Rob Wood's Blog

Dwelling on bad things that have happened to you in the past is about as productive wearing sunglasses in a cave… it only makes dark memories darker and serves no good purpose. RW

I am pleased to announce that "Why Don't Horses Wear Pajamas?" was released today in Kindle format. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0123US1Y6.

The second book in the Wyatt Wonders Series "Why Don't Worms Have Heads?" will be released in print early August.

I was excited to receive the final illustrations for "Why Don't Worms Have Heads?" from Rob Thouless last week. Once again he has done a masterful job of bringing my stories to life. We are in the process of formatting and I hope to have "Worms" released sometime in June. I'll keep you posted. RW

At long last, I am happy to announce the release of my first book in the “Wyatt Wonders” series… “Why Don’t Horses Wear Pajamas?” This series of early picture books is targeted for children between 2 and 6 years of age. Rob Thouless’ charming illustrations breathe life into the characters cast in these rhyming stories that deal with the curious mind of a small child. “Why Don’t Horses Wear Pajamas?” is now available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and from the Ingram catalog at your local book store.

Having been busy creating the stories for the Wyatt Wonders series I felt guilty when my 5 year old granddaughter Rylee Jane asked if I would write something for her. Her father is currently on his third deployment to a nasty place around the globe and she is now old enough to understand and actually miss him very much. I wrote this for Rylee and her dad.

My Daddy Can’t Come Home Tonight
For Rylee Jane

My daddy is my hero…
but he can’t come home tonight.
He’s far away in a foreign land…
protecting what is right.

You see, my daddy’s in the Army
and America he serves.
He flies an Apache helicopter.
Mommy says that takes strong nerves.

I miss my Daddy very much…
sometimes I cry and sob.
But, I understand protecting freedom
is a very important job.

I know my Mommy misses him
and my little brother too.
Sometimes I hear her say her prayers
and ask God to see us through.

My Daddy says he loves our flag…
that it stands for liberty.
He says many men have sacrificed
to keep it flying free.

I’m proud of all our soldiers
and the uniforms they wear.
Dad says many folks sleep safe at night
thanks to the burdens that they bear.

Every night before I sleep
I say my special prayer.
To keep my daddy free from harm
and safe from the dangers there.

God, would you please watch over him
and be sure to let him know,
that I love him very much
and that he is my Hero.

There is a big difference between knowing and understanding. If I had the choice of being remembered as a knowledgeable or an understanding man…give me understanding hands down. RW

Story #4 in the Wyatt Wonders…Series

"Why Don’t Fireflies Need Batteries?"


There’s a question that has puzzled me
and I’d really like to know…
do fireflies need batteries
to make their taillights glow?

Like the stars up in the sky…
their tails light up the night.
I’m very curious just to know…
what makes them shine so bright?

Some people call them lightning bugs
With their sparkling flare down under.
I love to watch the flash they make…
but I’ve never heard them thunder.

My favorite thing on summer nights
is to chase these little bugs
and try to snatch them from the air
and put them in glass jugs.

My sister likes to chase them too…
so much to her delight.
It’s very fun to play and see
how many we snare each night?

We play a game and count our bugs
to see who gets the most.
The winner gets a special prize
and claims the right to boast.

I catch the bugs with my bare hand…
Little Sis prefers a net.
And when it‘s time to count our bugs
we see who wins the bet.

Is it magic in the fireflies
that makes their tails shine bright?
Or is it just mother nature’s way
of brightening up the night?

I used to be afraid of them.
I thought their tails were hot.
Then one night I touched one’s tail
and found that it was not.

Their light blinks on then fades away
all through their merry flight.
Chasing them is my favorite part…
of any summer night.

Our grandma gave us little cages
to put our glow worms in.
We catch as many as we can
Then set them free again.

It makes me happy to let them go
and see them fly away.
In my heart it feels so good
to play the game that way.

If we always set them free
when this game we play…
there always will be fireflies
to catch another day.

I like to hold these little bugs.
I think of them as friends.
They bring me so much happiness…
I hope summer never ends.

So, I ask you once again…
what makes their taillights glow?
If it’s not batteries that makes them shine
what is it…I’d like to know?

Fireflies tails have always flashed…
throughout recorded history.
But just what makes their behinds shine…
to me remains a mystery.

The third little ditty in my "Wyatt Wonders...?" series of children's books.


Why Don’t Kids Have Tails?
Rob Wood


My parents told me that all kids are mammals…
in one big family with tigers and camels.

Mom says I’m related to possums and skunks…
and seals and lemurs and little chipmunks.

Beavers, hippos, gorillas and rabbits…
They are all mammals with different habits.

Elephants, weasels and even the shrew…
Aardvarks and manatees are all mammals too!

Horses and rhinos and seals are our cousins.
The list of mammals must be dozens and dozens.


Mom says that mammals have traits that we share…
One of which is… that we all can grow hair.

Some swim in water, some live in trees,
Some live in burrows, some fly like the breeze.

Some walk on four legs like deer and raccoons.
Some walk on two legs like me and Baboons.

My dad says mammals are born and not hatched.
That’s one of the many ways mammals are matched.

All mammal mommies make milk for their young…
and all mammals eat… with teeth and a tongue.

Mom says all mammals are born with a heart…
and it pumps warm blood and mammals are smart.

“Dolphins are not fish” were my daddy’s words.
He then told me that… “And bats are not birds.”

Some mammals are wild and some live on farms.
Some sleep in the jungle and some sleep in barns.

I have so many questions as I lie in my bed…
with all of these animals stuck in my head.

If I’m really related to all of these creatures…
then why don’t we all… have the same features?

If I’m in a family with dogs, cats and whales…
then why in the world don’t all kids have tails?

It was with great anticipation that I took my four year old grandson Wyatt out to one of my secret fishing holes recently. I had every intention of passing along some of my well honed and time tested fishing skills to my young progeny. Much to my disappointment, he appeared to be far more interested in playing with the night-crawlers than he was in absorbing the finer points of the craft. As I watched his bobber plunge deep beneath the surface for the third time I yelled out, “Wyatt, grab your pole. You’ve got a big one on your line.” Rather than leaping into action, he sat cross legged on the bank staring at the eight inch crawler dangling from his finger tips. Ignoring my call to action, he asked very thoughtfully, “Grandpa, why don’t worms have heads?” I couldn’t help but laugh. That boy has a way of asking questions, the subject matter of which would never cross my mind. That question served as the catalyst for the second bedtime story we would conjure up together.


Why don’t earthworms have a head?
Where is their mouth to keep them fed?

Which end is the front… which end is the tail?
Is it a girl… or is it a male?

Is a worm happy or is a worm sad?
Is a worm grumpy or is a worm mad?

Without a face it’s so hard to tell,
Is the worm healthy… does it feel well?

Does a worm have a brain so it can think?
Without any eyes… worms sure cannot wink?

How do worms see without any eyes?
Is everything just one big surprise?

Worms can’t tell red from yellow or green.
They can’t see if you’re nice or you’re mean.

Without eyes, worms can’t make tears…
and cry when scary things give them fears.

I wonder what noises an earthworm hears.
It must be quiet without any ears.

Without a mouth… how do they drink?
Worms must get thirsty…is what I think.

Without lips worms can’t make words…
and scare away the hungry birds.

How do they smell without a nose?
Worms can’t tell roses from stinky-toes.

When I hold worms… they always wiggle.
It tickles my hand and makes me giggle.

What do earthworms do for fun?
Without any legs… they sure cannot run.

Worms crawl on their bellies… just like a snake.
But, even snakes have heads… for goodness sake.

I ask myself as I lie in my bed…
Why in the world don’t worms have a head?

“Wood, a longtime cowboy, has honed his storytelling skills around campfires, and that is evident here. His colorful voice enlivens every page… His ability to perfectly limn events from decades ago is uncanny. An engrossing portrait of growing up in a much simpler time.” — Kirkus Reviews. Full review at https://www.kirkusreviews.com