SimonSays.com

Shellie Braeuner
and Fluffy the Dog

Braeuner, a resident of Nashville, Tenn., who works as a nanny for a family with four children, was washing the family dog when she came up with her idea for the story. Shellie also holds a Masters in Education and has worked as a child/adolescent counselor and often uses stories as a way to communicate with children.

"The Great Dog Wash" (first 2 stanzas)
By Shellie Braeuner

Big dogs and small dogs,
Come one and all dogs.
We're having a dog wash today!

Slippery slobbery,
Do a good jobbery.
Wash all that dog smell away.

Early sketch from illustrator Robert Neubecker:

Stay tuned for more sketches and color illustrations, which will be added as they become available.

Alison Anderson

"Sometimes my son was scared of noises he heard while trying to fall asleep, so I wrote him a story that explained what these noises were and how they combined to make a beautiful bedtime song," said Anderson., 33 of Cumberland, Wisconsin.

"Sleepy Song"
By Alison Anderson

As the darkness of night reaches over the wide sky to touch the horizon, the sounds that lull the world to sleep awake.

The cricket wakes. He yawns and stretches and begins to play the melody.

The frog climbs onto a lily pad floating in a silvery pond. He croaks the base.

The field mouse skitters along. Her scritch scratch adds rhythm to the song.

The firefly blinks a light staccato that illumines his flight through the darkness.

The coyote's "Owooooo" is smooth and hollow and cool as she sings along.

The bat soars high through the black night sky. His swish is a calm harmony.

The owl's "Who? Who?" is the cooing crescendo as the night song comes to an end.

And then at midnight, after they have put the rest of the world to sleep, the night creatures find their beds. They lay their heads down and drift off to dreamland as well.

Only the silent moon is left awake, watching all the World's creatures breathing softly, resting soundly, dreaming a sleepy song.

Kate Heilman

"When my nephew was younger, he used to tear through the house pretending he was a dinosaur -- so he inspired me to write the story," said Heilman, 35, of Chicago.

"Theo the T-Rex: the Most Terrible Dinosaur in the Neighborhood"
By Kate Heilman

"ROAR!"

Every morning when Theo's mother called him to breakfast, he replied:

"I am not Theo! I am T-Rex, the mightiest and fiercest of all the meat-eating dinosaurs. ROAR!"

"Would my hungry little T-Rex like some breakfast?"

This morning, Theo was pleased to see that instead of his usual cereal, his bowl was full of raptor eggs -- a proper breakfast for any growing T-Rex.

"Theo, what are you doing? That is not how we eat!"

As Theo the T-Rex's sharp teeth ripped into the delicious raptor eggs, a loud voice in the distance threatened to disturb his breakfast.

Being the most powerful of all the meat-eating dinosaurs means ignoring the cries of other, less mighty, dinosaurs.

"If you don't stop eating like that we won't go to the park!"

Even the mightiest and fiercest dinosaurs knew there were some creatures best left alone.

"ROAR!" The ground trembled as Theo the T-Rex crashed through the jungle, gnashing his fierce teeth in search of his next meal.

Looking out over the valley below, the fierce hunter found what he was searching for -- a tasty-looking Iguanodon drinking from the nearby lake. The Iguanodon was completely unaware of the danger above. Theo opened his jaws, bared his teeth and roared:

"I am T-Rex. The mightiest and fiercest of all the meat-eating dinosaurs “ROAR!"

The Iguanodon struggled to flee, but Theo the T-Rex knew it was only a matter of time before he overtook his prey.

"I've got you now. Nothing will save you from the king of the dinosaurs!"

The T-Rex's gigantic teeth were only inches away from the tender flesh of the Iguanodon --

"THEODORE! That swing is surrounded by mud. Get out of there this instant!"

For miles around, creatures great and small fled the frightening sounds erupting from the jaws of Theo the T-Rex after the failed capture of the Iguanodon.

"I don't care how loud you yell, you are going home to take a bath and that is final. You are covered in mud."

Only in the cool, clear waters of the deep lake could Theo the T-Rex's massive body find relief from the scorching sun.

"WHOOSH!" From far above, a giant pterodactyl swooped down and attacked Theo the T-Rex, the mightiest and fiercest of all the meat-eating dinosaurs.

"ROAR!" Theo the T-Rex gnashed his fierce teeth and shrieked in agony as he tried to escape the treacherous attack of the pterodactyl.

"If you would stop thrashing about I wouldn't get shampoo in your eyes. Come on, let's get you dry."

The attack ended as quickly as it had begun and Theo the T-Rex made it safely to shore. As Theo thought about the day's adventures while drying off in the afternoon sun, a soft voice called from the distance"–

"Even dinosaurs need a nap."

For once, Theo the T-Rex did not argue. He knew the mightiest and fiercest of all the meat-eating dinosaurs would be back to roar, run and attack in the pre-historic jungle he called home.