The amazing thing about writing stories is that the writing process ends up being a gift to the person who creates the story, and the story itself is a gift to those who read it. In today's picture book you will meet a boy who loves to write stories, and who happily gives his stories away to the people he cares about.
Rufus the Writer
Rufus the Writer
Elizabeth Bram
Illustrated by Chuck Groenink
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Random House, 2015, 978-0-385-37853-6
One day Rufus is lying in the grass looking up at the
summer sky when he gets an idea. Instead of having the usual summer lemonade stand
he will have a story stand. Rufus runs indoors to gather up what he needs, and
he sets up a table outdoors, which he covers with a cloth. He makes a sign for
his story stand and lays out paper, pencils, and colors. Rufus then goes and
changes his clothes. After all, a writer has to look the part!
Millie and
Walter come by and they invite Rufus to go swimming with them. He explains that
he has to take care of his story stand. Walter asks to buy a story and when he
asks what the fee will be Rufus tells the little boy to bring him “a special
shell from the beach.” After his friends leave, Rufus writes his fist story
stand tale, one that will be perfect just for Walter.
Rufus is working
on illustrating his first story when his friend Sandy comes up with some
wonderful news. His cat Rainbow has had kittens. Rufus offers to write a story
for Sandy so that he can buy one of the kittens. Sandy says that Rufus can have
the kitten for free, but Rufus still insists on writing a story in payment, and
this is what he does. He writes a story all about a man who discovers that cats
are far more important that things.
The next story
Rufus works on is for his sister Annie, who is going to be having her birthday
the next day. A story will be a perfect gift; a personal gift unlike any other.
In this charming
picture book we meet a boy who understands how precious stories are. We watch
as he carefully crafts tales that will suit the people he is writing them for.
Children will enjoy seeing how Rufus’ stories are unique, and how each one has
its own flavor, voice and illustrative style.