Kids in the library, Vol. 2

Mouse Guard by David Petersen

I’ve recently discovered graphic novels for kids, so you’ll be seeing a lot of that genre today. Hope my list inspires you to look for these or to go on your own treasure hunt at the library.

These are labeled graphic novels, with some being more “graphic-like” than others. The difference is in the quality of the illustrations, some are more like a cartoon. The kids aren’t too picky; must be a mom thing.

Blackbeard’s Sword (The Pirate King of the Carolinas) by Liam O’Donnell

Wind Power Whiz Kid by Scott Nickel

Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime by Aaron Reynolds

Tiger Moth (The Dung Beetle Bandits) by Aaron Reynolds

My favorite of the bunch – I would love to own this one – the illustrations are fabulous and with a story to hold attention: Mouse Guard (Fall 1152) by David Petersen.

The lone, non-graphic novel:

Attack of the Video Killer Video Book (Tips and Tricks for Young Directors) by Mark Shulman and Hazlitt. I got this one for my girl who keeps saying she wants to make movies, but she didn’t go for it. So, I’m going to read it myself. I could use more skills with my Flip.

What treasures did you find in your library recently?

Here there be chickens

It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged about our chickens. In my last Chicken Update, our new chicks had commandeered my mud room. For those of you not in the know: chicks are LOUD. Even louder than four children playing hide-and-go seek in the house because it’s too hot to play outside.

Here’s my Edmund with one of the girls:

boy with chicken. Hen Wen, perhaps?

Don’t let her reclining position fool you; I’m sure she’s plotting her escape.

Thankfully, chicks grow a lot faster than kids and I was able to reclaim the living spaces for the human members of the family. The chicks got bigger (think: if chickens were teenagers) with more feathers for warmth and physical bulk to hold their own when in battle with the old hens. Just like on a school yard playground, there really is a pecking order. The younger birds had their own section of the chicken coop for a month or two, but now are fully integrated into the flock.

We only practice chicken segregation for a little while around here.

Furious the Rooster (I don’t name them; I’m just the mommy blogger recording all this to remember 20 years from now) will soon be sexually mature and he’s working furiously (ha!) on his crow. Poor Furious, his first attempts at manly chicken behavior have been quite pitiful.

I’ll have to try to capture it on video – then I’ll be a Chicken Vlogger!

That’s King Furious on the far left. Click to enlarge.

in the coop

This last picture has nothing to do with chickens:

with my tween

Amazing! This is a rare photograph of the creature known as Mommy (a.k.a Mom) with the resident tween who dwells in the land of Don’t Take My Picture. Nice to know she will co-operate for her brother. I’ll ignore the fact that I have a bit of death grip on her preventing her from running away.

Stay tuned for more chicken posts. I’ll update on their progress again when they start producing eggs.