Gobbledybook!

Support for the Arkansas PBS Writer's Contest is provided by the June Hoes Williams Endowment.

(guitar music) Hi, everyone.

Today we're celebrating our Arkansas PBS writer's contest winners.

With us today, we have a first place winner from the first grade, the great Abigail Wharton.

with a book she wrote and illustrated called The Playful Pony and Swimming Swordfish.

Abigail is six years old and she really, really loves animals, especially horses and ponies.

Isn't that right, Lucky Charm?

(horse neighs) Introducing the great Abigail Wharton.

(clapping and cheering) My name's Abigail Wharton, and this is my book, The Playful Pony and the Swimming Swordfish.

Written by Abigail Wharton.

There was a pretty pony with white fur and a black mane named Summer.

(horse neighs) She and her pony friends decided to take a trip to the Atlantic Ocean.

Summer drove the truck with her human named Lydia in the front and her pony friends in the trailer behind (horse neighs) The ponies went scuba diving and met a swordfish and became friends.

His name is Pokey (horse neighs) (light music) Pokey visited the beach with the ponies, and they poured water on Pokey to keep him safe.

They built sand castles, dug for treasure and shells with his long bill.

They also played with seagulls and crabs.

The animals heard their moms calling them home.

So they split up and went home, but always remained friends.

They proved that anyone can become friends, though they are different.

The end.

(clapping and cheering) Hello.

Hello.

I absolutely love your story.

Abigail: Thank you.

I think all the animals also love your story as well, don't you think?

Yeah.

Have you ever ridden the pony before?

Abigail: Yes.

So at my grandparents' house, there's this horse.

It's called Gunsmoke.

And he's my horse, and he looks so much like Summer.

Andre: That's really cool.

When you first rode a horse, were you afraid at all?

Oh, a little bit.

But now you're, like, really comfortable around them, right?

Abigail: Yeah.

Andre: So you must be pretty brave.

Abigail: Yes.

What I liked about your story is that Summer and Pokey were, like, very different, but they were still, like, really good friends.

Yeah.

Andre: That's so awesome.

Do you have friends who are very different?

I have a friend named Parker, and he's a boy, and he's in first grade just like me.

Andre: That's cool.

Abigail: Yeah.

Well, you like to go and meet some of the ponies?

Abigail: Sure.

Andre: Awesome.

Let's go do that.

Might have to help me out with Lucky Charms over here.

(guitar music) Are you ready?

Good job, Lucky Charm.

Good job.

I've never rode a pony before.

Andre: Yeah?

What do you think?

I like it.

Yeah.

(Andre laughing) (horse neighs) Gobbledybook!