The Dollhouse Squatters Text

Manuscriptfor

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSHanaTooke

©2012

Children’sPictureBookText

1,016words

CONTACT:Flat4,34RiversStreet,BathBA12QB07575308436hanatooke@gmail.com

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

1

TodayisMolly’sfifthbirthday

Shejumpsoutofbedandshouts:“Hurray!”

That’swhensheseesherbirthdaysurprise;

Anenormouspresent,infrontofhereyes.

Shejumpsupanddownandshoutswithglee,

“Ohgoody,Ohyay!Butwhatcoulditbe?”

Standingontiptoesshestartstotear

Andbitsofpaperflyeverywhere.

ThepaperstormragesasMollyproceeds

Tounwrapadollhouseatsuper‐fastspeed.

Itisreallywide,andincrediblytall.

StandingbesideitMollyfeelssmall.

Itisbeautifullycarved,withaflagonthetop.

ItmakesMollysohappyshethinksshemightpop.

“It’sperfect,it’sgreat!”shesayswithagrin.

“Butthere’ssomuchtodo,wheredoIbegin?”

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

2

Shemakesallthebedsandsweepsallthefloors,

Thenhangsprettyflowersonallofthedoors.

Finishedatlastshestartstobeam,

“That!”shesays“Isfitforaqueen!”

LatethatnightasMollyslept,thewindowwasopenedandintheycrept.

Theirtinyfeetasquietasamouse,astheyquicklyscamperintothedollhouse.

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

3

Todayissunny,warmandbright,

ButMollywakesuptoaterriblesight.

Thereismudonthewindow,andmudonthefloor,

Andmudallthewaytothedollhousefrontdoor.

Sheopensitupandhasaquickpeep,

Andseesfourlittlefairies,allfastasleep.

“Whatareyoudoing?”saysMollyinshock.

Theyallwakewithastart,andhideunderasock.

Foursetsofeyes,allshininglikelights,

Andfoursqueakyvoicesshout:‘We’vegotsquattersrights!”

“Whatdoesthatmean?”asksMolly,confused.

“Itmeanswecanlivehere.It’snotbeingused!”

“Butitisbeingused,byme,it’smytoy,

anewbirthdaypresentIreallyenjoy.”

“Movinginwithoutpermission’sunfair,

Ifyou’donlyaskednicelyIwouldgladlyshare!”

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

4

Thefairieslookfrightened,andMollylookssad.

ThentheyshutthefrontdoorwhichmakesMollyquitemad.

Shepullsonthedoorandisutterlyshocked

Tofindthatthedollhouseisquitefirmlylocked.

LatethatnightasMollyslept,thewindowwasopenedandinMOREcrept.

Theirtinyfeetasquietasamouse,astheyquicklyscamperintothedollhouse.

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

5

Todayisgloomy,andMollyistoo.

ThefirstthingsheseesmakesMollyquiteblue.

There’smoremudonthewindow,moremudonthefloor.

Moremudallthewaytothedollhousefrontdoor.

Mollywalksoverandlooksthroughawindow.

Sheseeseightnaughtyfairiesalldancingthelimbo.

Thehouseisamess,thefurnituretrashed.

Thewallsareallfilthy,awindowissmashed.

Thecurtainsarestainedandstartingtosag.

Somesmalldirtypantshangsoffoftheflag.

“Getout,Getout!”shebellowsandshouts.

“You’vehadyourfun,nowyoumustmoveout!”

Molly’slipquivers,tearsforminhereyes,

Sotheyturnupthemusictodrownouthercries.

Astheypartyandfrolicthenoisegrowsandgrows.

Butwhatshouldshedo?Mollyjustdoesn’tknow.

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

6

“Ithoughtfairieswerenice,butthey’remakingmesad.”

“Onething’sforsure:thesefairiesarebad!”

Withacrashandabangachairfliesfromthefoyer.

Mollyrunsoffforhelp:hermumisalawyer!

LatethatnightasMollyslept,thewindowwasopenedandinMOREcrept.

Theirtinyfeetasquietasamouse,astheyquicklyscamperintothedollhouse.

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

7

Todaythesquattersmustseesense.

ThoughherMum’sbyherside,Mollyfeelstense.

Steppingoverabinbagspilledoverthefloor.

Mumgoestothedollhouseandknocksonthedoor.

Thedollhouseislocked,justaspredicted

SoMumsaysquiteloudly:“You’rebeingevicted!”

“We’renotleaving!”saysone,“Thisisourhomenow!”

“Goaway!”saysanotherwithamenacinggrowl.

Mumsaysquitecalmly,“We’vemuchtodiscuss.”

“We’lltalkthisalloverwithoutanyfuss!”

“We’venowheretogo,”saysagirlwithasniff.

“That’snoreason,”saysMum“tocausesuchmischief!”

“Whatistheproblem?We’rejusthavingsomefun!”

“You’reupsettingpoorMolly,”saysoneangryMum.

“Youarerude,youarenoisyandyoumakesuchamess.”

“Allofyouractionsarecausingherstress!”

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

8

TheyalllookatMollywhosefacesaysitall.

Hergloomyexpressionmakestheirfacesfall.

Thefairieslookshamefaced,justastheyought.

“Tomorrow,”saysMum,“we’llseeyouincourt!”

Latethatnightwhenallwasstill,Mumstoodguardbythewindowsill.

Keepingstillandquietasamouse,shestopsmorefairiesgettingtothedollhouse.

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

9

Todayisthedaythatproblemsmustbe

Sortedandsettled,soallarehappy.

Thejudgewearshiswig,thejuryareseated,

AllareappalledathowMolly’sbeentreated.

Thefairieslookglumastheystandinthedock,

Onewipeshertearswithadirtyoldsock.

“We’resorry,we’resorry,”theysayonebyone.

“Sorryforallthebadthingswehavedone.”

“Werealisethatnow,andjustwantyoutoknow,

Wepromisetopackupourthingsandwe’llgo.”

Mollylooksoutatthestormandtherain,

Thenshelooksatthefairies’sadfacesagain.

They’vebeenterriblybad,afactthat’swell‐known

Buteveryonestillneedsaplacetocallhome.

“Iforgiveyou,”shesays,“soletsstartanew.”

“IfyoufollowmenowIhavesomethingforyou.”

THEDOLLHOUSESQUATTERSbyHanaTooke

10

Theyallruntothegardenandintotheshed

Shefindsherolddollhousestashedunderhersled.

Itisbrokenandtattyandneedsagoodclean,

Butsomemagicalfairiescouldsoonmakeitgleam!

LatethatnightasMollyslept;thewindowwasopenedandintheycrept.

Theirtinylittlefeetasquietasamouse,astheycleanandpolishMolly’sdollhouse.

THEEND