Daisy Chains
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Which Tintin?
My wife, Sara, has never read any of the Tintin books. This is a cause for shock and amazement among the rest of the family -- especially the three kids. Each of them has read the Tintin books over and over and over again.
So we're trying to convince Sara to read a Tintin book. But which one? I'm suggesting The Calculus Affair. It has two of the funniest sequences in the whole series -- the one where Haddock and Tintin are hitchhiking, get picked up, and go on a wild ride with a crazy driver, and the one at the beginning, where Jolyon Wagg turns up for the first time.
It also has mystery, adventure, and a complicated plot with a clever ending.
If you're a kid and you've never read Tintin, I'm not sure The Calculus Affair is the best place to start. I think I would choose The Black Island instead. Tintin travels to Scotland, uncovers a plot by the bad guys, rescues an unfortunate gorilla, and meets a villain who will be very important in the later books. You can't go wrong with it.
My wife, Sara, has never read any of the Tintin books. This is a cause for shock and amazement among the rest of the family -- especially the three kids. Each of them has read the Tintin books over and over and over again.
So we're trying to convince Sara to read a Tintin book. But which one? I'm suggesting The Calculus Affair. It has two of the funniest sequences in the whole series -- the one where Haddock and Tintin are hitchhiking, get picked up, and go on a wild ride with a crazy driver, and the one at the beginning, where Jolyon Wagg turns up for the first time.
It also has mystery, adventure, and a complicated plot with a clever ending.
If you're a kid and you've never read Tintin, I'm not sure The Calculus Affair is the best place to start. I think I would choose The Black Island instead. Tintin travels to Scotland, uncovers a plot by the bad guys, rescues an unfortunate gorilla, and meets a villain who will be very important in the later books. You can't go wrong with it.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Vegetarian Vulture
OK. In my post about visiting Brier Island, I totally forgot about the kid (whose name I have already forgotten because I am terrible with names), who was nice enough to show me the comics he had written and drawn. (I think his name was Ben. I can picture him right now, mohawk and all -- I just can't remember his name!)
Anyway, Ben (if that's his name) has a hilarious series called "The Vegetarian Vulture." My favourite moment comes when the vulture approaches a terrified snail and tells him, "Don't worry, I'd rather have a ceasar salad."
If anyone from Westport School reads this, please hit the comment button or email me to let me know the right name.
Anyway, Ben (if that's his name) has a hilarious series called "The Vegetarian Vulture." My favourite moment comes when the vulture approaches a terrified snail and tells him, "Don't worry, I'd rather have a ceasar salad."
If anyone from Westport School reads this, please hit the comment button or email me to let me know the right name.
Labels: Comics by Kids, Neat stuff, Writers in Schools
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Lockeport
More travelling! I'm looking forward to a visit to Lockeport Elementary on Nova Scotia's South Shore on Friday. Lately, every school I visit, I meet kids with tons of amazing ideas for new stories. I wonder if Lockeport will be the same.
Labels: Chickadee, Daisy Dreamer, Writers in Schools
Westport
So, last Friday I spent the day in Westport, on Brier Island, Nova Scotia. 16 kids, two classes, and two seemingly amazing teachers, Krista and Kristen, who go out of their way to come up with interesting projects, and who really seemed to care about their kids.
Brier Island is an hour away from the nearest decent-size town (Digby) and you have to take two short ferry rides to get there. It's isolated, but not really isolated. Maybe it's that combination that has helped make this one special bunch of kids. They live in an absolutely gorgeous place, and they seem really proud of it. During the day, they mentioned all kinds of things they love about the island -- the smell of the sea, seeing the mainland on a clear day, the whales that come into the Bay of Fundy.
An upcoming Daisy Dreamer story is set very close to home for these kids, and I'll write more about that once it's been published.
Brier Island is an hour away from the nearest decent-size town (Digby) and you have to take two short ferry rides to get there. It's isolated, but not really isolated. Maybe it's that combination that has helped make this one special bunch of kids. They live in an absolutely gorgeous place, and they seem really proud of it. During the day, they mentioned all kinds of things they love about the island -- the smell of the sea, seeing the mainland on a clear day, the whales that come into the Bay of Fundy.
An upcoming Daisy Dreamer story is set very close to home for these kids, and I'll write more about that once it's been published.
Labels: Daisy Dreamer, Writers in Schools
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Brier Island
For some reason, most of my school visits through Nova Scotia's Writers in the Schools program are happening in spring. That means a few crazy weeks of driving around the province. Tonight I have to leave for Brier Island, where I'll be visiting the local school, which has all of 17 kids. Should be fun!
Labels: Writers in Schools