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New Article: Book Reports. Plus Turtle Comms!

If you can believe the rumors, there might be a new, normal, regular X-E article up. Book Reports is its name, and its game is reviewing five different children's books that for one reason or another manage to make me turn glee into a verb and glee my way to Happyland. Everything from the Berenstain Bears to the Jolly Green Giant to God and dinosaurs, all in one space, with yummy parchment background. Enjoy.

In other news, I received a package the other day from my editor at Box Office Magazine, and assumed it was just another in a long line of "generic" gifts companies send to their clients and cohorts. This would've been fine by me: A gift is a gift. But something tells me that vintage TMNT Turtle Comms aren't something companies send in mass to their contacts...

As it turns out, my editor had this baby and figured I might like it, and I figure she's right, because I somehow never landed myself a Turtle Comm toy in all my years of Turtleing. It's neat. Comes with all of these character cards with specific Morse codes that let you contact them, or at least, let you pretend you're in contact with 'em. I can't believe I now have the means to play Walkie Talkie with Usagi Yojimbo, and this is definitely the kind of gift that'll get me to lower my rate on articles written at 3 AM the night before a 9 AM deadline. Thanks, C!

She even included a note saying that she liked the 2005 Advent Calendar, which is my perfect segue into answering the question of a few who asked: Yes, it's been archived, and it can be found here. Will put the archive on the headlines list on the main page as soon as I write up the descriptions.

3 Stupid Things I'm Currently Into:
1) King Kong lore. Bit by the bug after seeing the remake (which was excellent), I've been immersing myself in All Things Kong. I'm really fascinated with the many interpretations of what goes on on Skull Island, and that's reason enough to see virtually all Kong-related films ever made. Next on my list is Son of Kong, and from what I've read, I think this will be one to review on the site.

2) Metroid Prime Pinball, for the Nintendo DS. Bought this baby with a Christmas gift certificate, because the holidays are the only time my video game library ever grows. This is one addictive little bitch. I'm a sucker for virtually every pinball game I've ever played, and this one doesn't disappoint. The Metroid theme is in more than just music and graphics, too. Heck, you don't shoot a ball, you shoot a rolled-up Samus who occassionally spreads out ot shoot demon bats with high energy beams. Between this and Mario Kart, I have found my offerings to the gods of procrastination.

3) The Secret Life of Lobsters. I'm really not sure where this book is going yet. It's obstensibly about the lobsters of Maine, but I may have been tricked into reading a novel about fisherman and scientists trying to find common ground. Not really sure yet, but they dangle the big claws often enough to keep me interested.

Posted by Matt on 01/04/2006. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 194 comments

If you’re looking for pink popcorn, you can go here. It’s not exactly pink, but they do have rainbow oooooo.

http://www.popcornpalace.com/index.cfm?fa=prod.refills&

Now Matt’s new mission in life can be completed.

Chestnuts roasted by J @ 01/05/2006 9:54 AM

I loved this book report article! One of my favorites in a long time! OK, so it’s one of the only in a long time, but that doesn’t diminish it’s greatness. I’m 26 and I still buy and read old children’s books all the time!

Also, you can get pink popcorn at Salem Willows (fake amusement type park) here in Salem, MA. It’s Wintergreen flavored!

Chestnuts roasted by B-Dawg @ 01/05/2006 9:57 AM

I liked Actual Factual Bear, he dressed like a beatnik Carl Sagan.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 01/05/2006 12:09 PM

Great book reports, Matt! I was thrilled to see the Berenstein Bears on there. I liked that one a lot and the Too Much T.V. book. We had a lot of them as kids or I took them out of the library and was very sad to hear that Stan Berenstein passed away recently. thanks for the trip down memory lane and hope your eyes are better and back to their natural color!!

Chestnuts roasted by Melissa Y @ 01/05/2006 12:51 PM

Kidneyboy–you’re ok as long as you don’t become exposed to chicken pox. That seems to run rampant during the summer. I had an ear infection two weeks before I got the shingles, and in that time I may have been exposed to chicken pox. Not sure who though. Just be careful, especially during the summer–are you immuno-compromised b/c of ur kidney transplant??? You’re eligible for the vaccination I think.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 01/05/2006 1:03 PM

Yes, a new vaccination for the shingles was approved last year–I don’t think I can get the vaccination b/c I had it already, but once you have had it you’re not likely to get it again. I’ve had relatives who had it, and they never had it again. *Knocks on wood*.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 01/05/2006 1:06 PM

Nice book report. I was always fond of the Gremlins storybooks that came with the little seven inch records. Sure, the left out some of the more PG-13 parts of the movie, but they were great additions to one’s Gremlins collection.

Chestnuts roasted by Quammy @ 01/05/2006 1:07 PM

Did anyone see this yet? I posted the link last night.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/2005/12/supermichaelbros.html

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 01/05/2006 1:07 PM

First, Matt, Troll Book Club, holy crap that brought back memories. Sometimes I would buy books for the sake of handing in that cool order form.

Second, Too Much Junk Food, is also my fav BB book. The junk food looked so wonderful. I always wanted my junk to look that delectable.

Chestnuts roasted by Geoffinsanity @ 01/05/2006 1:11 PM

They actually made a fifteen minute episode of Too Much Junk Food on the BB T.V. Show which I saw recently. Obviously they didn’t make an episode of Too Much T.V.
Remeber that one where they come up with the chore list? That was totally unfair. I hate Mama Bear, she’s a terrible mother and Papa should leave her.

Okay, I’m going to get my dopey feet out of your face now.

Chestnuts roasted by Lucky Redlightbulbs @ 01/05/2006 2:54 PM

I always loved children’s books that had maps in them. What sticks out in my mind right now is (are?) the Sweet Pickles books. It showed the whole neighborhood and where everyone lived. I can’t remember what any of the books were about, but I loved that map. I used to look at it and imagine driving down the imaginary streets and which streets I would take to get from one place to another. There’s no way I can justify it and make it sound like I wasn’t a weird kid. I was. Now I’m just a weird adult.

Chestnuts roasted by Lori @ 01/05/2006 4:10 PM

Sweet Pickles books were MY FAVORITE! They had a different animal for each letter of the alphabet, I think. God, i hadnt thought about that forever…click my name, it lists them all…but sadly, none of the psychedelic pictures.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/05/2006 4:45 PM

holy hell, that makes me want to just track them all down and re-buy them. i bet they were still in my parents attic till like 3 years ago when they sold their house. sick.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/05/2006 4:48 PM

‘k, i just cant seem to stop. sorry.

does anyone (in their late 20′s) remember a set of books that had semi-biographical stories about famous people, but each person had a little imaginary sidekick that personified a character trait? yes, you are probably thinking WTF if you dont know what I’m talking about. there was a whole set of them. i remember there was one about marie curie and i think her sidekick was a little guy shaped like a test tube. they were about people like abraham lincoln, albert schweitzer, harriet tubman, etc.

anyway, they were my second nerdy favorite, after sweet pickles books.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/05/2006 4:56 PM

I had that Berenstein Bear book in my youth and I too fantasized over what the fucking hell was that junk food. It must be good, the kids and that oaf father are eating it by the truckloads! I too went to catholic school, except on tuesday nights, which is waaayyy worse than saturday mornings I tell you.

Chestnuts roasted by Reid @ 01/05/2006 5:00 PM

Schroeder- YES! I do remember those, although I can’t help you with the name of them. It was a great way for kids to read about boring people and learn things- I read the Marie Curie one, and also one about Louis Pasteur, the milk pasturization guy.

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 01/05/2006 5:13 PM

Matt: The Spinosaurus can kick T-Rex butt. Or didn’t you see Jurassic Park 3?

I loved The Berenstein Bears books. Other series I enjoyed were Ramona, Curious George, and DEFINATELY Encycopedia Brown. Are Golden Books even made today? They made plenty though. Also had a Turtlecom. It was cool for about ten minutes before boredom set in.

Always wanted a Teddy Ruxpin but never got one. Surprised it hasn’t made a nostalgic comeback, although obviously technology has grown so Teddy wouldn’t stand a chance today.

I loved Press Your Luck when USA Network showed gameshows. This is probably the only time when I actually rooted for contestants to lose because the Whammies were so damn cool. The new version wasn’t bad, but lacked that spark of the original.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 01/05/2006 5:13 PM

Scrhoeder- I also sorta remember those things. I don’t remember the sidekick part, but I did read one on Dr. Seuss and the teacher who died in the original Challenger explosion.

Does anyone remember Zoobooks? Those were great. They still get pimped on tv occaisionally. The Troll Book Club ruled.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 01/05/2006 5:17 PM

BTW, CCD stands for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. I had to go on Wednesday nights. Boo.

Chestnuts roasted by J @ 01/05/2006 5:20 PM

Wow, "fraternity"? The place must have been jumpin’! ;)

Somewhere in the basement is a whole stack of old Berenstein Bear books, including the four released exclusively to McDonalds at the time: Life with Papa, the one where they get rude beaver neighbors, and two others I don’t remember.

There WAS a point in the early 90′s when Stan and Jan tried Bear books for an older audience. Brother Bear was faced with drug pushers. I’m serious.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 01/05/2006 5:39 PM

Allison

Sorry to threadjack…but I came acros your posts from a few months ago detailing your sadness at Paul Deanno’s departure from Philly.

I worked at CBS3 during the time you interned (I was Bob Kelly’s producer) until their traffic service, Metro, laid me off at the end of September. And Paul was always one of my favorite people there…he ruled in every way possible. Once he made a reference to "Transformers" on the air I knew he was kickass.

I can’t wait until he gets situated in Miami; he’s getting an email from me the second it becomes available on the website. So far nothing yet. I’ve already told my friend Dan’s mom, who was relocated to Miami 3 years ago, to start watching NBC6.

Chestnuts roasted by Mike @ 01/05/2006 5:49 PM

Oh my god!! Mike! I remember you! How are you?! How did you know it was me? That is really cool. Where you at now? I’m attempting to get an advertising job right now–got a few leads going. Trying to get into the creative end of advertising. fun fun fun.

BTW, everyone–I got an interview on Monday in Center City Philly at an ad agency! Apparently, they got my resume 5 months ago when I emailed it.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 01/05/2006 7:06 PM

whoah… I’m surprised that Sprout never had an adventure on NES.

Chestnuts roasted by Eddie Lightning Frog @ 01/05/2006 7:09 PM

J, I had CCD on Thursday nights– first grade through 8th. In 7th and 8th, CCD was taught at people’s houses b/c there wasn’t enough room in the church basement. My dad taught it in 7th and 8th grades.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 01/05/2006 7:10 PM

Schroeder, those books you’re talking about are the Value Tales. I used to have three of them about Abe Lincoln, Louis Pasteur, and Cochise.

Lucky, the book with Mama Bear punishing everyone with chores was "Forget Their Manners". I wonder how she enforced those rules anyway. Maybe when we weren’t looking, she threatened her family with a 10-gauge for non-compliance.

Chestnuts roasted by Bert Raccoon @ 01/05/2006 7:14 PM

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