The Cat Train Departs
Somebody Write This Book
Hi! Hello! I’m Kirk Reedstrom and this is the Somebody Write This Book newsletter where I send little monthly, sometimes (okay, okay—often) absurd creative prompts to your inbox. You probably signed up for this on my website or on Twitter. If you’d like to unsubscribe, just click that link at the bottom of the newsletter. One click, all done, goodbye and sayonara.
First, A Prompt:
Chugga chugga meow meow.
I know. Adorable, right? Take a moment to appreciate those fluffers. Do yourself a favor and click that image to watch the video. Welcome back. Wasn’t that worth it? Ok. Now let’s push that tweet a little further. Who is the conductor of the cat train? Try making a squiggle character of the conductor. If you’re unsure of how to make a squiggle character, you can find instructions in my first newsletter. Ready?
Here’s my squiggle:
And my conductor:
Don’t worry about your character looking wonky. Wonkiness is encouraged! If you want to keep this train running (har, har, har), here are some more questions to ask yourself:
Where is the train going?
How many stops does it make?
Think about the first time you took a long trip without your parents (field trip, summer camp, etc). How did it feel to climb aboard the bus, train, boat, plane, or car?
How did you feel the last time you went on a trip?
How do passengers pay to go aboard this cat train?
What would happen if a mouse had to be stowaway?
Try setting a timer for 23 minutes and free write a little story that’s about 100-200 words from the perspective of the conductor, a passenger, or that mouse. You can go over or under that word count. You can write for a longer or shorter amount of time. Stories aren’t your thing? Try writing a poem or four panel comic. There aren’t any rules here.
Three Neat Things:
My Favorite Neighbors Are Back (Spoiler: They Aren’t Human):
Spring and summer means that more wildlife is popping up around our house. Barn Swallows made a nest in our front entryway, a frog has been spending its afternoons on our back patio, fireflies are out, and we’ve had frequent (almost daily!) bunny sightings in the backyard. It’s such a delight to see these creatures, and to share space with them.
A Lecture Series:
Big thanks to Jerrold Connors for introducing me to this collection of James Marshall lectures on children’s literature in the University of Connecticut library’s digital archives. This series is a rare glimpse into the mind of a master of humorous kids books. George & Martha, Fox, The Stupids Die, and, honestly, all of Marshall’s work are absolute treasures.
A Concert:
Linda May Han Oh is one of my favorite bassists, and I was thrilled to discover this concert of hers on NPR’s Jazz Night In America. She manages to blur the line between classical, and jazz music in a way that feels exhilarating, fresh, accessible, intellectually rigorous, and funky.
Thanks for reading. If you’re hankering for more prompts, you can read the archives here. If you really enjoyed it, forward this email to a friend or arch nemesis.
If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time (Hello, friend or nemesis), you can subscribe here.
-Kirk
www.kirkreedstrom.com