This book is dedicated to the children and grandchildren in my life which includes; Asher, Alexx, Doniel, Noam, Alisa, Stella M., Olive, Hudson, Max, Stella S. and Sol.
For Ahavia, who believed in me even when she shouldn’t have and my mother who never stopped believing in me. Special thanks to Hana for setting this project up and Branka whose marvelous illustrations brought this story to life.
Copyright Š2013 Lon Levin/Levinland Studio All rights reserved. All words and characters depicted in the book are the property of LevinLand Publishing and cannot be copied or used in anyway without the expressed written approval of the author/publisher
LevinLand Studio, 1129 S. Pointview Street Los Angeles, Ca 90034 www.illustratorsjournal.com
LevinLand Publishing • Los Angeles, California
In dreams and imagination is where we truly live.
“A Captain always wears her hat to dinner. He should know that!
“MAD HATTER!” Her father shouted “YOU’LL BE SORRY WHEN I’M GONE!” She yelled. It was bad manners to eat barefooted, with your hat on, so Stella was banished to her room.
Frustrated and bewildered by
x
her father’s behavior, she thought about how nice it would be to sail away on a pirate ship. She would find a new world where other children could live and play and do what they wanted to all day long!
The ocean water gathered around the bedframe which slowly changed into a ship. Within minutes she was standing behind the Captain’s wheel navigating the boat through choppy waters. “WHERE’S MY CREW!! SHE HOLLERED.
The angry shipmates emerged from the ship’s quarters.
THEY HOOTED, HOLLERED, BURBED, FARTED and displayed horrible manners!
“STOPPPPP!… Stella screamed as loud as she could.
The angry mates had never heard anyone scream so loud and they fell silent. “I’m Stella, the Barefoot Buccaneer. If I’m going to sail with you swabbies then no one speaks louder than me.” she proclaimed. The angry animals were a little afraid so they agreed with their new captain.
I’m
m
I’m
Stella!!!
“Now, let’s play!” she said.
and so they did...
When the beastly mates were too tired to play anymore they fell asleep, leaving Stella and to clean up the mess they had made. “They certainly are a lazy bunch� She muttered to herself. And at that very moment a HUGE RUMBLE rippled the wooden planks beneath them. The crew awoke with a start.
“What’s that awful noise?” Stella asked. “That’s the Grump, explained, Mad Rabbit, he smells fun and that’s not good!” Stella cocked her hat, “We’ll see about that!”, she exclaimed and marched in the direction of the noise until she was face to face with the monstrous Grump.
“State your business Grump.” “NO MORE FUN!” He blurted out. “Angry animals should remain angry, so now I have to eat you!” “NO WAY, GRUMPSTER!” Stella bellowed until her lungs almost burst.
A W
“YES
Y ! Y ! ” Y A A A A the Grump
bellowed louder.
“Bad Form.” Chicky Baby called out as he flapped his wings wildly hovering over the Grump and the now angry mateys below. “FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! They all yelled! Stella wanted to prove who was boss, she could not. She was too hungry and her stomach was growling like a hungry bear.
“You all need a time out!.” she stated as she got up dusting herself off. “I’m going home.”
“Don’t go Barefoot Buccaneer”, the crew screamed, “Who will protect us from the Grump?” “You don’t need protection, you need to be friends.” Stella stated with finality.
The animals thought a moment, then HOOTED
AND HOLLERED,BURPED and FARTED at Stella
LOUDER THAN BEFORE. Their manners were simply dreadful.
“That’s no fun!” Hippopothesis answered. The others agreed.
Stella watch the ship, the animals and the humungous Grump disappeared around her still arguing. Soon she was standing all alone on her bed surrounded by the stuffies. She hopped off the mattress and put her hat on the dresser.
“I’m ready for dinner, Daddy!” she called out “It’s about time.” He shouted back. She strolled out of her room and looked back at the silent crew resting on the mattress.
“We’ll have another adventure after dinner… so don’t leave without me!”
The End