THE ADVENTURES OF NICKI AND RICKY : BAFFLING BIRDS! – Comics for Young Naturalists"You can speculate. I'll investigate!"
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Hey, Everyone: WE DID IT!!!
Thanks to you, our Baffling Birds! Crowdfundr campaign raised 350% of our initial funding goal, meaning our Nicki and Ricky comics are Now Available for PRE-ORDER as e-books, paperbacks, and in hardcover! YAY!
What's Next for Nicki and Ricky?
Now our Nicki and
Ricky comics have been successfully funded (YAY!), our campaign page
has become a shop! Here, you can Pre-Order
our Nicki and
Ricky: Baffling Birds! trilogy and Science
Workbook and even make a donation.
We're already hard at work polishing the scripts, finishing the artwork, and getting everything ready for the printer. Our aim is to have all perks, pre-orders, and orders placed during the campaign ready to ship in time for Christmas, so we're preparing for a
December 5th* Launch Date!
*Toothy Ducks (book 3) estimated Jan 5th.
That's the day our physical books will be ready to ship. Until launch, our Nicki and Ricky trilogy and Science Workbook will remain available for Pre-Order, right here!
ABOUT BAFFLING BIRDS!
Not all great minds work alike. Neurodiverse author/artist team Rowena Zahnrei and Sarah E Steinberg know that’s a feature – not a glitch! Their newest collaboration, The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! – Comics for Young Naturalists, aims to inspire kid readers (ages 6-10) to ask questions, think creatively and observe the natural worlds around them. Sibling sleuths Nicki and Ricky Goddard are on a mission to solve nature’s puzzles, finding clues in the wilds of their own suburban neighborhood. Analytical Ricky likes to focus on details. His kid sister Nicki uses all her senses to spot the big picture. Their problem-solving styles often clash but, when their minds meet, they work together to solve each mystery. Join them in three 40-page comics you can Book 1: The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky –
Book 2: The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky –
Book 3: The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky –
PLUS, ourScience Investigator's Workbook
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Perks
Did you enjoy our Summer Science Investigators' Society worksheets? We put our hearts and hands into making a fun summer activity, and a contribution now will help us do it again next year. Say thanks with a donation, and help us bring Nicki and Ricky to San Diego Comic-Con in 2024!
This stretch goal was unlocked thanks to YOUR contributions!!
**Already purchased books and prefer hardcover? Cool! We'll happily change your reward.**
This HARDCOVER EDITION collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1, 2, and 3 in a gorgeous hardback with 120 pages!
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 3 – The Case of the Duck’s Teeth
- A museum trip inspires our sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
This stretch goal was unlocked thanks to YOUR contributions!!
This DIGITAL BUNDLE collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1, 2, and 3 in EBOOK format (PDF, Kindle, EPUB)!
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
40 pages, full color, paperback
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
40 pages, full color, paperback
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 3 – The Case of the Duck’s Teeth
- A museum trip inspires our sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
A full color workbook (paperback) stuffed with all the worksheets from Nicki and Ricky's Science Investigators' Society, EDITED based on user feedback, and retitled the STORY SCIENCE INVESTIGATORS' SOCIETY.
This workbook collects SIX WEEKS worth of comic templates that will get your kids outside, looking at nature as a series of mysteries to be solved through the basics of the scientific method – and through the FUN of making their own comic pages.... plus a short warm up template and tips on making stories more engaging.
Teach your kids to be lifelong scientists by observing the world around them in your own neighborhood, with Nicki and Ricky as their guides!
This stretch goal was unlocked thanks to YOUR contributions!!
This PHYSICAL BUNDLE collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1, 2, and 3!
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
40 pages, full color, paperback
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
40 pages, full color, paperback
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 3 – The Case of the Duck’s Teeth
- A museum trip inspires our sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
Downloadable E-Book Includes PDF, Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 - The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- Meet Nicki and Ricky - two curious kids on a mission to investigate nature's mysteries! While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sibling sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
Full Color Paperback, 40 Pages
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 - The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- Meet Nicki and Ricky - two curious kids on a mission to investigate nature's mysteries! While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sibling sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
Downloadable E-Book Includes Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 - The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
Full Color Paperback, 40 Pages
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 - The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
This book will be available by February 2024
This STRETCH GOAL was UNLOCKED thanks to Your Contributions! Thank you for helping us make our comics possible!
Downloadable E-Book Includes Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds!
Book 3 - The Case of the Duck's Teeth (working title,
subject to change)
- A museum trip inspires the sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
Available by Feb 2024.... This STRETCH GOAL was UNLOCKED thanks to Your Contributions! Thank you for helping us make our comics possible!
Full Color Paperback, 40 Pages
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds!
Book 3 -
The Case of the Duck's Teeth (working title, subject to change)
- A museum trip inspires the sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
This DIGITAL BUNDLE collects The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books 1 and 2 AND Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society Workbook
Includes PDF (workbook only), Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society Workbook
A full color downloadable workbook (PDF) stuffed with all the worksheets from Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society!
This workbook collects SIX WEEKS worth of comic templates that will get your kids outside, looking at nature as a series of mysteries to be solved through the basics of the scientific method – and through the FUN of making their own comic pages.
Teach your kids to be lifelong scientists by observing the world around them in your own neighborhood, with Nicki and Ricky as their guides!
This PHYSICAL BUNDLE collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1 and 2
AND
Nicki and Ricky's STORY Science Investigators' Society Workbook
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
40 pages, full color, paperback
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
40 pages, full color, paperback
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society Workbook
A full color workbook (paperback) stuffed with all the worksheets (x3) from Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society!
This workbook collects SIX WEEKS worth of comic templates that will get your kids outside, looking at nature as a series of mysteries to be solved through the basics of the scientific method – and through the FUN of making their own comic pages.
Teach your kids to be lifelong scientists by observing the world around them in your own neighborhood, with Nicki and Ricky as their guides!
Highlights
See all activity29
About the Creators
THE CREATORS – GET TO KNOW US!
Thank you for making our campaign a success!
Want to know more about us and our comics? Check Out our Kids Comics Unite Live Stream Spotlight!
Take a peek at our Storycomic.com podcast interview: Storycomic Presents (Episode 294)!
Hi everyone!
We met during a Kids Comics Unite Intensive workshop, and decided to work on our new skills together. We may live at opposite ends of the country, but we’re linked by our passion for creating comics that not only entertain, but encourage kids to ask questions and exercise their own creative skills!
Our Nicki and Ricky characters and stories grew from our own experiences - our love for experimenting, telling stories, and exploring the wilds of our own backyards.
Your support for our campaign allows us to grow our Nicki and Ricky adventures into a series of comics celebrating curiosity, analytical thinking, creativity, and the fun of finding and investigating the puzzles of nature.
AUTHOR ROWENA ZAHNREI
Rowena Zahnrei is a neurodiverse (ASD) author, professional educator and independent academic with multiple history degrees, a few short documentaries, and several peer-reviewed articles under her belt – articles that delve into historical and literary characters like Harpo Marx and Sherlock Holmes. An avid writer, her work has been published in academic journals, children’s magazines, fanzines, and a comics anthology, and her stories have been featured on podcasts. You can find out more about Rowena and her stories at https://www.rowenazahnrei.com/
Rowena grew up hiking Rhode Island's nature trails with her father, a high school science teacher and naturalist with a passion for photographing and identifying wildflowers. Each story collected in The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky draws direct inspiration from her own experiences exploring the shore and marshlands with her brother and sister, scouring the woods and meadows for rare flowers and living fossils, and observing her state's diverse and fascinating wildlife. As a professional educator, she believes graphic novels are the perfect format for sharing the beauty and mystery of nature with early and reluctant readers, whether they're exploring a public park, protected habitat, or their own backyard.
ILLUSTRATOR SARAH E STEINBERG
Disappointed that her career in architecture did not lead to designing secret rooms, tree houses, or fantasy gardens, Sarah turned to storytelling, and brings a wealth of experience creating and illustrating space. A watercolorist with formal drafting experience, Sarah is dipping her brushes and pens into the world of picture books and graphic novels. She both writes her own children’s stories and collaborates with others, celebrating finding magic in the everyday world. Sarah lives in Portland, Oregon, with her partner Matt, son Ollie, an elderly dog, several noisy chickens, and some hummingbird pals.
Sarah is represented by Allison Remcheck at Stimola Literary Studio, and is open to traditionally published work, commissions, self-published illustration work, and whatever exciting projects you pitch her way. You can find her at sarahesteinberg.com and https://www.instagram.com/sarahesteinberg/
Live Events!
LIVE EVENTS
PODCAST! Join Rowena and Sarah as they discuss their comics and their Crowdfundr campaign with Barney Smith of Storycomic.com!
_______
JOIN Rowena on our campaign's Launch Day, JULY 6th, at 1pm Eastern Time for a Live Stream Spotlight on NICKI & RICKY: BAFFLING BIRDS! – Comics for Young Naturalists
_______
LIVE WORKSHOP!
JOIN Sarah on JULY 16 at 2pm for a LIVE Comic Making Workshop at GREEN BEAN BOOKS in Portland, OR.
We'll make a silly, zany, or scientific comic together and you can get started on your own, if you haven't already!
Help Support Our Live Events! Click Here To Make Your Contribution!
Did you enjoy our Summer Science Investigators' Society worksheets? We put our hearts and hands into making a fun summer activity, and a contribution now will help us do it again next year. Say thanks with a donation, and help us bring Nicki and Ricky to San Diego Comic-Con in 2024!
This stretch goal was unlocked thanks to YOUR contributions!!
**Already purchased books and prefer hardcover? Cool! We'll happily change your reward.**
This HARDCOVER EDITION collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1, 2, and 3 in a gorgeous hardback with 120 pages!
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 3 – The Case of the Duck’s Teeth
- A museum trip inspires our sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
This stretch goal was unlocked thanks to YOUR contributions!!
This DIGITAL BUNDLE collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1, 2, and 3 in EBOOK format (PDF, Kindle, EPUB)!
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
40 pages, full color, paperback
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
40 pages, full color, paperback
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 3 – The Case of the Duck’s Teeth
- A museum trip inspires our sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
A full color workbook (paperback) stuffed with all the worksheets from Nicki and Ricky's Science Investigators' Society, EDITED based on user feedback, and retitled the STORY SCIENCE INVESTIGATORS' SOCIETY.
This workbook collects SIX WEEKS worth of comic templates that will get your kids outside, looking at nature as a series of mysteries to be solved through the basics of the scientific method – and through the FUN of making their own comic pages.... plus a short warm up template and tips on making stories more engaging.
Teach your kids to be lifelong scientists by observing the world around them in your own neighborhood, with Nicki and Ricky as their guides!
This stretch goal was unlocked thanks to YOUR contributions!!
This PHYSICAL BUNDLE collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1, 2, and 3!
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
40 pages, full color, paperback
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
40 pages, full color, paperback
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 3 – The Case of the Duck’s Teeth
- A museum trip inspires our sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
Downloadable E-Book Includes PDF, Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 - The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- Meet Nicki and Ricky - two curious kids on a mission to investigate nature's mysteries! While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sibling sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
Full Color Paperback, 40 Pages
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 - The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- Meet Nicki and Ricky - two curious kids on a mission to investigate nature's mysteries! While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sibling sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
Downloadable E-Book Includes Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 - The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
Full Color Paperback, 40 Pages
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 - The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
This book will be available by February 2024
This STRETCH GOAL was UNLOCKED thanks to Your Contributions! Thank you for helping us make our comics possible!
Downloadable E-Book Includes Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds!
Book 3 - The Case of the Duck's Teeth (working title,
subject to change)
- A museum trip inspires the sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
Available by Feb 2024.... This STRETCH GOAL was UNLOCKED thanks to Your Contributions! Thank you for helping us make our comics possible!
Full Color Paperback, 40 Pages
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds!
Book 3 -
The Case of the Duck's Teeth (working title, subject to change)
- A museum trip inspires the sleuths to seek the living relatives of a specimen so strange they thought it had to be extinct!
This DIGITAL BUNDLE collects The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books 1 and 2 AND Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society Workbook
Includes PDF (workbook only), Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society Workbook
A full color downloadable workbook (PDF) stuffed with all the worksheets from Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society!
This workbook collects SIX WEEKS worth of comic templates that will get your kids outside, looking at nature as a series of mysteries to be solved through the basics of the scientific method – and through the FUN of making their own comic pages.
Teach your kids to be lifelong scientists by observing the world around them in your own neighborhood, with Nicki and Ricky as their guides!
This PHYSICAL BUNDLE collects
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Books
1 and 2
AND
Nicki and Ricky's STORY Science Investigators' Society Workbook
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 1 – The Mystery of the Shell Tree
40 pages, full color, paperback
- While exploring a strip of beach near their house, the sleuths discover broken shells in the branches of a tree. Who – or what – could be responsible?
The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! Book 2 – The Hummingbird Conundrum
40 pages, full color, paperback
- Nicki and Ricky must employ the Scientific Method to unpuzzle the purpose of a peculiar gift. Is it a lantern? A bug-catcher? “You can speculate,” Detective Ricky says. “I’ll investigate!”
Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society Workbook
A full color workbook (paperback) stuffed with all the worksheets (x3) from Nicki and Ricky's Summer Science Investigators' Society!
This workbook collects SIX WEEKS worth of comic templates that will get your kids outside, looking at nature as a series of mysteries to be solved through the basics of the scientific method – and through the FUN of making their own comic pages.
Teach your kids to be lifelong scientists by observing the world around them in your own neighborhood, with Nicki and Ricky as their guides!
