The Silly Adventures of Shloppy the Plop & Edmund the Cat is a comic book series directed at primary school boys from 8 years of age. Featuring humorous storylines and easy-to-understand age-appropriate dialogue and illustrations, the series aims to attract children who are reluctant readers. Written and illustrated by Ivana Hrubá, an experienced early childhood teacher, the series offers a bridging experience for the early reader whose reading skills and attention span are not sufficiently developed for reading chapter books. Featuring two main characters, Shloppy the Plop, a very cute mythical creature with mannerisms, behaviours and interests of a typical young boy, and Shloppy’s best friend, a cat called Edmund, the short, humorous stories depict everyday situations most children experience during the course of their daily lives, as well as imaginary adventures all children can relate to.

THE SILLY ADVENTURES

OF

SHLOPPY THE PLOP & EDMUND THE CAT

 

Written & illustrated by Ivana Hruba

 Book 1

 

Shloppy is a plop. Edmund is a cat.  Shloppy and Edmund are best friends. Shloppy likes to sing and Edmund likes to eat. Shloppy and Edmund spend a lot of time together doing funny things. They go fishing. They climb trees. They jump over houses. Sometimes they go exploring in the forest. Best of all, they like to skate and learn new tricks. Shloppy and Edmund know a lot of tricks. 

 

 

 

 Then they jump over the skipping rope.

 

Edmund even jumps over the house.

 

Twice.

 

 Later Shloppy wants to watch television. Edmund doesn't but he likes to be in the room.

                                                             

 Soon, Edmund gets bored. He talks to Shloppy while Shloppy's watching television.

Edmund:         “Hey, Shloppy, do you want to go outside?”

Shloppy:          “Ahh … no.”

Edmund:         “Why not?”

Shloppy:          “I’m busy, Ed.”

Edmund:         “Doing what?”

Shloppy:          “Ahh … stuff.”

Edmund:         “What stuff?”

Shloppy is too busy doing stuff to answer.

Edmund:         “What are you doing?”

Shloppy:          “Go to your room.”

Edmund:         “I want to stay here.”

Shloppy:          “Go away! Now!”

Edmund:         “I’m not your friend!”

 

Edmund leaves the room and slams the door behind him. He goes outside, feeling angry.

Shloppy continues to watch television.

 

 

  Later, they meet outside. Edmund is not angry any more. He wants to have fun. Shloppy too.

 

 

Edmund takes a big leap and runs up that tall thin tree right up to the top branch. From up there Edmund gets to see the world. The world looks very different from up there, smaller and less funny. Down below Shloppy is waiting for Edmund to do something. But Edmund is not doing anything. He is scared stiff.

 

 

The situation looks grim until Shloppy comes up with a rescue plan.

 

Shloppy:          “Hey, Ed, why don’t you turn around and run down the tree?”

Edmund:         “I’m too scared to move.”

Shloppy:          “Jump then.”

Edmund:         “I’m too scared.”

Shloppy:          “I’ll catch you.”

Edmund:         “I can’t jump. I’m too scared.”

Shloppy:          “Don’t be such a scaredy cat. Trust me. Close your eyes and do it.

                            DO IT!  DO IT!  DO IT!”

So Edmund jumps.

 

 

But Shloppy doesn’t catch him and Edmund lands on the ground.

 

 

Shloppy:          “Are you okay, Edmund?”

Edmund:         “I see stars. Beautiful, beautiful stars.”

Shloppy:          “You’ll be fine, Ed. Just relax.”

Edmund:         “I see a golf buggy, too.”

Shloppy:          “A golf buggy?”

Edmund:         “Yeah. A big one.”

Shloppy:          “Who’s in it?”

Edmund:         “A fish.”

Shloppy:         “Anybody else?”

Edmund:         “Yes. A ladybug.”

Shloppy:          “What are they doing?”

Edmund:         “Nothing. Just riding around in the buggy.”

Shloppy:          “I wish I had a golf buggy.”

Edmund:         “Me too.”

Shloppy and Edmund rest. Shloppy imagines he’s riding around in a golf buggy while Edmund is waiting to feel less pain.

Shloppy:          “Are you feeling any better, Ed?”

Edmund:         “No. I’m not feeling better.”

Shloppy:          “Who else is in the buggy?”

Edmund:          "No-one else. Just the fish and the ladybug."

Shloppy:          “Who’s pulling the buggy?”

Edmund:         “A couple of cats.”

Shloppy:          “What kind of cats?”

Edmund:         “My kind. Cute and clever cats.”

Shloppy:          “They sound great.”

Edmund:         “They are great. Cats are the best.”

Shloppy:          “Yeah. Cats are good. They’re better than ladybugs.”

Edmund:         “Definitely better.”

Shloppy:          “Ladybugs are better than fish.”

Edmund:         “No. Fishes are best right after cats. Ladybugs are way behind fishes.”

Shloppy:          “Okay, Ed. Ladybugs are way behind fishes.”

Edmund:         “I’m feeling better now.”

Shloppy:          “Oh, good.”

Soon the two friends decide to go skating.

Shloppy:          “Hey, Ed, you wanna see me do a new trick?”

Edmund:         “Yeah, Shlop, I do.  What is it?"

Shloppy:          “I call it Pyramid. Hop on my head, okay?”

So Edmund hops on Shloppy’s head.

 

 

Then Shloppy OLLIES a six step.

 

 

 Edmund follows with a STALE FISH.

 

Then Shloppy comes up with another trick.

 

 

Then Edmund does a HOSPITAL FLIP.

 

 

 Sadly, he does stack.

 

 

It turns out that Shloppy was laughing a little too soon.

 

Edmund:         “Hey, Shloppy, are you okay?”

Shloppy:          “Yeah. I think so. My head hurts.”

Edmund:         “I’m not surprised. You have a huge, a huuuuuuuuuge bump on your head.”

Shloppy:          “I know. That’s where it hurts.”

Edmund:         “Do you want a cup of tea?”

Shloppy:          “No. Why would I want a cup of tea?”

Edmund:         “To make you feel better.”

Shloppy:          “I’d rather have a lollipop. Have you got one?”

Edmund:         “No, I don’t. I don’t have a lollipop.”

Shloppy:          “That’s too bad. I’d really like one.”

Edmund:         “Me too.”

 

 

Then Edmund starts to feel a little dizzy.

 

 

                             So Shloppy, Edmund and their trusty old skateboard Trusty pack it in for the day.

 

 

 

Some Interesting Facts About Plops

 

• Plops inflate when they lie.
• Plops can be seen by anyone who believes plops can be seen.
• Plops like to eat dewdrops and strawberries.
• Plops also like to be friends with dewdrops. This makes them plopavores because of their close resemblance to dewdrops.
• Plops are always singing the same tune in their ploppy brain.
• Plops like to dance to the tune that’s playing in their heads.
• The tune that plays in a plop’s head is always a variation of that plop’s name.
• Plops are very friendly but when their feelings are hurt, plops can turn nasty but only for a short time.
• Scientists have recently discovered the plop has the ability to skate almost from the day it is born.
• Plops choose to be friends with other species, especially small, furry animals.
• Plops are extremely affectionate.
• Plops like to watch documentaries about skating.

 

So, what happens next?

More adventures. That’s what happens next.

 

In Book 2 of The Silly Adventures of Shloppy the Plop & Edmund the Cat, Edmund goes exploring under the ground and Shloppy has an encounter with a large colony of very large and very angry ants. Will there be a happy ending? To find out, get yourself Book 2 of The Silly Adventures of Shloppy the Plop & Edmund the Cat.