November
09
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WHY WE DO: A Play in One Act by Adam F. Shaffer
Cast of Characters
Adam: A man in his mid 30s; an unabashed book nerd
Erin: A woman in her mid 30s; The Wife of Adam
Nikki: A woman in her late 30s; friend of Adam and Erin
Mark: A man in his early 40s; husband of Nikki
Gracie: A girl in the second grade; ridiculously cute
Sara: A woman in her late 30s; mother of Gracie, friend of Nikki
Scene
A pub and an outdoor wedding on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Time
The present.
ACT I
Scene 1
SETTING: We are in a pub on Bainbridge Island, Washington. It is popular, full of happy, chatty people, young and old. It is a beautiful summer evening in the Northwest, with the doors and windows open and a view of the harbor.
AT RISE: Old friends ADAM, ERIN, NIKKI, and MARK are seated at a table near the windows. They are engaged in pleasant, friendly conversation, catching each other up on their lives as they wait for their meal.
NIKKI
So, Erin, what are you reading right now?
ERIN
Oh, I just read Americanah. I loved it.
NIKKI
Oh, yeah. I’ve seen it. I wondered if it was good. Adam? What about you?
ADAM
(Smiling)
Uh, well, I’m reading Deadweather and Sunrise.
(Smiles again).
It’s a pirate adventure. A kid’s book. It’s super fun.
NIKKI
A kid’s book?
ADAM
I don’t really read adult books. Kid’s books and teacher books. That’s what I like.
NIKKI
OK…But have you read Game of Thrones? Mark is reading it, and he loves it. You should read it! Right, Mark?
MARK
(Nodding)
It’s pretty good.
ADAM
Yeah, I probably would like it. I might read it eventually. But maybe not.
NIKKI
Why not? You need to read some adult books! It’s good! You’d like it!
ADAM
(Shrugging)
Game of Thrones is like 800 pages per book. 800 grown up pages. I could read like 20 kids’ books in the time it would take me to read one book of Game of Thrones.
NIKKI
(Sputtering)
But, you need to read other stuff. You can’t just read kids books all the time. Why do you do that? They’re just kids books.
ADAM
Sure I can. I like them! I can read whatever I want.
(Smiling)
You can read whatever you want, I’ll read whatever I want. Which is all kids’ books, all the time. That’s what I want to read. You read what you want to read.
NIKKI
But you’d really like Game of Thrones, I think.
ADAM
I believe you. I probably would like it. But I don’t think I’ll read it.
NIKKI
But…
(Huffs)
Whatever.
ADAM
(Smiles)
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF SCENE)
ACT I
Scene 2
SETTING: The next day. A grassy hill outside a beautiful house overlooking a pond on Bainbridge Island. An outdoor wedding is wrapping up. After the reception, guests enjoyed an energetic bit of dancing, with kids zipping in and out of the crowded dance platform. The light is fading as the night approaches. Parents are gathering their children to head to tents or beds, while others are sit at tables chatting.
AT RISE: ADAM, NIKKI, GRACIE, and SARA are standing at the edge of the dance platform. SARA is preparing to take GRACIE, tired but still wide-eyed and grinning, to bed.
NIKKI
Did you have fun tonight, Gracie?
GRACIE
(Nods, grinning)
NIKKI
You were a great dancer.
GRACIE
(Nods. Grinning.)
NIKKI
Are you getting tired?
GRACIE
(Shrugs. Smiles.)
SARA
(Puts her hand on GRACIE’s shoulder.)
Should we head up to our tent? Maybe you could read your book with your headlamp?
ADAM
Oh, what are you reading, Gracie?
GRACIE
Um…
(Looks up at SARA)
SARA
What was that book we just got? At the bookstore? Something “…Dog”?
GRACIE
Smells Like Dog.
ADAM
Oh, Smells Like Dog! I loved that book! It’s so funny. The dog can’t smell normally, right?
GRACIE
Yeah, he…um…he only smells, like, things that are hidden and stuff.
ADAM
Right. Right. I remember. We read it in my Guys Read book club. Did you get it at Eagle Harbor Books?
SARA
No… we got it before we left.
ADAM
Oh, I was wondering. Because the author, Suzanne Selfors…she lives on Bainbridge Island. Did you know that?
GRACIE
(Eyes wide)
What? Really?
NIKKI
(Stares. Mouth open.)
ADAM
Really! You’re on the same island as the author of your book!
GRACIE
(Grinning. Speechless. Eyes wide.)
ADAM
Do you like it?
GRACIE
Yes. It’s funny. The dog is funny. And it’s a good mystery, I think.
ADAM
Well, there are two sequels. I haven’t read them. But there’s one called Smells Like Treasure and one called Smells Like Pirates.
GRACIE
Oh! Really?
ADAM
Really! And Suzanne Selfors just started another series, too. “The Imaginary Veterinary,” it’s called. It’s about, like, a veterinarian for magical creatures. The first one is about Bigfoot!
SARA
Oh, that sounds good, huh, Gracie?
GRACIE
Yeah!
(Grins)
NIKKI
(Stares. Mouth open.)
ADAM
(Turns toward NIKKI. Smiles.)
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF SCENE)
Adam Shaffer teaches fourth grade at Irene Reither Elementary, in Everson, WA. This is his third post for Nerdy Book Club. Adam is on the board of the WWU Children’s Literature Conference, which you should come to. He is also starting nErDcamp Bellingham, set for the day after the conference. He feels privileged to be able to talk with kids about the books they both read and love.
Nerdy Book Club 
This is great Adam. Thank you. I work a lot with picturebooks. I live in Ireland but have visited Kirkland and Settle and toured in West Washington and some of the Puget Sound islands – lovely place to live and work. My book might be a useful resource for members of your association: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415727723/
I am definitely lucky to live where I do.
I absolutely love it. I remember another teacher at school asking me when I was going to read real books as she recommended her favorite adult book. I do read adult books interspersed with ALL of the books I really love. I teach middle school and try to stay up on books for young adult and down. I have to be able to talk to my grandkids and students about books. High school students contact me to see what I am reading and recommend. I absolutely loved this. Thank you.
We read what is important to us, and for you and me and many of us #nerdybookclub-ers, it is important to us to be able to have conversations about books with the (little) people we work with.
YA and down gives you a wide range! Lots of reading going on at your house!
Preach it! I have had both of these conversations, many times over. And the latter ALWAYS trumps the former.
I agree. But I also should point out that my friends and I are all readers, and that we were having a conversation about books. My one friend was just a little confused… :^)
I loved this post because It is so me. I’m often embarrassed to tell what I’m reading when the book/title discussion involves one or more non-educators. But…I’m a “senior” and probably won’t be changing any time soon.
I am not really embarrassed (“an unabashed book nerd”), but I often hesitate when sharing what I’m reading just because I think people won’t understand me. When someone asks, “What are you reading?” they want to engage with you, and they want to be familiar with your response, or they want to be able to take recommendations. I just sort of feel bad that I kind of hijack their conversation attempt by throwing out books they have no knowledge of.
This is great!
I could have more conversations like this, but I tend to just tell other adults I read kid books and then, with my awkward reticence to elaborate, dare them to say something about it. That usually ends it. I guess this sort of behavior is why I don’t have many friends, though.
Thanks for sharing. Loved those Deadweather/Chronicles of Egg books you mentioned btw.
I know that awkward reticence. I think it is much more me being sort of unsure that the other person really wants to hear about the kids books I’m reading. They asked the question, but I always think that they were probably expecting to have a different sort of conversation than the one that I end up steering toward. I would be happy to talk with anyone and everyone about what I am reading! I just don’t know that anyone and everyone wants to hear it.
Deadweather and Sunrise is a state book award nominee. I had never heard of it! Fantastic swashbuckling adventure. Have you read Smells Like Dog? Super fun.
Love, love, love this post!
Thanks, Maryanne!
I LOVE THIS!!!!! 😀
Thanks!
This is wonderful. As educators, I think that it is important that we read the books we are recommending to our students. When I tell a student that a book is good, I want to base that off of my own opinions, not those of a book review.
I agree completely. I want firsthand knowledge that a book is right for a student. Not “I heard of this book you might like,” but “I read this book and thought of you.”