Professor Wobblebottom's Invention
Professor Wobblebottom's Invention — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.
Page 1
Professor Armitage Wobblebottom adjusted his spectacles, peering at the bubbling concoction. "Almost there, I think!" he exclaimed to his young apprentice, Imani. "What do you think, Imani? Will this finally be the potion to make broccoli taste like chocolate?" Imani, a girl with boundless curiosity, leaned closer. "I hope so, Professor! I'm tired of hiding broccoli under my mashed potatoes."
Page 2
Suddenly, the potion erupted in a geyser of purple smoke, filling the laboratory. "Oops!" the Professor coughed, waving away the fumes. When the smoke cleared, a peculiar, glowing seed lay on the workbench. "Goodness gracious!" gasped Imani. "What is that?" The Professor carefully picked it up. "It seems our little accident has created something... extraordinary. I read about this seed in the ancient texts!" he exclaimed, pointing to a worn book. "It says that this seed, when planted, grows something that can alter people's realities!"
Page 3
"Alter realities?" Imani tilted her head. "What does that even mean?" Professor Wobblebottom stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It means, Imani, that this seed holds the potential to change things as we know them. But as the great Leonardo da Vinci said, 'Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence,' which means that we must research this privately, Imani. Should we plant it?" Imani's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Of course, Professor! Let's see what happens!"
Page 4
They planted the seed in a large pot filled with soil. Days turned into weeks, but nothing happened. "Perhaps it was just a silly myth," Imani sighed, watering the pot. Suddenly, the ground began to tremble! "Professor, did you feel that?" she asked. A vine, shimmering with iridescent colours, sprouted from the soil, growing at an astonishing rate. It wrapped around the lab equipment, pulling everything towards it!
Page 5
"Good heavens!" exclaimed the Professor. "It's growing too fast! We need to stop it!" Imani grabbed a pair of pruning shears. "Where should I cut, Professor?" she cried. "Careful, Imani!" Professor Wobblebottom shouted. As Imani reached for the vine, it sprouted a large, thorn-covered blossom that emitted a cloud of pollen. Imani inhaled some of the pollen and suddenly sneezed, causing her to see everything in a cartoonish fashion! "I see... everything like I am watching it through a funny glass. I can hear all sorts of silly voices and kazoos!"
Page 6
"The pollen's affecting her senses!" Professor Wobblebottom realised, panicked. "The ancient texts mentioned that! We need to counteract it!" He rummaged through his books frantically. "The texts say a specific antidote must be used. A concentrated blast of pure sound!" Imani, now giggling uncontrollably, could only point vaguely at a strange device on the shelf. "The Whimsical Wavelength Wonder!" she managed to say between fits of laughter.
Page 7
"The Whimsical Wavelength Wonder it is!" Professor Wobblebottom grabbed the device and dusted it off. "Now, how does this thing work?" Imani, still seeing the world in a cartoonish light, tried to explain. "The blue button... sets the frequency... the green one... amplifies!" Together, they fiddled with the device, trying to decipher its complex controls. "One idea can change the world if used right!" Imani's mother's words echoed in her mind as she helped the professor figure out the device.
Page 8
Finally, with a loud BANG, they activated the Whimsical Wavelength Wonder. A beam of pure sound erupted from the device, striking the thorn-covered blossom. The vine shuddered, and the pollen cloud dissipated. The cartoonish filter surrounding Imani's vision vanished. "I can see normally again!" she cheered. "The seed! What's happening to the seed?" the professor exclaimed, as he saw the seed begin to fade away.
Page 9
The vine withered, shrinking back into the soil. The lab equipment settled back into place. The Whimsical Wavelength Wonder buzzed softly, then fell silent. "It seems we stopped it just in time," Professor Wobblebottom sighed, wiping his brow. Imani looked at the empty pot. "So, the seed is gone?" she asked sadly. "Yes, but we learned something valuable today." The Professor replied, "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall!' as Nelson Mandela once said, and we did just that."
Page 10
"We did, indeed," Imani smiled. "Even when things are unknown, we can still find ways to overcome our fear and to learn things. And even if broccoli never tastes like chocolate, we will always find something new to discover." The Professor chuckled. "Indeed, Imani. And who knows what adventures await us in the future?" He took her hand and together they stared out into the vast, new potential of their unknown world.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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