Kenny as Thomas A. Edison ... looking more like Red Skelton.

Kenny's book report this month was a biography. He wanted to pick a president. Blech. Besides, someone was already doing Obama.

We browsed the biographies in the young readers section of the public library and got two decent-looking books on Edison. Well into reading them, he kept calling the inventor "Einstein."

But the book held his attention with enough personal trivia and tidbits, like the time Edison caused a chemical explosion in the baggage car of the train he worked on. Boys love such stories.

The written report involved some typical questions plus presenting a timeline with at least twelve¹ significant dates/events. And dressing up as the person.

You think I can find a bowler that isn't Shamrock Green this time of year?! Or a pre-tied bow-tie that doesn't come with its own formalwear? IOW, for less than $25? Jeff's like, "Why didn't you just buy a black hat instead of trying to color this one with permanent marker?" And when I was young, you know how many satin bow-ties I owned (and wore!) in an assortment of colors?!

Jeff was useful, in a way, however, and not just critical. That is, as a prop, Kenny took in one of Jeff's framed patent certificates. Sure, we had to rummage through storage containers in the basement for it and, when we ultimately found it, we had to clean the thick layer of dust² off it. But it's a fairly unique thing to have, to bring in with a book report. I also printed a couple of pictures from the Blizzard of 1977 1888 for him to show.

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¹: we got just twelve.
²: construction, remember? Everything went to the basement and everything got dusty.