Goat on the Go: Scout's Muddy Day

This is 100% true. I know Scout. Scout is a real goat. He lives on the same farm my goats Brickey and Moppet are housed at. One of Brickey's oldest and best friends, my family and I have had our share of adventures with Scout. When Scout's mom, author Natalie Horseman recounts how Scout escapes from his pen one day for a glorious adventure exploring his home farm, I can attest with my own eyes seeing Scout escape his pen on a number of occasions!

It's hard to believe Scout was ever so little! A Nigerian Dwarf goat, he ironically dwarves the other adult goats at the farm, being almost double fellow ND Brickey's size! To this day, Scout still thinks of himself as a little goatie and like in this adventure, it gets him into mischief!

It was great getting to see many of Scout's friends in this book. Everyone who visits the farm knows Ms. Luna. She's a silkie black pup that makes sure that all the farm goats stay in line and in their pens. Although, in this book, in order for her face and body to stand out more, artist Cosette Alcade adds some gray and white to Luna's coat. It's amazing to see Luna in action and how just the sight of her will make other goats immediately run to enclose themselves in the nearest pen! In this book, there's also a highland cow, some piggies, a few guineas and lots of goats that despite name changes, I recognized immediately from my nearly 3 years of weekly (or more) check-ins with my herd.

I cannot wait to share this book with all the little ones in my life. Scout's adventure is heartwarming and fun. Plus, if those kiddos ever come to the farm with my wife and I for a visit, it will make that experience that much more fun getting to meet the real life Scout!

Goat on the Go: Scout's Muddy Day is currently available on Kindle and in paperback.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 62 / Everybody Poops by Taro Gomi (Family Comic Friday)

For those of young who only read my posts 'A Madman Turns 40', on Fridays, I publish an review of children's books and graphic novels called 'Family Comic Friday.' Today's post combines both Madman and FCF for a look at a very bizarre children's book from 1977: Everyone Poops.

    It's the summer of 1995. My sister and two young kids from across the street are enrolled in a summer reading program at the local library. I would tag along with my mom and them and I'd stroll around the library while they had fun. Afterwards, they'd all check out books to take home and read.

    One day, one of the kids, named TJ, showed us a book that he checked out called 'Everyone Poops.' Well, having a wicked sense of humor, I just had to read it to the gang on the drive back home. 

     The book is pretty graphic. It's got everybody pooping- Whales, birds, dogs, even a human child. It's sure insanity and it's become a cult classic.

I don't think a single animal is left out of this insane book.

     The book was written in 1977 by Japanese children's author Taro Gomi. That should be explanation enough right there. The Japanese are fascinated by poop and pee. They've created cartoon characters that have been licensed to everything from diapers to juice boxes. It's a real (bizarre) obsession.
  
    Originally titled 'Minna Unchi', the book has been translated into dozens of languages. It's even been made into an animated short film and somebody even got the smooth voiced Morgan Freeman to recite the entire book! (I want to give that person an award for artistic genius.)

Yes- Potty Humor!

    Very tongue-in-cheek, this book is still some delicate stuff. If out in the hands of a much older brother (like me) it could be some dangerous stuff. But Everyone Poops has been hailed as a classic that has helped erase some of the stigma behind going #2.

I kid you not- this is a companion book to the 1977 cult classic.

     Well, that's my look at my favorite year for today. Until tomorrow, keep the noises to a minimum and maybe light a match or use some air freshener or something...

     Worth Consuming

     Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Howard B. Wigglebottom Listens to a Friend: a Fable About Loss and Healing (A Family Comic Friday Extra)

 You're probably asking 'Hey Madman, this isn't a comic book- so why are you reviewing it?' Well, I recently won this book as a giveaway on goodreads.com. Goodreads is a website for bibliophiles to be able to track and record their reading journals and book collections. Plus, there are tons of contests to win free books- including graphic novels and comic books; which is how I got attracted to the site.

   Howard B. Wigglebottom is a kind-hearted rabbit whose friend Kiki is acting very weird. She's pushing people, yelling at them, and crying. When Howard finds out that a very special friend of her's passed away, he very much wants to make her happy again. So how can Howard and friends help Kiki without making things worse?

   This is the latest volume in the Howard B. Wigglebottom series. The books are written by Howard Binkow and Reverend Ana of the We Do Listen Foundation. The organization is comprised of educators, artists, and licensed therapists in hopes of making serious issues relatable for children. This book tackles the extremely tricky subject of death and it does a very good job of making it understandable. Even better, they work to make the subject no longer frightening and not to be treated as taboo. The back of the book even includes a study guide for parents and educators to better broach the subject with children.

    The 15 books in the Wigglebottom series can be purchased on Amazon. But to garner the full effect, I recommend you check out We Do Listen's website.There you can check out free animated versions of select titles, songs, activities, and much more. You can even buy copies of all of the books for only $6 apiece or you can get all 15 volumes for only $75!

   A great teaching guide and storybook for children under the age of 10.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.