DJ Bogtrotter

Over the last 18 months, as well as scribbling out the odd cartoon, I’ve been working on a storybook for my kids. I put a lot of hours into creating it and believed I had made the best of my fairly basic drawing skills to produce a fun, exciting story – a time travelling adventure involving dinosaurs and Egyptian mummies. I finally managed to finish it off and sent it off for internet publishing (Blurb, if you’re interested – they did a pretty good job). I waited eagerly for the package to arrive and my kids, who I hadn’t told exactly what I had been up to, knew that something was coming. At last, the book arrived and, after months of just publishing stuff online, it really was a treat to hold one of my creations in my hands. After dinner that night, I sat my son and daughter down in our living room and showed them what I had made for them. Their reaction was somewhat less than the giddy excitement I’d been hoping for. I persevered and got ready to read it to them. (“Do we have to read it now?” whined Fergal. “Yes”, I replied.) After we’d finished, I asked them if they liked it. “S’alright” was Niamh’s mumbled reply, whilst Fergal’s was a more direct “No. Can we put the Wii back on now?” Rather crestfallen, I shuffled off and left them to their video games.

However, I should’ve known better than to put my kids on the spot with such a direct question. Niamh is already reaching the age where she doesn’t want to be seen to be too enthusiastic and Fergal is a contrary wee bugger at the best of times (I don’t know where he gets that from). Within the week, they’d both asked me to read it again and it’s now become part of our regular reading, as they both now love it. Although Niamh has pointed out that she actually never stands with her hands behind her back like I’ve drawn her on the cover (and she’s right too – I should make review all my work). Anyway, if you’re interested, you can download a PDF of the whole story below. Enjoy.

Back By Lunch (right click and choose save link or target as)