Can Anybody Hear Me? CBeebies Bedtime Stories

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CBeebies Bedtime Story.

Really, Buttons? Right.

Oh. Hello. My name's Dan.

Thanks for joining me for the CBeebies Bedtime Hour.

The toys were telling me about their adventures.

It's very important to listen to our friends and family, isn't it?

Have you ever been with someone who doesn't seem to hear

a word you are saying?

I know someone who feels just like that.

His name is Jack and I'm going to tell you about him

in tonight's Bedtime Story.

It's a book by Jessica Meserve and it's called Can Anybody Hear Me?

This is Jack. He is very quiet. This is Jack's family.

They are very noisy.

In fact, they're so noisy that no-one seems to hear Jack.

Jack said to Ma, "I'm going to the mountain today."

Ma said, "One or two pancakes?" Jack said, "One, please."

Ma gave him two.

Jack said to Granny and Gramps,

"I'm going to walk to the top of the mountain today."

Granny said, "I'm going to knit you a nice, new sweater.

"What colour, red or blue?"

Jack said, "Blue, please." Granny said, "Red is a very good choice."

Gramps said, "I'm going to write a song about red."

Jack said to Pa, "I'm going to the top of the mountain today."

Pa said, "Are you going fishing in the creek?"

Jack said, "No, I'm going to the mountain."

Pa said, "Catch some big ones."

Jack said to June-bug and Jim-bob,

"Do you want to come to the top of the mountain?"

June-bug said to Jim-bob, "Jack wants to play hide and seek."

Jack said, "No, I want to go to the mountain."

Jim-bob said, "Count to 50, Jack, we'll hide."

"I wonder if anybody heard me say I'm going to the mountain,"

thought Jack. "I hope someone did."

He set off on his own with just his best friend Chester for company.

Past the barn.

Across the pastures and over the whooshing, burbling waterfall.

Up, up, up the mountain side. Until he reached the top of the mountain.

The mountain top was still and quiet.

Jack took a deep breath, filled his lungs

and shouted with all his might, "Can anybody hear me?"

Jack barely heard his voice fill the silence for a second,

before it disappeared into the vast sky around him.

Jack sighed, "I wish someone could hear me."

Jack cuddled Chester and whispered, "You can hear me, can't you?"

"Yes," said Chester, looking straight at him.

"I have always heard you."

Jack blinked with surprise, then smiled and said,

"Do you want to play?"

Chester smiled back and said, "Yes."

Together, they slid down the snowy peak of the mountain

and fell giggling into a heap of snow.

At the bottom of the slope, they found a wolf cub all alone.

"Do you think he's lost?" asked Jack. "Yes", said Chester.

"We should call for his mother.

"Maybe if we howl together, she'll hear us."

Jack was doubtful.

"No-one ever seems to hear me." "I can", said Chester.

"Give it a go."

So, together, they howled like wolves.

"Ow, ow, ow, ooooow."

Soon, over the hill, a much larger wolf bounded towards them.

"There", said Chester, "I knew you could do it."

Together, they walked down the mountain side towards home.

Suddenly, a bear appeared on the path, towering above them.

Jack and Chester froze.

Chester's voice quivered, "If you look big and growl back,

"you can scare him away," he said.

Jack's legs were shaking, but he took a deep breath,

filled his lungs and growled his biggest growl.

"Grrrrr."

The bear fled into the woods, Chester smiled,

"You were very fierce and loud." Jack smiled back, "Thank you."

Night fell.

"Chester," Jack said, "I think we're lost."

"If you can call a mother wolf and the scare away a bear,

"you can yell for help," said Chester.

Jack picked up Chester, he took a deep breath, filled his lungs

and shouted out, "Can anybody hear me?"

Only an owl hooted in response.

"I think I'm still not noisy enough for my family to hear me,"

said Jack.

But then, Jack saw lanterns, bobbing in the distance.

He heard the voices of Ma and Pa.

"Jack, where are you?" "Jack, can you hear us?"

Jack called with all his might, "I'm over here, I'm over here."

The voices of his family drew closer.

And Jack smiled, "They can hear me, Chester, just like you."

Pa cried, "We were so worried, no-one knew where you were."

"Chester knew where I was," Jack said. "Chester?" Pa laughed.

"Come on, it's time for supper," said Ma.

Chester winked at Jack.

Back at the ranch, Jack's family all talked at once,

asking where he had been.

Jack took a deep breath, filling his lungs

and, with his biggest voice, he shouted, "Quiet please!"

His family became as quiet as mice. Then Jack began his story.

And this time, they all heard every word.

And that story was called Can Anybody Hear Me?

I'm so pleased that Jack's family finally heard him.

I think I'll sit and listen to the toys for a little longer.

And while I do that, I think it's time you go to sleep.

Good night and I'll see you soon.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd