There was this book, you see. A book about a girl pirate that won my heart. But the story didn’t end in the one book. Oh, no. I was inspired to make this Edible Pirate EcoSystem (Beach Ecosystem) by the Book Review of Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City by Will Mabbitt. Because the story–the story was too fun to let go. Heh.
What You Need to Make an Edible Pirate EcoSystem (Beach Ecosystem)
- Blue gelatin–4 small packages, made and ready to chow-down on
- 1 package vanilla or birthday cake OREO cookies, crushed
- 6-10 fish candies or fish-shaped crackers
- 10-12 oyster crackers
- Handful of lettuce
- Couple of boats (we were all out of pirate ships, so tugboats…that’s where it’s at)
- Spoon
- 9×13 glass pan
How to Put Together an Edible Pirate EcoSystem (Beach Ecosystem)
- Cover the bottom of your pan with 1/4-inch of crushed OREO cookies.
- Mound the rest of your crushed OREO cookies on one of the short sides of the pan.
- Place your oyster crackers near the mound of cookies in a cluster to create an oyster bed.
- Strategically place your fish randomly in the pan, away from the mound of cookies.
- Fill the remaining area with the blue jello.
- Strategically place some lettuce in the jello as seafood.
- Place other lettuce on the beachhead for shrubbery.
- Add a boat (or 3–my toddler insisted on all 3)
- Hand a spoon to a kid and let them start discovering!
Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City by Will Mabbitt
This sequel to The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones, Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City is straight-up fun. I found myself laughing out loud–and don’t get me started on the snorts, chuckles, cough-covering-snickers and out-loud gauffs from my son. Funny is just too light a word.
I mean, seriously, a skeleton frozen in time both teaching a class (of other skeletons, mind you) while also picking a boogie. Detail the likes of which can only come from an adolescent young girl on a quest to save her sister. For reals. Heh.
Needless to say, Will Mabbitt gets my vote for a Newberry Award any day. This whole series is hilarious and I’m tickled that this down-to-earth Mabel-Pirate girl is the protagonist that pulls herself up by her boot straps and saves the day (twice). She’s someone I would have liked to be friends with in middle school, that’s for sure.
So, I thought I’d share this as part of a great Storybook Science initiative by some of my favorite bloggers. If you want to see a TON more awesome science inspired by books, check out the landing page at Inspiration Labratories!
Hit me up with a post on my Facebook page to share a quick pic of how your Pirate Ecosystem turned out! And don’t forget to pick up a copy of Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City. It’s the best sequel I’ve read in the longest time.
