Book Notes October 29, 2026

 

Welcome to another edition of Book Notes!   I've created a new comic series about a mystery book group called The Deadly Readers.  I'm using the comic generator Make Belief Comix to create these.  I hope you enjoy them!  I'm not basing it on the group I belong to, but it's more of an amalgamation of what I read in  book reviews and promotions these days.

 

 

Book Review  The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson

 

In the sixth Stevie Bell mystery, ace amateur detective Stevie is 18, and soon to graduate with no plans for the future at all.   She doesn't want to go home for the holidays so lands in a tiny New York apartment with her writer friend Nate who needs to finally finish his novel by the New Year.

She and Nate are immediately pulled into the community of the apartment building they're in.  Stevie, who is at loose ends, has more time to get to know people.  As happens, a couple of the residents recognize her from past mysteries she has solved.  Soon there's a dead body and a mystery involving a cult that existed in upstate New York in the 1970s, a cult who made frequent trips into New York City to liberate money and belongings from wealthy victims via a choreographed pick pocketing scheme.

There's a coziness to the tale because of the Christmas season and the easy friendship offered by the residents in Stevie's time, and the only on the surface sunny and self sufficient cult of the 70s.  

I love this series. 

Five Things Friday February 14, 2025

 Happy Valentines! Don’t forget the chocolate cake! 

What would your mom put on a candy heart?

I didn’t watch this cartoon much, but I sure know the laugh.

There’s something about this picture that really captures what a great time these women were going to have on their Sunday drive. 

I saw the movie Them one summer night long ago and despite the hokey special effects, it really scared me. Maybe the way they moved or the sound they made.

The Cat Star! 

Five Things Friday November 29, 2024

 When the first thing your spouse says to you is that it’s Friday and there’s no Five Things zzzzzzzz.  I have been a fiend getting ready for Thanksgiving, and now a little break before I go into Christmas mode. Posts late, but present, check.

One:Thanksgiving was good, all the food, all the cleaning and organizing, but it wasn’t THIS perfect.

Two:  I finally found a tasty yet simple recipe for Apple Strudel. It is a nice alternative to apple pie. 

Three: My husband was Mr. Perfecto for the holiday so no reflection on him.

 Four: ‘Tis the season for shopping and hiding gifts as needed.  

Five: Your weekly Vintage Christmas display.  I’m not a fan of Jadeite, the green serving ware, but it does have some charm when added to a Santa display.

Pointless

 

Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Cartoonified Sort Of

 Part of it in any case.  We read this aloud in school, the entire thing, taking turns going around the room.  There's a link for the full poem below.  Happy Wednesday!

https://poets.org/poem/evangeline-tale-acadie

Cartoon Thursday: At The Dentist, With The Drill...

 Yay! I found a new cartoon maker!  And I was at the dentist this week.

Created with   https://www.toonytool.com/

Milking the Story

I haven't read any of the Bone comics, but Scholastic has a Bone Comic Maker with fun characters and backgrounds for you to tell your own Bone Tale.  They also have Amulet and Smile.

The Tuna Tune

Happy Monday!   Here's  a new cartoon for you, created with the Cartoon Playground at Funny Times.

Dedicated to my beloved cat.

Sunday Comic: Detective Open-Shut and the Case of the Purloined Cupcakes

Made with Toondoo, text added with Roflbot.

From The Casefiles of Detective Open-Shut

Detective Open-Shut And The Missing Beagle

I found a new cartoon maker for Detective Open-Shut, who was featured a few days ago in a cartoon here, created on the now-defunct-for-our-purposes Bitstrips.  Look at that little Clouseau-like figure. Perfect for a detective.  There was another dog that looked a bit more like a beagle, but this guy has the same silly bug-eyed look as the detective.  Awooo.

This cartoon was created on Toondoo.  http://www.toondoo.com/

Twitter Notes

I found this old (2009) cartoon I had created in the now defunct Toonlet regarding Twitter Followers. 

I just don't get how people even find me to follow, particularly the Women In Thongs with their behinds raised to the camera...eeww, do you sincerely mind?  I also wonder why those accounts don't get popped by Twitter.  I've gotten so any new follower with a profile pic of a young woman with a certain look in her eyes...I don't look at the posts, I just hit the block button.

I haven't many followers even though I've been active for awhile now.  I could have more, Thong Women excepted--but my policy is to follow or block.  I look at the persons profile and posts and if I feel they're someone with my interests who might be interested in what I have to say, I follow them, if not, I just block em.  I also look at how many people they're following and are being followed by.  The folks who follow ten trillion people and are followed by the same number or a low number...hinky city.  If I looked at my own numbers, I think hinky city, lol.  Pay attention, people.

Followers aside, I find Twitter to be a much more pleasant place than Facebook ever was, there is a much more positive attitude, but maybe I only follow perky people.

This was all just an excuse to use my old cartoon.  Have a good day!

Happy Shopping!

Be careful if you go out shopping today.  There are apparently loads of baddies waiting to peruse and lift your wallet.  Snuggle at home with cocoa and leftovers instead.

A Classic DOA Cartoon

In the early days of DOA I did a lot of cartoons. I don't even remember this one, but I like it.  I should do more.  I actually like Detective Openshut. He may appear again.

Note: Bitstrips doesn't allow you to create cartoons anymore so Detective Openshut will look a little different next time.  Another favorite comic creator Toonlet also seems to be gone, alas.

Captain Underpants Cartoon Maker

Also from a little scrap of paper. I knew you'd want to know this Captain Underpants Cartoon Maker is still available on the Scholastic site. 

You're able to drag characters, dialog balloons (you can't write your own dialog, but honestly do you think you could do better than Mr. Pilkey himself? nah.) 

Multiple panels so if you are clever you can create a story starring those poopy heroes we all love.

Here is what the interface looks like:

On the Desk: Books by Grade

I've been thinking lately there will be comics...   Why wait?  Yesterday I was working at The Big Library as we call it here. 

I had three questions in a row wherein people wanted books for their children and they needed it for first, third and fourth grade readers.  The children weren't there to help pick out what suited them reading level wise or subject wise.  This makes it really a working semi-blind situation, but I was able in each case to give the parents several options to take away for their kids and they were happy.


Click to enlarge, as always.

Draw a Stickman, Have an Adventure

Sure you can Draw a Stickman! With the help of this animated site, you can also draw a few other things while channeling your inner Harold and the Purple Crayon!

D.O.A.'s Two Second Movie Reviews

I've been working my way through my DVD collection and it is summertime, my favorite movie season, so here in very brief are my thoughts on the films I'm watching.

Click to Enlarge


Made with Make Beliefs Comix

On the Desk: Looking Good

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Super Action Comic Maker

When the going gets tough, the tough get 'tooning, I always say. I was looking for something else and I found this new cartooning tool. Choose from several characters and backgrounds, then add in your own captions to the text balloons. Voila, instant comic tale.


Click to Enlarge

This fine toon dedicated to Bill Crider, author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes Mysteries.

Make your own comic at ArtisanCam.

Dilbert Mashup: try this at home!

Click to Enlarge

I read the terms of use very carefully to make sure I could copy this here.

Go to the Dilbert website and choose Mashups to add in the last panel of text on one of Scott Adam's cartoons. It is sort of like one of those tell an alternate story ending things. You can publish it on his site, or email it to your friends. Very cool. You'll need to register in order to use this most excellent tool.

You can add a widget to your site such as the one I have added. This gives you access to the daily strip and historical ones as well. You may also sign up when you register to have the toons sent to you daily, and there is a newsletter as well.