Last week we asked you to draw pictures of something or someone who lives in the water, whether a goldfish or a seahorse or a whale or a bit of floating kelp.
As usual, we got a bunch of wonderful drawings. Like this one from Allison.
Kudos to Allison for featuring not just one but TWO creatures that live in the water. If I were a teacher, I might consider giving her extra credit. Or at least a shiny purple star.
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As for the next drawing, it is by a little girl named Claire. I tell you this so that you are not confused when you see her name written as “Clara” in the drawing. This is, according to her mom, the influence of her Spanish immersion kindergarten class.
Of course, you are just as delighted as I am with Claire’s wonderful drawing. But what is it, you might be asking yourself. While the real fun comes from deciding for yourself, Claire’s mom tells us that this is a “walrus/dolphin hybrid with mermaid and seahorse. As far as I’m concerned, the walrus is the perfect animal. That noble face, those enormous tusks, that sterling character (I’ve never met a Walrus I didn’t like). The only thing that might improve the peerless walrus? Being combined with a dolphin, another of my very favorite animals. And tell me, have you ever seen a more cheerful seahorse? Of course you haven’t. Well done, Claire(a).
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And here, from Joe, a drawing with collage.
According to Joe’s mom, “That’s a stingray in a blue ocean (with small fishes swimming along side with him.)
My question is what will happen when that long crocodile snout dips into the ocean? After he has his fill of water (which he might find rather salty, I think), will he also be hungry for stingray? Or will he emerge with a stung snout?
I’m afraid that only Joe knows.
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And now, from Spencer, a drawing and a story. First, the drawing:
And the story:
Pika Lake
There are lots of pikaballs in the water. If they’re in the water, the water gives them power. People go to the river to search for them so they can have blue pikachus. The blue pikachus have blue electric beam powers. They have no teeth and if people try to capture them, they have to figure out the secret code to open up the pikaball first. There’s only one white ball. It has ice power. The ice power can freeze a house and lift up a car on it’s pinky. The blue one is even stronger than the white one because it can lift up a hotel on its pinky.
Spencer’s story is as inspiring as it is puzzling. I’m left knowing that my life will not be complete until I get myself a pikaball. But the question of which pikaball to seek is driving me crazy. Do I want the white one (by Spencer’s account the only one of its kind) or do I try to get a blue one (in the off chance that I need to lift a hotel). It’s an enigma wrapped inside a puzzle. Advice would be most welcome.
Not to be overlooked is a drawing/story pairing from Tyler.
Pokemon River
Power pokeballs are floating in the river. If you throw a ball and you name it, then a creature comes out and attacks the bad guys. You can only find them inside the Pokemon River. They’re all connected like magnets, sleeping. One of the good guys decides to capture them all so he has more power.
Ack! Another kind of puzzling ball! Now my confusion gets even more intense. How does the pokeball match up against the pikaball? Perhaps the question is moot if I cannot locate the Pokemon River, which, I am guessing, is nowhere near Chestertown. I may just wander down to the Chester River to see what kind of balls are floating there. I think I saw a tennis ball once, but it was a little moldy.
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Not only does it look like a fish, but it is a very elegant fish, a fish drawn with an expressive line and a delightfully minimalist sensibility. This is a fish with attitude, a fish with personality. I can’t wait to see what Conrad is drawing when he’s almost four.
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Here is a drawing from Lena, who once again treats us to art created on the iPad.
But wait. The excitement does not end there. Lena also wrote us a story. Here it is:
Once upon a time in a neverland ocean there lived a seahorse and her magical powers were in her hands. Her hands are imaginary–you can’t see them. And along came a fish named Nana. Nana said, “Hello!” to the seahorse. And the seahorse said, “hello” to the fish. Then they got lost in the ocean. And they got captured in a cave where the sea monster lived. The sea monster said, “Oh I have some dinner! Now I’ll eat them up!”
The seahorse used her magical imaginary hands to open up the door of the cage. And then the sea monster found them again swimming. The seahorse’s hands brushed out a sparkle and then the friends disappeared.
The End
Thanks to Lena’s story, I have a new goal in life: to get myself a pair of imaginary invisible hands. I’ve always worried about what might happen were I captured and locked in an underwater cage. I don’t know why I never thought of imaginary invisible hands. It seems like such an obvious solution. But so often do the ideas that spring from the minds of true artists seem inevitable in retrospect. Thank you, Lena, for your wisdom. I will dive into the ocean with newfound confidence. As soon as I get my pair of imaginary invisible hands. In your next story, could you please tell us where I might find them?
I must also say how much I admire the phrase “brushed out a sparkle.” It’s lovely. I think that Lena might have a writer inside her. A non-imaginary, entirely visible one.
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Finally, we have this drawing from Emiliano, who told me an email, “I hope you like Lizare.”
“Oh my!” you must be saying to yourself. Perhaps you are trembling in fear. Perhaps you are wondering whether Lizare has imaginary, invisible hands. I tell you this: you do not have to wonder any more. Emiliano sent along a list of attributes. The facts and accessories, if you will.
I don’t know where to begin in expressing my admiration of Emiliano’s drawing and story.
First off all, I’m pretty sure the combination of lion, dolphin, and shark has never been attempted. Points for originality.
Second, it seems entirely appropriate that a creature this cool would be wearing a cap, tie, and sunglasses. In fact, I’d be disappointed if he didn’t.
Third, I think it’s a genuine shame that all sea creatures don’t have beards and mustaches. My sincere thanks to Lizare and Emiliano for taking this first small step toward righting this egregious wrong.
Fourth, I am entirely grateful to Emiliano for the helpful (and entirely intuitive) pronunciation guide. Without it, I might have been tempted to pronounce it so as to rhyme with “misery.” Which would have been a real disservice to this cool, well dressed, hairy animal fish aquatic mammal thing.
After seeing all of these wonderful drawings, I’m a little underwhelmed by Robbi’s drawing, which suddenly seems a little boring.
Though I have to admit, he’s also kind of cute.
If you are a fan of things that are cute but lacking in invisible arms and awesome mustaches, you may mosey on over to Ebay, where our wet friend is up on the auction block through Sunday at 12:30pm EST.