The Adventures of Groccolli

By Dandy Ahuruonye

The first rule of writing a children's book is: don't write a children's book! Unless you've raised children as a parent or guardian, and then it doesn't matter whether you failed at it or succeeded. Today's children are the parents, leaders and managers of tomorrow; therefore, you want to use your writing to make a positive impact on their development.

Young ones often enjoy bedtime stories, and historically, it has always been an effective way to put their curious minds to rest before they doze off at the end of an active day. As caretakers (and that's what parents and guardians are), we need to embrace each moment.

 Bedtime stories promote a child's mental and social development in a subtle but effective way, not just by letting them finish their day with a smile on their face. It is also a creative way to help them absorb moral values. So, read your child a bedtime story as regularly as you can!

With this in mind, please allow me to present Groccolli to your child.

What on earth is Groccolli? Well – Groccolli means 'possibilities' and, sure enough, this is a kids' book with attitude!

In this charming set of children's stories by Dandy Ahaoma Ahuruonye, you will discover the many forms and functions that a Groccolli can take: from a pregnant, mess-munching household help, to a planet-hopping star, and a kind-hearted nightingale-feeding forest dweller.

The Twenty-Four Imaginative Stories and Poems in this book are both entertaining and informative, and the advice to parents from the writer is sure to help them to provide their children with fun-filled bedtime reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dandy Ahuruonye
• Release date: Nov 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215917060

Dandy Ahuruonye

Dandy Ahuruonye is a professional writer who has published material that delves into such wider spheres as current affairs and social issue commentaries. In recent years, he has written articles, lectures, technical materials, short stories, books, and critiques. Many of these are published on various platforms and are accessible to the general public. Ahuruonye was born in Aba, Nigeria, and has spent much of his adult life in Europe. His father was Friday Enwereji Ahuruonye; one of the many children of a tribal ruler – Chief Ahuruonye Ikpefu. His mother was Madam Joy Chinagorom Ahuruonye. He started his education at Umuikaa Central primary School soon after the Biafran war, and later moved to Mkpuka Community primary School. After his primary school education, attended St Ephraim Secondary School Owerrinta. Ahuruonye subsequently completed his studies at Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland. He holds a Diploma in Fashion Designing, and a University Certificate in Medical Records from DIT (HMI). Dandy has published several books including a technical work on fashion and designing: “The Shoemaker - Principles and Guide for Professionals.” He has also published a host of children's books including: ‘Illustrated Children’s Stories;’ ‘Groccoli;’ ‘Waka;’ ‘The Good and Ugly Weather Friends;’ ‘The Eel and Phil in Kill;’ ‘The Grass Fart in Donegal Bay,’ amongst others. This Encyclopaedia: THE WHISPERING POET: An Anthology Of Igbo & Other Proverbs is his latest masterpiece.

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The Adventures of Groccolli

Dandy Ahuruonye

Published by Dandy Ahuruonye, 2022.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

THE ADVENTURES OF GROCCOLLI

First edition. November 19, 2022.

Copyright © 2022 Dandy Ahuruonye.

ISBN: 979-8215917060

Written by Dandy Ahuruonye.

Also by Dandy Ahuruonye

THE WHISPERING POET: An Anthology of Igbo And Other Proverbs

Grocc-ofly

Reading Glasses for Mama Eagle

The Cute Kids of Madugascar

Nora never gave up

A Fishhook and the Riverboy

Positive Brainwash

Groccolli

The Adventures of Groccolli

Happyville

Oh, What a Mars!

Stinky and The Dung Beetle

The Gull Who Must be Obeyed

THE SHOEMAKER: Principles & Guide for Professionals

The Groccolli Pictureland Chatbook

Finding Love in Cahersiveen

Trillion-Her

Lagos Teens and The Marketplace of Dreams

Why Did The Wasp Come?

Lower

Dodo Returns

Roosta & Henn: The Rise of AI Robots

The Eel, The Duck, and the Groccolli Ring of Love

Pet Paradise

HISTORY TREE and The Wrinkles of Time

Nightlife of Mannequins

Dandy Ahuruonye’s Fridge of Secrets

The extraordinary World Of Ordinary Objects

Dandy Ahuruonye’s Cheeky Periwinkles

Watch for more at Dandy Ahuruonye’s site.

© Dandy Ahaoma Ahuruonye 2022

The Adventures of Groccolli

Published by Dandy Ahaoma Ahuruonye

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission from the author or publisher; except in the case of short quotations for critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by applicable copyright laws. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. As this is a specialised work that focuses on an ethnic group and ideology, we assumed no liability for damages that may result from the use of the information contained within. Without prejudice.

Layout and cover design by Boutique Books

DEDICATION

I dedicate this volume to my dear Mbido Answer Ahuruonye, Mkpuka, Nigeria. Mbii, the audacity of your fortitude has made even the heavens proud – You’ll always be remembered!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to:

Joy Chinwendu Ahuruonye

Ruth Chidiebere Ahuruonye

Your inspiration helped me to come up with these stories

Many thanks to Eddie Doran

Editor: dandyahuruonyebooks.com

The stories in this book are all originals by Dandy Ahuruonye

Contents

Credits

To Parents and Guardians

Teach Them the Benefit of Work

The Grading Used in This Book

Grocolli, the mess muncher – Part 1

Grocolli, the mess muncher – Part 2

Groccolli, the Mess Muncher – Part 3

Groccofly – Part 1

Groccofly – Part 2

Delana and the Groccolli Tiara

Waka – A Groccolli Star That Fell From the Sky – Part 1

Waka – A Groccolli Star That Fell From the Sky – Part 2

A Fish Hook and The River Boy – Part 1

A Fish Hook and The River Boy – Part 2

Spectacles for Lady Eagle – Part 1

Spectacles For Lady Eagle – Part 2

Spectacles for Lady Eagle – Part 3

Bramble-Headache

Sapron

The Cute Children of Madugascar

A Shared Cake Never Runs Out

Chocolate Castle – Part 1

Chocolate Castle – Part 2

Chocolate Castle – Part 3

A Quiet Duck and the Noisy Chicken – Part 1

A Quiet Duck and the Noisy Chicken – Part 2

The Doghouse of Calabarry

Nora Never Gave Up

The Grass Fart in Donegal Bay

The Good and the Ugly Weather Friends

Her Royal Bangeress

A Tiny Kingdom of Invisible People

The Eel with Phil in Keel

My Small Pinky Big Doll

Amanze – Part 1

Amanze – Part 2

Amanze – Part 3

Amanze – Part 4

Kathleen

Groccorebel

The Diamond King

The Motivation

About the Author

Credits

Childhood Favourites – Helen Oxenbury & Eugene Trivizas

Illustrated Children’s Bedtime Stories – Dandy Ahuruonye

Samankwe & the Highway Robbers – Cyprian Ekwensi

In Search of Greener Pastures – Dandy Ahuruonye

Things Fall Apart – Book by Chinua Achebe

National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street

British Library, London NW1 2DB

Waboubou – Dandy Ahuruonye

Tallaght Library, South Dublin

World Book Encyclopaedia

Google Search Engine

Bridie Doran

Oscar’s Oasis

Only the illiterate can write original stories; all educated storytellers are pirates.

A talented writer finds the story before the story finds him.

Even when you fail – always be grateful that you tried.

To Parents and Guardians

The first rule of writing a children’s book is: don’t write a children’s book! Unless you’ve raised children as a parent or guardian, and then it doesn’t matter whether you failed at it or succeeded. Today’s children are the parents, leaders and managers of tomorrow; therefore, you want to use your writing to make a positive impact on their development.

You must LOVE children’s books and aim to use your writing to exceed their expectations. No writer should venture into kids’ books if he or she cannot give them a better reading experience. More than just handing out an exciting reading adventure to our dear little ones, we want to teach them values. That’s where this compilation – The Adventures of Groccolli – comes into the equation.

Groccolli means ‘possibilities’ and, sure enough, this is a kids’ book with attitude! This collection focuses more on teaching values than on compiling exciting stories simply to tickle young ears. Of course, many of the stories in this volume are electrifying. But they are also educational and will teach your child how to live a life of dignity and self-belief.

Young ones often enjoy bedtime stories, and historically, it has always been an effective way to put their curious minds to rest before they doze off at the end of an active day. As caretakers (and that’s what parents and guardians are), we need to embrace each moment. Bedtime stories promote a child’s mental and social development in a subtle but effective way, not just by letting them finish their day with a smile on their face. It is also a creative way to help them absorb moral values. So, read your child a bedtime story as regularly as you can!

Many advantages are possible if you regularly use the reading of bedtime stories to interact with your child. For example, when you get into the zone of the story’s character(s), use that opportunity to make your child’s imagination soar. To make things more interesting, you could ask your child what he thinks the character would or should sound like. Then, try re-enacting that voice. Reading stories with your child will also help develop his communication and grammar skills. Enunciate every word you read and try getting him to spell words out loud. However, be careful not to turn every story time into lesson time; only do this now and then, or when it is necessary. The child must enjoy those time-to-hit-the-hay moments specifically designated for storytelling.

A lot of the stories you read might involve scenes where characters decide what they want to do. In such a case, you could ask your child what he would do if he were to assume the character’s role. That way, he would be actively involved in the story. And you can then explain how some actions that people decide to take could lead to certain consequences or rewards. Once again, regularly reading to the child is communication. With time, they will become better at interacting with others and at expressing themselves. But reading bedtime stories to your child, especially reading the right type of material, presents a golden platform to inculcate important life values.

Then, there is the attachment that comes with such an activity. That the storyteller and child spend a lot of time together during a typical week makes it inevitable that a close bond will develop. But, besides all these benefits, reading from a storybook helps your child to build an interest in reading. And we all know very well that reading is like pulling the window curtain aside to peer into the real world. Daily storytelling or reading may come across as tedious, but it teaches the child the importance of routine, as well as self-discipline. They will comprehend the logic behind each story and also develop important language skills.

When reading a bedtime story to your child, remember to:

• Act like the story’s character(s)

• Make the story as interactive as possible

• Try putting your finger on every word as you read it (for smaller kids).

Please pay close attention to the opening of each story. I have adopted a ‘love at first sentence’ method to create exciting lines that your child might find memorable. Help her read or repeat those sentences in her own words. This will help her to remember and own them. Simple one-liners are important when teaching young ones the art of information retention. Therefore, even after reading the entire book with your child, please go back and read it with her all over again. Why? Because she’s more likely to apply the ethical principle embedded in each story if she remembers the story itself.

A quick note:

Getting the length of children’s stories right is always a challenge for storytellers. Therefore, I have chosen to make some of the stories long, while keeping others short. Read her the longer stories on those nights when she looks like she has lots of energy and needs more to knock her out. There will be other nights when she’s almost dropping off; that’s when the shorter tales come in handy.

Teach Them the Benefit of Work

Another important area in a child’s development is learning – not just about the importance of work, but also about its rewards. The smart screens of the TV, tablet and mobile phone have morphed into modern weapons of mass distraction. Consequently, it has become harder for parents to master the rhythm of the changing seasons in their child’s life. But one day your child will become an adult, just like you. And all adults know too well that daily life is packed with activities that compete for our attention.

Work is the pedal that turns the wheels of life. If we allow our little ones to wrongly believe that making that pedal redundant is beneficial, then we’ve done them a disservice. There are benefits to every kind of hard work, but the conundrum is how to sell this truth to the child. Therefore, do not be reluctant to assign chores, perhaps reasoning that they’re already busy with homework and other school activities. Assigning them tasks at home now will teach them important ideals, one of those being industriousness. Getting them used to doing chores prepares them for realities that are inevitable when they go to live on their own.

Once they learn to perform a task well, help them look for ways to improve further. Teach them to do it faster and better, because the more skilful they become, the more they will enjoy the task and get more done. Then, the errands are no longer mere domestic chores but rather enjoyable, productive activities. Such activities teach them obedience. Working around the home will also help your children to develop a grateful attitude because even their smallest contributions help them appreciate the effort it takes to manage and maintain the household. Draw their attention to the value of serving others, and how the chores they perform benefit other members of the family. Highlight that others will appreciate and respect them for their contributions. With time, they would realise that, "There is more pleasure in giving than there is in receiving" (italics ours).

Doing things together (teamwork) as a family means that both parent(s) and children spend quality time together. This is a good approach because they will enjoy many benefits from their effort, one of them being trustworthiness. Using practical wisdom around the home leads to successful families, and benefits everybody as it not only helps with the upkeep of the home but also aids the children’s development into responsible young adults.

But to get your young children into the habit of helping with household tasks, you first have to work out which ones they love to do most. For example, some kids love sorting and matching things (like socks), while others prefer activities that involve water and dirt (like cleaning the patio or washing the car). Being busy, or one might say working, engages a kid’s intellect and curiosity. It might be challenging for both you and the kids at first, but with time they will enjoy helping you around the home, and such activities become like a job for them. And we know too well that work will always engage their attention and abilities and improve their deftness.

As your kids get older, they can take on tougher tasks like cooking, cleaning delicate household items and maintenance – everyday jobs that might not be fun per se, but provide a certain amount of satisfaction. At the very least, such errands offer kids a tangible reward for their hard work. For example, a fed cat rejoices by purring, collected leaves become satisfying heaps to play in, and a recently whipped raw egg emerges from the pan as a delicious meal for all to enjoy.

It is equally important to help your children learn to carry out household tasks in a practical order, as this saves time. For example, get them to first make beds, put things away, arrange their pieces of clothing, and clean the blinds, shelves and windowsills. Afterwards, they can dust the surfaces and vacuum clean the floors. They should not do their dusting first, otherwise, they may have to do it all over again.

True, raising responsible offspring requires effort, lots of effort, and such effort demands perseverance.

Chores That Matter:

• Washing salad greens

• Arranging flowers in a vase

• Clearing dishes after dinner

• Making a simple meal or snack

• Scrubbing and mashing potatoes

• Raking leaves and shovelling snow

• Folding laundry and sorting recycling

• Dusting surfaces and organising tables

• Weeding the garden and watering plants

• Tidying away toys and clearing play space

• Packing lunch and school bag for younger siblings

• Vacuuming the carpet or mopping the floor

• Chopping veg for cooking (for older kids only)

• Making the bed daily and pairing up