Peter Davies' second book,
The Blue Genie, in the Molly's Magic Pencil series is an ideal picture book to use for dramatization. With only four prominent characters in the story, our family of four had no problem in dealing with lack of participation. Having short jumpers the squirts consider "genie" outfits, I figured the two girls would be taking turns playing the Blue Genie. Instead, they both chose to play the protagonist's part, Molly.
So, we dug in closets for red (okay, hot pink) outfits to mimic Molly's red jumper. Then, backpacks were filled with paper and the crucial Magic Pencil. By default, the hub played Blue Genie since he was wearing a blue shirt and blue jeans, and I was inevitably Mrs. Jones, the tearful geriatric lady (I'm being typecast already, yet still a month away from 40) whose cat, Tiddles (played by our stuffed black cat), is stranded high on a tree limb.
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| Tiddles stranded in the tree. |
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Since each squirt wanted the spotlight to herself, we rehearsed the scene
several times (more than I had planned) in our backyard (luckily, the neighbors already know we're nutty) each time alternating the actress who portrayed Molly.
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| Take 1: Molly #1 searching in her backpack for the Magic Pencil. |
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| Take 1: Molly #1 drawing a teapot. | |
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| Take 21: Molly #2 searching in her backpack for the Magic Pencil. | | | | | |
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| Take 21: Molly #2 drawing a teapot. | | |
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| The Blue Genie saves Tiddles. |
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When every blank space on the paper had been filled with a drawing of a teapot, we brought the dramatization to a close by singing the first verse of, "I'm a Little Teapot." Bedtime was accomplished only with a sincere promise, "Yes, we will act out
The Blue Genie again tomorrow."
Peter Davies
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