As a child, I loved the whimsical writing of Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll. My father, Henry Papale, a Pittsburgh-born music teacher, classical composer and artist, read to me nightly and I carried on the tradition with my three daughters. With the belief that young children’s stories should be triggers for the imagination, I wrote Watermelon Pie for them. And when I emailed the story to my dad, he loved it, and I asked if he would provide illustrations for each silly character. He used a variety of materials and styles and the collaboration became a family treasure. This year, we hope to find a publisher and turn it into a book.

Watermelon Pie

On a drip slushy Saturday in the month of January
An ostrich ate a pizza in my backyard
And then surfed away on a birthday card

On a brrr frosty Saturday in the month of February
An ape gave me valentine
And then huffed away on a piece of twine

On a slate cloudy Saturday in the month of March
A cat flew by my window at school
And then dove deep in a clear blue pool

On a just maybe coat Saturday in the month of April
A polar bear waved and looked me in the eye
And then ate up some watermelon pie

On a pop flowery Saturday in the month of May
A butterfly threw a snowball at me
And sat on some bark to drink some tea

On a green leafy Saturday in the month of June
A snake rode a bike straight down my drive
And put on her head a little beehive

On a fog hazy Saturday in the month of July
An antelope on skis whizzed through my grass
And then sipped on candy canes out of a glass

On a drench drippy Saturday in the month of August
A chicken drove by me in a convertible car
And then stuck his money in a firefly jar

On a school shoppy Saturday in the month of September
A dog tried on some shiny new shoes
And then hopped on a boat away on a cruise

On a clean crispy Saturday in the month of October
A mosquito flew a plane right over my home
And then brushed her hair with a tiny red comb

On a warm cozy Saturday in the month of November
A fish grabbed my pillow and ran in a snap
And then laid on a rock to take a long nap

On a shiny white Saturday in the month of December
A big old pony danced with a bee
And then shouted out loud:
“Look out your window. What do you see?”