DJ and Trill Find a New Beat
A little robot book
Planet Beat
DJ is a little alien from the disco planet Beat. He and his mother, Nonet, just moved to Earth. Nonet has a space drum band. DJ had many friends on Beat and feels sad about leaving them. His pet floofkin, Trill, came to Earth, too. Floofkins are very furry and cute, but tend to misbehave.
1
On the first day of school, DJ and Trill eat their breakfast. DJ is nervous to meet his new classmates. He misses his friends from disco planet Beat. On the way to school Nonet and DJ create a rhyme to pass the time... I'll meet new friends throughout the day. We'll have lots of fun as we learn and play.
2
The school bell rings. The class takes their seats. The teacher begins to speak, but DJ can only think of his beats. A booming bass buzzes. He dreams of guitars playing. DJ feels a tapping on his shoulder and turns around. T-T-TAP TAP TAP
3
He sees a girl with pretty eyes smiling at him. He is surprised. “Sorry, was I making too much noise?” he asks. She giggles and says, “No, I love your beats. My name is Jada."
4
As DJ looks back at the teacher, he hears a scream. Trill had hopped out of his backpack and ran under everyone's desks. "Oh no!" DJ yells.
5
Trill is out of the bag! No more secrets. As Trill scurries around the room, some of DJ's classmates scream. Some hide. To make things worse, Jada is standing on top of her desk screaming, “What is that?�
6
"It’s okay, everyone!" DJ shouts, "This is my pet floofkin, Trill!" Jada takes a deep breath and looks back at DJ in confusion. "A floofkin? Is that like a space cat?" Suddenly Trill licks DJ, and the whole class laughs.
7
Just then Trill sees a squirrel out of the corner of her big eyes. She jumps out the window and into the playground. "Oh no!" DJ cries. "She is new to this world and is going to get lost!" "Don’t worry!" Jada says with a smile. "We will help you get her back. Is there a treat she likes?" "No," DJ says, "but she loves my beats!"
8
Trill has no idea what lies ahead. The playground is so exciting to a little floofkin! There is a tall fountain in the center, a playhouse, and a small pond with ducks quacking. The place is so lively and full of sounds.
9
Trill runs faster and faster. DJ says, "This was not supposed to happen. What a disaster!" He worries as he stares out the window. Jada runs to her desk. Everyone thinks she is going to take her seat. Instead, she grabs pens and pencils and begins tapping a beat. T-T-T-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP
10
Even though Trill can barely hear the pencil drumbeat, she can feel its rhythm. TAPITTA-TAP. TAPITTA-TAPITTA-TAP. Trill runs like a flash around the playground. Her fuzzy, purple hair blowing in the wind. She heads straight for the duck pond. She leaps high into the air. Using her one power from planet Beat, Trill shapeshifts into a duck. She lands in the pond with a splash.
11
DJ is worried that he can no longer see Trill. He pleads with his classmates, "Please help me find Trill. She's my only friend on Earth!" "Don't worry," Jada replies. "We'll find Trill in no time! We just need to get LOUDER!" To DJ's surprise, the entire class follows Jada outside.
12
The naughty floofkin is still nowhere to be found. Jada says, "If we all work together and create a beat, then maybe she will come back.� DJ and Jada start a beat, but everyone else just stares at them. "Please, everyone, we have to work together so she will hear us," DJ cries. He is losing hope when suddenly...
13
Stomp, stomp, clap! Stomp, stomp, clap! Everyone turns. Will, the quietest kid in class, starts to stomp and clap to the beat. DJ smiles and keeps tapping. TAPITTA-TAP. TAPITTA-TAPITTA-TAP. Stomp, stomp, clap!
14
Next, a boy named Jace started loudly chanting. "Floofkin raise your voice make a big noise Playing in the park want to be a big Trill some day You got friends in this place. My name is Jace. Bouncing your beats all over the place" And just like that, all of DJ's new friends start singing.
15
The beat is getting louder and louder. It can be heard from miles away. The music makes ripples in the pond nearby. While all the ducks are swimming, one bird cannot help but nod her little head.
16
The nodding duck and DJ lock eyes. Suddenly, Trill transforms back into her natural floofkin form. DJ runs right to Trill and they hug tightly. DJ is so relieved. The entire class cheers!
17
Trill changes her nose into a horn. She trumpets happily and begins to bounce around DJ’s new friends in rhythm to her jazzy beat. Jada starts to dance. Jace begins to sing. Will stomps and claps. And DJ smiles as he taps his beats along with his new friends on Earth.
18
What a great day! DJ cannot wait to share his first day of school with his mom. DJ smiles as he walks home with Trill and his new friends. "Earth is as cool as Planet Beat," he says. "I want to stay here." His classmates shout, "Yes! Please, please stay with us, DJ. Trill is not your only friend on Earth. We are your friends, too!"
19
DJ gives his new friends high fives. "I have an idea,” he says excitedly. “We love creating music, and we are stronger together! Will you start a band with me?" Will replies, "Yes! What if we name it after Trill? She is our mascot." Jace and DJ laugh. Jada says, "Let's call it The Trill Rock Band." All of DJ’s friends agree and keep making music as they walk down the street to their new beat.
20
Earth
When DJ moves to Earth, he has no friends except for his pet, Trill. When Trill goes missing on the first day of school, can DJ’s love of music save the day?
Sanaa Bhambri Danielle Biggs John Claude Bossou-Allo Paige Buffkin Jared French Melissa Herrington Tachala Hood Ana Marquez Nitin Narang Rebecca Noel Annie Phillips Amy Polic Nate Ratzlaff Angelica Roman Lynette Rambo Maureen Robbs Pavel Shimko Charlton Swearingen Tom Wenig
Collaboratively created between Reading Partners Colorado Build-A-Book and Cisco in October 2020