The Perfect Place Driver Dan's Story Train

TRAIN TOOTS

It's Driver Dan's Story Train.

TRAIN TOOTS

Hello, everyone.

Hello, Driver Dan.

# Which of our friends are we going to see?

# Which of our friends do you think it will be?

# Climb aboard and travel with me

# All aboard the Story Train. #

TRAIN TOOTS

All aboard the Story Train!

-Tweet, tweet, tweet.

-Twinkle has been looking for our friends.

Who has she found?

Look, there's Hip.

And where there's a Hip, there's always a Hop.

They're drawing pictures.

-I wonder what they're drawing?

-Look, there's the Vrooms' carriage.

I can't see them. Where are they?

Yes, you're right, it's Hip and Hop.

Maybe they'll know where the Vrooms are. Let's go and ask, shall we?

Hello, Hip and Hop.

Hi, Driver Dan. Hi, Twinkle.

We're drawing all the favourite places we can think of.

Look, we've already drawn our carriage.

Good drawing, Hop.

-Where are the Vrooms?

-They went off to practise their racing moves.

I'm going to draw another place, somewhere perfect.

-Somewhere perfect, eh? What would that be like?

-I'll show you.

Somewhere quiet, with nice soft grass

and two trees to sit under. See?

That does look like a perfect place.

Oh, no, my perfect place would be a big hill to zoom down

and a big bump to jump over.

Now, that's perfect.

I think my place is more perfect than yours.

Let's find them and see.

-Yeah!

-I'm going to find mine first.

Come on, Twinkle, let's follow them. Maybe we'll find the Vrooms.

Maybe it's around here somewhere.

Hooray! That looks like my drawing.

It does, doesn't it?

Ah, nice and quiet. What do you think, Hop?

It's OK.

< Vroom, vroom.

-Oh, no!

-That's more like it.

Vroom, vroom, vroom.

-Hello, Vrooms.

-Vroom, vroom. Peep, peep.

This is definitely not my perfect place, Driver Dan.

No, it's not very quiet or peaceful, is it?

-What about you, Hop, did you find your perfect place?

-No.

Can we go on the Story Train to look, Driver Dan?

Good idea, let's go.

Do you want to come and help us look too, Vrooms?

-Peep, peep.

-Come on, then.

-We're all hooked up. Twinkle, are we ready to go?

-Tweet, tweet, tweet.

Are you ready too? Then let's go!

All aboard the Story Train.

I wonder what Twinkle can see? Can you help her look?

There's Tallulah.

She's taking photos.

You're right, it is Tallulah.

Let's go and see what she's taking pictures of.

Of course, the play park,

with big hills to zoom down and bumps to jump over.

-This is definitely my perfect place.

-I think you're right, Hop.

Come on, Vrooms, let's race around my perfect place.

Hello, Tallulah.

-Hi, Tallulah.

-(Hello, everyone.)

(Why are you whispering?)

(I'm trying to take a picture of this butterfly,

(but it flies away every time it hears a noise.)

-Whee!

-Vroom, vroom! Peep, peep!

Shush!

Oh, no, not again!

Hop, Vrooms, please, can you be quieter?

Vroom, vroom.

I'm trying to take a picture of a butterfly,

and too much noise makes it fly away.

Whoops, sorry, Tallulah.

Oh, this isn't my perfect place.

It's too quiet now.

-So, what do we do?

-I don't know.

What do you think makes your places perfect?

Er, the quiet.

Lots of space to run around.

Look closely, what's the same in both pictures?

-The trees.

-The sky.

Yes, but what else?

-Well, Hip's in both pictures.

-And so is Hop.

And where there's a Hip...

-There's always a Hop.

-That's right.

-Yeah!

-Our perfect place is anywhere we're together.

-Together.

Wait, shush, look.

The butterfly. Everyone, keep nice and quiet.

Got it, thanks, everyone.

I know the perfect place for everyone to go to together,

Story Corner.

ALL: Yeah!

We're all hooked up. Twinkle, are we ready to go?

-Tweet, tweet, tweet.

-Are you ready too? Then, let's go.

All aboard the Story Train.

We're going to have a story.

I love stories.

I hope it's a funny story.

Vroom, vroom.

Now then, what story shall we read today?

Something that's just perfect.

Ah-ha, I know just the book.

-Is everybody settled down, ready to listen?

-Ready!

-Yeah!

-Are all of you, sitting down comfy and ready to listen?

-We're ready.

This story is called Gigantic Jules.

It was written by Benjamin James, with pictures by Tom Plant.

It was a busy morning at Al's Diner.

Gigantic Jules, the gigantosaurus, was slurping through

her ginormous breakfast when she spotted a group of mean grouchosaurs

picking on a little dinosaur.

Jules strode over and bent down.

"You're putting me off my prehistoric pancakes," she growled.

"Pick on someone your own size!"

"Ah, help!" And they sped straight out of the door.

The grouchosaurs are not very nice.

No, they're not, are they, Tallulah?

"Phew, thanks," said the little dinosaur, whose name was Mike.

"Let me know any time you need a hand, I'll be happy to help."

"Tee-hee-hee!" hooted Jules.

"A little thing like you help a giant like me? Oh, you're so funny!

"Keep telling the jokes and let me buy you a herbiburger."

From that moment on, Jules the gigantosaurus

and Mike the microceratops became the best of friends.

They'd go fruit picking together.

They'd go to the Dinoball tournaments together.

On sunny days, they'd find a splendid spot for splashing

and sunbathing.

Do you think that is their perfect place?

Yes, I do, Hop.

One morning, Mike set off to meet Jules,

but his friend was nowhere to be seen.

He'd checked the Jurassic Gym and tried the Triassic playground

when he heard a moaning coming from deep in the forest.

-Oh, dear.

-Mike cautiously crept between the dark trees.

He was a bit scared, but he knew his big friend might be in trouble.

He followed the sound deeper until, at last, he spotted Jules.

Her foot was caught in a creeper,

but although Jules was big and strong, the tight little knot

was much too tiny for her enormous claws to undo.

She was stuck.

"Don't worry," said Mike,

and his small hands deftly untangled the tricky knot.

In no time, Jules was free.

"Wow, Mike, You may be mini, but you're massively clever!

"I can't believe you managed to undo that horrible knot and rescue me.

"You're my hero!"

Mike felt ten feet tall.

"Don't mention it," he said, beaming.

"Now," said Jules, as Mike hopped onto her shoulder,

"who's for some fossil fries and a swamp smoothie?"

"Me!" cheered Mike. "And you'd better make mine a large!"

The End.

Well, did you enjoy that story?

Yes, Driver Dan. Jules and Mike had more fun when they were together.

Now, it's your turn, which bit did you like best?

Come on, it's time to show me the story.

-Mmm!

-These pancakes are delicious!

I'm a gigantic dinosaur. Roar!

Quick, run away, run away!

We're swimming and splashing.

The water's lovely.

Splash, splash, splash.

(We're creeping through the scary forest.)

(It's a bit dark.)

-We're looking for Jules.

-There she is!

Let's spin, like Jules and Mike.

Come on, let's go back to the diner.

That's the biggest burger ever.

-Yum, yum!

-Thanks for showing me the story. You were great.

We enjoyed that story, didn't we?

Jules was gigantic, but she needed little Mike's help, didn't she?

Yeah! And Mike and Jules had a perfect place.

Just like ours, perfect when they're together.

Glad you enjoyed the story, everyone. All aboard!

All aboard the Story Train.

Bye, everyone.

It's time to go, but let's come back soon, because we all love stories!

-Bye, Driver Dan.

-Bye.

I like stories about dinosaurs.

I love all kinds of stories.

I like stories about scary forests.

I like stories that make me giggle.