Children's Fiction Humorous Stories
Fred's TV
- Publisher
- Firefly Books
- Initial publish date
- Nov 1989
- Category
- Humorous Stories
- Recommended Age
- 5 to 10
- Recommended Grade
- k to 5
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9780920668597
- Publish Date
- Nov 1989
- List Price
- $6.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
Fred is a television junkie. There's nothing he likes to do better than to settle in front of the screen for the weekend with a fluorescent soft drink, cookies oozing white cream filling, packs of purple foaming pellets, and more…while his mind becomes stupefied.
Feeling neglected by his parents, he drifts into a routine of watching TV for hour after hour. His father, angered by this "useless" activity, first hauls the TV down to the musty basement, where Fred re-connects it, and then outside. This is a big mistake. The TV gets wet in the rain, and then explodes when Fred tries to plug it in and watch it in the backyard.
This is the beginning of Fred's transformation. When the TV repairman takes the insides to the shop for repair, the empty cabinet becomes a refuge for birds. Fred feeds them, and, bit by bit, more birds come to forage in his television feeder. Sitting in front of it in the backyard, Fred becomes active again, responding to the creatures that relate to him in turn.
About the author
Clive Dobson is a versatile artist and illustrator with many books to his credit including Tex and Watersheds. He lives in Toronto.
