0:00:02 > 0:00:07# Every day you walk down the street Everybody that you meet
0:00:07 > 0:00:11# Has an original point of view
0:00:11 > 0:00:13- # And I say, hey!- Hey!
0:00:13 > 0:00:18# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play
0:00:18 > 0:00:21# And get along with each other
0:00:21 > 0:00:26# You gotta listen to your heart Listen to the beat
0:00:26 > 0:00:28# Listen to the rhythm of the street
0:00:28 > 0:00:33# Get together and make things better By working together
0:00:33 > 0:00:37# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart
0:00:37 > 0:00:43# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start
0:00:43 > 0:00:48- # And I say, hey!- Hey! - What a wonderful kind of day
0:00:48 > 0:00:53# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other
0:00:53 > 0:00:59# What a wonderful kind of day - hey! What a wonderful kind of day - HEY! #
0:00:59 > 0:01:03- Hey, DW!- Hey...
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Oh...
0:01:07 > 0:01:11"My Sister Is A Sissy, by Jack Prelutsky.
0:01:11 > 0:01:16"My sister is a sissy She's afraid of dogs and cats..."
0:01:16 > 0:01:18ARGH!
0:01:18 > 0:01:21"..A toad can give her tantrums..."
0:01:21 > 0:01:23ARGH!
0:01:23 > 0:01:26"..And she's terrified of rats.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34"She screams at things with stingers Things that buzz, things that crawl.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44"Just the shadow of a spider Sends my sister up the wall
0:01:49 > 0:01:54"A lizard makes her shiver And a turtle makes her squirm
0:01:56 > 0:02:00"She positively cringes At the prospect of a worm
0:02:04 > 0:02:09"She's afraid of things with feathers AND things with fur -
0:02:11 > 0:02:17"She's scared of almost everything! How come I'm scared of HER?"
0:02:23 > 0:02:28Two days till the poetry contest and only ONE student is signed up -
0:02:28 > 0:02:34- Fern. - (Fern never said she wrote poetry.) - Fern never says ANYTHING.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38The judge is poet Jack Prelutsky. It's not too late!
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Listen - I'm a poet. Moon, June, spoon...a loon.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Just THINKING of poetry makes me sleepy!
0:02:49 > 0:02:51HE SNORES
0:02:51 > 0:02:57- Binky, know what's twice as boring as a poem?- What?- TWO poems!
0:02:59 > 0:03:04You only make fun cos YOU couldn't write a poem if you tried.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09- That's the most she's said all year! - You tell 'em Fern!
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Maybe I COULDN'T write a poem.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19But neither could THEY.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- I could if I wanted to.- Me, too.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27I could write a better poem than you with my brain tied behind my back!
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Oh, yeah(!) I'd like to see that!
0:03:32 > 0:03:39- I bet NONE of you could.- I could too!- Maybe Binky can't, but I can!
0:03:39 > 0:03:43- There's nothing Arthur can do that I can't!- You're so rude, Fern!
0:03:43 > 0:03:48- What an attitude!- Somebody hold me back or I'll write one NOW!
0:03:48 > 0:03:52QUIET!
0:03:53 > 0:04:00I bet none of you can write a poem in time to submit it to the contest.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04- Bet I can!- OK!- Want to bet?! I'll do better than Binky.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Anyone else hungry?
0:04:06 > 0:04:11Anyone who doesn't, has to join the poetry club for a year. Bet?
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Or are you a bunch of chickens?
0:04:18 > 0:04:22- (How do you write a poem?) - (I thought YOU knew.)
0:04:22 > 0:04:25I don't wanna spend a YEAR in poetry club.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Find a good poem and write one like it!
0:04:28 > 0:04:33"The time has come," the walrus said "To talk of many things
0:04:33 > 0:04:38"Of shoes and ships and sealing-wax Of cabbages and kings
0:04:38 > 0:04:42"And why the sea is boiling hot And whether pigs have wings..."?
0:04:42 > 0:04:47- I can't write like that! - Find one that makes sense.
0:04:47 > 0:04:53What? "Something better than his dog A little dearer than his horse."
0:04:53 > 0:04:59A riddle? What's better than his dog, a little dearer than his horse?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02A gerbil that does your homework.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07Nothing's better than MY dog. Skip this guy - he doesn't like dogs.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Wow, listen to these titles!
0:05:10 > 0:05:15The Haunted Palace, The Conqueror Worm...
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Must be about a giant worm.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Listen. "It was the dead who groaned within."
0:05:22 > 0:05:24BOTH: Cool!
0:05:24 > 0:05:27I got one that makes sense.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31"Listen, my children And you shall hear
0:05:31 > 0:05:34"Of the midnight ride Of Paul Revere..."
0:05:34 > 0:05:37OK, we're ready.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42- How long did you work on your poem last night?- I...sort of watched TV.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47- The Brain has finished his poem. - ..Already?!
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Can I read it? Comments will help me perfect it.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55I, The Brain will explain What makes rain
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Water drops are what clouds contain
0:05:57 > 0:06:03They reach saturation - precipitation Hits the ground, goes down the drain.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07I'm done, too! My favourite thing to do is shop
0:06:07 > 0:06:13Shoes, shirts, coats, rings (I never have enough jewellery) till I drop!
0:06:13 > 0:06:18- I LOVE to shop!- That's not a poem, it's a list!- Shop rhymes with drop!
0:06:18 > 0:06:24- Duh(!) - Remember - all poems in by tomorrow.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Listen, my children As I tell you
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Of a duck and a chicken On a bus to Oklahom-u.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Yeuch!
0:06:40 > 0:06:44- When you're done with your poem, can you help me?- I'm done.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47But I'm watching a video. Sorry!
0:06:47 > 0:06:51I know a great poem. Roses are red, violets are blue
0:06:51 > 0:06:55My nose smells And your feet do, too!
0:06:55 > 0:06:58That's so funny! Cracks you up, huh?
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Arthur?
0:07:03 > 0:07:08- Why the rush to get to school? - I have to stop at Fern's house.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Can I hear that again?
0:07:14 > 0:07:18- Once upon a midnight cloudy A big old bat says "Howdy!"- Buster?
0:07:18 > 0:07:24- You said you were done!- I-I didn't want you to think I couldn't do it.
0:07:24 > 0:07:30Instead of copying other poems, why not just write about what you like?
0:07:30 > 0:07:34- Who'd want to hear what- I- like? - Who wouldn't?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41I'm done!
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Er... I'm done.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52'Today is very boring It's a very boring day -
0:07:52 > 0:07:58'There's nothing much to look at There is nothing much to say.'
0:07:58 > 0:08:04There's a peacock on my sneakers There's a penguin on my head
0:08:04 > 0:08:08There's a dormouse on my doorstep - I'm going back to bed.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13Today is VERY boring It is boring through and through -
0:08:13 > 0:08:18There is absolutely nothing That I think I want to do.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23I see giants riding rhinos And an ogre with a sword
0:08:23 > 0:08:28And a dragon blowing smoke rings - I am positively bored.
0:08:29 > 0:08:35Today is VERY boring I can...hardly help but yawn -
0:08:35 > 0:08:39There's a flying saucer landing In the middle of my lawn.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43A volcano just erupted Half a mile away
0:08:43 > 0:08:49And I think I felt an earthquake - It's a very boring day.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Thank you! >
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Let's have our first contestant.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57..Ghosts of fallen trees weep
0:08:57 > 0:09:00For a world That can't live without them.
0:09:00 > 0:09:06Thank you, Mr Prelutsky. I have all of your poetry books.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11You're obviously a girl with impeccable taste!
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Next, Francine Frensky.
0:09:13 > 0:09:20My dad took me to a hockey game I got hit on the head by a puck
0:09:20 > 0:09:26I yelled out "Ow, my head! OW! Call an ambulance! Ouch! It hurts!
0:09:26 > 0:09:29"Put ice on it - it's gonna swell"
0:09:29 > 0:09:33I got a big purple lump on my head And used it for Show And Tell.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Where's Arthur?
0:09:41 > 0:09:47People think I can't write a poem. They're so wrong, I CAN write a poem.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51I wrote this one. I wrote this poem.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56And gave it the title "Binky's Poem". So shut up! (The end.)
0:09:56 > 0:10:01THAT'S not a poem. He rhymed "poem" with "poem" four times!
0:10:01 > 0:10:04It was great! Yay, Binky!
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Our final poet is Buster Baxter. >
0:10:09 > 0:10:13These are the things That make me nauseous
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Green gloop that drips from faucets Blue hair that grows on bread
0:10:17 > 0:10:24When your dog drools in your bed When a dirty sock drops on your face
0:10:24 > 0:10:28When your friend's baby sister Starts to spew
0:10:28 > 0:10:33Half a worm in the apple you bit Finding human bone in your Jello
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Blowing nose-slime, green and yellow
0:10:36 > 0:10:41And people eating creamed corn with their mouths open so you can see it!
0:10:41 > 0:10:48- The end.- Maybe I shouldn't mention there's free butterscotch pudding...
0:10:48 > 0:10:50BLEUGH!
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Am I too late? The street was full of elephants!
0:10:54 > 0:10:56HE WHISPERS
0:10:56 > 0:11:01Our FINAL final poem is Jimmy Goes To The City, by Arthur Read.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Jimmy was a happy ape Until some hunters caught him -
0:11:06 > 0:11:10He liked the jungle better than The city where they brought him
0:11:10 > 0:11:16The city was louder and meaner The DIRT in the jungle was cleaner
0:11:16 > 0:11:21Jimmy made a daring escape - The hunters were now minus one ape
0:11:21 > 0:11:25He climbed the tallest building Cos from there he'd see
0:11:25 > 0:11:30How far away the jungle was From the middle of the ci-ty
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Jimmy jumped into a passing plane -
0:11:33 > 0:11:36The pilot didn't wait for him to explain
0:11:36 > 0:11:41Jimmy flew back to the jungle Told his ape friends in their lair
0:11:41 > 0:11:46"The city's OK for a visit, but You couldn't make ME live there!"
0:11:46 > 0:11:49And the winner of the contest is...
0:11:49 > 0:11:52I hate contests! You ALL win!
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Nobody has to join the poetry club - they won the bet.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01- But it was fun!- Yeah. I know LOTS of disgusting stuff.- I wanna do more!
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- They can't stop us joining! - Sign up here.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09- Mr Prelutsky, could you read us another poem?- Yeah!- Yeah!- Yeah!
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Please? All right!
0:12:13 > 0:12:18Well, Buster's poem put me in mind of one of my own, Jellyfish Stew.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23Jellyfish Stew I'm loony for you
0:12:23 > 0:12:27I dearly adore you Oh, truly I do...
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Ever started a book you can't put down?
0:12:33 > 0:12:38When I start a Scare Your Pants Off Club book, I can't stop.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49- BELL RINGS - Class dismissed...! Arthur?
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Arthur!
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Hey, Arthur...
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Arthur!
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Huh.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Wargh!
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Goodness! Turn that off and go to sleep!
0:13:15 > 0:13:21Wait, Dad, I'm almost done. I have to know how it...ends.
0:13:26 > 0:13:33Ta-ra! By special request, a hearty breakfast of my whoopee-waffles!
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- Whoopee! Waffles! - Morning, Mom, Dad! Gotta run!
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Arthur!
0:13:42 > 0:13:46- Whoopee!- I'm impressed.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Breakfast first!
0:13:49 > 0:13:54- Oh, OK!- Arthur, why are you in such a hurry?
0:13:56 > 0:14:02Sorry! Got to be first in line for the Scare Your Pants Off Club book.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06- At the library? On a Saturday? - Wow - hard to argue with that!
0:14:06 > 0:14:10If he's not eating seconds, can I have his?
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Gotta hurry. Gotta get there first.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Oh, no!
0:14:24 > 0:14:29- Guess we should've met earlier. - Like three days ago(!)
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Maybe they're just here to study.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38- I guess we could check out some of the old ones to read again.- Yeah.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43Curse Of The Mummy's Breath! That was really scary.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Or Bones In The Attic.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51Or the scariest of all - Zombie Substitute Teacher.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57CAW-CAWWWW!
0:14:57 > 0:14:58YEOWL!
0:14:58 > 0:15:00GRRR!
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Look! They're opening.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05THUNDER CRASHES
0:15:12 > 0:15:15I'm afraid I have bad news.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20You can't check out the new Scare Your Pants Off Club book today.
0:15:20 > 0:15:27ALL Scare Your Pants Off Club books have been removed from our shelves.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Shh!
0:15:40 > 0:15:45I don't get it. Who'd want to get rid of our books?
0:15:45 > 0:15:51..A parents' group chased a series of children's books from the library.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56- Julie?- PAWS, that's Parents Against Weird Stories,
0:15:56 > 0:16:02they say the scary stories are bad for kids.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07We tried to reach EA dePoe, author, for comment - with no success.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09PAWS is having a rally tomorrow,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13in front of the library.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18Condition red, Arthur. If we ever want our pants scared off again,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21we gotta move fast... Arthur?
0:16:21 > 0:16:25- But do what?- It's not fair! - Not much we CAN do.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30Minors have limited access to legal recourse or arbitration.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35Come on, we can't give up! We never gave up before!
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Sure we have.- Lots of times.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Not when it's important. Remember when you helped clean my garage,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45so I could go see Galaxy Avengers?
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Look at me... Wow!
0:16:51 > 0:16:54I remember! Nice going, Buster(!)
0:16:54 > 0:16:59- The point is, we made it to the movie.- The NEXT day.
0:16:59 > 0:17:05OK, what about when Buster needed help with math...?
0:17:09 > 0:17:15- Maybe Arthur's right. But what can we do?- I know! We can go on strike!
0:17:15 > 0:17:19No homework till we get our books back!
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Well, it was worth a try.
0:17:21 > 0:17:27- We must quantitatively demonstrate we're not alone in our opinion.- Huh?
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Show PAWS a lot of kids want their books back.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36I know - we should get signatures on a petition. That's what my mom did.
0:17:36 > 0:17:42- It saved the old City Hall building. - Do we have time?- Let's find out!
0:17:42 > 0:17:46GOOD MORNING, ELWOOD CITY!
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Step right up!
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Sign your name to save our books
0:17:51 > 0:17:55and see the Amazing Arthur's derring-do!
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Buster, are you sure about this?
0:17:58 > 0:18:04(It's a commercial. Before they'll sign, we must get their attention!)
0:18:04 > 0:18:05Go on!
0:18:08 > 0:18:11PEOPLE LAUGH AND CHEER
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Well done!
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Sign on the dotted line!
0:18:21 > 0:18:26PAWS is takin' your books away So I'm asking for your help today
0:18:26 > 0:18:31Line up now and sign your name It's why I'm doing a jump-rope game!
0:18:31 > 0:18:36Impact on school performance is geometric, as you see.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40- A marked rise in the learning curve. Is it not obvious you must sign?- No.
0:18:40 > 0:18:46- But we will if you promise to stop explaining it!- Please!- Absolutely!
0:19:02 > 0:19:05HE WHISTLES TUNELESSLY
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Excuse me. A parents' group took our favourite books from the library.
0:19:09 > 0:19:15- Would you sign a petition to put them back?- Another volunteer worker!
0:19:15 > 0:19:19But it depends on the books. I wouldn't go against your parents.
0:19:19 > 0:19:25They're not OUR parents. I dunno WHO they are. It's our favourite books -
0:19:25 > 0:19:28The Scare Your Pants Off Club books.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32The Scare Your Pants Off Club books? Do you read them, er...?
0:19:32 > 0:19:39- Arthur. Yes - all of them! I haven't missed a single one!- It IS serious.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44Maybe I should speak to this group. Don't give up, Arthur.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49- You and your friends are doing a good thing!- Sure - thanks!
0:19:49 > 0:19:54I think... Hey - wait! You forgot to sign.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59You think we have enough names?
0:19:59 > 0:20:03I think so. We just have to hope they'll listen to us.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08Who wants to go to WonderWorld free? I'm having a party there!
0:20:08 > 0:20:12- You're all invited.- WOW! WonderWorld!
0:20:14 > 0:20:21- Lick?- My mom won't let me. Too much fat...sugar... Take it away.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Hey, Muffy! Look, it's your parents.
0:20:25 > 0:20:31You don't know the harm these books do! My poor daughter had nightmares.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36We started PAWS to save other kids. We're having a big rally.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41- At the library tomorrow. - YOUR mom and dad started PAWS?
0:20:41 > 0:20:47Yes. And no-one working against them can come to MY party.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51- What?!- What?!- What?! - But we want our books back, Muffy.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56You have to decide which means more to you.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59My fabulous party - or silly books.
0:20:59 > 0:21:04I dunno what to do, Mom. I don't wanna miss Muffy's WonderWorld party
0:21:04 > 0:21:07OR lose my favourite books.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Arthur, all I can say is when you add everything up,
0:21:11 > 0:21:17you have to do what you think is right. Even if it's a sacrifice.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20What if I'm the only one to protest?
0:21:20 > 0:21:25What if all my friends go to WonderWorld?
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Don't be afraid to look foolish for what you believe in.
0:21:29 > 0:21:35I'm late for the kids' charity do. PHWRRRRT! Ah, found it.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40I'm not doing this for Ed Crosswire of Crosswire Motors, Park Street -
0:21:40 > 0:21:45open most nights till ten - I'm doing it to save our kids.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50Mr Crosswire, speaking for the kids, we really want our books back.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55- We got signatures of support.- That's nice, son. But we act for YOUR good.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Excuse me - have YOU read these books?
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Well, HAVE you?
0:22:02 > 0:22:05I'm proud to say I wouldn't if you paid me.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Miss McWord - my old English teacher!
0:22:11 > 0:22:13You never DID read, Ed(!)
0:22:13 > 0:22:18The writer works hard on stories kids LIKE to read -
0:22:18 > 0:22:20so then they'll read OTHER books too.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24What makes YOU an expert? I wrote them!
0:22:24 > 0:22:31- YOU wrote the Scare Your Pants Off Club books?- EA dePoe is my pen-name.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Miss dePoe! I'm your number one fan!
0:22:36 > 0:22:40I have all your books. Anyone got a pen?
0:22:40 > 0:22:41Oops!
0:22:41 > 0:22:46- You've read them ALL? - Well, Mary Alice Crosswire!
0:22:46 > 0:22:51- If it wasn't those books that gave you a nightmare, what WAS it?- Hey.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56I'm beginning to understand who ate my quart of HazenPfeffer ice cream.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00You KNOW it gives you nightmares! Oh, Muffy!
0:23:00 > 0:23:06Ed, what say we actually READ one of my books and see what you think?
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Oh...yes, why not?
0:23:09 > 0:23:12"..And since that night,
0:23:12 > 0:23:18"nobody has dared to steal from the haunted hamburger stand again!"
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Well, Daddy?
0:23:20 > 0:23:25- I guess I shouldn't have tried to stop you reading books- I- hadn't read.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Then we can have them back?
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Well, on one condition.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Would you read another one? Please?
0:23:40 > 0:23:45"No-one in the village knew why the old man lived all alone,
0:23:45 > 0:23:51"deep in the dark woods. Only the forest animals knew his secret."
0:24:06 > 0:24:10Subtitles by E Kane BBC Scotland - 2001
0:24:10 > 0:24:15E-mail us at subtitling@bbc.co.uk