Hello Dear Reader,

I have just finished putting together a story for my grandson.  The story was fun and Jayden and I had a hoot reading it.  But what interested me was the impact that it made on my  young grandson's  understanding about the way print works that made the experience really stand out.  Young Jayden, was part of the whole "book writing" process and contributed by writing to the main character (Ernie) on a regular basis.  He owned  the story line and is having a blast sharing it with any family member who will listen. My learning intention was to  bring home the concept that writing has a purpose and can also be fun. 
I thought you might be interested in the story set-up.

 

Mystery Visitor at Brannenbrook

 

 

It wasn’t expected.  It wasn’t requested.  No one predicted it. It just happened one dark December morning.

I woke up kind of cranky.  It was still dark. 

“Winter! It’s  dark when you wake up.  It’s dark before supper . Winter isn’t fun!  Winter is dark.  I hate winter!”

I did a lot of complaining back then.  I complained in the morning.  I complained  in the afternoon.  And at supper-time, I complained. But that all changed December 12, 2014. 

Why this big change?  What made my frown turn upside down?   What happened to make Grandma Grumpy Pants do a three-sixty attitude adjustment?

I give full credit to a certain short visitor who showed up (totally uninvited ) in my living room.  And I mean really short...as in fifteen centimetres and I repeat TOTALLY UNINVITED!

 

 

He wore a floppy red hat with a white stripe.  He had a collar that was perfectly white.  His shirt was red and for some reason he wore white mittens.  His eyes twinkled.

 

 

 

At first I thought he had a smile on his face, but the more I looked, the more I would have to say it was an impish, mischievous grin. His arms and legs were long and skinny. Short, skinny and dressed in red and white. Oh and one more detail.  It was as if he was frozen in time.  Not a move did he make.

 

 

I decided to call Jayden.  He is short.  Maybe he knows what is going on.

“Jayden, get over here! There is a very short person playing scrabble with the Pine Forest animals! “ I yelled into the phone.

I decided to call Jayden.  He is short.  Maybe he knows what is going on.

“Jayden, get over here! There is a very short person playing scrabble with the Pine Forest animals! “ I yelled into the phone.

Jayden came running over to the house...(We live on the same farm.)

“Look! Can you believe your eyes?”

 

 “Grandma, he spelled BUM!”

“That is all you have to say?  He spelled BUM!!!!

Who is he ?  Why is he here?” What should we do?”

 

“I don’t know Grandma.  He looks like an Elf.  Let’s call him Ernie.  Ernie Elf. 

Hey, look at Moosie,  Reindeer and Mountain Goat.  They can read! Did you know they  play Scrabble? Did you know they could read?”

“This is a real mystery.  You better get to school.  There is something strange going on at this farm.” 

But Jayden didn’t seem to think it was very strange.  When he came home from school he came over and started playing Scrabble with Moosie,  Reindeer and Mountain Goat.  They had fun. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just hope Ernie doesn’t teach Moosie how to spell BUM!

 

 

 

The next morning was interesting.  As soon as I got out of bed, I checked to see if there was a Scrabble game going on.  Nope.  No scrabble game.  The drawer was no longer askew and everything seemed nice and tidy. 

 

Mysterious short visitor- gone. Pine Forest animals playing Scrabble- gone.  Good riddance to “Short Uninvited Guests”. 

 

I was just about to start complaining about the rotten winter weather when I saw something on the living room floor.

This is what I saw!

 

 

Twizzle Sticks!  Really?  How did he get into my secret candy cupboard?  I need to get a lock for that cupboard! Does he really think Pine Forest animals know how a maze works? 

On the third day of this madness, Jayden  discovered Ernie on the very top shelf of a bookcase. 

“Jayden, do you know what Ernie is doing all night long?” I asked, hoping my  grandson would solve this mystery.

Well Grandma, can’t you see?  They are playing

“Go Fish.”

 

“That is all you can say?  They are playing “Go Fish”!!!

 Why are they here?

How did they get in?

Where did they get the cards?

Who invited them?

How do the Pine Forest animals know how to read numbers?” I asked hoping my detective grandson would solve this mystery.

 

“Grandma, are you cranky today?  I think Ernie likes everyone to have fun.”

Don’t worry, I will write Ernie a letter and ask him to explain everything.”

Well Jayden wrote Ernie lots of notes, but Ernie only wrote back one time.    

Ernie asked if Jayden had good candy at his house. Can you believe this guy?

 

 

 

 

We are  finally getting used to our new visitor.  Jayden arrives bright and early to help me find the little imp.  I have to admit, he is kind of funny.

I also must agree with Jayden that Ernie likes everyone to have fun.

 

Here are more examples of Ernie’s antics.

Into the toothpaste! 

 

 

That’s right!  He likes to play checkers!

 

Ernie thought all the Pine Forest animals would like a candy cane feast.

 

 

 

One night he made angels in a pan of salt!

 

 

The next night he turned marshmallows into a bubble bath!

 

Ernie decided to visit Jayden’s house and got into Scott’s  shaving cream.  I didn’t think Elves needed to shave!

 

 

 

Ernie thinks he should be in a circus. One night he made a zip-line and used candy canes to swing across Jayden’s playroom!

Jayden worked hard to solve the “Ernie Mystery”.  He made lots of notes and kept a good  case file -as all good detectives do.  Here are some of his observations.

The Ernie Case File

1.  Grandma laughs every time she sees what Ernie has done all night long.

 

2.  Ernie has a hard time staying away from candy.

 

 

3.  Ernie likes to play games with his friends. (He has elf friends and likes Pine Forest Animals.)

 

4.  Ernie thinks shaving cream and toothpaste are play things.

 

5.  Ernie can read the letters I write him,  but he doesn’t answer important questions.

6.  Ernie and his friends did not get into the cookies we left for Santa.

7.  When Grandma went to feed the horses on Christmas morning ten bales of hay had disappeared- vanished!

 

 

8.  Grandma, Grandpa, Mummy, Scott, Jayden and Tubbs got all the things they asked for from Santa.

 

The Ernie Mystery remains unsolved. 

Maybe next year, on a dark December morning, we will discover a short, impish, uninvited, visitor on top of a bookshelf.

 

 

Ernie  Elf... you are always welcome at Brannenbrook Farm. 

You are fun and you make us laugh!

 

P.S. Lilly and Athena say they will make sure there is lots of hay for Christmas Eve. (Just in case.)