Book Love: Leo the Late Bloomer

"Are you sure Leo’s a bloomer?”

asked Leo’s father.

“Patience,” said Leo’s mother.

“A watched bloomer doesn’t bloom.”

One of my favorite things to do is spend time at the children’s section of Fully Booked, looking for new stories to develop for our storytelling sessions with Make Believe. We are always on the lookout for stories that bring us vibrant and dynamic worlds, with incredible spirit and heart, and with memorable lessons to teach both children and adults alike. (We are so all-out in our storytelling sessions that even adults companions become a very invested audience, oftentimes watching us in sheer amusement, as if asking, what are these grown, crazy people doing?) We consider the books we adapt as our partners and our jump off points in the creative process – they define and paint their worlds so richly that it becomes a joy for us to explore these, and then bring these to life to our audiences.

Imagine my sheer delight then, when I saw a copy of Leo the Late Bloomer sitting on the shelves, waiting for me to notice it! Written by Robert Klaus and beautifully illustrated by Jose Aruego, Leo the Late Bloomer was the story I had adapted into a play for the very first children’s workshop I had ever handled, some twelve (yes, twelve!) years ago when I was still a preschool teacher in the wonderful school Create. This was pre-Make Believe days, and I had loved this story even then, for its lovely, delicate telling of the story of a late bloomer set in a colorful, vivid jungle. I saw in it so many possibilities for staging, and loved the lesson at the heart of it. 

A Little Princess

“If you love a flower that lives on a star, it is sweet to look at the star at night. All the stars are a-bloom with flowers.” – The Little Prince

Me with my beautiful, blooming rose :-)

She entered our room on the first day of classes, a shy and sweet little thing, with bright eyes and a lovely smile. She seemed quite proud of her purple Elsa dress - she held the edges of her skirt and swayed slightly. Her name was Princess, her yaya shared. I stepped forward to greet her, and to invite her to create a costume with the pieces of fabric we had laid out for the children’s use. She promptly burst into tears. We soon began the class. Her tears escalated into sobs, the sobs morphed into loud wails thus causing my co-teacher, Neil, to take her out for a breather. She no longer wished to return after that. And so ended our first day.

Princess arrived the next workshop day in a blue Elsa dress. She took a few, tentative steps from the door, looked around the room and the classmates that were calling her, and was quiet. I held my breath, waiting for her reaction. And yes, she burst into tears again. This time, however, and after much persuasion, she agrees to stay inside the room. And so ended day number two.

The Storyteller's Wardrobe

One of the things that we do during storytelling sessions at Make Believe is transform to different characters, oftentimes at the snap of the finger, and much to the delight and amusement of the children -- and adults - that get to watch us. During Peter Pan, for example, I switch from Wendy to John to Michael to Indian Chieftain and lastly, to Captain Hook. We incorporate these quick transformations into our "scripts," and I have oftentimes seen children and yayas and parents giggle in anticipation as they see me discard an accessory to put a new one on and emerge as a different character during the story.

Going Matryoshka!

Distinction between characters is key and this has caused me to amass a wardrobe of costume pieces and accessories that I can use for different storytelling sessions.While we do have our own set of costumes at Make Believe, I oftentimes find that my choices for myself are also influenced by the question, "Can I use this for a Make Believe storytelling session?" Shopping then becomes a hunt not only for things I can wear for the day to day but also for pieces I can use for storytelling.  Buying headbands, hats, and accessories for my daughter Sophie becomes a breeze because I know that I can use her large flower headbands for Alice in Wonderland or Angelina Ballerina, her tiaras for our princess stories, and her cowboy hats for The Legend of Sea Biscuit. (She constantly reminds me, "Ask my permission first! And give them back after Mom!" Fair enough, Sophie.)

Clockwise from left: a furry vest for winter themed parties, princess headbands,
fancy feather boas and lace gloves, a ruby red peacock shawl,
hats, and scarves, scarves, scarves!

I hope to one day have an expansive storytelling wardrobe collection deserving of it's own special closet (or walk-in closet?) in my home. I know that every piece is worth the scavenger hunt in the thrift stores, the purchase in the department stores, and the occasional unique and delightful find in outdoor markets, as each one I put on makes a story become even more vivid and real for the children who watch us. I live for the glints of understanding and glee in their eyes as I change from Elsa to Olaf to Prince Hans, or from Sister to White Rabbit to Caterpillar to Mad Hatter to Red Queen (Alice in Wonderland is always a workout of a storytelling session). And just as I have fallen in love and made best friends with various heroes and heroines in literature such as Anne in Anne of Green Gables, Mary in The Secret Garden, Max in Where the Wild Things Are, and Stargirl in Stargirl, so do I, through the costumes I wear and the stories I tell, wish to introduce children to friends that will serve to entertain, inspire, amuse, and comfort them for the rest of their lives :-)

Interested in our interactive storytelling sessions? Contact Oasis at oasis.jalandoni@makebelieve.com.ph :-)