Read-iculous Books
Caring for Your Walking Stick
About this book…
Caring for Your Walking Stick is an illustrated toddler’s board book. It consists of 24 pages (12 front and back including cover) and about 315 words.
Synopsis: Caring for Your Walking Stick takes this series into the realm of inanimate objects. It is, of course, instructions for how to care for a walking stick. Young ones learn how to find, prune, use, and, yes, even blow-dry their walking stick. Simple illustrations of personified sticks bring out the craziness in this short instruction manual for toddlers. They’ll want to read it again and again!
This book is not yet illustrated. Only the text is presented here, with indications of page separations and descriptions of the illustrations. It’s more work than you’d think to illustrate a book like this. Check it out and let us know if you think it’s worth the effort!
Copyright protected. Reproduction of this work in any form without express permission of the owner is strictly prohibited.
CARING FOR YOUR WALKING STICK
(page 1 right)
Illustration: Boy walking in woods. Sticks all around have eyes and mouths.
If you like hiking, you will need a good walking stick. To find one, go for a walk in the woods.
(page 2 left)
Illustration: Boy looking at walking sticks. Anxious looks on the faces of the sticks. Boy has a hold of one. It’s eyes are wide.
Your walking stick must feel right in your hand. It must be strong and sturdy.
(page 3 right)
Illustration: Boy is triumphantly holding his walking stick. It has some odd branches and bark sticking off of it. Stick has a look of uncertainty.
It should be as tall as you are—but not taller! You’ll know when you find the right one!
(page 4 left)
Illustration: Boy is removing twigs, then pulling off loose bark. Stick has a tolerant look as he allows himself to be pruned.
First, you should remove any twigs from the stick—and peel off any loose bark.
(page 5 right)
Illustration: Boy is scraping bark off with pocket knife. Walking stick looks scared and is carefully watching the point of the knife.
To really clean it up, you might need to use a pocket knife. Gently scrape off the prickly parts.
(page 6 left)
Illustration: Boy standing and holding walking stick. Walking stick is wide-eyed.
Once it is all cleaned up, hold your walking stick in your right hand, next to your shoulder.
(page 7 right)
Illustration: Boy is using walking stick. Both he and the stick look proud and strong. They are walking into hilly woods.
Keep your back straight and walk tall. Your walking stick will feel proud!
(page 8 left)
Illustration: They come across mountain lion in the woods. Mountain lion is staring at them.
In the woods, you might find a hungry mountain lion.
(page 9 right)
Illustration: Boy is holding out walking stick and looking fierce. Mountain lion has turned and is running away scared.
Your walking stick will come in handy to scare it away!
(page 10 left)
Illustration: Boy is swinging walking stick in front of him. Stick looks fierce and proud to be useful. Spider web is being cleared. A nearby spider has a shocked look.
You can use your walking stick to clear away spider web…
(page 11 right)
Illustration: Boy is stretching and reaching with walking stick.
Or to reach things that are too high up.
(pages 12-13 both sides)
Illustration: Boy is leaning walking stick up against house, away from some other sticks and boards that are leaning there. A sign on the wall above it says “Pokey’s Spot”.
When you get home, keep your walking stick outside. But don’t put it with other sticks! It must feel special!
(page 14 left)
Illustration: Walking stick standing outside with snow all over it. Eyes can be seen. It looks tough and strong.
It’s okay if it rains or snows on your walking stick. This will make it even stronger! (It won’t mind!)
(page 15 right)
Illustration: Boy is blow-drying walking stick with hair dryer and extension cord.
Just make sure it has time to dry before you go on a hike. You can always blow-dry it if you need to!
(pages 16-17 both sides)
Illustration: Boy is leaving for hike and forgetting stick (in background). We see edge of neighborhood with woods behind it that he’s heading toward, maybe with his dad. Walking stick is very mad.
Make sure you remember to bring your walking stick with you every time you go on a hike! If you forget, it will be mad at you!
(page 18 left)
Illustration: Boy picks up stick again. Walking stick is happy again.
Walking sticks are very forgiving. It will be pleased the next time you take it out.
(page 19 right)
Illustration: Boy is walking in neighborhood with walking stick. It looks thrilled!
To make it really happy, use it for neighborhood walks, too!
(page 20 left)
Illustration: Boy is hiking on mountain with stick again. He’s bigger now. Walking stick is short next to him. It’s looking up at him. Little sister is with boy.
Take good care of your walking stick, and it will serve you for years to come. And remember—if you ever outgrow it…
(page 21 right)
Illustration: Boy is handing stick to little sister. Walking stick is wide-eyed as it looks at younger sister with trepidation.
You can always give it to someone younger!
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