Children’s Stories

The following are excerpts from children's storybooks which I have written, and others which I am in the process of creating. Please enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment about the stories, and tell me which ones you would like to see more of. 

The Tapeworms for Supper

Written by: Lisa Goodman

Illustrations: In the works!!!

The Tapeworms for Supper is a chapter book which I first wrote back in 2009-2010 while taking a workshop in NYC with instructor Marissa Walsh. 

Cast of Characters

The Hosts:

Mrs. Hungry

Mister Hungry

Jenn Hungry, age 9

Grandpa Irwin

and their dog, Snifflers.

The Guests:

Mister Tapeworm

Mrs. Tapeworm

Uncle Phil

And last, but not least, little Teddy Tapeworm, age 8.

There are two things that you should know about tapeworms- they have two teeth and RAVENOUS appetites.  We’ll address their teeth at a later time…Since an invitation has just arrived at the home of tiny Teddy Tapeworm, let’s be off to his house and take a lookie…

They heard a knock at the door, and with a slight whoosh, something slid underneath and into the foyer. Teddy picked it up and handed the scroll with the sparkling gold ribbon over to his mom.

It was the most beautiful invitation that the Tapeworm family had ever seen! In fact, it was the ONLY invitation that they had seen in a while. Teddy and his father looked on in disbelief as mother Tapeworm read aloud:

To Theodore Sr. and Trixie Tapeworm- You two and your family are cordially invited to our home for a supper party to celebrate our dear Grandpa Irwin turning 102. The party is tonight- bring your top hats and dancing shoes!

Yours Truly, Zoey and Ralph Hungry

Father Tapeworm's eyes were now wide and sparkling with excitement. “Well Trixie, I'll be darned; a supper party is music to my ears! Am I dreaming?”, he asked. “I must be.”

The three of them pinched themselves in unison to double-check if they could indeed be dreaming. Teddy pinched his nose, while his parents each grabbed that dangly piece of skin that covers a worm's elbow. “Ouch!” “Ooooch!” “Yeeek!” they shouted as they discovered they were wide awake.

“Honey, we haven't much time to get ready for tonight's big event. Go grab your top hat and I'm going to ring the Hungrys.”, Mrs. Tapeworm told her husband as she pranced out of the room.

Teddy winced as his mom picked up the telephone to RSVP yes.

“Oh no.” said he. “I must think up a plan so my family doesn't turn this supper on its nose!”

The Hungrys didn't know about his family’s horrible, oh terrible, oh ghastly secret! But if Teddy doesn't think up something quick, they were about to find out.

Ferdinand The Giraffe

Ferdinand the giraffe was a giraffe like any other- he was tan with brown spots, two ears, two antlers, a dark purple tongue, and a tuft of hair on top of his head that resembled a toupee.

He enjoyed roaming the Savannah with his brothers and sisters, mom and pop; and his favorite thing to do was to munch on the leaves of the acacia tree. Yep, he was a giraffe like any other.. except for one thing.. he was born tiny and never grew any bigger than you or me- for instead of giraffe-size, he stood at 3 ft. 3!

The Haberdashery of Mister Chitterly-Witters

Mister Chitterly-Witters was the proprietor of the haberdashery over on North Main Street. In true fashion of the medieval trinket shoppes of yore, he sold a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, with boatloads of everything in between!

And what fine goods they were! He had ascots and bow-ties of the highest quality silks- produced from a long line of Emperor worms in China. The shelves were lined with French cologne, and mustache combs; fiddles and faddles, kaleidoscopes, and ping-pong paddles. Why, you could find a pot of gold from the Isle of Leprechaun, complete with a map to your very own rainbow!

With a collection like this, you could probably surmise that Mister Chitterly-Witters was a very eccentric man, with impeccable taste.

The Cat In The Strawberry House (Or The Dog Who Kept Books)

"Hello Cat, why Hello Cat,

In your Strawberry house

I say, I must say

You are nary larger than a mouse!"

"Well hey there, now who are you?",

The Cat asked me,

As I appeared out of the blue.

"I am the wise Traveler," I answered.

"I hail from the West.

I showed up because I heard that your fruity house was the best!"

"So I wonder, Cat,

Do you bake strawberry cakes?

Ice them on your frosty white roof,

And use the leftovers for shakes?"

"Speaking of roofs..

Did you know that you have a new neighbor who goes rrroofs?

His name is Bowser,

and he's a Long-Haired Schnauzer.

This mutt lives in an Apricot hut,

At 1-7-2 Go Fetch! Avenue."

"No", replied Cat.

"I did not know he moved in."

(The hair stood up on Cat's chinny chin chin.)

"Gadzooks! Oh dear me!

Should I have the spooks?

Tell me, does Bowser even keep a collection of books?"

"We cats love to read..

Any story for our imagination to plant a seed.

But dogs.. NOT so!

They prefer a game of Tiddly Winks

Or Hot Pota-to."

"Well Cat, I'm not sure,

I better pay him a visit.

I bet I'll find him out by the hydrant,

If not I'll just whiz it!"

"Goodbye," said Cat.

And the wise Traveler was on his way..

The hills he pranced

Glistened like a bale of golden hay, that fine day.

As he arrived at the Apricot hut,

Nobody was home.

Not Bowser the mutt.

"Now where could he be?"

In my head,

I said to me;

When out from behind a tree,

Stepped Bowser, with a cup of tea.

"Rrroof rrroof!

Welcome friend.

Why don't you come in the house,

And see the Ostrich

With the polka-dot blouse?"

"Yes, you're invited inside!

We can play Fetch, Seek, and then Hide.

We can even play See-Saw with my paw

On the dog house slide!"

"Now come on in, dear Traveler,

And help yourself to the tea and marmalade,

Before all the ants in the neighborhood

Go on parade."

"Why, thank you,"

I said to Bowser,

The Long-Haired Schnauzer.

Into the hut he went,

And they sat down for tea,

The Traveler, Bowser, and the Ostrich

Made three.

"Dog, I thank you for being so kind.

But I do have a question,

If you don't mind."

"The tea and marmalade

Were quite delicious,

But all the gizmos and gadgets 'round here

Make me suspicious!

Before I embark on further inspection,

Please let me know,

Do you keep a reading collection?"

Copyright © Lisa Ellen Goodman, 2015, All Rights Reserved