Tag Archives: books

The boring parent

Posted on September 22, 2011 by badgermama

For the past few weeks I’ve been injured and/or ill, and not the most entertaining parent. The most I was able to do was drive Moomin to the library. For a few weekends we just laid around reading. We both … finish reading The boring parent

Posted in Books, Comics, Travel | Tagged , , | 167 Comments

Reading Gilgamesh

Posted on August 13, 2011 by badgermama

Today I picked up Moomin and we went to the community center pool for the afternoon. I got a ton of work done while he messed around in the pool and read one of the Redwall books, then I played … finish reading Reading Gilgamesh

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Dawn with her fingertips of rose

Posted on July 7, 2011 by badgermama

We are still reading The Odyssey at bedtime, and since that just happened it’s what I’ll talk about! But here’s the quick catch-up news: I haven’t had Moomin here a whole lot this summer – I went to WisCon, then … finish reading Dawn with her fingertips of rose

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | 110 Comments

Thundertail! she meowed

Posted on February 16, 2011 by badgermama

I read a bunch of Moomin’s books while I was sick, including ones I’d rejected before for being annoying. After a couple of those Warriors books about housecat clans in a forest, I got kind of excited about writing a … finish reading Thundertail! she meowed

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | 147 Comments

The moment of school dropoff

Posted on January 11, 2011 by badgermama

Every time I drop Moomin off at school I feel a sentimental pang as he walks away, looking so self-possessed and independent and alone, trundling his giant backpack on wheels. These days, he looks a bit cool and teenagery. Just … finish reading The moment of school dropoff

Posted in Books, Parenting | Tagged , , , | 364 Comments

Reading Watership Down

Posted on December 6, 2010 by badgermama

Watership Down is our new bedtime reading book. Moomin and I started it last night. I gave him two warnings: it’s intense, and it sometimes has long boring descriptions of scenery. My pitch for the book was basically the book … finish reading Reading Watership Down

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | 58 Comments

The Mystery of Air Waffle Inn

Posted on December 3, 2010 by badgermama

Tonight at bedtime Moomin and I read the title story in The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales by Virginia Hamilton. During the bit where there is an evil guy whipping one of the characters who has a baby strapped … finish reading The Mystery of Air Waffle Inn

Posted in Books, Parenting | Tagged , , , | 131 Comments

Analysis of Prospero’s speech

Posted on October 27, 2010 by badgermama

Tonight as we cast about for something new to read I decided it was Time for Shakespeare. Moomin’s school just put on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which he had mixed feelings about! I wanted to read The Tempest because it … finish reading Analysis of Prospero’s speech

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | 40 Comments

Reading with kids: Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Posted on October 16, 2010 by badgermama

For bedtime reading, Moomin and I are reading Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, one of my favorite kids’ books. It has a lot of great scope for imagination as its hero David climbs the stairs in a creepy ruined mansion … finish reading Reading with kids: Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Posted in Books, Parenting | Tagged , , | 43 Comments

Kids and houseboats

Posted on October 5, 2010 by badgermama

Guest post today from Moomin! He wrote about our liveaboard life for a school report and it didn’t come out sounding like this guy’s. It’s good to know that Moomin noticed the old sailmaker was a bit “off” since actually … finish reading Kids and houseboats

Posted in Boats!, Books | Tagged , , , , , | 65 Comments

Meme Day: Kittens Inspired by Kittens

Posted on September 30, 2010 by badgermama

This week’s meme is the “Kittens Inspired by Kittens” video! It’s a funny YouTube video, great for kids, from 2008 of a little kid about 6 years old, Maddie Kelly, pretending to read a book called Kittens. Each photo gets … finish reading Meme Day: Kittens Inspired by Kittens

Posted in Humor | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

Free in the sea!

Posted on September 7, 2010 by badgermama

Tonight while we were reading 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea we got to one of my favorite parts of the book. Captain Nemo gave a little speech about how much he loves the sea, where he’s free from unjust laws. … finish reading Free in the sea!

Posted in Boats!, Books, Creativity | Tagged , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Stalking the wily narwhal: Reading the classics aloud with children

Posted on August 26, 2010 by badgermama

Tonight I started reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Moomin. We skipped a bit of the first chapter’s exposition. Moomin commented a lot on the long sentences that go on till you forget what they’re about. I think it … finish reading Stalking the wily narwhal: Reading the classics aloud with children

Posted in Boats!, Books | Tagged , , , , | 35 Comments

Treasure Hunts with Puzzles: The warmup

Posted on May 23, 2010 by badgermama

Moomin had two parties this year; one big one at his dad’s house and a small treasure hunt at the houseboat. He had read and immediately re-read the Elizabeth Enright book “Melendy Maze: A Spiderweb for Two”, which has a … finish reading Treasure Hunts with Puzzles: The warmup

Posted in Parties! | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

A monstrous great brute of a heron

Posted on May 12, 2010 by badgermama

Here’s a quick book-reading update! We’ve been reading Swiss Family Robinson lately, continuing our nautical theme. Moomin’s also re-reading Swallows and Amazons, and he’s well into The Edge Chronicles, Volume 2. He read a volume of the Moomintroll comics, some … finish reading A monstrous great brute of a heron

Posted in Boats! | Tagged , , , , , | 24 Comments

All about tiger mice

Posted on March 5, 2010 by badgermama

Three years ago, Moomin wrote a book: About Tiger Mice. I noted his comment on the title at the time. “I was going to call it ‘All About Tiger Mice’ but there’s a lot to say about them and I … finish reading All about tiger mice

Posted in Creativity | Tagged , , , , | 48 Comments

Axe Cop and the Space Station

Posted on March 4, 2010 by badgermama

Axe Cop is a comic book story written by a 5 year old and illustrated by his 29 year old brother. In episode 1, Axe Cop and Flute Cop team up to fight some dinosaurs and Flute Cop turns into … finish reading Axe Cop and the Space Station

Posted in Comics | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Plans for the Coot Club

Posted on February 15, 2010 by badgermama

We’re reading Arthur Ransome’s The Coot Club, continuing our nautical theme. The kids in The Coot Club are boys and girls in a range of ages who sail around small rivers in the Norfolk Broads, having incredibly mild and realistic … finish reading Plans for the Coot Club

Posted in Boats! | Tagged , , | 45 Comments

We’re on a boat!

Posted on January 6, 2010 by badgermama

A month ago I moved onto a houseboat at one of the marinas in my town on the San Francisco Bay. The boat doesn’t go anywhere, but it’s awesome. Moomin and I are now “liveaboards”. Here’s Moomin looking out of … finish reading We’re on a boat!

Posted in Boats! | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Mittens on a string

Posted on October 16, 2009 by badgermama

Moomin was reading Farmer Boy this afternoon and came kind of starry eyed to ask me, “You know how Almanzo has mittens, connected by a string, that go up through the sleeves of his coat and around his neck and … finish reading Mittens on a string

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments