Day 68: Books Schmooks

Books, Shnooks.
by
Matt Zurbo

 

“Book time!”
(Dad, excited, running into frame hugging lots of books.)

“Dad, books are boring.” Reece moped.
(Boy, playing with toys on floor, in monster costume, looking disgruntled.)

“BORING!? ARE YOU NUTS!” Dad wailed.
(Dad, reeling, shocked!)

We can do sound effects!
(All future images based around couch. Reece on couch, holding book. Dad banging cymbals, blowing trumpet, banging drum with foot, tambourine attached to elbow, etc.… of one-man-band kit, standing beside him. Reece has an air-horn)

Read it in costumes!
(Dad dressed like a pirate, Reece like a tiger)

Or by torchlight!
(Dad and Reece on roof. Dad holding book, standing. Reece sitting in front of him, shining torch on pages. Milky Way all around them.)

Tell our own stories.
(Back in lounge. Book face down on coach as Reece, standing in front of it, intimidating a roaring animal, and Dad leans forward, fascinated to hear more)

Draw our own books!
(Still on coach, Reece, tongue out in concentration, drawing a story on paper on coffee table. Dad holding his page up to light.)

Act the books out…
(Reece dressed as a pirate, reading from book, while he bellows and points wooden sword. Dad, dressed like a deck hand, walking the ironing board as if it was a plank, extending out from foot rest, cardboard shark fins on carpet.)

Have guest readers.
(Old school explorer, with big, white moustache and monocle, reading from book, white sitting in middle of Dad and Reece, who are both wearing pith helmets.)

Read somewhere amazing.
(Dad reading to Reece as they sit, on bench, not couch, outside, under brilliant sky.)

Picture your story in the clouds.
(Dad reading to Reece on bench, clouds forming sky dragons)

Read upside down.
(Reece and Dad, upside down on couch as they read.)

Change all the main character’s names to ‘Reece’ and ‘Dad’.
(Dragon book. Reece and Dad on couch, reading, but Reece dressed like a dragon, Dad dressed like a Knight. Typewriter typeface above them reads “And then Sir Knight said to the dragon…” But ‘Sir Knight’ has a line through it and the word ‘Dad’ written above. The word ‘dragon’ is replaced by handwritten ‘Reece’)

Write our own sequels!
(Reece making roaring pose. This time he is in dragon costume. Dad biting tongue in concentration, as he writes into paper book with hand-written title: The Dragons II)

Get a dragon to read the book.
(Huge dragons on couch, okay if we can’t even see all of it. Reece squashed into side of couch, Dad sitting on floor, startled.)

Read small books.
(Dad and Reece on couch, still in costume. Dad holding tiny book, scrunched up to read it, Reece trying to look at it.)

Read LOTS of books.
(Reece and Dad in costumes, on couch, almost drowned in pile of books.)

Share books!
(Reece standing, holding hand out towards other kid. Knight, book under arm, is walking towards kid. Other Kid is holding palm out towards Reece. Bear, with book under arm, is walking towards Reece.)

Walk around all day with their stories in your head.
(Reece walking with dragons costume on, along street, smiling, sky filled with characters from all the books, including Reece!)

 

The End.