I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS-“Science is Real” (2009).

Indeed, I do love They Might Be Giants.  I love how their Here Comes series went from letters to numbers to science.  When you hear news of science being questioned from all sorts of places, it’s nice to have some super catchy songs to reinforce science fact.

“Science is real. From the Big Bang to DNA.”  It’s a great way to open an entire album full of interesting scientific knowledge (from the band who covered “The Sun is a Mass of Incandescent Gas,” which gets updated here into a more accurate lyrical song).  My kids love this album, and it makes me proud when they sing along to the great catchy, short songs contained within.  I especially love that the lyrics don’t eschew fun for truth:

I like the stories
About angels, unicorns and elves
Now I like those stories
As much as anybody else
But when I’m seeking knowledge
Either simple or abstract
The facts are with science.

This is a rocking guitar song, fun for the whole family.  Sing it with me…  “Science is real!”

[READ: December 4, 2011] Babymouse: Mad Scientist

I’m almost caught up to the Babymouse series!  This one even came out this year!!  There’s only the Christmas one left–wonder if I’ll be able to get it from the library in time.

This book also introduces a new character, Squish.  I actually found out about Squish before Babymouse, because I received a prepub of the first Squish book.  And now I get to see Squish’s origin story.

This was a really enjoyable book.  After reading the two music-themes ones, I was wondering if the Holms could keep up the interest for 14 books, but they really brought it back with this one.

After some funny jokes about science experiments (and the state of her room) we get a good fantasy sequence set aboard the USS Cupcake (with an unexpectedy funny Star Trek joke from the homeroom teacher).

And now they have a new science teacher (after the experiment went awry with their previous science teacher).  Mr Shelldon is obsessed, and I mean obsessed with molds.  He wants the class to enter the science fair (and encourages them to do research on molds!)

When Babymouse prepares to work on the science fair, she imagines some great discoveries of her own (like pencils that always have the right answer).  Her dad says she should work on amoebas (pay attention when helping dad get things out of the attic, Babymouse) and even gets Babymouse her own microscope.

There’s a number of good fantasy sequences here too: Attack of the 50-Foot Babymouse and a cool NASA one.  And then Babymouse puts her amoeba on her slide and lo: a spinoff is born!  Squish is a wisecracking amoeba (who is green, a shocking color choice in Babymouse’s otherwise pink and black world).

Babymouse has some long chats with Squish and finds him annoying at first but enjoyable as the days pass.  And she finds him amazing when he actually begins to eat her cupcakes!  Is this an amazing breakthrough in science?  Or at least a ribbon at the Science Fair?

The end of the book offers a number of new species like Little Brother Annoyingus and Meanus Girlus.  The end also has a preview of The Christmas Book and the first Squish book.

Jam packed with humor.  Good job, Babymouse.