Written by a kid

I love it. I love it, I love it, I love it.




The children and I have watched nearly every one of these videos. La Munkya is my favorite. Blake likes Fire City, below. Sasha likes them all.



Naturally both my kids want to sit in that yellow chair and tell Will & Josh a story; so last night, in lieu of a giant chair and gentlemen, I asked them to tell a story to my iPhone and me.

Sasha told a rambling tale of a wolf (named Dragon) and a fox (named Komodo) who were brothers, both children of dragons. They loved each other deeply but their parents warned them that when they left home, they'd need to take care, because other people would find their friendship uncomfortable. And then all these other animals appeared, like a panda and a snake, telling Komodo about something that was going on, don't you know about it? You really don't know? Come on, Komodo; and Komodo followed them inside a tree; and there in the tree was a real-life version of the zoo games she plays all the time. You could push buttons to change the patterns on the animals in their cages.

Listening to that story was like dreaming: sensible and nonsensical both.

My son appeared to think that zaniness was the appealing element in the Written By a Kid stories, so he told about the Amazingly Amazing Boy With an Amazing Mustache That Gives Superpowers. His name was Joe. He had 5451.3 brothers, each of whose name started with "J." The mustache's name was Caterpillar and it would come off and Joe would feed it leaves. Caterpillar the mustache gave Joe the ability to move objects with his mind. And one day, when a black hole neared the earth, Joe saved the world by – Well, I won't give away the ending.

Listening to their stories made me a little itchy, if you know what I mean; it was late, and they couldn't put on pajamas or do anything but pace while they talked, and the stories kept taking side-roads so that I thought they'd never find the end. Their faces, though, kept me paying attention: they had that day-dreamy, introspective look people get when they're using their imaginations, and they cracked themselves up & were so eager for me to laugh at the right parts, too... We often praise and encourage them in physical things, like skiing or hiking big terrain, but this was the first time I praised & encouraged storytelling. They felt, I think, that their storytelling was legitimized.

I tell you what. I've been thinking about this all morning. Every child ought to have an adult listen to his stories with respect, interest and a willingness to be amused.

Very nice work, Geek & Sundry.

P.S. I want your jobs.