Family Tree Apple Tree House

# No matter if you're young or old

# With good friends you'll never be alone

# Shining light on our joyful world

# Ain't nothing going to beat that place

# We call home

# First days, new days

# Are the very best days

# New things to discover

# New people to meet

# Fun days always

# Playing with your friend days

# Life is for the living down at Apple Tree House. #

That was brilliant!

I wish we had that lesson every day.

I'm going to draw a really cool tree.

What kind of tree will you draw? A willow, or an oak?

A family tree. Today we learnt about where we came from.

-Ooh, and who we're related to.

-I'm so jealous!

I love discovering new things about our family history.

Instead, I spent all afternoon unblocking Flo's kitchen sink.

-CHILDREN:

-Yuck!

I already know that I'm Ghanaian, Scottish and Italian.

-Anywhere else?

-No, I don't think so.

Don't forget, part alien.

Woooo!

OTHERS CHUCKLE

OK. Only joking.

I don't look like a space alien.

Yes. You're right. You win.

-WHISPERS:

-So, how's it going?

Best homework ever.

-Look.

-Very impressive.

-What about you two?

-Nearly there.

-Look.

-Hmm.

Not good.

-What's wrong, Bella?

-Nothing, I just need more time.

Dad, Dad! Tell us about my great-great-grandad.

He was a chief of a whole tribe in Ghana, right?

Huh, right. Well, his name was

Nyote Mpape Papafio III.

-Cool name, right?

-Yeah!

I never actually got to meet him, but he was very well-respected.

-And everyone looked up to him.

-Was he very tall?

Yeah, he was actually.

But I meant everybody admired his wisdom.

Sing us the song he wrote. Go on.

We don't know who wrote the song,

but it's been passed down to Sam and I as a family heirloom.

-A family hair-loom?

-Like hair on a wig?

No. A family heirloom is something special.

Something passed down from generation to generation.

Well, an heirloom could be anything.

In our family, it's a song.

Handed down from my great-great-grandad,

to my great-grandad.

To my grandad, then to my dad, and then to me,

and now to you!

But whatever it is, it'll always be something special

-that will always connect your family.

-Like a pocket watch?

My dad's looking after it for me.

-He says one day it'll be mine.

-Cool!

My great-grandad used it when he used to drive the bus in Pakistan.

-It has a lot of memories.

-Brilliant, Mali.

-What about you, Bella?

-I don't know.

My parents have never mentioned family heirlooms before.

-You've got to ask them.

-Yeah.

-What if I don't have one?

What if I have a boring family?

Families can be different shapes and sizes.

No two families are the same. You just have to ask.

-There's no such thing as a boring family.

-Hmm.

Well, I guess the heirloom for my dad is

the remote control for the telly.

-It never leaves his hand.

-Well! If it wasn't for the song,

the remote would probably be my heirloom as well.

-Oh, are you going to sing us a song?

-It's my favourite song.

All right.

# The roots of the tree can never be seen

# But deep underground they work to keep the leaves green

# The leaves on the tree face up to the sky

# Drawing light from the sun growing fruit up on high

# They live in harmony

# Live in harmony

# Just like family. #

Hello, you lot.

-Oh, it's your gran!

-Sounds great, guys.

It's a special song that's been handed down to Sam and I,

as a family heirloom.

-How lovely. Are you ready, Mali?

-Yeah!

I told Katie I'd walk Bella home as well.

-Come on, Bella.

-See you later, guys.

-OK. Bye!

-Bye, guys.

-Bye!

-See you later!

Grandma, can you tell me more about my family tree?

-It's for school.

-Well, I certainly can.

You know about your great-grandad. Your great-grandmother was...

-An astronaut!

-No.

-Can you guess, Bella?

-Was she a princess?

No. But she was brilliant in the kitchen.

And that's where I learned all my great cooking recipes from.

Did she cook special peanut chikkis as well?

She certainly did.

So I guess you could say

that you have two family heirlooms, Mali.

And I don't even have one?

Dad, why don't I know anything about our family history?

-Erm...

-I bet it's because we don't have any cool history,

so you have nothing to tell me.

Well, hello!

Nice to see you guys.

And thank you, Zainab.

Let me go and see what's up with our young lady.

Shouldn't you be asleep?

Mm. What are you looking for?

Well, I'm looking for a hug, as I didn't get one earlier.

-Oh. Yeah.

-And maybe a little apology?

For how you came into the house?

I'm sorry, Dad.

It's just Mali and Sam have such amazing family heirlooms.

And I got jealous.

You don't ever need to be jealous!

Do you know what my great-great-grandma or grandad did?

-Erm...

-I just have to know if I'm related to any princesses.

Oh, Bella. I'm sorry. I guess I've never really thought about it.

Well, let's start thinking about it.

-Well, maybe this is a good place to start.

-Hm.

That looks super old.

-Who's that?

-I don't know, sweetie.

But I think he's a relative.

I really want to know more about my family history, Dad.

Well, what my daughter wants, my daughter gets.

We need to solve this mystery.

-But how?

-Well, we could look on the internet.

But I wouldn't even know where to start.

Hmm. I've got it! Zainab's good at solving problems.

She knows loads about her family history. Let's speak to her.

Perfect. Zainab's always full of brilliant ideas.

But...shall we wait until morning?

SHE LAUGHS

Thanks again. Bella has really inspired me

-to find out more about our family.

-No problem.

I'm nosy, and love to find out about everyone's history.

I've no idea where to start.

-Bella could be related to the Vikings.

-No.

I think I'm definitely more of a princess.

What if you were related to both a Viking and a princess?

Riding a big white unicorn?

No way! Vikings get too dirty!

I think I would just be a normal princess.

Queen of her dad's garage.

I've got a couple of names, and then this box of stuff.

-What's this?

-Some kind of collector's card.

-Is it a footballer?

-Maybe. I found it in this box my dad gave me.

Everyone in my family's football-crazy.

Great. Anything else?

Let me get a pen and paper and write down everything we know so far.

-Can't we look on the internet?

-We could,

but it's not as much fun on the internet.

I think I know a good place to start!

-Come on. Grab your coats.

-I've got to get to work.

But will you let me know how you get on?

-We will, for sure. Won't we, team?

-Yes!

WHISPERING: Why are we looking at picture books?

My family won't be in here.

I don't know.

Gran! Gran!

What are you reading?

Wow, that's a big book.

It's called a parish register.

It's a book with lots of information about when people were born.

Does it have any pictures inside?

I wish! But I managed to fill in quite a lot of your family tree.

Thank you so much!

Oh, don't thank me yet.

It's just names at the moment.

But it looks like your family has a lot of mechanics.

Wow, that's a cool job.

And I've got a great idea of what to do next.

Sssh!

Oops.

What is this place?

It's the town hall. Grandma Zainab says there are lots of books

about the local area for people to look at.

But we can't see them today - they are closed for refurbishment.

-No!

-But we don't give up.

We take a break, and then we come back when it's open.

Come on.

Come on, slowcoaches!

Speed up!

What's going on?

The man in that picture

looks just like the man in the football team picture.

And they are wearing the same football kit!

-Wow.

-It's him!

-Isn't it?

-It looks like it. Let's see what his name is.

G-r-eg...

Gregory Johnson Hines!

I know that name.

That's right. It's Ian's great-great-grandad!

-Wow!

-Good mystery-solving, guys.

Come on. Let's go and find your dad.

KNOCKING ON DOOR Dad! Dad!

Dad...

-Ah.

-Oh, hiya.

-Have you had any luck?

I've been thinking about it all day at work.

-Would you really like to know?

-You found something?

-Maybe...

-Bella, you're so cheeky!

-Tell me, please!

We think it would be better if we showed you.

-Mm.

-This way!

-Here we go.

-Guys...

One question. Why are we here? England are playing Brazil tonight.

You know - the big match?

It's not bigger than what we found out.

Bella...tell the poor man!

Dad, we found out that the person in the photo

was called Gregory Johnson Hines,

who is my great-great-great-grandad.

He was a mechanic like you.

But at weekends, he was also a proper professional footballer.

He was captain of one of the best teams in the city, the Rovers,

who used to have a massive football stadium right here.

Thousands of people used to come and watch him play.

And he won lots of trophies.

Wow! That's amazing. Thank you so much, guys.

-You've made my day.

-It was so much fun.

I always wondered where I got my great football skills from.

-Anyone fancy a quick game?

-Why not?

Ian, Ian! To me, to me...!

Bella! Over here!

Me, you and Bella must have the coolest families in the world.

-No.

-What do you mean?

Everyone has the coolest family in the world.

Yeah!

Do you think Bella's worried that she's not a princess?

Or a muddy Viking!

-You're a good friend, Mali.

-And you are a great friend, Sam.