Sherlock's finished the cover art for The Jungle Boo. As promised, it has a snake. Also a tiger. The titular Boo is a ghost named Fred.
Me: And what are the tiger and the snake named?
Sherlock: They don't have names, they're just Tiger and Snake. They can't talk either.
Me: And the thing that eats birds?
Sherlock: It's a bird eating plant. Like pitcher plants but better because it moves and chews them with teeth.
There you have it. Fred the ghost, and his jungle friends.
44 comments:
Excellent! That tiger looks fierce. And overall, it looks kind of scary. A giant blue snake? A ghost? A plant that eats birds? Not a place I'd like to find myself at! Thanks a lot, Sherlock, and John, for sharing. (Also: have you read The Vortex? It's a novel by Colombian writer José Eustacio Rivera. It's about a jungle that eats people. :D)
This is a brilliant picture, Sherlock! I especially like the snake and how you made him wind around the tree there. It would be so cool to be able to climb like that, wouldn't it?
I dunno Lupe, I could find uses for a bird-eating plant. Not that I wish harm upon any creature. I think it's probably a holdover from keeping chickens...I hate those birds.
This is awesome. That is all.
TTFN,
Bronwyn
Oi! No eating birds!
Why can't it eat horrible spiders instead?!
That's amazing, Sherlock.
Nice artwork. Sherlock, you did a good job of conveying the theme of the title.
I am also somewhere between tickled and amused (I know, that's not a big range) that the tiger and snake don't have names and DO NOT TALK.
Thanks for sharing this with us!
In all the books for children they always have stupid names and talk to each other, even whole different species who couldn't talk to each other even if they COULD talk. It's stupid.
And they always speak English when most of them wouldn't ever have BEEN to England.
True. Sherlock, think of it as an attempt at translation. I realize much of it is anthropomorphizing -- acting as if they thought and felt like humans do -- but sometimes it's easier to tell stories using critters who aren't human.
It's a more elaborate version of what I do when I translate what my cats are doing and saying into English. In fact, right now they're saying "feed me" and growling, so I think I'd better go do it before fights break out. It's their normal breakfast time anyway.
I growled at Lestrade to make him get me lunch. He just laughed. I don't think he speaks cat language.
I think it's all stupid. And why don't they ever have murders and good stuff in books for children? Even animal ones. I prefer Lestrade's stories.
He's been telling me a story all about a gang in London who killed people and did lots of bad things. If that had been a story with animals they would have eaten the bodies, not hidden them or put them in the Thames. And one of the people they killed they flushed his liver down the toilet because it fell out. Animals couldn't do that, either.
Excellent picture, Sherlock.
They don't put murders and stuff in most childrens' books because that sort of thing is too scary for most children your age. They'd think about the scary stuff and be frightened. You're a bit different, because you think about the practical stuff; like how and why the murders were committed, how the murderers were caught. It's a very useful skill, sometimes, to be able to step back from the scary bits to look at the practical stuff. I'm sure Lestrade and his colleagues need to be able to do that a lot of the time. Maybe that means you'd make a good police officer one day?
Can you imagine the sorts of things animals would do if they had opposable thumbs? Cats would take over the world in no time.
I don't want to be a policeman if it means I have to do the boring bits like Lestrade. It's stupid. He should just do the bits with the bodies and catching murderers and chasing people and not all the writing and stuff that stops him coming home or doing fun things.
He says there are people who just do science and go to look at the crime scenes and maybe I might do that if it's not too boring. He said one day we can go and look at where those people work. But he won't say when.
Very lovely picture, Sherlock. I especially like the tiger. I always wanted to have my own tiger when I was younger, probably because I thought they'd want to cuddle like a big cat. In reality, though, it'd probably just try to eat me.
Sherlock, what about fairy tales? Many of them are doing pretty horrible things. (Bluebeard and his wives, Cinderella's sisters, etc)
Sherlock, I think I've mentioned both of these before, but I think you'd enjoy The Westing Game and The Egypt Game.
And I think your mum was the one who suggested The Jungle Boo as a title, wasn't she? Are you sending the picture off to her or is it staying on the fridge in your flat?
Sadly Sherlock I have yet to find a job that wasn't a mix of the really fun stuff I love to do and the really boring stuff that is why they have to pay me to do it. But you know, then you take the money they pay you and you do fun stuff in your free time
We used to have fun and get paid an allowance and it was good and there weren't any boring bits.
But that was before John was our nanny. And even though he made Mummy only give us a TINY allowance and he tries to make us do chores it's still better with him, because he's fun and he's always here, even in the night when I want him and everything. And he said I can have a pet.
But he shouldn't make us do boring chores because it was better before.
And he should bash stupid Bryan because he makes Lestrade sad and that makes John sad and that makes me sad and Bryan is STUPID and MEAN and I'd bash him but Lestrade won't let me.
Sherlock - did you know that, in the original stories of The Jungle Book, Baloo and Shere Khan were named after the local words for bear and tiger? I feel that Kipling would like your literal-mindedness.
Also, the name of the panter - Bagheera - has since been given to a genus of jumping spiders. Just thought you might appreciate this...
Kate-lear - have you ever encountered a five year old being a jumping spider? If not, you're welcome to borrow the one we now have.
Apparently it mainly involves climbing onto chairs/tables/worktops, yelling at the nearest adult until they look at you and then launching yourself at them, arms and legs spread wide, whilst yelling 'SPIDER!', and hoping they catch you - or, more accurately - you catch them.
By the looks of it John is now attempting to be a spiderweb and cocoon Sherlock into submission.
Hah! Yeah, right after I hit 'Post Comment', I did wonder if perhaps you & J might not thank me for pointing that out to S...
He's in a particularly exuberant mood today - mainly thanks to everyone on here telling him how brilliant he is (as if he was ever in any doubt. One day we'll have to attempt to teach him some humility).
But honestly, neither of us are any good at trying to be firm with him when he's this entertaining and happy. Although I probably should go and warn Mrs Hudson and Anthea about the spiderweb currently being constructed with pins and string in the doorway. He's even persuaded Mycroft to help with the bits he can't reach.
I fear he's planning on catching a dog and trying to cocoon it. He might lose that battle.
Innie, Mummy can have it if she wants it but I don't think she will, she doesn't have anything on her fridge, it's just metal.
John I want to read Lupe's book about the jungle that eats people.
Crikey. Send me the bill for any damages incurred, I'll file them on the spreadsheet I keep for 'Seemed Like A Good Idea To Say That At The Time'...
(And it's nice to hear about Sherlock enjoying being a kid for once, rather than being frustrated by it!)
Danger, any chance of getting it in writing that I can have my stitches out this weekend?
And Sherlock wants it in writing that he can keep them to look at.
Let me look at them again and I'll give you a verdict, but I think so. And no, Sherlock can't keep them, but he can watch while I take them out - if you don't mind. Tell him he's got to ask you too.
He has asked. Nay, BEGGED.
And he says can he pull one out, if you cut it. I said yes, as far as I was concerned, but you were the Doc.
...Maybe. I'll see how hyper he is when we do it. It'll be fine if he can calm himself down, but not if he's bouncing off the walls.
What a lovely picture, Sherlock! I wouldn't want to be in that jungle, with those bird eating plants and ghosts!
I'll close my eyes and think of England...
Did he get in the coffee this morning or something? He's been manic all day. Is there a chance he might actually sleep tonight...dare I even dream of a lie in tomorrow??
Anything's possible... Don't get your hopes up too high though. No coffee (that I saw at least), just natural five year old energy. Amazing.
Can we get him to analyse himself, find out what it is that gives him the energy, isolate it, and give me some?
I wondered if it's because everyone's a bit...happier, today? And if that's the case...I feel bad he isn't like this more often. Bad in a slightly grateful way. Because I'm way too old to keep up with him.
I once lived in a house with 2 dogs. One weighed 20 pounds and the other 130 pounds. We speculated that they each had the same amount of energy but the big dog had so much more mass to have to move around that she just appeared lazy. And the little one had energy to spare in comparison and looked manic. Maybe it's the same with you and Sherlock.
kholly - Ha, sounds about right.
L - I think it might be because of that, yeah. And if he keeps it up, I'm going to sign him up for...something. There must be some sort of group physical activity he won't immediately deem 'stupid'. And a lot more running about outside.
Hmmm, a group physical activity. How about a martial art, or maybe dancing?
I wasn't much into sports when I was a kid - I was far too busy doing art. But I kind of wish I'd learned a martial art.
I love Sherlock's cover art! The trees and the vines look very jungle-y, and the snake and tiger look very interested in Fred the ghost.
What am I, a St Bernard to his whippet?
Is there anything you can sign him up to that doesn't involve noise or chaos?
L - Probably not, but at least he'll be doing it somewhere else occasionally.
Amy - dancing would be great if I can get him interested. Seems less likely to lead to lamp-breakage at home than, say, karate.
lamps? Who cares about lamps? I care about him breaking you, or possibly me.
I think he'd be great in one of those drumming troupes - the sort you see at carnivals, who dance and drum.
But only if he ONLY gets to drum at their practice place, not in the house.
Maybe really energetic miming...
What am I, a St Bernard to his whippet?
In my case it was a Newfoundland and a terrier, but yes, you get the idea.
Drumming sounds like you're asking for a lot of noise in the house. What about something like gymnastics? All that tumbling must use up a lot of energy and it is pretty well confined to the gym. Though you would then be stuck ferrying him back and forth to the gym.
Drumming sounds like you're asking for a lot of noise in the house.
Having a five year old is asking for a lot of noise in the house.
Gymnastics is a good idea. Not entirely sure Sherlock will go for it, but we can try!
Also, fairly sure tumbling wouldn't be restricted to the gym. We'd probably start being woken up by a double back-flip onto us, instead of his current wrestling-move type leap.
I don't think I slobber quite as much as a St Bernard. But John might disagree...
He'd love parkour, but that would be epically bad. Maybe climbing?
TTFN,
Bronwyn
I know you're not American and you're not officially, but have a Happy Fathers' Day!
What about a martial art? Lots of kids his age take karate or judo or the like. Anthea can probably recommend someone.
Cranky - it's Father's Day here today too (I know that we have Mother's day at a different time, but Father's Day is the same).
You should try ice hokey, no hear me out; my brother was more hyper than Sherlock (not kidding) and my mom always says she has never, ever, seen him as tired as after his first ice hokey game. It works perfectly... Just teach him to break before sending him out on the ice? (My brother, you might like to know, did not. He stopped himself by hanging off the other team's pants or letting himself slam into the boarding).
So yes, ice hokey
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