, the Littles made every effort to accommodate their unusual child.
Stuart could walk and talk almost immediately, and being the adventurous type, he got into quite a bit of mischief in his hometown of New York City. After befriending a pretty sparrow named Margalo, though, Stuart decides that he'll need to go out into the big wide world to find her after she migrates away. But it's dangerous being a mouse in a human's world... This city mouse will need to keep his wits about him as he ventures into the countryside on his own!I'm a ManateeBy John LithgowIllustrated by Ard HoytAges Preschool - 3Another Lovely Girl-provided summary:One little boy is so sick of his humanity that in his dreams, he becomes a manatee! He and the other manatees spend their time enjoying their watery world and peacefully chowing down on their favorite foods. Good things don't last forever, though...*An extra bit of fun: Also included with this book is a CD and musical score of the story, with lyrics by John Lithgow and music by Bill Elliott. Have you ever seen a Moose taking a bath?Story by Jamie McClaineArt by April Goodman WillyAges 4 and upYet another Lovely-Girl-provided summary:Maybe you have seen a moose taking a bath before, but never quite like this!This particular moose isn't satisfied with just splashing around to get clean. Bath-time is a very serious event – one that requires goggles, a noseplug, a scrubby-dub brush, Mr. Moose Bubbles, and of course his ducky Bill Webber. Be sure to stand back as he gets ready to get in the water, or you might end up soaking wet, too! No Moon, No Milk!By Chris BabcockIllustrated by Mark TeagueAges 3 and up
Martha is sick of cowing around in a pasture. And when farmer Rob asks her what she would like to cow around in, her answer has him stumped: "The Mooooon."
Rob doesn't see how he can get Martha to the moon, but he has to do something to meet her demand. No moon, no milk!
So he tries a few things. He takes her surfing. He takes her to see an honest-to-goodness crater right here on Earth. He even takes her to Radio City Music Hall to see the famous Rockettes. But Martha is unmoved by all of it. The only thing she wants to do is cow around on the moon.
Finally, Rob suggests one last thing to try. But will it be enough to meet Martha's out-of-this-world demand?* * *
Until then, we'll leave you with this:
"The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it."
– Hunter S. Thompson
If you've been following along with our Fifth Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series, we're glad you're back for more. And if you're visiting for the first time, well, we're glad you're here.
If you need a refresher on what this series is all about, clicking on that link up there at the beginning of the post will catch you up quite nicely. Then come on back here to keep the weirdness rolling.So far in the Picture Book and Poetry Palooza that is this year's sub-theme within the Overall Weirdo Theme, we've frolicked through the following weekly Variations on the Overall Weirdo Themes:And today, we bring you Installment #18:Supernatural
Specifically, monsters. Not the dark, blood-curdling, super-scary kind. (We don't do a lot of dark here on Bugs and Bunnies.) Just the quirky ones:
The Monster Trap
Story and pictures by Dean Morrissey
Written by Dean Morrissey and Stephen Krensky
Ages 5 - 10
Paddy has come to stay with his grandfather for a few days. It's his first time there on his own, and Pop's place seems darker than Paddy remembers. That night, they listen to Monster Radio Theater, and when bedtime comes, Paddy is sure he hears the monster from the radio stories. Pop's solution? A monster trap, complete with "sure-fire, high-grade monster bait."
The next morning, the small trap is empty. Pop thinks that means there aren't any monsters. But Paddy thinks they were just too smart for the trap. So Pop and Paddy get to work building a bigger, smarter trap.And if it works? Well, that could be a whole new problem.
I Need My MonsterWritten by Amanda NollIllustrated by Howard McWilliamAges 5 - 8
When Ethan heads to bed one night, instead of his usual monster under the bed, he finds a note: "Gone fishing. Back in a week. – Gabe"
Ethan can't sleep without his monster under his bed. And he can't go without sleep for a whole week. So he does the only thing he can think of – interview for a replacement.
But can any of the other monsters measure up to Gabe? * An added treat: We found this video from SAG Foundation's StoryLineOnline.net, with actress Rita Moreno reading I Need My Monster, including animated illustrations from the book presented as she reads. A bit over 11 minutes, total, and very, very fun!Professor Wormbog in Search for the Zipperump-a-ZooWritten and illustrated by Mercer MayerAges 3 - 8Professor Wormbog's beastie collection is incomplete. Though he has found a beastie for nearly every letter of the alphabet, from the Askinforit to the Yalapappas, there is one last beastie that still eludes him: the one for Z, the Zipperump-a-Zoo.So the professor sets off, determined to catch one and complete his collection. He digs a pit. He fishes the sea. He tries to lure it out of the air. He climbs a craggy peak. He drops into caves. Each time, he finds something. But each time, it is not the Zipperump-a-Zoo. Finally, the disappointed professor gives up and heads home, empty-handed.
But sometimes? The very thing a person searches for the hardest tends to turn up in the most unexpected of places...
The Mysterious TadpoleWritten and illustrated by Steven KelloggAges 5 - 8
Every year, Uncle McAllister – who lives in Scotland – sends Louis a birthday present for his nature collection. And when this year's gift arrives, Louis proclaims it "the best one yet," and takes it to school the next day. His teacher proclaims it a tadpole, and Louis names it Alphonse.
By summer, Alphonse still looks nothing like a frog, and has outgrown his jar, the kitchen sink, the bathtub, and even the apartment. Louis decides what Alphonse really needs is a swimming pool – which they don't have, and can't afford to build. Though nobody wants to, it looks like the only option is to take Alphonse to the zoo. But that night, Louis remembers the middle school pool, which sits unused all summer. He happily sneaks Alphonse in, and it works...until the swim team shows up for its first practice, and the coach says Alphonse has to be gone by the next day.Louis is out of options and in despair when he runs into his friend, Miss Seevers, the librarian, on his way home. He tells her his problem, and then takes her to meet Alphonse. And then, Miss Seevers comes up with a plan to help. A plan so far-fetched, it just might work.* * *
Until then, we'll leave you with this:
"The possibilities that are suggested in quantum physics tell us that everything that we're looking at may not be in fact there, so the underlying nature of being is weird."
– William Shatner
Today marks the second of four posts this month in the Fifth Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series.
Wondering what this is all about? Click on the link up there in that first sentence, and you'll be caught up nicely. Then come back here to continue the festivities.
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Back now? Great! Let's get to it, shall we?You'll recall (if you've been here before) or you now know (if you're new but clicked that link up there) that for our Fifth Anniversary of the Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series, we've focused our weird-detecting magnifying glass on picture books and poetry anthologies.Last week's post had all picture books, with the Variation on the Overall Weirdo Theme of Weirdly True.Well, fans of verse, rejoice! Because today is the day we're:
Waxing Poetic
That's right! Today is all about the rhymes. The weirder and the funnier, the better – and one collection is even set to music:
A Light in the Attic
Ages 6 - 8
Readers of this collection of Shel Silverstein's poems and drawings will have lots to ponder, lots to smile about, and lots to laugh through.
With poems about stars needing a polish, and a bee who may want to consider a career in tattoo artistry, and a camel wearing a quite unusual piece of clothing, kids will have lots to giggle over.
With poems about a bridge that will only take you halfway there, and a difference in perspective between two friends: a tree and a rose, and someone who shoots an arrow into the sky, kids will have plenty to think about.
And with illustrations like the boy with the hot dog for a pet, and the anteater (or rather, aunt-eater), and the polar bear in the refrigerator, kids will have that little bit of extra fun to go with the poems they're enjoying.
It is a collection not to be missed.
The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders
Rhymes by Jack Pretutsky
Pictures by Petra Mathers
Ages 4 - 8
Here is a beautifully illustrated collection of children's verse by Jack Prelutsky. Readers will chortle through poems about a disastrous shopping trip, and a partying group of farm animals in Tuscaloosa, and pigs and frogs performing onstage for a swooning audience of chickens and ducks. They'll smile through rhymes about a gardener's unconventional crops, and a little brown toad's chronicle of his carefree life, and a description of a smiley, giggly baby. They'll take time to let their eyes and hearts exploew the rich, full-page illustrations.
An afternoon spent with the verse and pictures in this book is an afternoon well-spent.
A Bad Case of the Giggles: Kids' Favorite Funny Poems
Selected by Bruce Lansky
Illustrated by Stephen Carpenter
Ages 6 - 12
This is a collection of funny poems written for kids, and chosen for inclusion by editor Bruce Lansky – with the help of a panel of 800 elementary school kids!
Readers will laugh over poems about the joy (or not) of having a baby sibling, the indignities of being a boy who must wear hand-me-downs...from his family full of sisters, a girl with questionable hygiene habits, the olfactory downside of living in a shoe, the classic about the old man from Peru, and many, many more.
Written by an ecclectic mix of poets both well-known (like Judith Viorst) and well-known-but-kind-of-not (like Anonymous), the poems in this collection are the laugh-out-loud type that kids just love to read, and read, and read. Often out loud. Expect guffaws.
Frog Trouble and Eleven Other Pretty Serious Songs
Songs and Illustrations by Sandra Boynton
For Ages One to Older Than Dirt
Fans of Ms Boynton's previous musical collaborations (Philadelphia Chickens, Blue Moo, Dog Train, Rhinoceros Tap, and GRUNT Pigorian Chant) will revel in this newest venture. Frog Trouble is a CD and songbook full of country songs written by Ms Boynton, produced by Ms Boynton and Michael Ford, and sung by some of the biggest names in country music today.
Listeners will enjoy reading along in Part One as they enjoy songs with lines like, "It's a beautiful thing – When Pigs Fly," and "I really don't like it when you Copycat," and "...I don't need shoes 'cause I've got alligator feet," and of course, "I've got two words to say: Frog Trouble."
Part Two is a Sing and Play Along complete with melodies and lyrics for each song from Part One. Part Three introduces readers to the performers, and there's even a cut-and-fold activity sheet at the end to make a puppet. (But we won't tell you what the puppet is. You'll have to guess...)
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And that's that for this time. Be sure to come back next Friday, September 19th, for Installment #18. It should be a monstrously good time.
Until then, we'll leave you with this:
"Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."
– Charles Mingus
Welcome to the Fifth Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series!
If you've been here before, you already know what's up. But for new readers, or for those who need a refresher, here's how this works:In honor of Wonderful Weirdos Day, celebrated each year on September 9th, we here at Bugs and Bunnies present a few books each Friday in September that we just love: Fantastic stories that celebrate the unusual, with characters who are, well, characters. You know: the misunderstood, the eccentric, the quirky, the unique, the weird, the wacky. These books might be picture books, or chapter books, or middle grade books, or young adult books.
As usual, each week will have a Variation on the Overall Weirdo Theme. But, new for this Fifth Anniversary of the Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series is the addition of one big, overarching theme for the whole month (besides weirdness, of course):That's right – we're hovering our weirdo-loving magnifying glass over picture books and poetry anthologies this year. (Well, that's not entirely true. There is one novel. But it works, right? What would a celebration of the weird be, without at least one thing that doesn't fit the mold?)
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Let's get started with Installment #16, shall we? Today's Variation on the Overall Weirdo Theme is:
Weirdly True
True Stuff. Just presented in totally weird (and fun) ways:
Pigs Over Colorado
Written and Illustrated by Kerry Lee MacLean
Ages 4 - 8
A personal quirky favorite of Chez Wheedleton's own Lovely Girl, who has graciously provided this summary:
Sand dunes, dinosaur fossils, roller coasters, mountain climbing, ghost towns, and skiing? You might say that a vacation that cool could only ever come around when pigs fly...
Good thing the flying family of Sky Piggies is here to lead you on a tour across the weird and wonderful state of Colorado!
If Dinosaurs Came to Town
Written and Illustrated by Dom Mansell
Ages 1 - 8
Another personal fave of Lovely Girl, who couldn't resist writing this summary, too:
Everyone knows something about the dinosaurs. Some were big, some were small, some were fierce, some were gentle. They lived MILLIONS and MILLIONS and MILLIONS of years ago, though, so we should be safe now, right?
Wait, is that a diplodocus holding up traffic? Did a quetzalcoatl just fly by overhead? What's an eryops doing in the bathtub? And who is that outside the window? AAAAGH! A T-Rex!
It looks like dinosaurs aren't so extinct, after all. At least we can learn about them up close now! (Not TOO close, though...)
Twenty-Odd Ducks: Why Every Punctuation Mark Counts!
By Lynne Truss
Illustrated by Bonnie Timmons
Ages 6 - 8
From the author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves: Why Commas Really Do Make a Difference, comes this giggle-worthy illustrated treatise that shows the young (and not-so-young) exactly why punctuation matters. Swapping a period for a coma, and some differently-placed quotation marks, could be the difference between a visit to you from Santa, and a visit to Santa from his mom. Or, your history teacher could be one hyphen-placement away from being either a teacher of old history, or an old teacher of history. Want to read (and see) more? Find the book, and check it out.
How Much is a Million?
By David M. Schwartz
Pictures by Steven Kellogg
Ages 4 - 8
When a kid wants to know how much a big number is, they don't want you to tell. They want you to show. If that number is, say, 100, there are lots of easy was to do that: lay out 100 pennies, or line up 100 pebbles, or stack up 100 blocks.
But, what if that kid is really ambitious? What if what that kid wants to know is: How much is a million? A million! Even most adults struggle with picturing what that looks like.
Never fear, help is here! Enter Marvelosissimo the Mathematical Magician, who takes curious kids on a journey to show them exactly how much a million is, in ways the non-magical just can't – stacking a tower of kids that stretches up past the sky, conjuring up an enormous goldfish bowl, taking an impossible hot air balloon ride through pages and pages of tiny tiny stars, and even traveling through time.
Of course, when one question is answered, however fabulously, others are sure to follow. What does a billion look like? the kids want to know. A trillion? And Marvelosissimo responds each time, in spectacularly large and dazzling fashion.
And for those readers who want the hard numbers and calculations behind Marvelosissimo's enormous examples, the author includes detailed explanations at the end of the book for each one.
The Truth About Poop
By Susan E. Goodman
Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith
Ages 7 and up
You can do so many more things with poop than flush it away. Useful things. Who knew?
Though there is certainly much in this book that will elicit giggles – both from the young, and from the young-at-heart – The Truth About Poop is full of interesting, surprising, and quite useful aspects of the oft-avoided and much discouraged subject of poop.
Covering a variety of living creatures, from insects to land animals to creatures of the sea to people, this book explains how poop is used for defense, attack, fuel, building material, identification – even entertainment.
There is a history of the toilet in two parts, and a history of toilet paper. There is a description of where poop goes once flushed. There's even a section devoted to "Waste in Space."
And if, after reading all of that, you aren't totally pooped out, the author includes resources for further reading on the subject. Where you choose to sit and read? That's up to you.
* * *
Until then, we'll leave you with this:
"To be nobody-but-yourself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."
– e.e. cummings
How's this for some epic weirdness? Today, Friday the 13th, marks the 13th installment of 2013's Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series. That's a whole lotta 13's all in one day. Also? September is the 9th month of the year, and this is the 4th annual BnBWWoL series, and if you add those two numbers together, you get...that's right...13. *cue creepy music*
If you're a paraskavedekatriaphobe, or a triskaidekaphobe, fear not: None of today's books have anything to do with Friday the 13th, or with the number 13. At all. (Although, Note to Self: That really would have been a good idea for a theme. Why didn't I think of that sooner?) So be assured that despite all the weird coincidences above, you've found a nice, safe, 13-Free place to celebrate some literary weirdness.
If you're new to BnBWWoL, click on the link in this sentence to get caught up, then come on back here and join the fun.
If you're a regular reader, you already know the drill, so go ahead and dive on in. Weirdness awaits!
Last week's Variation on the Overall Weirdo Theme was Odd Ducks. This week?
Outliers
The WordWeb app on my phone defines outliers as:
"an extreme deviation from the mean"
Whether they live in the real world, or in the comics world, the characters in the following books most definitely operate outside the norm. And that's just fine by them:
Liar and Spy
Ages 9 and up
Seventh-grader Georges, who's something of an outcast at school, has just moved into a Brooklyn apartment building where he meets twelve-year-old Safer. The more Georges gets to know Safer, the more he learns about his quirky new friend: Safer's parents let him and his siblings name themselves, and Safer drinks coffee from a flask. Also? Safer spies on people via the building's lobbycam.In fact, Safer is way into the spy thing, and soon draws Georges into his world of apartment building espionage. When Safer gives Georges his first spying assignment – involving a mysterious and possibly nefarious building resident Safer has dubbed "Mr. X," Georges goes along with it, because it's exciting, this spy stuff. But soon, things begin not to add up, and Georges begins to question: Is this really real as Safer says, or is it just some elaborate game Safer made up to dupe Georges? And if it is real, how far is Georges willing to go to help a friend - his only friend - that he barely knows?StargirlWritten by Jerry SpinelliAges 12 and up
The new tenth-grade-girl was like no one anyone had ever met in the halls of Mica High. For starters, she called herself Stargirl. She also had a daily habit of strolling and twirling past the cafeteria tables at lunch, singing and playing the ukelele. She was so out there, kids were saying she was a fake; a plant, put there to stir up school spirit. Yet, despite her odd ways Stargirl soon found her way into acceptance and even popularity. And in the process, everyone around her found themselves changing, embracing their individuality. Long-dormant school spirit began to make a come-back.
At first, eleventh-grader Leo Borlock is just curious about this curious new girl. And he watches the changes she's brought to their school, and the changes in the kids within it. Including himself. As Leo tries to process it all, he talks about all of these changes to Archie – his neighborhood's unofficial teacher of unofficial-yet-popular classes. "It's a miracle!" Leo said one day. But Archie said Leo should hope that it's not. "The trouble with miracles is," Archie warned, "they don't last long."The Complete Calvin and HobbesWritten and illustrated by Bill WattersonFor children and adultsPictured is the hardcover edition of this collection, which contains every Calvin and Hobbes cartoon that ever appeared in syndication. The cartoons ran in newspapers from November 1985 through Watterson's retirement in 1996.Calvin is a precocious six-year-old boy whose larger-than-life ideas and deeds are frequently at odds with the expectations of his parents, his teacher Miss Wormwood, and Susie – the neighborhood girl and classmate Calvin outwardly taunts and inwardly kind-of-maybe likes. Calvin's best buddy, partner in misadventure, and part-time conscience is Hobbes the tiger. Hobbes, who is quite real with Calvin, appears to everyone else as merely a stuffed tiger. Together, boy and tiger get into and out of loads of trouble, contemplate life and the universe, and generally live life to the fullest, having a blast as they go.The Adventures of Captain Underpants: The First Epic NovelWritten and illustrated by Dav PilkeyAges 7 and upGeorge Beard and Harold Hutchins are best friends, next-door neighbors, and fellow fourth-graders at Jerome Horowitz Elementary School. They have a love of silliness and pranks that tends to get them into more than their fair share of trouble. They also have a love of creating and drawing comics (George writes, Harold draws), and their best creation, hands down, has to be The Amazing Captain Underpants.When their principal and arch-nemesis, Mr. Krupps, busts George and Harold for a particularly big prank, the boys can't see a way to ever be free from his dastardly punishments. But then they see a back-of-the-magazine ad for a 3-D Hypno-Ring. Four-to-six weeks later, what seemed like a perfect (and prankish) plan for rescuing themselves from the miseries of those principalian punishments takes a very unexpected turn...* * *
Wasn't that fun? And not a lick of unlucky 13's in the bunch (as promised).
Before you go, I'll leave you with this:
"Blessed are the weird people – poets, misfits, writers, mystics, painters, troubadours – for they teach us to see the world through different eyes."
– Jacob Nordby
Be sure to come back next Friday, where the focus is on characters who are not as all-on-their-own as one may expect.
Today is the first Friday in September. Which means it's time for the Fourth Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series!
If you're a regular reader of Bugs and Bunnies, you know exactly what's in store, and I hope you're excited to get started. If you're new here, I expect you'll be wanting a bit of explanation before we dive in today.Here's the Peanut-Shell Explanation (because peanut shells are small, so they only hold a little bit): - Every Friday in September, I post a round-up of kids' books I just love, with characters who are, well, characters. You know: the misunderstood, the eccentric, the quirky, the unique, the weird, the wacky. Those books might be picture books, or chapter books, or middle grade books, or young adult books.
And here's the Walnut-Shell Explanation (because walnut shells are bigger than peanut shells, so they hold a little bit more):Visit the links below for more in-depth information: - Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series - This is the main page for the series. Here you'll find a brief explanation of how the series works, and links to Installments #1-11 from the previous three celebrations.
Once you're all caught up, come back to this post, and we'll Crack this Coconut (because coconuts are bigger than peanuts and walnuts, so they hold a lot more, and whether a coconut is nut or or a fruit or a seed or a drupe, it's the biggest nut-type-thing I could think of).
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Back now? Wonderful! Let's get started with Installment #12. As in past years, there will be Variations on the Overall Weirdo Theme for each installment. This year's Variations will all start with "O." (I don't know why. They just came to me. Sometimes it's best not to question inspiration that just drops in your lap like that.) This week's Variation on the Overall Weirdo Theme is:
Odd Ducks
You know the type – they're just this side of normal, and they have their own unique way of doing things. The characters in the following books fit that bill, to be sure – odd animals, in even more odd situations:
Max's Chocolate Chicken
Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells
Ages 3 - 7
One morning, Max finds a chocolate chicken in the birdbath. Max loves the chocolate chicken. But before he can grab it, big sister Ruby lays down the rules: First, they have to do an egg hunt. Whoever gets the most eggs, gets the chocolate chicken. So, they set off. Ruby keeps finding eggs, but Max keeps finding anything but. And when it becomes clear that the chocolate chicken is not going to go to Max, Max takes matters into his own hands...
Moosetache
Written by Margie Palatini
Illustrated by Henry Cole
Ages 3 - 7
Moose has a rather hairy problem - a mighty, massive, itchy moosetache. Because of his moosetache, dancing is nearly impossible, cooking is a messy disaster, and skiing is downright dangerous. And so, he is determined to tame it. But how? Moose tries all manner of creative solutions, but each "solution" brings even more trouble. Then, just when he's sure he'll never figure out how to manage his mischievous moosetache, Moose runs into...her. And soon, things become much more manageable indeed.
Philadelphia Chickens: A Too-Illogical Zoological Musical Revue
Written, illustrated and directed by Sandra Boynton
Ages 1 - 4, technically. But really, Ages 1 - 100 will enjoy it, too.
Presented in the style of a musical stage production, Philadelphia Chickens is a compilation of songs covering a variety of off-beat topics, such as: an ode to out-of-reach cookies, an existential examination of the belly button, and the antics of a group of swingin' city chickens, to name just a few. The book features illustrations, lyrics and music for each song, and comes with a CD featuring the original recordings from such entertainment greats as Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep and Scott Bakula. Add in vocal performances from the Aaaardvarks, The Seldom Herd, and The Bacon Brothers, and the result is a ton of silly reading and listening and singing fun.
Wind in the Willows
Written by Kenneth Grahame
Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard
Ages 8 and up
Mole keeps a fastidious house, and usually he enjoys doing so, but one day during Spring cleaning, he's had enough. Craving something new, he sets off from his home in search of adventure. And he finds it in the form of Water Rat, who introduces Mole to the river life - exciting stuff for a Mole. Then, things get considerably more adventurous when Mole finds himself pulled into the goings-on of the infamous Mr. Toad, who has wild rides through the woods in (someone else's) motor car, endures a stint in jail, and finds himself in a tricky battle with weasels intent upon usurping Toad's fabulous abode for themselves. Through it all, mild-mannered Mole discovers he's made of tougher stuff than he imagined. And the adventures are exciting, just as he'd hoped. Still, he begins to pine for his quiet little life at home after a while. But, after taking the wild ride that is running about in company with Mr. Toad and friends, will Mole ever be able to return to his comparatively hum-drum life?
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So. That wraps it up for today. But before you go, I'll leave you with this:
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Today is the fourth and last Friday of September 2012, which means it is the last post for the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series. But take heart: We get to do this all over again in just 12 short months - with a whole new pile of books about wonderfully weird characters!
If you're new here, just click on the link in the paragraph above, and that will get you all caught up on the wonderful literary weirdness that has been an annual celebration here at Bugs and Bunnies since 2010. Then come back to this post to continue the fun.* * *
Back now? Great! Let's get going, shall we? So far, we've celebrated with three different categories:Today, we wrap up with:Activism, Or: Something to Believe In
These are characters who know what's right, and they know what's needed, and by golly, they're gonna find a way to make it happen.CLICK, CLACK, MOO Cows That Type, written by Doreen Cronin, pictures by Betsy LewinAges 5 to 7
Farmer Brown's cows found his old typewriter in the barn. He heard them click-clacking on the keys all day long, and he couldn't believe it. Cows that type? Impossible! He went down to check it out, and found a typed note on the barn door. The cows had a request: electric blankets, to ward off the cold of the barn at night.
When Farmer Brown read the note, he was incensed. First they're in there click-clacking on a typewriter all day, and now this? He typed out a note of his own: no blankets!
And that's when the cows went on strike...That Girl Lucy Moon, by Amy TimberlakeAges 9 to 13Lucy Moon has always been unafraid to fight injustice. Back in elementary school, she swooped in to save ants from magnifying-glass-wielding assassins. She supported animal rights...during hunting season. She wore her signature green-and-yellow, made-of-hemp hat every day to call attention to the plight of third world workers. She started petitions. She even organized protests. Lucy had gumption.But when she got to junior high, Lucy didn't feel any of that gumption. Being different in elementary school made a kid cool, but being different in junior high made a kid a misfit. Lucy didn't it understand it at all. Then came the afternoon of October 3rd. A wind tried to lift the hemp hat from her head. Her best friend Zoë Rossignol called Lucy out on her uncharacteristically meek response to a punishment they both knew was unfair. And two kids got arrested for sledding down Wiggins Hill. Rumor had it that it was Miss Ilene Viola Wiggins herself who demanded the arrests.When the Turtle Rock Times refused to run the arrest story, Lucy and Zoë smelled a cover-up – and Lucy's gumption came roaring back. But this fight for justice lands Lucy the label "bad influence," and soon her support system feels like it's falling apart. And then Lucy begins to wonder: Is the fight worth it?Neversink, by Barry Wolverton, with drawings by Sam NielsonAges 8 to 12
On the small island of Neversink, Lockley J. Puffin lives with his wife Lucy and his fellow auk colony, along with his two best friends: Egbert – a know-it-all walrus, and Ruby – a snarky hummingbird. It's a pleasant life, with plenty of fish and beautiful views.
But to the south, on the mainland of Tytonia, Rozbell has just been crowned king of the Owl Parliament. The owls face a dwindling food supply, and to solve the problem, the scheming Rozbell sets his sights on taking over Neversink. When the owls come, they embark on a path certain to destroy the auks' way of life. After several attempts to defeat the owls, it becomes clear that it's up to Lockley to save the colony.
But, can he?Chomp, by Carl HiaasenAges 10 and up
Wahoo Cray's dad, Mickey, is a professional animal wrangler in the Florida Everglades who's been unable to take any jobs since a frozen iguana fell from a palm tree and landed on his head. Wahoo helps keep things going, caring for the animals that live in the zoo that is the Cray's backyard.
Then along comes Derek Badger's reality TV show crew. They want to hire Mickey to wrangle animals for the show, "Expedition Survivial." Their offer is enough to cover the mortgage payment and then some, and Wahoo convinces his dad to take the job.
Derek shows himself to be far less than the survivalist he makes himself out to be on the show. Mickey's disgust for the man and his poor treatment of the animals, threatens to lose Mickey the job – and therefore the mortgage money – and it's left to Wahoo to smooth tensions.
Along the way, Tuna comes into the mix – a girl from Wahoo's school needing a place to hide from her abusive dad. Wahoo convinces Mickey to let them take her on the job with them. Then, when Wahoo, Tuna and Mickey are on location in the swamp with Derek and the crew, Derek gets chomped on the nose by a wild bat and goes missing – right as a huge storm is brewing.
And then as the search for Derek gets underway, Tuna's dad shows up...Here Lies the Librarian, by Richard PeckAges 10 and up
it's 1914, and fourteen-year-old Peewee McGrath lives with her big brother Jake. Their parents gone, they live on their own, running a struggling garage, and fending off the sabotage attempts of a rival garage in town run by the underhanded Kirbys. Peewee loves her independence, preferring to wear overalls and help Jake build his racecar to wearing dresses and doing "girl" things.
But then four female library students pull up to their station, their car in need of repair. When they return later to reopen the tiny town library that's been closed since the previous librarian died, Peewee gets to know the young women better. And soon she comes to discover that being female and being independent don't have to be two different things.* * *
Leave a comment or drop me an email – bugsandbunnies (at) verizon (dot) net – if you have suggestions for books to include in next year's series.
Remember Merriam-Webster's definition of weirdo? "A person who is extraordinarily strange or eccentric." There is a wide range of Weird in this world. Some of us are more so than others. We Weirdos may be different, but always remember: we are extraordinarily so.
Welcome to Installment #10 of the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series! Wondering what this is all about? Click the link above, and that will get you all caught up. Then come on back here, and we'll continue the wonderful literary weirdness.
Ah, there you are. Back for more? Fantastic!
For the past two Fridays, we've celebrated two installments full of books with wonderfully weird characters:This week's theme:
She Marches to the Beat of a Different Drummer
That's right: Girl Power! The girls/ladies in these books may not fit what other folks around them would call "normal," but they don't let that stop them from being who they are and doing things their own way.
Lucky Trimble never goes anywhere without her survival-kit backpack, to try and be prepared for anything. Having lost her mom in a freak accident, she has been abandoned by her dad, who left her in the care of his French ex-wife, Brigitte. They live in three aluminum trailers, connected by soldered passageways, in the hardscrabble town of Hard Pan, California: population 43. Life is not easy there, and money is scarce.
Lucky worries that Brigitte will tire of her and of life in Hard Pan and move back to France, making Lucky have to move to a foster home, because "The difference between a Guardian and an actual mom is that a mom can't resign." To ward off this situation, Lucky spends her time eavesdropping on the 12-step meetings of the "anonymous people" at the Found Objects Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center, hoping to discover the key to finding her Higher Power, so she can take control over her life.
Savvy, by Ingrid Law
Ages 8 and up
Thirteenth birthdays are a big deal in the Beaumont family, because that's the day their savvy first shows itself. For Mibs Beaumont, that day was nearly here. Her oldest brother, seventeen-year-old Rocket, could spark electricity. Her fourteen-year-old brother Fish could control the weather. And Grandpa Bomba could move mountains! Mibs is sure her own savvy will be something just as wild and wonderful as theirs, and she can't wait to find out what it is. But just before her big day, Poppa is in a serious car accident. Mrs. Beaumont and Rocket rush to the hospital to be with him, leaving Mibs, Fish, and their seven-year-old brother Samson at home. The preacher's wife, Mrs. Meeks, finds out what's happened, and comes over to take charge. When she realizes Mibs' birthday is nearly here, Mrs. Meeks is determined to throw her a very public party - not a good thing for a Beaumont about to turn thirteen. But Mibs is determined to find a way to get to the hospital. She's given up thinking her savvy will be something big and powerful, and instead is convinced that it will be something that will save Poppa.
Silly Sally, written and illustrated by Audrey WoodAges 4 to 7
Silly Sally is on her way to town, but she has a funny way of getting there. She walks, yes, but Silly Sally walks backwards...and upside down. Along the way she meets a few new friends, and together, they dance, leapfrog, sing and even sleep on their way to town. Wait. Sleep? Oh my! How will Silly Sally ever get to town sleeping backwards, upside down?
The Amelia Bedelia Treasury: Three Books by Peggy Parish, illustrated by Fritz Siebel and Barbara Siebel ThomasAges 5 to 7
Amelia Bedelia is Mr. and Mrs. Rogers' new housekeeper. Before going out for the day with her husband, Mrs. Rogers gives Amelia Bedelia a list of things to do. Wanting to do something nice for her employers, Amelia Bedelia first makes a special surprise for them. And then, she reads Mrs. Rogers' list, and follows it precisely as written.
When she sees, "Change the towels in the green bathroom," Amelia Bedelia grabs some scissors, and she changes those towels. When she sees, "Dust the furniture," she grabs a box of dusting powder from the bathroom counter, and Amelia Bedelia dusts that furniture. And she keeps going until she's finished every job on the list.
When Mrs. Rogers gets home and sees just how precisely Amelia Bedelia followed her instructions, she is ready to fire this new housekeeper on the spot. But just as Mrs. Rogers opens her mouth to say so, Mr. Rogers pops a spoonful of a most delicious dessert in his wife's mouth. It is the special surprise Amelia Bedelia had made for them that morning. But is it delicious enough to make Mrs. Rogers change her mind?The Mousehunter, written and illustrated by Alex MilwayAges 10 to 12
Twelve-year-old Emiline Orelia is mousekeeper for Isiah Lovelock, Old Town's most famous mouse collector and one of its wealthiest citizens. Emiline cares for her own Grey Mouse, named Portly, as well as all of the mice in Lovelock's vast collection. It's not a glamorous job, but Emiline is very good at it, and hopes one day to become a mousehunter, so she can go out and discover new and interesting mice.In Emiline's world, collecting and trading mice is valued above all else - but these are no ordinary field mice. There is the Sharpclaw Mouse: a sneaky, mischievous mouse with huge, dagger-like claws on its front paws that can slice through even wood and metal with ease. Or the Magnetical Mouse: prized by sailors for their bulletlike nose that always points due north. Or the Howling Moon Mouse: best known of all the howler mice, it howls only on nights with a full moon. And this is only to name a few. When Mousebeard, the most feared pirate on the Seventeen Seas, sinks Lovelock's merchant ship, Lovelock hires Captain Devlin Drewshank to hunt him down and capture him. Emiline overhears the deal and, seeing this as the chance of a lifetime, runs away and boards Drewshank's ship, excited to be on the adventure. The journey is a dangerous one, filled with pirates, and battles, and even sea monsters. And Emiline soon comes to realize that all is not exactly as she thought it was, and that no one she's met is exactly who she thought they were.* * *
Until then, I'll leave you with this:We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box.
- Robert Fulghum
All caught up? Great! Let's get going, shall we? Last week, our theme for Installment #8 was Classics...And Classic Twists. This week's theme is:
Strange Goings-On
To Catch a Mermaid, by Suzanne SelforsBoom Broom is a twelve-year-old with a lot on his shoulders. Ever since a freak twister touched down in Fairweather Island a year ago right in the Broom's front yard, and carried off Mrs. Broom, the family had never been the same. Mr. Broom refuses to leave the attic except for bathroom breaks, or to grab food prepared by the hired cook. The cook is a proud Viking descendant named Halvor who only prepars fish, fish, more fish, and thick black coffee. Mertyle, Boom's little sister, refuses to leave the house, inventing one sickness after another so she won't have to go to school. Boom refuses to let the twister alter his life and tries to carry on, but he still has to deal with his family's eccentricities, and with neighborhood bully Hurley Mump and his equally bully-ish family.
Then one day, Boom is sent out to get fish for dinner. He brings home a very odd fish salvaged from a reject seafood bucket down at the docks. When he and Mertyle discover the fish is no fish, but a real, live merbaby, things start to get interesting... The Apothecary, by Maile Meloy, with illustrations by Ian Schoenherr
It's 1952. February. With only a week to prepare, the Scott family makes a sudden move from Los Angeles, California to London, England. As her parents get started in their new jobs writing for a television show, fourteen-year-old Janie Scott finds herself trying to navigate her new school - and not feeling very good about it. But then she meets Benjamin Burrows, a boy with a defiant streak and dreams of becoming a spy someday. Benjamin's father is the local apothecary who had given Janie a curious homesickness remedy the day they'd arrived - a remedy which, to Janie's surprise, actually seemed to be working. When she and Benjamin go out on one of Benjamin's self-assigned spying missions, they soon discover that his father is no ordinary apothecary. Just before Benjamin's father goes missing, he charges them with protecting his mysterious book, the Pharmacopoeia, from falling into the wrong hands. But whose hands are those? What secrets does the book hold? And, can it help Janie and Benjamin find his father, before it's too late?
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
Jacob Portman loved listening to his grandpa's stories. And when he was just six years old, he decided to become an explorer, figuring it was the only way to have a life even half as exciting as his Grandpa Portman's had been. Soon, though, Jacob came to realize that most of Grandpa Portman's best stories couldn't possibly be true - especially the ones about his childhood. Those stories were about awful monsters he said were after him in Poland, where he was born; and about the Welsh children's home he was sent to when he was twelve, to escape those monsters. It was an idyllic place that kept kids safe from those monsters, he'd told Jacob, and that was protected by a wise old bird. Even more fantastic were the photos he'd show Jacob of the peculiar children there - an invisible boy, a levitating girl, a boy with two mouths, among others. The older Jacob got, though, the less he believed Grandpa Portman's stories, until eventually he stopped asking him to tell them.
When Jacob was fifteen, something terrible happened, and his world was turned upside down. Then, when he turned sixteen, Jacob received an unexpected gift from an unexpected giver, which contained an even more unexpected - and mysterious - item within. Soon after that, he found himself halfway across the world, on a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovered the ruins of a place called Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Jacob did some investigating, and very soon Grandpa Portman's "stories" began to take on a whole new - and ominous - meaning.
The Twits, written by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake
Mr. and Mrs. Twit live in a house with no windows - the better to keep out prying eyes. They're smelly, nasty, ugly, and mean spirited, and they play horrible practical jokes on each other. They smear HUGTIGHT sticky glue on the branches of their Big Dead Tree each night to capture birds for their Bird Pie supper, but consider having Boy Pie instead when they find four little boys stuck to the branch one morning. They keep a family of monkeys in their home, forcing them to do everything upside down, in case their idea for an upside down monkey circus ever comes to fruition. And no one has ever been able to stop them from doing the dastardly things they do.But one day, a new bird comes around. And the monkeys get bold. And soon, the monkeys and birds work together to turn the tables on those terrible Twits.Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, written by Judi Barrett, and drawn by Ron BarrettIn the tiny town of Chewandswallow, the weather came three times a day: at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But what fell from the sky wasn't rain or snow. Juice might fall at breakfast time, followed by some eggs and toast. For lunch, a storm of hamburgers might blow in. Dinner weather might bring lamb chops with peas and baked potatoes.
People watched the weather on morning TV to know what would be on the menu the next day. And if they were going to be outside, they carried a plate, cup, napkin, and silverware with them, so they were always prepared for whatever the weather brought. They even had a system for dealing with any leftovers. Everything was very orderly and well-run.
But one day, the weather changed. Sometimes, only one type of food fell - the whole day. Other times, a full meal fell, but none of it went together, and it ended up very unappetizing. Eventually, the food that fell began to get bigger. And bigger. And bigger. And soon, the town became overrun with giant food, and too much of it - way too much for them to handle. What's a town to do?
* * *
Before you go, I'll leave you with this:
Know what's weird? Day by day, nothing seems to change. But pretty soon, everything's different.
- Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes comics)
Come back next week for Installment #10, for some characters who have their own ways of doing things...
Today is the first Friday in September, and that can only mean one thing: it's time for the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series!
So, you might be thinking, what's a Wonderful Weirdo of Literature?And, If this is Installment #8, where are Installments #1-7? And, Where did I put my jelly doughnut? If you're indeed having such thoughts, then fret not. I can help you out. The short answer to your first question is:Every Friday in September, I post a round-up of kids' books I just love, with characters who are, well, characters. You know: the misunderstood, the eccentric, the quirky, the unique, the weird, the wacky. Those books might be picture books, or chapter books, or middle grade books, or young adult books.
The more detailed answer to your first and second question is:Visit the bulleted links below: - Wonderful Weirdos Day - In this post, you'll learn about the Little-Known Holiday that sparked the idea for the Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series here at Bugs and Bunnies. There's a genuine, dictionary definition of "weirdo," information about the holiday's founders, and some suggestions for how to celebrate the day, held annually on September 9th.
- Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series - This is the main page for the series. Here you'll find a brief explanation of how the series works, and links to Installments #1-7 from the previous two celebrations.
As for your third question? I'm afraid you're on your own with that one. But once your curiosity is satisfied (about the weirdo things, not the jelly doughnut thing), come on back to this post, so we can get things started for 2012.* * *
Back now? Wonderful! Let's get right to it, shall we?
In honor of all the Wonderful Weirdos among us, I present to you, Installment #8 of the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series. Since it was so much fun last year, I'm going with themes again this year. This week's theme:Classics...and Classic Twists
Kenny is a book-loving rabbit who lives with his farming mother and father. One day, his father bursts in from the sheep field in a panic, announcing that they must pack their things ASAP and light out of there, because he just saw a real, live, dragon! At the top of their very hill! After consulting his borrowed copy of a bestiary, Kenny persuades his parents to let him go check it out. Once he finally meets the dragon, he realizes the bestiary isn't entirely accurate concerning his new friend. But then the townspeople get wind of the dragon, and are so frightened that they prepare to rid themselves of it. Can Kenny show the townspeople that the dragon is not what they think? Or, will he have to make the impossible choice of saving a new friend, or saving an old one?
This is the story of a particular Nile crocodile, told by the crocodile himself. He lives a contented life in Egypt, a life of crocodilian leisure, until one day a famous stranger arrives, and his idyllic life is uprooted. He finds himself one of the objects Napoleon wishes to take back home to France. Once there, he lives a new life of leisure, with some celebrity thrown in, and he comes to love this life as well. But when Napoleon's interest wanes, the crocodile is in danger of being dinner, instead of eating dinner. What is a captive crocodile to do? How will he possibly escape this culinary fate?
Frog and Toad Together, written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel Frog and Toad are the best of friends. They do things together. They help each other when things go wrong. They have cookies together. They read together. They even have heart-pounding adventures together. And they definitely don't always do things the way you or I would. But in the end, their unusual ideas somehow end up working, even if it's not the way they expected those ideas to work. And isn't it more fun that way?
The House on East 88th Street, written and illustrated by Bernard Waber
The day Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Primm and their young son Joshua move into the house on East 88th street, they hear an unusual sound coming from somewhere in the house: SWISH, SWASH, SPLASH, SWOOSH. So Mrs. Primm goes to investigate. When she takes a peek in the bathroom, she finds the source of that sound: A crocodile! In their bathtub!
Then, an oddly dressed man arrives at the door, hands Joshua Primm a note, and leaves. Hector P. Valenti's note explains that the crocodile's name is Lyle, that he will only eat Turkish caviar, and that he can perform tricks. Will the Primms to welcome Lyle into their family?
The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-Be, written and illustrated by Mini Grey You know this story, right? Of course you do: Prince must find princess to wed. Prince just can't find the Right Girl. Prince's mother the Queen gets frustrated with Prince's fickleness. Queen devises a test: only the princess who can feel a tiny pea hidden at the bottom of a gargantuan pile of mattresses is worthy of marrying her son. Many princesses try and fail, until finally, one special princess passes the test. But, have you ever heard this story...from The Pea's point of view? * * *
I never set out to be weird. It was always other people who called me weird.
- Frank Zappa
Come on back next Friday, for Installment #9. There's gonna be some mighty strange goings on...
At last, we come to the last Friday in September. Which is also (sadly) the last day of the Second Annual Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series. Click the link in the previous sentence if you need to get up to speed. Then come back here and join in the final (for this year) frivolity.
The added twist for this year, instead of the inaugural year's general hodge-podge of wonderfully weird books, is Variations on the Overall Weirdo Theme. So far, we've frolicked through:Today's Variation reminds us that there's a little bit of weird just about anywhere you look. Even in places you'd think would be nothing but "normal" (whatever that means). So, without further ado, I present to you Installment #7:
Characters Who Just Might Remind You of Someone You Know
Ten-year-old Arthur's summer isn't starting out so well. His parents are arguing. And a new baby is coming. And nobody seems to be listening to him. But then one day, his parents take him to stay with Great-Uncle Wrisby and Great-Aunt Elda for the summer. When hard-of-hearing Uncle Wrisby grabs Arthur's hand and yells, "What would you like to talk about?" summer starts looking much more interesting.
Arthur meets Pauline - a chicken who loves French, and Bernadette - a pig who loves to be sung to. Aunt Elda introduces him to a mockingbird with no name, and Uncle Wrisby takes him to bargain with a trader named Yoyo Pratt. He finds new friends in Moira
Is it Friday already? Well, then it must be time for Installment #6 of the Second Annual Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series.
Whether you're new to Bugs and Bunnies, or simply new to BnBWWoLS, and you're wondering what all the fuss is about, click the "Wonderful Weirdos" link up there at the beginning of this post. Once you're all caught up, come on back here to continue the fun. * * *
And today, in Installment #6, our Variation on the Overall Weirdo Theme is:
Magic
Told by another farmer's daughter, this is the tale of Harvey Potter - a farmer who grows balloons. Folks in town don't know how he does it. And when old Wheezle Mayfield calls in the Government to check it out, they don't know how he does it, either. But there's no denying that Harvey Potter is growing 100%, genuine, pop-when-you-poke-'em-with-a-pin balloons. Itching to know how Harvey Potter grows those balloons of his, the girl decides to befriend him. She spends lots of time with him, and though Harvey Potter is pleasant enough, he never tells her his secret. All she knows for sure is, he only goes out to his fields at night. So one night, she climbs a sycamore tree
Welcome to the Wonderful Weirdos of Literature Series, Installment #5. Need some explanation? Click on the link in the first sentence to catch up. Then come on back here.
New to the BnBWWoLS in this, the second year of its existence, is Variations on the Overall Weirdo Theme. September 2nd's wonderful weirdness (Installment #4) was focused on Stinky in Name, Title, or Deed. * * *
This week will focus on The Anthropomorphic. You know: characters that are not people, yet behave just like us. They walk on two legs. They talk. They even wear clothes - though sometimes they just wear shirts and skip the pants. (Why is that, anyway?)But enough babbling from me. Let's get to the books, shall we?Chrysanthemum, by Kevin HenkesOn the day she is born, the tiny mouse's parents think she's absolutely perfect, which is why they give her an absolutely perfect name: Chrysanthemum. Once Chrysanthemum grows "old enough to appreciate it," she loves her name: how it looks and how it sounds. It's absolutely perfect - just like her. But when her very first day of school has come and gone, Chrysanthemum comes home with a very different perception. Will she ever again think her name is absolutely perfect? Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin HenkesLill
Today, on the actual Wonderful Weirdos Day: a brief break from the Wonderful Weirdos of Literature series. Rest assured, more books full of Wonderful Weirdos will continue next Friday. Just not today.
Why?
Because back in August, I came across this video from 2008, by Matt Harding, via a Wonderful Weirdos Day online article by Jamie Rhein all about travel weirdos. The video I found there touched my heart. I don't even know why. I just know it did. And it's too good not to share. (Parents - you will see the word "Hell" in the title, and at the end credits, but rest assured, it is not used in the video. It's just the name of Matt's website. Totally safe to let your kids watch.) This video is about five minutes long, and something you just have to see. Be patient. Watch the whole thing. In fact, expand it to full screen. Trust me:
Wondering what this is? Click on the link back at the beginning, and all will be revealed. Then come on back to this post, and we'll continue.
Back, then? Alrighty. So, in this inaugural year of the BnBWWoLS, Installment #1 contained books I've reviewed in full, with brief summaries and links to the full reviews. Installment #2 consisted of books I've read, but have not yet reviewed (though I hope to get that remedied in the future).
Which brings us up to date for today, and Installment #3 - more books I've read but not (yet) reviewed. However, there is one bonus: there are links to two authors below, which will take you not only to their author spotlights, but also to reviews I've written of other books of theirs.
Right, then. Off we go:
Chester is a child of habit. He always cuts his sandwiches just so, always gets out of bed on the same side, and is a stickler for double-knotting his shoes. Wilson is practically a carbon copy of Chester, making their best-friendship a no-brainer. The days go along perfectly predictably for Chester and Wilson, which is just the way they like it.
Great post, Kim! I've actually read most of these, but haven't heard of NEVERSINK.
Love CLICK CLACK MOO. One of the funniest picture books ever.