Sunshine Rex and the quiet concert: an IVORI One Kids story

Original fiction from IVORI’s Dino story world, to read together away from brushing time.

A rather grand rehearsal

Sunshine Rex stood beneath the apple tree, ready to conduct the finest concert the garden had ever heard.

“Something splendid,” said Sunshine Rex. “Something enormous!”

Blueberry Rex hummed a deep, rolling tune. Bubblegum Rex clapped. Lime Pop Rex stamped a rhythm that made a nearby flowerpot wobble.

“Perhaps a little less enormous,” said Sunshine Rex, steadying the pot.

They tried again. Louder humming! Faster clapping! An especially grand stamp!

Sunshine Rex raised both arms.

“Stop!”

Everyone stopped, except Lime Pop Rex's left foot, which finished its last stamp.

“It had already set off,” Lime Pop Rex explained.

Then, from the far end of the garden, came a tiny sound.

Eee-oh.

The smallest sound

Sunshine Rex tilted their head.

The garden gate swayed in the breeze.

Eee-oh.

“It's singing,” whispered Bubblegum Rex.

“It knows two notes,” said Blueberry Rex.

“Two excellent notes,” said Sunshine Rex.

Sunshine Rex hummed them back. Blueberry Rex added a low, gentle hum underneath. Bubblegum Rex gave two soft claps.

Lime Pop Rex lifted one foot, considered the flowerpot, and put it down with a small, careful tap.

“That,” said Sunshine Rex, “is our concert.”

The four friends worked on their tune. They left little spaces between the hums and claps so the gate could join in. Sometimes it sang straight away. Sometimes it waited until they had almost forgotten.

“A very thoughtful musician,” said Bubblegum Rex.

A space in the song

At last, they were ready.

Sunshine Rex gave a small nod. Blueberry Rex began to hum. Bubblegum Rex clapped softly, and Lime Pop Rex tapped.

They reached the space for the gate.

Nothing.

The breeze had dropped. The gate stood perfectly still.

Sunshine Rex held one arm in the air. Bubblegum Rex watched it. Lime Pop Rex's foot hovered above the grass.

They waited.

A leaf drifted down and landed on Sunshine Rex's raised arm.

“I appear to be a tree,” Sunshine Rex whispered.

Bubblegum Rex giggled. Blueberry Rex's hum wobbled into a chuckle. Lime Pop Rex put their foot down and laughed too.

Just then, the breeze returned.

Eee-oh.

Sunshine Rex swept their leafy arm towards the gate. The others answered with a hum, two claps and one very small tap.

The last note floated away across the garden.

“Splendid,” said Sunshine Rex.

They bowed to the flowerpots. The flowerpots remained upright, which Lime Pop Rex considered an excellent review.

Then the gate gave one more tiny squeak.

“An encore?” asked Bubblegum Rex.

Sunshine Rex raised both arms.

“From the top. And leave room for the leaf.”

A little chat after the story

• If the garden gate could name its two-note song, what would it call it?
• Which moment would you most like to hear again, and why?