Welcome to Story Quest, a weekly podcast where we bring your stories to life!
In this episode we bring Arianna’s story –Monsters vs Dinosaurs – to life.
It’s all about well…. you guessed it – Monsters and Dinosaurs. Arianna got the idea because when she plays football with her dad she calls him a Dinosaur and he call her Little Monster.
If you have a story idea, you could be like Arianna and have it turned into a Story Quest. All you have to do is send us your story idea here. We know you have the best imaginations and together we can create the most brilliant stories!
That’s just what Arianna did. You can watch the story she suggested come to life below, plus she tells us all about the inspiration behind the story at the end.
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Read along to Monsters vs Dinosaurs
You can read along to the story while you listen. Just follow the text below. Don’t worry if you find a word tricky – you can pause the video whenever to give yourself more time.
“You join us at the Camp BOO for an absolutely enthralling clash this evening,” echoed the instantly recognisable tones of legendary football commentator Gil ‘Gilly’ Goalsmore over the stadium tannoy. “The home side are looking to scare the opposition defence with their gruesome attack, whilst the Jurassic visitors are aiming to firmly cement their place in the history books once and for all.”
It’s the big one…The football match to end all football matches. The under-the-bed dwellers against the ferocious fossils…the gre-(GET ON WITH IT!).
Alright, alright. Basically, the Monsters are playing the Dinosaurs in a football match and it’s going to be great – happy? (NO! YOU’RE GOING TO NEED TO GIVE US MORE CONTEXT)
*sighs* Alright…I’ll pass you over to Gil to explain more.
“Hi I’m Gil Goalsmore, but you can call me Gilly. I’m an ex-football ace and commentator extraordinaire and I’m here to give you the lowdown on the intense rivalry between The Monsters and The Dinosaurs…
“It all started when Dr. Frankenstein – you know him, the chap from that book, not the green fella but the guy who made him, well Dr. Frankenstein decided that he was fed up of constantly being picked last for footy matches, that he was going to create the ‘ULTIMATE FOOTBALL BOOT’ to give himself an added advantage in kickabouts.
He spent hours and hours, days and days, years and years sketching up blueprints and creating prototypes of the Ultimate Football Boot – which he called UFB [pronounced UFF-BUH] until finally he had a boot that was deemed worthy enough to get him on the local team…or so he thought.
It was a Sunday morning like any other, the sun was shining, and the birds sang their usual harmonies, but Dr. Frankenstein had a particular spring in his step as he walked towards the playing fields (and that wasn’t because the UFB [pronounced UFF-BUH] was a size and a half too small for him). The doctor dazzled in the warm-up, performing tricks the like the villagers had never seen before, and he was destined to not be picked last for the game. And sure enough, when it came to the first captain’s pick he proudly announced, ‘I’ll Take the Doc’.
The opening ten minutes of the match had gone great, and Dr. Frankenstein had already netted a hattrick before noticing something was up with his right UFB [pronounced UFF-BUH]. He thought nothing of it and best to carry on…
A few more minutes passed, and Dr. Frankenstein had found himself unmarked at the back post…the left winger lofted in a delicious cross that was absolutely begging to be finished and the Doc pulled back his right UFF-BUH and…BOOM!!!
A thunderous sound crashed around the park as Dr. Frankenstein connected with the volley…the poor football screamed through the air, obliterating through the net, and continuing to travel upwards, and upwards, gathering speed and momentum at a rate that would baffle NASA’s top scientists. The ball continued to rise, crashing through the atmosphere. Hurtling and hurtling, flaming and sizzling due to the fact it was literally booming its way through space. It was being dragged towards something huge…
Oh no.
Oh dear, oh dear. Have you figured out what happens next?
Well, you see, this is where the dinosaurs come into it.
It was a Sunday morning on Dinosia like any other, the sun was shining, and the Pterodactyls squawked their usual harmonies, the local football team were off playing away on a neighbouring planet so there was nice calm presence in the air. A calm presence that lasted all of 5 seconds…
“SQUAWK” alerted one of the senior Pterodactyls (this particular Squawk roughly translated to: “Everybody look out, there’s a big, flaming, object hurtling towards our planet, and I think it’s going to wipe out our entire species and make dinosaurs extinct.”) You’d be surprised how much power a squawk can hold.
The senior Pterodactyl was right, there was a big flaming object hurtling towards their planet Dinosia, and the big flaming object hurtling towards their planet was…Dr. Frankenstein’s stray football.
And yes, I’ll spare you the fiery details of the colossal impact but, long story short – the UFF-BUH was responsible for the extinction of all of the dinosaurs on Dinosia…well nearly all of them.
As I previously mentioned, the Dinosian football team was playing away at a neighbouring planet, and when they returned home after a comprehensive 3-0 victory, they were shocked to find that their home was now a measly floating pile of rubble and dust. They were furious and swore that they would get their revenge on all monsters the only way they knew how…by beating them in a game of football!”
Wow, thanks Gilly! So, I think you’re all caught up now, and good thing too, the starting line-ups have just been announced!
“And in goal for Monster United…number one the ever-dependable Count Dracula…in front of the veteran ‘keeper a back four consisting of werewolves – Will and Walter, Frankenstein’s Monster and the Portuguese poltergeist Jose…”
“On the wings Monster United have opted for a pair of Sirens – Sandra and Stephanie, and in the middle of the park they’ve gone for the brute force of midfield general Bigfoot, partnered with the flair of the Loch Ness Monster, Nessie.”
“And finally, the absolutely terrifying strike force of The Kraken and Tutankhamun’s Mummy.”
A strong line-up, it has to be said. In fact, it was enough to make most opposition players wet the bed…but not today’s visitors.
“And here’s your starting XI for FC Dinosaur…between the sticks we have Gianluigi the Stegosaurus who will be hoping to make sure Monster United don’t ruin his clean sheet in more ways than one…
“And a back four consisting of Vinnie the Velociraptor, Ben the Brachiosaurus, Dustin the Diplodocus and Sally the Spinosaurus.”
“A pair of Pterodactyls will be flying down the wings – that’s brothers Terry and John – and roaming the middle of the (Jurassic Park) are club captain – Timmy the T-Rex and Graham the Giganotosaurus. A ferocious duo.”
“And leading the line for FC Dinosaur, Dixie the Dilophosaurus, partnered by Toby the Titanosaurus.”
The ground was shaking with anticipation – or that might have been caused by the teams making their way to the pitch – either way the stadium was rocking.
The crowd was really up for this one, and the atmosphere amongst them was absolutely electric!
Kick-off was now mere moments away, and the two teams took to the pitch amid fireworks and fanfare, it was almost time…
*Peeeeep* The referee blew his whistle, and we’re off!
Tempers were fraught in the opening exchanges, and tackles were flying in from left and right. Vinny the Velociraptor was particularly fortunate to escape a yellow card for a scything challenge on Nessie as he looked to launch a counterattack.
And finally, after 30 minutes of intense toing and froing, The Kraken opened the scoring with an absolute Krak-er from 25 yards out. King Tut’s Mummy picked up a stray pass from Graham the Giganotosaurus, danced like an Egyptian through a couple tackles and released The Kraken to make it 1-0!
The despondent dinos looked devastated, and Gianluigi the Stegosaurus berated his defenders for giving away such a simple goal in the game of their lives.
The ref sounded his whistle for half time, and a cheer erupted from the Monster United fans as they went in at the break 1-0 up.
“Come on guys, we’ve got to do this for Dinosia” roared Timmy the T-Rex in the changing room. “They’ll be counting on us to get our revenge! Terry and John, I’m wanting you to fly up and down the wings and cross the ball whenever you get the chance. I know Frankenstein’s Monster is big, but we’re bigger and should be winning that aerial battle easily.”
Meanwhile, in the Monster’s changing room the mood was jubilant. “We’ve got this in the bag.” Howled the werewolves, Will and Walter.
“I wouldn’t COUNT on it,” chuckled Dracula, “Get it – COUNT – come on guys this is gold…guys?” Dracula’s attempted pun fell on deaf ears, “There’s a lot at stake guys…ah stake! Get it STAKE!”
“Does anyone have any garlic so we can shut that fool up?” hissed one of the sirens, Sandra.
“I’ll suck your blood!” Threatened Dracula, “I will…I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again! Don’t test me!”
Bigfoot grunted a fed-up grunt.
“Exactly,” said Nessie, “I agree with Biggie (that was Nessie’s nickname for Bigfoot), we’re supposed to be a team! Now let’s get back out there and get the job done.”
And Monster United trotted back out onto the pitch for the second half to see that FC Dinosaur were already there, raring to go.
*PEEEEP* And the second half began with an onslaught from the dinosaurs. Wave after wave they rampaged and ravaged the Monster’s goal. Dracula had to be on top form to bat away each attempt, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep the dinos at bay – after all he was thousands of years old and he’s knees were going a bit.
Timmy The T-rex hit the bar from a deliciously delivered corner, Dixie the Dilophosaurus had an effort cleared off the line after Jose the Poltergeist ghosted onto the back post to sweep his strike away, and Dustin the Diplodocus absolutely skied a one on one.
The dinosaurs were really knocking on the door – but could they find an all-important equalizer?
With 5 minutes to go, the biggest opportunity of them all came. A long punt up field from Gianluigi was flicked on by Timmy the T-Rex directly into the path of an advancing Toby the Titanosaurus. He broke past Walter the Werewolf and found himself in the box with only Dracula to beat.
Toby pulled back his foot ready to net a certain equaliser…all he had to do was make contact and then…*thwack* he was crunched from behind by Frankenstein’s Monster…
“Oh, and it looks like we’re going to the Vampire Assisted Referee to see if that’s a penalty,” Gilly announced.
The referee consulted VAR and decided that it…WAS a penalty.
This was it, THE chance for FC Dinosaur to equalise and finally get their revenge.
Timmy The T-Rex took the ball and nominated himself to take the spot kick. He was eyeball to eyeball with Count Dracula as he took a deep breath, let out a confident growl and began his run up.
As he pounded up to the ball, the memories of Dinosia were running through his head. He had to score, he to score for all of his friends and family. He powerfully connected with the ball and fired it directly towards the top corner – Dracula didn’t stand a chance…
WAIT! Dracula transformed himself into his bat form and flew towards the top corner and stretched out a fang to stop the ball…POP.
The ball stopped dead, burst and dropped straight down onto the goal line. Had it crossed? Was it a goal? What happens next?
Well, that’s the question Nessie posed…”Umm well, what happens now?”
“Well it’s a goal, clearly,” exclaimed Timmy the T-Rex!
“No it’s not!” argued Dracula, “The ball hasn’t crossed the line…so no goal.”
“Only because you cheated!” accused Timmy.
“I did not…you’re really going to bring human rules into a football match between monsters and dinosaurs?! You don’t respect imagination at all, do you?”
Timmy’s eyes widened and he growled…
“WAAAAITTTT” shouted the referee. “We have to settle this one way, captains, here, now.”
Timmy the T-Rex and Nessie the Loch Ness Monster convened around the referee and an intense conversation was had.
Now the specifics of what was said may not be entirely suitable for your ears, but I’ll summarise.
Timmy argued that the match was so important to the dinosaurs, and it represented something much bigger than a game to them. Nessie argued that that’s all well and good but the games the game and they didn’t actually score. The arguing continued for some time until Nessie finally came around and agreed that it may be in the best interests of everyone if they decided to call a truce.
Members of both teams protested the idea of calling peace between each other, but an agreement was eventually reached and the captains decided they would play each other every week in a series of ‘friendlies’ for enjoyment purposes only…
I’m not entirely sure there’s a moral to this story…but does every story need to teach you lesson? Maybe that’s the lesson here. But anyway, that’s the story of the first Monsters versus Dinosaurs football match. Until next time!
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