Further Adventures of Sonny Gogo and Tobo

By Jennifer Hashmi

As the story of Pongoland and the other islands in the archipelago in the sky continues to unfold, the three boys, Sonny, Gogo, and Tobo, are seen to be maturing. Their understanding of the world in which they live, in fact of their two worlds, is developing. They become more aware of the economic and social dynamics existing between the islands. Their learning curve steepens as they do their best to put right wrongs and solve mysteries! The first two stories look at economic inequalities existing between some of the islands and ways of developing the resources of poorer islands. Friendships among members of different islands are formed, and a spirit of cooperation for the mutual benefit of all is envisioned. The next two stories surround the mystery of the disappearance of somebody’s nightwear and the events lying behind this strange occurrence! The fifth story is about the sort of disaster, which so often accompanies efforts to solve social dilemmas. A moment’s forgetfulness can result in unforeseen consequences. However, with the usual resourcefulness of the three boys and help from wise adults, all is resolved. Sonny and Gogo and Tobo through it all learn to develop their skills and aptitudes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Feb 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491894224

Jennifer Hashmi

Jennifer Hashmi was born in Bradford in 1938. She was educated in Bingley Grammar School and trained as a speech therapist in Leicester School of Speech Therapy. After practicing as a speech therapist in Yorkshire for three years she completed a two-year theology course at College of Ascension, Birmingham. In 1964 she sailed to India and lived in Delhi for forty-one years. Until 1976 she served in the Church of North India as Parish Worker, initially for St. James Church in old Delhi, and later in the parish of Ajmer in Rajasthan. She was also during part of this time manager of a holiday home in Shimla. In 1977 she married Salman Hashmi who was principal of Zakir Husain College, University of Delhi. They had a son and a daughter. In 2004 her husband passed away so at the end of 2005 Mrs Hashmi returned to Britain with her daughter. She now lives in London with her daughter, son-in-law, and small grandson.

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© 2014 Jennifer Hashmi. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse    02/12/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9421-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9472-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9422-4 (e)

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Contents

Sonny and the Trade Fair—Part One

Sonny and the Trade Fair—Part Two

Sports Day in Pongoland or

the Lost Pyjamas—Part One

Sports Day in Pongoland or

the Lost Pyjamas—Part Two

Pym Meets Giants!

Sonny and the Trade Fair

Part One

O ne morning Sonny woke up to see Gogo’s face close to his, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Sonny had not been to Pongoland for a while as he was having his school exams, and needed to be sure of good nights’ sleep with no distractions until they were completed.

What’s the matter? he asked grumpily because he was tired of missing all the fun.

Tomorrow is our Trade Fair! said Gogo.

What’s that? said Sonny.

Why once a year there’s a big fair when all the islanders bring their produce to sell! Each island hopes for big orders from all the other islands. You know we specialize in gold and metal work with precious stones. We always sell a lot on Trade Fair day.

But you’ve got no money!

We barter as always. We each stock up on supplies to last till the next year.

I’ve never heard of the Fair before, said Sonny.

I know we children never bother. The islands take it in turns to host the Fair, so it’s been somewhere else in recent years, but tomorrow it is in Pongoland!

There will be a lot of visitors. Where do they stay?

All the royal families stay in the Palace. The other people stay in tents we put up in the meadows. There are lots of preparations going on. All the tents have to be put up, and we have to have a great deal of food prepared. It’s set out on long tables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Quite often people from the nearby islands, like Maridoland, don’t stay over-night, but after dinner there is always an entertainment put on by the host island.

Sonny’s eyes shone.

My exams finished yesterday and it’s Saturday tomorrow. Can I come tonight?

Of course! Mum and Dad especially asked for you to come. We’ll have a lovely time.

Pongoland was one of the many islands above the clouds, but they could be visited only in the company of one of the inhabitants on the back of one of their birds. No aeroplane ever encountered one. Each island had its’ own birds for transport to other islands, and Gogo always flew between Sonny’s house and his own island, Pongoland, on the back of Goggles, his family’s owl. Gogo was the size of a large toy clown, and had a somewhat similar appearance with baggy trousers fitting close to the ankles, and a striped shirt, and cap with a pom-pom on it. His nose curved up to a point like all the inhabitants of Pongoland, and his hair was black and curly.

No-one ever performed magic tricks in the islands, but magic was taken for granted. Things were done or happened without comment when the need or purpose was right. Sonny managed to travel because Gogo took his hand to go. He then reduced in size to Gogo’s height, and they climbed on to Goggles’ back together from Sonny’s bedroom window-sill. Needless to say Sonny’s parents knew nothing about it, or the interference would have stopped the journeys, and would have obliged Gogo to stay at home. As it was he spent the night in Pongoland where it was day. Then returned to Sonny’s house in our morning. There he slept in Sonny’s bed till night-time. Sonny’s parents thought he was a toy because he never moved when they were in the room. He had been investigating in a toy-shop in our world when Sonny’s uncle picked him up, thinking Gogo was a toy clown. He bought him as a birthday present for Sonny. The two children were soon fast friends, and Sonny had been many times to Pongoland, and had enjoyed lots of adventures there. Some of these were caused by Gogo’s younger brother Tobo. Tobo was a happy little Pongo boy but apt to get into messes.

Sonny had to go to school that day. Then he planned to go to bed early to get some sleep before Goggles arrived to take Gogo and him to Pongoland. After a trip there he would have an afternoon nap.

Goggles duly arrived and waited on a neem tree not far from Sonny’s bedroom window. He hooted a couple of times to let them know he was here. Sonny opened the window and the owl flew across to the window-sill. Gogo took Sonny’s hand as usual and Sonny became the same height as Gogo. Gogo then went across to the bedroom door and scattered some dried moss from Pongoland underneath the door. The powder was so fine it could hardly be seen. It had the effect of making anyone intending to enter the room think of something else and go away. Then they climbed on to the window-sill and on to Goggles’ back. Off they flew, over the tree-tops and under the stars.

Sonny always loved these journeys through the night sky. How lucky he was! After a while they glimpsed the sunlight in the distance shining down on Pongoland. They could