SCRIBBLE & BEEP by David Martin Stack
[Picture Book: 32 pages, Ages 2-5]
Scribble and Beep are best friends, but that may be the only thing on which they agree in this charming tale of a carefree doodle and her fastidious robot buddy sharing a playdate.
Playdates are so much fun! But what if your friend wants to play something different than you? Beep the robot knows exactly what he wants to do — and he doesn’t like it when you mess with his program. But Scribble the doodle has her own ideas of fun — and they’re just as wacky and original as she is. Can Scribble get with the program? Can Beep draw outside the lines?
In the tradition of beloved odd couples like Elephant and Piggie, Frog and Toad, or George and Martha, Scribble & Beep is sure to delight preschoolers ages 2-5 who are just learning to negotiate the ups and downs of their first friendships.
Scribble & Beep promotes the healthy assertion of a child’s own individuality while celebrating the beauty of friendship. It’s okay to like different things…and each other.
SCRIBBLE & BEEP by David Martin Stack
Scribble and Beep were best friends.
That is how it’s always been.
Ever since Scribble was a little doodle, and Beep was just a microchip.
And today was a very special day.
“We’re having a play date!” they both cheered happily.
“I’ve got a million ideas about what we could do!” Scribble giggled.
“I can always count on you,” Beep beeped.
So what would they choose?
***
They could play games.
Scribble wanted to play checkers. “That’s the one with lots of jumping, right?”
But Beep wanted to play chess. “I know all the rules.”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they looked in the toy box instead.
Beep wanted to play trains.
“I like to connect the tracks. Did you know all the trains have names?”
Scribble liked trains too, but she wanted to play puzzles.
“I like to dump out the whole box! Look at all the shapes and squiggles! Every piece is different.”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they tried to make some music instead.
Scribble wanted to play her sax.
“This is a little song called Peanut Butter Pizza. It goes like this! 1, 2, 3…hit it!”
But Beep didn't know her song so he couldn’t play his drums.
“Is this song hip hop? Is it jazz? Does it rock?”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they made some art instead.
Beep wanted to take pictures of each other with his camera.
“You get to press this button. It clicks! And then you have a perfect picture.”
But Scribble wanted to paint a princess or a pirate or a scientist. She couldn’t decide.
“She’ll be blue. That’s my favorite color! And pink, and green! And yellow, and orange! Purple too!”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they went to the playground instead.
Scribble wanted to kick her legs high on the swings.
“It feels like flying! Watch my skirt float in the air.”
But Beep wanted to go down the big slide.
“It’s shiny and metal. And you get to take turns!”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they headed to the park instead.
Beep wanted to collect leaves.
“This red leaf has five points. This leaf only has one. Now you find some. We could keep score!”
But Scribble just wanted to climb trees.
“It’s more fun to look at the leaves while they’re still on the branches.”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they went to the zoo instead.
Scribble wanted to see the monkeys.
“They sound like laughing. Everything is their swing-set.
I could watch them be silly all day.”
But Beep wanted to visit the aquarium.
“It’s so quiet. And I like to count the fish.”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they hit the beach instead.
Beep wanted to build sandcastles.
“I can make towers and tunnels with my shovel and pail. I have a castle all planned out.”
But Scribble wanted to run and play in the waves.
“I have a bright beach ball. And I can make a big splash.”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they went to the amusement park instead.
Scribble wanted to ride the roller coasters.
“I love the loops and dips and dips and loops.”
But Beep was afraid.
“Roller coasters make me dizzy.”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they went to the circus instead.
Beep wanted to see the clowns. He liked clowns for some reason. He couldn’t say why.
But Scribble did not want to see the clowns. She was afraid of clowns. She just was.
They couldn’t agree. So they ended up at the library.
Scribble could not pick a book.
“Stories are so exciting! Does this one have a pirate? A princess? What about a monkey? I want a story about a monkey pirate princess! And I want a happy ending.”
Beep smiled. That sounded like a great book. But he liked books about facts.
“Facts make me happy. So all my books have happy endings.”
***
They couldn’t agree. So they each picked their own book.
(Scribble picked a whole stack of books.)
Scribble curled up with her pile of books on the floor. Beep found a nice firm chair.
At least, they found something they could do together. Sort of.
***
Then before they knew it, the play date was over. It was time to go home.
“Wow. We didn’t agree on much today,” Scribble giggled.
“That is a fact,” Beep beeped.
Then Scribble and Beep shared a big grin.
And together they both said,
***
“Want to do it again tomorrow?”
###
