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After lots of comments from editors that I should make my picture book JACKULA into a chapter book, I did! It became this book:
It was published in 2009. Below is the original unpublished picture book version. Read both versions to see how I turned 575 words into 7,200 words!
JACKULA 575 Words
When Jack was born, his brother Richard played This Little Piggy on his toes and tickled his tummy. He helped bathe him and sang him silly songs. When Jack was three months old, Richard brought him to school for Show and Tell. “He’s perfect,” Richard said. “Almost perfect,” Mom said. “But he sleeps all day and is awake all night.” His friend Bobby twitched his nose. “He’s stinky.” Everyone laughed. Except Mary Sue. “He reminds me of my brother, Frankie.” When Jack was five months old, Richard read Little Red Riding Hood to him. Every time Richard said, “But Grandma, what big teeth you have,” Jack kicked his feet and cooed. But something terrible happened when Jack turned seven months old. He woke up with teeth. Two sharp, pointy teeth! Jack turned into…JACKULA! Jackula chewed on Fluffy’s tail. He chomped on Grandma and bit Richard’s pinky toe. Richard painted a Beware of Jackula sign. “Jackula’s driving me batty. He’s a pain in the neck.” His father swiped the sign off the door and flapped it under Richard’s nose. “Your brother is not a vampire. He’s teething.” The next morning, Mary Sue sat next to Richard on the bus. (Bobby’s eavesdropping) “What’s wrong?” You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “Worse,” said Richard. “A vampire!” Mary Sue laughed. “Do you swear to tell the tooth and nothing but the tooth?” Richard nodded. “This was in the refrigerator.” (bottle of “blood”) He sighed. “I want Jack back.” Mary Sue plucked a book out of her backpack (Ex.:101 Ways to Tame Monster Siblings.) and gave it to Richard. “Looks can be deceiving. Sometimes my brother acts like a monster, too.” Richard read chapter one when he got home. For dinner, he concocted a peanut butter and garlic sandwich, stirred crushed garlic into his milk, and ate an ice cream sundae with garlic sprinkled on top for dessert. Garlic did not keep Jackula away. But it kept Richard’s friends away. (Next day at school.) Richard snuck the book outside during recess and read chapter two. (Getting Proof) After school, he slinked, skulked, and slithered around the house. He peered, prodded, and poked around every corner. (He sees things like Jackula slurping jelly out of donuts leaving red around mouth, overheard mom on phone, etc.) “I have proof Jackula’s a vampire,” said Richard. “Exhibit A: blood juice.” (Basement set up like a crime lab.) “It’s cherry juice,” said Mom. Richard whipped out his notebook. “On Tuesday, you mentioned the Vampire State Building and told Grandma about Jackula’s coffin.” “Jack was coughing,” said Mom. “And I said Empire State Building. You have quite an imagination.” He wasn’t the only one. After he bit into an apple during lunchtime and his two wiggly teeth popped out, Bobby gasped. “Now you look like a vampire.” He snatched Richard’s thermos. “Is that blood?” He scooted down the bench, “I heard you were born in Transylvania.” At recess, he called Richard “Fang Face” and refused to play tag with him. “I’m not a vampire,” whined Richard to Mary Sue. “I drank tomato juice. My teeth are pointy.” He sighed. “Hasn’t Bobby ever heard of Pennsylvania?” Mary Sue bit her lip. “There’s no such thing as monsters.” She swallowed hard, “Is there?” “I…I guess not,” said Richard. When he got home, he asked if Mary Sue could bring Frankie over for a play date. “He’s Jack’s age.” “Jack?” asked Mom. “Don’t you mean Jackula?” “Jack,” repeated Richard. “Just because he looks and acts like a vampire, doesn’t mean he is one. There’s no such thing as monsters…right?” (looks at Jackula) Jackula grinned (crazed pointy teeth smile) just as the doorbell rang. Richard’s stomach fluttered. He scurried to the door muttering, “Monsters aren’t real. Monsters aren’t real. Monsters aren’t real.” And he believed it until… “FRANKIESTEIN!” (Frankie bears an eerie resemblance to Frankenstein)
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