Not Just for Kids

Chasing Daniel's Beasties

by Mark Burns

As all monsters and ghouls and ghosts and things get ready for

Halloween, there might be some wild nightmares on the way.

Seven-year-old Daniel Kamish had some wild ones; so wild that he drew and wrote a book about them. With the help of his dad, David, he created The Night the Scary Beasties Popped Out of My Head. Daniel did all the drawings and his dad ­ a caricaturist, animator and illustrator ­ added a splash of color for the final touch.

In the story, Daniel wakes up from a nasty nightmare and draws the dastardly monsters he dreamt. Suddenly magic moonbeams pour through his bedroom window and light up the sketch pad. The big bad Beastie comes to life and pops off the page, sneezes the Boogieman out of his nose and eats Daniel's TV and Red Rocket Racer car.

Beastie and Boogie bolt out of the room and into a wild dreamscape, so Daniel draws a six-legged dog to chase them. The bad guys draw a motorcycle to ride on, so Daniel draws a fire truck for him and his dog. When they finally corner the dastardly duo in a fort they draw to hide in, Daniel and his trusty dog wash the nightmarish ghouls away with the firetruck and go home happy.

How'd he do it? Daniel's been making art since he was two and started making up characters and stories when he was four. This story came from an idea his mom had for a cool father-and-son art project - a book to help him conquer a nightmare. It took Daniel a year to draw all 40 pages of the book himself.

"I drew the book, but I let my dad color it," he says. Their cool project was so good that it got published for all the world to read.

Sound intriguing? You can peek at their book this Halloween at a monster party in the Waldorf Borders; see below for details.

Get Creative

With these two basic ideas to build on, Daniel shows how you can draw your own story

1Think of what it is you're trying to draw and think of the shapes that go into it. Once you've got it, draw the shapes first and save the trimmings for later. See if you can match the shapes to the drawings that use them:

2Facial expressions are key to telling a story - they show how characters feel and their feelings toward each other. David Kamish suggests making faces in a mirror to help get them down. Here's a few to go on:

Kids' Calendar

Halloween Goes Wild Oct. 24-25, 31 & Nov. 1 (11-3)-Wander thru Baltimore Zoo (in costume, if you like) during Zoo Booo! and get goodies from trick-or-treat booths, create creepy crafts, play goblin games, tour a haunted barn, ride the Boo Choo Train and more. $8.50 w/discounts: 410/366-lion.

Trick-or-Treat Hot Spots Oct. 25 (4-6pm) & Oct. 31 (5-7pm)-Meander thru area malls and collect goodies in your bag along indoor trick-or-treating trails. Oct. 25 go to Annapolis Mall for bags and treats: 410/266-5432 Oct. 31 wander Marley Station and pick up treats w/lots of fun events and entertainment: 410/760-8900.

Kindly Witch Brews up Advice Tues. Oct. 27-Meet Carol Spaulding, the wonderful safety witch, as she drops in to share safety tips for trick-or-treating. Borders, Bowie: 301/352-5560.

Libraries' Halloween Treats Local libraries have something special going on for kids of all ages w/games, stories, treats and such. Here's when & where:

Annapolis Area Library: Oct. 27 (9:30 & 10:30am)-Kids age 2 at 9:30, ages 3-5 at 10:30; Oct. 31 (11am)-Kids grades K-6 Eastport-Annapolis Neck Branch: Oct. 28 (10am)-Kids ages 2-6 Edgewater Branch: Oct. 29 (6:30-8pm)-Kids ages 6+ Riviera Beach Branch: Oct. 27 (6:45pm)-Family; Oct. 28 (10am)-Family South County Branch: Oct. 27 (7-8pm)-Family; Oct. 28 (10am)-Preschoolers.

Call for info at the main branch, Annapolis: 410/222-7371.

Mystery Music Halloween (11am)-Kids ages 5+ can do the Musical Mystery Tour w/Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra, learning what all those funky music symbols mean and hearing some classic dance rhythms. Come in costume if you like. Woods Mem. Presb. Church, Severna Park. Free: 410/263-2664.

Monstrous Fun Halloween (11-1)-Come in costume and check out 3 spooky books including The Night the Scary Beasties Popped Out of My Head, a book drawn and written by 7-year-old David Kamish w/help from his dad, David. Create your own monster in a drawing contest, bob for apples, get your face painted, find furry critters, see what's in the Mystery Box and eat snacks. Borders, Waldorf: 301/705-6672.

Spooky Play Halloween (11:30am)-Stop in for the freaky "Spook-takular," a hauntingly fun play for kids. Hot dog, PBJ & ice cream for lunch @ Chesapeake Music Hall, 339 Busch's Frontage Rd., Annapolis. $8.95: 800/406-0306.

Bunnicula Bash Halloween (11:30am)-Come in costume and get spooked at a Halloween celebration w/everyone's favorite vampire bunny, Bunnicula. Also get your face painted and take home a few treats. Borders, Bowie: 301/352-5560.

Monster Mashers Halloween (1-4pm)-Kids ages 3-12 come costumed for a 1-of-a-kind party w/costume contest, scary stories, creepy crafts, ghoulish games, tasty treats and monster march. Oh yeah, don't forget to check out the exhibit of monster mashers - terrifying teeth and frightening fangs of Halloween masks, figures, games, posters and more. National Museum of Dentistry, Baltimore. $2: 410/706-8313.

Tunes to Trick-or-Treat by Halloween (2 & 3:30pm)­Kids ages 4+ plus parents come in costume for an afternoon of creepy, mystical and energetic mood music from the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. Kids also meet musicians and their instruments (1:15 & 4:20pm). Maryland Hall, Annapolis. $20 w/discounts; rsvp: 410/263-0907.

Monsters on the March Halloween (3-5pm)-Kids of all ages are invited to deck out in their ghoulish best and march in the Optimist Club of Calvert's annual Halloween Costume Parade. After it's over, trophies are given to winners in each of 6 age groups and everybody unwinds w/refreshments and games. Calvert County Fairgrounds, Barstow: 410/867-0469.

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Volume VI Number 42
October 22-28, 1998
New Bay Times

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