Category: children’s story

Once upon a time….

Joey Jones10 Comments

Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?

We are all flawed. Simple as. There are many many things over the years I wish I had done differently and it doesn’t make me feel great to think about them. But there is one, about writing….and that’s why we’re here after all. So it seems apt to tell you about it.

Many moons ago. Getting on for 25 years, I guess, I had an idea for a children’s picture book. I was living overseas and with a co- worker had the charge of three small children 24/6. It was a great job and we travelled the world together….but that’s a different story.

I want to tell you about the dog and the crow. At that time I was reading a lot to the kids. Several times a day, at least. So I got to know what they enjoyed. Which books were their favourites.

As I was living in India at the time I chose to  base my story there. A street dog and a crow were standing over a puddle. They were having a face-off….The crow didn’t trust the dog to go first because he would drink all the water..and the dog didn’t want the crow to go first because by taking a bath in the puddle, it would become dirty and not fit to drink. So they squabbled and squabbled and in the meantime the sun was shining so brightly it dried up the puddle. Leaving them both with nothing.

I loved the story, but realised the graphics would be a bit lame. Only a dog a crow and a puddle on each page. So I put it aside, did nothing with it. Very short sighted of me!

What I should have done is find an amazing illustrator who could bring the story alive with their  artwork. Early years children love all the little picture details that accompany a tale.

With the story set in India there were all manner of animals, wildlife, people watching on. The pages could have been filled with wonderment. It could have been a lovely children’s book.

Being Mouser ( Mowser)

Joey JonesLeave a comment

If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?

I would choose to be Mowser, the companion cat to Tom, a Cornish fisherman. The book being The Mousehole ( mau-sel) Cat. A children’s book, written in 1991 ( but first written about in 1927).

In Cornwall on the south west coast of England is a fishing village called Mousehole. It got it’s name as it has a small single point of entry for the boats. Thus a mousehole.

Tom and Mowser lived a content and tranquil life, in a little cottage overlooking the sea. Daily they would go out fishing and at tea time Tom would cook them an array of delicious meals, which they enjoyed together, before they relaxed into the evenings.

One winter the weather was particularly stormy and the villagers were all bordering on starvation. Tom bravely chose to venture, out to save the town and of course Mowser went with him.

Everyone was aware they had gone out but when they did not return they lit lanterns and put candles in their windows, to guide them home to safety.

Meanwhile during their trip the storm intensified and manifested itself as a giant Storm Cat. This is where Mowser came into her own. From her steady purring came a voice as sweet as an angel and she managed to soothe the tempest. An operatic song which lulled the Storm Cat to sleep.

They had a particularly successful catch that night and they returned to with enough of seven kinds of fish to feed the entire village, making Stargazy Pies.

*This story is from Cornish folklore and each Bawcock (Tom) Eve is celebrated in Mousehole, where the villagers raise their glasses in his honour. There are lantern lit possions, carol singing and of course Stargazy Pie for all.

** It would have been a happy life for Mowser. Who wouldn’t want to be her? **