NANI, DO YOU KNOW WHAT M-A-TH-E-M-A-T-I-C-S IS?

NANI, DO YOU KNOW WHAT M-A-TH-E-M-A-T-I-C-S IS?

Our grandson, Mokhta has written his first fiction book. The two-hundred-plus-words booklet has four chapters. Written with a pencil on two 8 x 11 mauve colored thin drawing papers, the pages are cut in half and then folded making the booklet sixteen pages long. The title is Basketball Meets Pin. I reprint it below without changing a word. He wrote all exclamation points himself.

Chapter One

Basket Ball was lonely. He met pin. They played. They talked. They had fun. One day Basketball saw a swirl. Not just swirl, a beautiful swirl. It was a single swirl with lots of colors in it with some green color. The swirl could take them 97 miles an hour! It was funny.

Chapter Two

Then pin came over. Can I greet you, asked pin.

Yes, said Basketball I will greet you.

I’ve lot of fun with you forever. Do you want my real name said Basketball.

What is it asked Pin.

Funny joke, replied Basketball. Suddenly show was over then it was the swirl.

Chapter Three

Pin took a lot of time to rest. He had some good dreams. But Basketball went away.

Help! Pin screamed, open the door! He shouted but no one answered.

Where is Pin shouted Basketball I think I left Pin in the bank.

Basketball looked around. He evolved into a star.

A person came and smushed them with his big feet.

Both of them survived.

Chapter Four

In the meantime, Basketball was back to normal.

Basketball found Pin in the bank. Wake up! Screamed the Basketball.

I’m sorry for leaving you here.

That’s okay that sometimes happens to me too said Pin.

The End

 

After I read the story I asked Mokhta, “What is your book about?”

“About friendship between older and younger person. Pin is six and basketball is ten. Pin is in first grade and basketball is in fifth grade.”

“What is the moral of the story,” I was curious to know.  

“If you have friends you always stay with them.” He said.  

How does a six-year old write a four chapter story with a moral? I thought.

“What a wonderful story!” I said, “I know you read a lot. Right?”

“Yes, I read Geronimo Stilton Adventures and other books. I read the most in my class.” He said with a feeling of pride in his shiny black eyes.

“Is reading your favorite subject?” I extended my arms to hug him.

“No, Nani, m-a-t-h-e-m-a-t-i-c-s! Do you know what m-a-t-h-e-m-a-t-i-c-s is?”

I stood up, holding him in my arms, his toes almost reaching my knees. With a chuckle I said, “It wasn’t invented yet, when Nani was six-years old.”

“Oh,” he said as I kissed the back of his hand.