Flatigus Foam and Garden Town
Chapter 1: Trouble Next Door
In a place filled with sunshine and flowers called Garden Town, there was a bright red house where a family with three kids lived. Nicole was ten and loved coming up with new games. Robert, who was nine, was always looking for adventures, and Corey, the youngest at eight, always laughed, making everyone around him happy.
Right next door was a different kind of place. It belonged to Mr. Flatigus Flanigan. He was an older man who cared a lot about his garden. It was the prettiest in Garden Town, but Mr. Flanigan didn't like noise or mess. He wanted everything to be just right.
The kids didn't talk to Mr. Flanigan much. They had seen him peeping out of his window, watching them as they played. They played loud and ran around, which was very different from Mr. Flanigan's quiet and particular garden.
One day, their ball didn't just roll into Mr. Flanigan's garden; it flew right into a bunch of flowers and broke some of their stems. Everything went quiet for a moment, and the kids knew this was bad.
It was not surprising that Mr. Flanigan came out, and he was not happy. His face was red, and he frowned at his broken flowers. Nicole tried to say she was sorry, but Mr. Flanigan was already barking with his grumpy voice.
"Can't you kids play somewhere else? Look at what you've done to my flowers! They're ruined! Now off you go, back to your own yard!" he said, sounding very upset.
The kids felt sorry for what happened, but they also felt bad about how Mr. Flanigan reacted. After all, it was their yard where they were playing, and the ball just accidentally went into his garden. It wasn’t as though they had hurt his flowers on purpose.
"We didn't mean to, Mr. Flanigan. But we have nowhere else to play," Nicole said, trying to explain.
"Just keep your games away from my garden, and don’t let me find that ball in my flowers again!" Mr. Flanigan said, turning back to tend to his flowers.
After that day, the kids tried to be careful, but they still thought Mr. Flanigan was too grumpy. And Mr. Flanigan thought the kids were too wild.
There was a big garden contest approaching, and Mr. Flanigan was more worried about his garden than ever.
With Robert’s tenth birthday party coming up, it seemed like trouble was just getting started in Garden Town.
Chapter 2: Operation Foam Shield
After their scolding from Mr. Flanigan, Nicole, Robert, and Corey huddled inside their house, peeking out the window at their neighbor. Mr. Flanigan was in his garden, wearing a big backpack that sprayed foam on the flowers. It looked like something out of a superhero movie, but in their eyes, Mr. Flanigan was no hero.
"He looks like a villain from our comic books," Robert whispered, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement. "We should give him a villain name!"
"How about Flatigus Foam?" Nicole suggested, a giggle escaping her lips. "Because he's always spraying that weird foam everywhere!"
Corey piped in, "Yeah! And he's trying to ruin our fun with his super foam blasters!"
The more they watched, the more they convinced themselves that Mr. Flanigan, or Flatigus Foam as they now called him, was plotting to use his foam to spoil Robert’s upcoming birthday party. They imagined him sneaking up to the edge of their yard and launching a foam attack to disperse their friends and ruin their games.
"We can't let Flatigus Foam ruin our party," Nicole said, her voice firm and determined. "We need to come up with a plan to protect it!"
The siblings spent the rest of the afternoon brainstorming ideas, drawing sketches, and stretching their imaginations. Finally, they had a lightbulb moment. What if they created their own gadget to defend against the foam?
"We need something to stop the foam in its tracks," Robert said, thoughtfully tapping a pencil against his chin.
"That's it!" Nicole exclaimed. "We'll make anti-foam devices. We can wear them on our backs, just like Flatigus Foam, but ours will absorb the foam instead of spreading it!"
The plan was simple yet brilliant. They decided to use giant rolls of Bounty Paper Towels as their main defense. The paper towels could absorb lots of water, and by strapping them to their backs, they'd be ready for any foam attack Mr. Flanigan might launch.
Working together, they gathered the supplies from around the house. They took two big rolls of paper towels and attached straps, creating backpacks. They practiced putting them on and running around the yard, pretending to absorb Flatigus Foam's foam attacks.
As the sun set, the kids looked at their creations with pride. They were ready for anything Mr. Flanigan could throw at them. They called their invention "Operation Foam Shield." With their anti-foam devices ready, they felt invincible.
"We'll protect our party from Flatigus Foam," Nicole declared, as they all nodded in agreement.
Their plan was set, and their spirits were high. They were determined to have the best birthday party ever, no matter what the foamy villain next door planned.
As they went to bed that night, their dreams were filled with heroic battles against foam blasters, with the three emerging victorious, ensuring their birthday party would be safe from the villainous plans of Flatigus Foam.
Chapter 3: Heroes of Garden Town
The big day had arrived in Garden Town, bringing with it the excitement of the annual garden contest and, most importantly for Nicole, Robert, and Corey, Robert’s much-anticipated birthday party. The sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze whispered through the trees, setting the stage for a day to remember.
As the morning progressed, a panel of garden judges made their way through the neighborhood, admiring the lush gardens and handing out ribbons to the homes with the most beautiful displays. Mr. Flanigan, watching anxiously from his window, noticed the judges were only a block away. He also saw the truck delivering the large bounce house for the kids' party next door. Worried his garden needed a final touch to ensure victory, he decided to do a bit more watering.
Meanwhile, Nicole, Robert, and Corey watched excitedly as their party began to take shape, with decorations being hung and the bounce house inflating before their eyes. Remembering their mission, they strapped on their Anti-Foam packs, ready to defend their party from any foamy onslaught Flatigus Foam might launch.
Peering over at Mr. Flanigan's garden, they saw something that made their hearts race—a big barrel of water being dragged out to his prized plants. "He's planning a massive foam attack to ruin our bounce house!" Corey exclaimed, misunderstanding Mr. Flanigan's intentions.
But as they watched, something unexpected happened. The side of the barrel suddenly burst open, sending a flood of water rushing towards Mr. Flanigan's cherished flowers. Panic struck Mr. Flanigan's face as he realized his garden was in danger of destruction by the impending flood.
"Oh no, the water is going to ruin my flowers! What can I do?" Mr. Flanigan cried out in desperation, his hands trembling.
Hearing his cry for help, the kids glanced at each other. At that moment, they knew what they had to do. With courage in their hearts, they rushed to Mr. Flanigan's aid, launching their super-absorbent paper towels into the gushing water. Like true heroes, they worked feverishly, stopping the flood and saving the garden just in time.
With the judges approaching Mr. Flanigan's house, everyone immediately cleaned up the soaked towels and hid any evidence of the mishap. Mr. Flanigan looked at the kids with a newfound admiration and gratitude.
The judges were thoroughly impressed by Mr. Flanigan's garden, awarding him first prize for his stunning floral display. Overwhelmed with joy and thankful for the children's help, Mr. Flanigan offered them delicious treats as a token of his appreciation.
In a surprising turn of events, Mr. Flanigan, inspired by the children's spirit and kindness, decided to join the birthday celebration. Despite his age, he stepped into the bounce house, laughing along with the kids. It was a sight to behold—the once stern and solitary neighbor, now bouncing and smiling among the joyful children.
As the day ended, the kids and Mr. Flanigan realized they had more in common than they ever thought. The garden contest and the birthday party brought them together.
Coloring Exercise
Download these line art images of Bounce Houses to color.
