CURIOUS CREATURES
- An Unpublished Childrens Book -
This is a short story,
About a group of wild things,
Of shells, and claws, and rhino horns,
And a buffalo with wings.
**
Charlie is a Leopard Tortoise,
And a peculiar one at that…
Because he thinks he's much less "tortoise",
than he is "ferocious cat!"
“Even though I am a leopard,
I choose to be vegetarian.
I could never eat my friends,
I am not some wild barbarian!”
**
Steven is a Buffalo Weaver,
But I’m sure he doesn’t know…
Because he thinks he’s much less “weaver”,
than he is “Big buffalo!”
**
“I’m a flying buffalo!
And my name is Steve!
Nothing is impossible!
… as long as you believe!”
**
Andrew is an Elephant Shrew,
But that fact is irrelevant,
Because he thinks he’s much less “little shrew”,
Than he is “Mighty Mighty Elephant!”
**
“I am a real elephant,
I just have a little trunk.
In fact my whole body is small…
Maybe I just shrunk?”
**
Brian is a Rhino Beetle,
But he’ll say that that’s preposterous,
Because he thinks he’s much less “beetle”,
Than “super-strong Rhinocerous!”
**
“I may have a tough exterior,
It’s a little scary, I know,
I’m actually really friendly,
And my horn is just for show.”
**
Andrew is not an elephant,
He’s a bit more like the rats.
And Brian is just a humble bug,
He could be related to the gnats.
**
Charlie is not a leopard,
And Steven is a bird.
And that’s why they get picked on,
By other creatures in the herd.
**
Charlie, Stevie, Brian and ‘Drew,
They don’t care what others say,
Because they support each other,
In each and every way.
**
They’re a special group of friends,
Each one of them unique.
Shells, and claws, and rhino horns,
And a buffalo with a beak.
**
It does not matter how you look,
Or what you choose to do,
Just surround yourself with creatures,
Who love you, for being YOU!
- Words Written by Kurt Schröder -
SHORTLISTED
as one of the best entries out of 2300 entries in the
World Illustration Awards held by the Association of Illustrators
