Have you heard of the preschool show Cookie Dough? Everyone loves it, it’s based on a series of chaptered books by Jane Bellington, from Australia. Even though the books come in chapters, I really do like both the books and the TV series. I happened to live in Australia myself. My name is Cosima. Some people call me Cosmo for short. I like to write heaps of fanfiction based on an episode where Cookie and her little sister Candy have an imaginary friend called Splodge. Splodge isn’t seen throughout the entire episode visually, but I like to imagine her. When the episode first came to my country, I drew Splodge as a tall dog with white fur, orange ears and yellow, pink and green polka dots. I put it up on my wall so, technically speaking, Splodge can keep monsters away. I’ve also been writing heaps of fanfiction about Splodge going on wild adventures with Cookie and Candy and posting them online on my Fanfiction account.
The only problem is, I was born with autism, which means I have difficult periods of time coping with various sensory experiences, like when there are dirty smells in the boys’ changing rooms when I was at school, or when there are screaming kids in every place I eat out at. It just isn’t fair on me. It’s not my fault that my ears are sensitive, it’s just how I was born. At school, everyone made fun of me and said I had to go to a special school for special people. One of the boys was becoming more popular than I was. I punched him in the face and got into serious trouble. I was grounded for a month, with only my pencils, pens and laptop for company. It’s still engraved in my memory today. With Splodge, I have nothing to worry about.
One day, I was dressing and putting on my favourite strawberry perfume, ready to go out with my support worker Ryan to my favourite restaurant, Chieftains. It’s home of my favourite snack, fish and chips. I always loved the greasy taste of fish on my lips, and chips slathered in rivers of tomato ketchup. This is why Chieftains is my favourite place in town. Just as I was putting on my earrings, I heard someone call my name. “Cosmo…Cosmo…” I looked around. It was a female voice, calling my name. I looked around, but couldn’t see anyone. When I looked down on the floor, I saw a trial of colourful pawprints leading downstairs. I thought, surely I don’t own a pet dog, and anyway my mum is allergic to animals.
I followed the footprints down into the kitchen and heard some greedy munching sounds. I tiptoed over to the fridge and saw a sight that almost made my eyes melt out of their sockets. White fur? Check. Colourful spots? Check. Orange ears? Check. It was Splodge, my very creation, sitting on the kitchen floor and stuffing herself with ready salted crisps. “Excuse me!” I called. Splodge looked around and stuffed the crisps back into the fridge. “Oh dear! Oh, oh, I’m so sorry. Er…how do I start? Oh yes, er, my name is Splodge, imaginary friend to anyone in the world!” “You can be friends with anyone?” I asked. “Yes!” cried Splodge, “You got that in one! I am not only Cookie and Candy’s friend but I’m also the whole world’s friend!” “My name is Cosima,” I introduced. “Cosima, eh? I never heard of such an incredible person as you. Now, what’s your problem?”
I lead Splodge up to my bedroom and told her all about Chieftains. “Every time I go there, there’s always loud noises. The same goes for when I go to the zoo on weekends. There’s always loud noises there too, so I can’t concentrate on the animals there.” “You know what people are like these days, they’re so noisy they frighten away zoo animals.” said Splodge. “You’re right, people should be quiet to avoid animals being scared.” I said. “So what can I do to avoid the loud noises in the restaurant?” Splodge took out a black bag with lots of colourful shapes on it. “This is my Anything Bag. It holds quite literally everything.” He rummaged through the bag, taking out a lamp, a rubber duck, a cat and a whale soft toy before holding out a pair of yellow ear defenders. “There you go,” she said, putting them on my head, “Now you’ll be free of noise for the rest of the journey!” “Wow!” I cried, “Thanks!”
Later, I drove with Ryan to Chieftain’s. Splodge sat in the back with me, listening to music on her iPod. I liked the design of it because it had a piece of candyfloss on it instead of an apple. Ryan and I sat down at a table and ordered fish and chips and a banana milkshake for me, and a salad and a glass of Coke for Ryan. It was lucky I had my ear defenders on, because while I was waiting and sharing my food with Splodge, I didn’t hear a baby crying near the next table. Splodge knew what she had to do. He skedaddled over to the table and took out his Anything Bag. She brought out a rattle designed to look like a teddy bear and shook it in front of the baby. The baby clapped and giggled delightedly, and Splodge gave him the rattle to shake. Then he heard a toddler wailing. “Muuuuuum, there’s no internet connection!” she whined. To my amazement, Splodge magically disappeared. Before you knew it, music blasted out of the tablet as Splodge appeared on the tablet’s screens, dancing as if she were Michael Jackson or someone. The toddler was so delighted she bounced up and down in her seat. She was so happy she didn’t concentrate on her food!
With Splodge entertaining the children, everything was quiet now. Something remarkable happened shortly afterwards: I took off my ear defenders and placed them on the table. Ryan was amazed. He laughed and patted me on the back. “Well done, Cosmo! You made the decision to sit in the restaurant without ear defenders!” “Thanks, Ryan,” I giggled. “So, who made this restaurant really quiet?” “Splodge!” I cried. “Splodge did it!” “You and your stories,” laughed Ryan, “All you obsess over is Splodge.” “That’s what I like.” I smiled.
Later, at home, it was bedtime. Splodge sat on the bed and listened as I told her all about my trip to Chieftains, and how she helped me. “I wouldn’t have been able to survive my restaurant trip without you,” I smiled, “You’re a big help to me.” “A big help is a helping hand,” smiled Splodge, “But I must be going now. Cookie and Candy will be wondering where I am. I’ll be back to see you tomorrow when you do your next piece of fanfiction, alright?” “Right,” I said. “Goodnight, Splodge.” “Goodnight, mate,” said Splodge, and she disappeared with a POOF! I looked at Splodge’s picture one last time, and then settled down to sleep.
At Cookie and Candy’s house, Splodge magically appeared in their bedroom. She went up to Cookie and gave her a goodnight kiss, and then she went up to Candy and did the same. She yawned, and became a wisp, whisking herself away under Candy’s bed, so she can sleep until tomorrow.
THE END.
WARNING: this app review is entirely made up.
Recently, I was picked to road test the new I.B.F.Fs app ‘Crate Shuffle’ by MediaWorks Enterprises, Inc.. The app in general is aimed at kids aged 9-12 years old and encourages matching and sorting skills, a subject most common for preschool children to learn. It was done in the style of old British educational games for the computer, such as Noddy: Let’s Get Ready For School and Pingu: Barrel Of Fun. I’ve played these games when I was a kid, and they have been engraved in the back of my mind. I tried playing with them on Grandma’s old computer before, but they didn’t have any sound. I also had a Noddy DVD game, which is based on the Let’s Get Ready For School CD rom. In America, it’s known as Playtime In Toyland. Anyway, the graphics are pin sharp and the voice acting is superb, especially Tyger Drew Honey, who voices Luke in the Scream Street series and on the app, and Claire Skinner as Six.
The cutscenes, featuring Luke, Resus, Cleo, Six and Sybil trapped in crates, are done in the style of the stop-motion animation used in the original Scream Street series, and it is based on one of the activities from the Petrifying Puzzle Book, available soon in bookstores. The plot is difficult to follow for little ones, but for big kids, it is easy: Sybil, Luke, Resus, Cleo and Six are all held captive and taken overseas, and they are bored out of their wits. Sybil decides that the only way for them to be freed is to round up all the other monster kids that are taken overseas with them. Players have to match the monster kid with their shadow inside the crate, each monster being fairly different whether a werewolf, a mummy, a vampire or a simple multi-coloured fuzzy one. Once you’ve located all the kids, you have to tilt the iPad so that the crates can fall into the sea. The last cutscene, which shows the gang reuniting with their parents on the beach, is sure to bring a tear to your eye. I was in incredible amounts of tears by the time this showed up.
I tried the app, and it proved to be a stimulating experience for the mind, something you can do when you’re bored. It is autism-friendly, simple to play, and is available on the CBBC website too. I hear they’re airing new episodes of Shaun The Sheep, but I prefer the original to the new ones. I would recommend you check it out on various iPad stalls before you continue onto playing it on the CBBC website. The game is totally ad-free and it’s definitely free to download. Free of in-app purchases? You got it. Series 2 of Scream Street? NO WAY!
Scream Street: The Petrifying Puzzle Book will be available in bookstores and on Amazon from the 6th of October.
With the sighting of pages of the Petrifying Puzzle Book online, it seems like I had a lot of cool ideas in my mind. Come along and see them!
Angelina Ballerina Baby Lotion
A sweet, strawberry scented baby lotion for the most delicate skin, themed around Angelina Ballerina.
A Goofy Movie Goofy Blueberry Suncream
An HP50 suncream with an awesome blueberry scent, safe for kids and used to promote A Goofy Movie.
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