I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: THE SHINS-“It’s Okay, Try Again” (2009).

“Sometime you win, sometimes you lose.  But it’s okay, you try it again.”

A simple idea that no kid will ever believe in no matter how many times he or she hears this song.  Nevertheless, the song is poppy and fun, it’s pure Shins and it is infectious.

The song also feels a lot longer than 2 minutes.  They have really packed a lot into their choruses and verses (and middle third).

Yo Gabba Gabba has been excellent at getting great bands to play simple quickie songs for their records (and shows).

[READ: May 16, 2014] Happy Birthday, Babymouse

It’s hard for me to believe that it took 18 books before Babymouse had a birthday!  I got a chuckle out of the fact that in the book it acknowledges that we don’t even know how old she is [and that they break the fourth wall, too].

As the book opens, Babymouse imagines a full-on Times Square countdown for her birthday.  But that only makes sense because every other birthday that she has had in recent years was a disaster (no idea what season it’s supposed to be in since the disasters span just about everything you can imagine).

But this year she is planning something epic–she sends out a mailbox-filling pile of invitations (including to people in the Squish series–nice cross platform mixing there).  Everyone gets invited except for the gnomes–“they’re too troublesome.”  Of course then comes the dreadful information–Felicia Furrypaws is having her party on the same exact day.  And it promises to be everything Babymouse dreamed her party would be.

And then the race is on, with Babymouse failing miserably to keep up with Felicia’s party plans (even a unicorn can’t compete).  She can’t even get her beloved cupcakes!

There’s a wonderful dream sequence in which Felicia becomes the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland (another idea that seems so obvious. it’s hard to believe it wasn’t used before).

On the big day, there is a disappointing turnout: the evil locker does come, as does a heretofore unseen (I think) character named Emu and all the Squish guys.  But that’s about it–even her best friends don’t come!

How can she face anyone on Monday?

Poor Babymouse.  I sure hope some of her dreams come true sometime.