Review: Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates

Rating: ★★★½☆
henrycrazedchickenDo I really need to review this? I mean, c’mon – it’s a children’s book, and it’s titled “Henry and the Crazed Chicken Pirates”. Seriously, that’s all the info you need to determine whether this book is for you. Oh, and perhaps I should point out that the Crazed Chicken Pirates also seem to be Airship Pirates – so bonus for all you steam-heads out there.

The story begins by explaining the daily life of the Buccaneer Bunnies – proper scalliwaggs that spend their time the way I’d spend *my* time given the opportunity – not raiding and pillaging, but rather lounging about on a tropical island and shooting each other out of cannons. The fun comes to an end, however, when Henry – the youngest of these pirate rodents – discovers a note in a bottle that threatens impending danger. Most of the pirate scoff, but Henry takes the warning seriously and begins preparations. I won’t tell you how it ends, but here’s a hint: It involves Crazed Chicken Pirates (in an airship). Continue reading

Pirates vs. Steampunks (according to LA Weekly)

“Best of” Awards: Pirates Versus Steampunks at Pyrate Daze – Los Angeles Art – Style Council.

Pyrate Daze has come and gone, and the results are in – this combined pirate/steampunk event gave folks the chance to strut their stuff as either swashbucklers, victorian sci-fi adventurers, or both, and the LA times took a point-by-point examination of which proved superior. But ever the diplomats, the result was a tie.

Surprisingly, based on the examples listed, I think it’s actually the steampunks that prove victorious, as I’d take issue with the conch shell beating out the Abney Park guitar (no way the conch shell proves victor in that one). Actually, from the early photos I’ve seen a lot more creativity was shown by the steampunks all around – although bear in mind that the steampunks and the pirates were largely the same folks, depending on which day it was. I just hope that as more pirates explore steampunk (and vice versa) that folks remember to leave their tricorns at home when going to Dickens Fair, and that jet-packed librarians consider a different look before attending a truely pirate-specific event.