Author : Allan Ahlberg
Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg
Age: 3+
I have noticed that stories that strike a chord with our daily life experiences get to become a great hit with every member of the family. Funnybones is just that type of book. Written by husband Allan and illustrated by wife Janet Ahlberg, this was created in the 80s and is still going strong.
From all my unique experiences of living with an Aquarian husband, I have learned to accept and enjoy the fact that unplanned outings can be so much fun, too. And it is a very tough proposition for a strict Capricorn like me who is a stickler for routines and HATES surprises!
Once DH asked me to get dressed and get into the car with the kids and said we were going on a long ride. The long ride turned out to be a 3-day, 300 miles trip all the way up the breath-taking Scottish Highlands! Good thing I always have a spare set of clothes for everyone, but still we had to pick up underwear and some tops to go with our live-in Jeans and other toiletries and essentials on the go :o). Stayed in hotels in remote places and the memories of that trip linger on even now, the best trip I have ever had in my lifetime. No sticking to time, no ticking off places, no packing stuff, no breaking heads over routes and stops. It was daring, chilling, thrilling and it tasted precisely like liberation and freedom, even heaven!
The mantra is to let go of plans but not the fun mood and just flow on. Every once in a while, at least.
This story is just about that.
On a dark dark hill
there was a dark dark town.
In the dark dark town
there was a dark dark street.
In the dark dark street
there was a dark dark house.
In the dark dark house
there was a dark dark staircase.
Down the dark dark staircase
there was a dark dark cellar.
And in the dark dark cellar……some skeletons lived
A big skeleton, a little skeleton and a dog skeleton. One day they feel quite bored and plan to go out in the dark with the agenda of scaring people and having fun. They go outside and enter a park. They start playing around and in the process, the skeleton dog crashes and gets all his bones dislodged. The little and big skeleton try assembling, getting it wrong several times before fixing it back the right way.
Which brought to my mind a fresh picture of the tent pack-up distaster we had: me screaming out the instructions, frustrated Dad not really getting the hang of it, boys chasing bunnies with obnoxious screams and finally us realizing that all it needed was a "Hips don't Lie Shakira style" shake and flip of the rim to get it back inside the bag :o) . Funny they never let you in on these cheats in the instructions paper.
Anyways, the skeletons don't find anybody to frighten and end up in a skeleton zoo and have fun again. Finally they realize they haven't really achieved the purpose of their outing, but there's just nobody on the streets to scare! So they decide to scare each other, but fail miserably, albeit enjoying themselves a lot.
In the end is a little twist to the story. A frightening thing does happen, but who scares who?!? Eventually they go back home ( and I loved this bit so much, it is always just the thing we say when we open the doors and get in after a nice trip!) and unanimously agree that " That was fun!" even if they hadn't quite succeeded in what they planned to do. They then realize it is getting light and they should be in bed. The skeletons wish each other good morning and go to bed for a tight sleep.
There is enough repetition that will appeal to little ones and they will love the pictures and the friendly skeletons. There are many Funnybones books featuring these skeletons and my son would always ask me to pick one if he saw them in the library. We also discovered it was a hit television series as well.
Funnybones. Rib-tickling read!
Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg
Age: 3+
I have noticed that stories that strike a chord with our daily life experiences get to become a great hit with every member of the family. Funnybones is just that type of book. Written by husband Allan and illustrated by wife Janet Ahlberg, this was created in the 80s and is still going strong.
From all my unique experiences of living with an Aquarian husband, I have learned to accept and enjoy the fact that unplanned outings can be so much fun, too. And it is a very tough proposition for a strict Capricorn like me who is a stickler for routines and HATES surprises!
Once DH asked me to get dressed and get into the car with the kids and said we were going on a long ride. The long ride turned out to be a 3-day, 300 miles trip all the way up the breath-taking Scottish Highlands! Good thing I always have a spare set of clothes for everyone, but still we had to pick up underwear and some tops to go with our live-in Jeans and other toiletries and essentials on the go :o). Stayed in hotels in remote places and the memories of that trip linger on even now, the best trip I have ever had in my lifetime. No sticking to time, no ticking off places, no packing stuff, no breaking heads over routes and stops. It was daring, chilling, thrilling and it tasted precisely like liberation and freedom, even heaven!
The mantra is to let go of plans but not the fun mood and just flow on. Every once in a while, at least.
This story is just about that.
On a dark dark hill
there was a dark dark town.
In the dark dark town
there was a dark dark street.
In the dark dark street
there was a dark dark house.
In the dark dark house
there was a dark dark staircase.
Down the dark dark staircase
there was a dark dark cellar.
And in the dark dark cellar……some skeletons lived
A big skeleton, a little skeleton and a dog skeleton. One day they feel quite bored and plan to go out in the dark with the agenda of scaring people and having fun. They go outside and enter a park. They start playing around and in the process, the skeleton dog crashes and gets all his bones dislodged. The little and big skeleton try assembling, getting it wrong several times before fixing it back the right way.
Which brought to my mind a fresh picture of the tent pack-up distaster we had: me screaming out the instructions, frustrated Dad not really getting the hang of it, boys chasing bunnies with obnoxious screams and finally us realizing that all it needed was a "Hips don't Lie Shakira style" shake and flip of the rim to get it back inside the bag :o) . Funny they never let you in on these cheats in the instructions paper.
Anyways, the skeletons don't find anybody to frighten and end up in a skeleton zoo and have fun again. Finally they realize they haven't really achieved the purpose of their outing, but there's just nobody on the streets to scare! So they decide to scare each other, but fail miserably, albeit enjoying themselves a lot.
In the end is a little twist to the story. A frightening thing does happen, but who scares who?!? Eventually they go back home ( and I loved this bit so much, it is always just the thing we say when we open the doors and get in after a nice trip!) and unanimously agree that " That was fun!" even if they hadn't quite succeeded in what they planned to do. They then realize it is getting light and they should be in bed. The skeletons wish each other good morning and go to bed for a tight sleep.
There is enough repetition that will appeal to little ones and they will love the pictures and the friendly skeletons. There are many Funnybones books featuring these skeletons and my son would always ask me to pick one if he saw them in the library. We also discovered it was a hit television series as well.
Funnybones. Rib-tickling read!
Very nicely portrayed. I like the way in which you have so beautifully harmonized your trip and the book. Way to go, Gai!
ReplyDeleteWe want more from you...
As long as you ask for it, as lonnnnng as you ask for it!
Delete:-)
DeleteWill check this out. Hadn't heard of them before.
ReplyDeleteAnd oh! I long for trip like yours, just waiting for S to grow up a little more and ready to take "junk" food.
I agree Dhan. As for junk food, we could have been monkeys for all you know. We lived on bananas, bananas and more bananas, cereal bars and hoarding loads of tea at every waterhole!
DeleteTrying it again .. commented a couple of days back, but dont see it here (:
ReplyDeleteAnyway, loved to read about your 3-day adventerous trip.
And I loved how you juxtaposed your experience with the book report.
I was a tick tick tick traveler too, but found it to be tediuos and stressful. Now, I just go along with the flow too. More relaxing and joyful. Your DH seems to have the right recipe from the beginning :)
It is a great threat to my tender and delicate heart though :o). Nice if done once in a while, but mad if done every single time!!
DeleteGomathy.. i have reserved this book in the library.. never heard of it before. And the trip that you took.. it will freak me out.. you have to see me plan a trip. these days I feel that it is not worth taking trips as I spend a month planning a week long trip.. have started taking trips with less planning but will never be able to do one like you did.. oh, the owl babies - thanks for that book start link.. N just loves listening to it..
ReplyDeleteGomathy.. we read the book from the library yesterday.. to be honest it did not work for Neel or me.. lets see a few rereads later, will let you know if we change our mind.. :-)
ReplyDelete:o) To every kid his favourite. Amazes me always, these difference in tastes! My boy picked one up even this week, although he is reading chapter books now :o)
Deletethat's soooo true... Keep the recommendations coming...
Delete