Kenya the Can’t Garoo Meets Dr. Cluck – illustrated by Rotem Omri

Kenya Crouch was an unhappy kangaroo,

When her friends jumped really high,

She would sigh.

Kenya was the only one who,

Couldn’t hop like the others do.

Her friends called her the “Can’t garoo”.

She tried

Diet pills,

Exercise drills,

Vitamin B,

C, K and D

Pogo sticks and

Magic tricks.

Nothing helped.

Then one day, at a family dinner, Uncle Wally B. told Kenya’s parents about a very special doctor.

Dr. Cluck, he told them, could solve any problem. He was especially good at solving difficult cases.

Dr. Cluck was a very busy doctor, they soon found out. Kenya and her parents had to wait several weeks for the appointment.

Finally, the day came.  Porcupines and hyenas were also waiting patiently to see Dr. Cluck.  There wasn’t much room in the waiting room.

When Kenya’s turn finally came, she went right in.

Sit down, said Dr. Cluck, and she did. Kenya noticed, though, that the doctor was not sitting at all. He was upside-down on the desk, doing a headstand. After a moment of not doing anything in particular, Dr. Cluck smiled and said:

 “It’s perfectly clear,

What’s brought you here,

My unhopping dear.

The reason you’re down,

Not jumping around,

Is easy to see,

At least for me. 

Your situation,

Requires agitation,

So go home,

Get into bed,

And try standing on your head.

You might find,

It frees your mind,

And other things you

Might leave behind.

And without “so long”,

Or any such thing,

He suddenly began to sing:

“My name is William Cluck III,  

What a rooster, what a bird,

My father was a famous Cluck,

His father, too, was no dumb duck,       

And in their footsteps I continue,

To lend a wing to others who

Are feeling just a little blue.

So if you’re –

Down in the dumps, sick of your humps,

Stuck on a wall, getting nowhere at all,

Flat on your back, or plain out of luck,

Try giving a call to Doctor Cluck.”

Then he tapped both his feet,

To an African beat,

Patted his chin,

Ruffled his tail,

Had a sip of ginger ale,

And invited the very next patient in.

For a whole month, Kenya thought about the upside-down Dr. Cluck and his strange advice. Did he think everyone should stand on their head?

One day, Kenya finally gave it a try. It wasn’t easy. For a kangaroo, standing on your head is not something that comes naturally.  Kenya finally succeeded.

And then it suddenly it began to happen.

Things from her pouch,

Started falling onto the couch.

An umbrella from last November.

A library book from who can remember,

A toothbrush, some mouthwash,

One galosh,

Then another,

A glove,

Then the other,

Then more and more,

Began to pour.

Out came:

A checker game,

Two baseball hats,

Three cricket bats,

A chocolate bar,

Her favorite guitar,

A spinning top,

A lollipop,

A discman, a walkman,

A  pacman, a talkman,

More things kept falling

From her pocket,

A launching pad, complete with rocket,

A rope, some string,

Five bells that ring,

An orange peel,

A spinning wheel,

A piano complete with 88 keys,

And, finally, if you please,

A cucumber sandwich

With mayonnaise and

Yellow cheese.

And now, with empty pocket, or pouch,

Kenya hopped from bed to couch,

From couch to floor,

Right out the door,

Then down the hill,

She couldn’t sit still,

A giant flipple triple hop,

Higher and higher, she couldn’t stop.

She showed her friends what she can do,

And now they call her

The “Can garoo”.

On Sunday, Kenya and her family had a giant pouch sale.

To this day, Kenya’s pouch is empty

(well, almost empty)

And she’s a hip-hoppy-happy kangaroo.

Kenya can hop from Sydney to Perth

From here to Fort Worth

And from there to Kazoo.

Kenya can do it,

How about you?

The very next day,

She had this to say: 

Dear Doctor William Cluck III,

Although you do seem quite absurd,

You really are a special bird,

Thank you from the bottom of my pouch,

Sincerely yours,

Miss Kenya Crouch

Thank you for reading our book!

If you like it, you might also want to read other children’s books that I’ve written and Rotem Omri has illustrated. For example:

“Tim the Porcupine Meets Dr. Cluck”

Read more about me and see ALL my books on Ourboox (I have many)

Or even better, create a book of your own!!!

Here is a tutorial to help you get started on your own voyage as an Ourboox contributor!!

And finally, you can always write me at [email protected] 

If you’re in a real hurry, here is the really short version that I once made for a phone app (never materialized, though)

Kenya Crouch was a sad kangaroo.

Her friends called her the can’t garoo.

Animation – touch Kenya and she sobs.

When her friends hopped towards the sky,

Kenya would sigh.

Animation – touch her friends and they hop up and down (or shake the i-phone and they boing around).

Kenya tried all kinds of things –even a pogo stick. Nothing seemed to do the trick.

Animation – touch the pogo stick and it bounces twice and then she falls over. 

So Kenya went to visit Dr. William Cluck.

“You’re in luck!” said Dr. Cluck.

Animation – touch Dr. Cluck and he says “You’re in luck” 

“I know what to do

To make your dream come true.”

“Just jump up on your couch or bed,

And then try standing on your head”.

Animation: touch Dr. Cluck and he sings his rap, or says:

“Adieu, farewell to you, cockadoodledo”

Kenya wondered why the Doctor said

“Just try standing on your head”

Animation – turn the i-phone over and Kenya does a headstand on the bed.   

Wow – Look what’s happening now!

Animation – rub the pouch and things fall out with a boing sound.

A hat, a bat, a bar a guitar,

And more and more and more and more!!

Animation – touch each of the items and the names are spelled. Or strum the guitar and make a sound. 

Kenya felt as light as a kite.

She hopped to the floor and then out the door.

Animation – touch Kenya and she bounces out the door, boing, boing

Now she jumps so very high.

Do you want to help her try?

Animation – there is a bar or a cloud at the top of the screen and the faster you swipe her, the higher she bounces.   

She can hop as high as her other friends do.

So now they call her the ‘Can garoo’.

Animation – touch Kenya and she hops high. Touch her friends and they say “Wow”.