Yesterday I began a list, ranking the ten Star Wars (live action/theatrically released in the U.S.) and four Indiana Jones movies, starting at the bottom with my least favorite #14. Today we talk about my second-to-least-favorite, #13. THE LAST JEDI (2017). Though it's low on the list, there's still a lot that I enjoy from … Continue reading Ranking the Star Wars and Indiana Jones Movies #13
Yesterday was the Blu-ray release of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, the 10th SW movie! Yes, yes, I know there's the Ewok spin-off TV movies and the Clone Wars animated film, but I'm talking about Star Wars movies that are both live action and theatrically released. (Come to think of it, though, if I remember … Continue reading Ranking the Star Wars and Indiana Jones Movies #14
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." In 1999 Hasbro gave us the first ever Admiral Motti action figure! (Hasbro had brought Star Wars figures back from extinction in 1995 with their "The Power of the Force" line.) In 1999, THE PHANTOM MENACE came out and Hasbro had two STAR WARS lines going at the … Continue reading Admiral Motti Action Figure
Books, toys, and writing belong together. The correlation between books and writing is obvious, but what about toys? As a kid, the first stories I created were from playing with toys. I made up dialogue between characters, gave them a problem to overcome, and while playing with siblings I tried extra hard to put comedy … Continue reading Books, Toys, and Writing
Arrrrgggghhhhh, today be Talk Like A Pirate Day. In honor of the day, let's discuss PIRATE PETE AND PIRATE JOE, an early-reader series written by Ann Cannon and illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. These books were released 2002 through 2006 by Penguin, under the Puffin and Viking imprints. In addition to the titles pictured above, … Continue reading “Pirate Pete and Pirate Joe” by Ann Cannon
Who remembers the CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE series from the '80s and '90s? This was an action-packed, free-spirited series where the main character was you. You were given choices throughout the book that would lead to different stories and different endings - some successful and some deadly. In one book (#5) you were a kid … Continue reading Choose Your Own Adventure
Today's topic: This guide, published by Krause Publications in 2014, is packed with information and pictures. Some figures are shown with their vintage packaging, as is the case with the original Leia figure, but most, sadly, are not. Still, this is a fantastic guide that shows variations, all the accessories, and more. In 1985 the … Continue reading Star Wars Vintage Toy Guide by Mark Bellomo
Dialogue is what a character says in your story. A dialogue tag is a short phrase that goes along with a line of dialogue that lets the reader know which character is speaking. For example: "Let's go to a movie," said Jennifer. DIALOGUE: "Let's go to a movie," DIALOGUE TAG: said Jennifer. Easy enough, right? … Continue reading Dialogue Tags
Here is one of my favorite picture books, written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein. It was published by Roaring Brook Press in 2003 and won the Caldecott Medal. It is the true story of Philippe Petit, who walked between the World Trade Center towers on a tightrope on August 7, 1974. (There is also a … Continue reading The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Do you want to see the complete PEANUTS comic strip on one shelf? You're welcome. The first PEANUTS strip came out October 2, 1950, and the final strip was released on February 13, 2000. You have to admire the dedication of Charles Schulz sticking to a daily comic schedule for nearly 50 years. My favorite … Continue reading The Complete Peanuts (1950 – 2000)
