Growing up, we were definitely a Bédé family. "What on earth is a Bédé?!" you ask? In French, BD is short for Bande Dessiné — Comic Books. I’ve tried several times over the years to introduce the Olders to the worlds of Asterix and Obelix, and Tintin. Finally, this week they have totally glommed on to Tintin. Being holed up with colds and no TV in the house might have helped since they had plenty of time to really dig in.

Over the past two weeks I’ve borrowed just about every Tintin book from the library because Tomas and my (extensive) comic collection is all in French, Danish, and Swedish — very few English editions in the lot — it feels weird to buy the same books just to have ‘em in English. I’ll probably have to work that one out at some point…

I’m thrilled that our local library also has a good collection of Asterix comics, because they’ll be next on the list. I wonder if I can convince them to purchase Lucky Luke, The Smurfs (I way prefer the French name: Schtroumpfs), Spirou, Gaston la Gaffe…?

{You can click on the images above to preview the books on Amazon.com, you’ll also find many, many more in the collection!}

What’s that noise?
by Tomas Christensen

First Melissa posted a sweet, sweet comment here about Tomas’ book, AND THEN (!) she posted a great review on her blog! (!!)

Aside from this rotten cold I’ve been battling, Life Is Good

Henrietta, There’s No One Better
by Martine Murray

Before bed tonight, we read this great (really great!) book that had us all in stitches.

Little Henrietta has a baby brother. We have a baby brother. Henrietta is adventurous (sometimes naughty). We are, too! She has a lovely imagination. (!). She knows what she wants, and what she does not want. How could you not be drawn to a child who Does Not want to be a King because kings can’t fart? (!?).

The funniest similarity for us was getting to a page where she talks about her Dad and their dog both liking to lie out on the couch. The illustration has Dad lounged out across a big red couch, the dog curled by his knees, and Henrietta hanging over the end of the couch. I looked up from the book & there, on our big red couch, was Tomas fully stretched out with crossword in hand, dog curled up by his knees, and Miss M sprawled out at his feet, listening raptly to the story.

The illustrations are lovely and whimsical, and the story is told from the perspective of a precocious little girl. Both my olders (8 and 6) hung on to every word, and laughed their butts off at the silliness of it. We unanimously recommend this one

Someone bought TEN copies of Tomas’ book this morning!

10!!!

It makes me so happy to know that ten kids will get to giggle over the holidays

>> Click here to read it online

[Update: OY! It was his Mom & Dad! -- I'm still thrilled tho', 'cause I know they'll get handed out to a bunch of lucky kids]

Thanks to Lulu.com we’ve self-published Tomas’ book “What’s That Noise”!

>> Click here to order your copy now!

The book is written and illustrated by him. When Miss M was little, and we would hear a loud sound, she would always ask “What’s that noise?” This book is Tomas’ answer.

We’ve “test marketed” the book with M&B’s friends with great success (and lot’s of grins & giggles). With oddball answers and colorful illustrations this book is popular with kids aged 2 to 9 years old.

We set up hard cover and  paperback versions of the book because we realize that while the hard cover is soooo much nicer, the price point is a bit of a stretch (it is for us at least!). Check it out and see if the kids in your life might like this for Christmas (or Hanuka, or a birthday, or…)

>> Click here to preview the book.

>> And click here to order yours now!

Wheee!