A Bad Case Of The Stripes By David Shannon

A Bad Case Of The Stripes By David Shannon

A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon follows Camilla Cream, a girl who loves lima beans but hides her true feelings to fit in with her peers. On her first day of school, she mysteriously develops colorful stripes that change with her emotions, causing her to become the center of attention and ridicule. As various doctors and specialists attempt to diagnose her condition, Camilla learns the importance of being true to herself. This engaging children's book explores themes of identity, peer pressure, and self-acceptance, making it a valuable read for young audiences and educators alike. Perfect for parents seeking to teach children about individuality and the importance of embracing one's preferences.

Key Points

  • Follows Camilla Cream, a girl who develops colorful stripes due to peer pressure.
  • Explores themes of identity and self-acceptance in a school setting.
  • Features various doctors attempting to diagnose Camilla's unusual condition.
  • Highlights the importance of being true to oneself, especially in social situations.
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A BAD CASE OF THE STRIPES
By David Shannon
Parts(18): Camilla Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3 Narrator 4 Mr. Harms
Mother Father Dr. Bumble Old Woman Environmental Therapist
Dr. Grop Dr. Gourd Dr. Sponge Mr. Mellon Dr. Cricket Dr. Young
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Narrator 1: A BAD CASE OF THE STRIPES By David Shannon
Narrator 2: Camilla Cream loved lima beans. But she never ate them.
Narrator 3: All of her friends hated lima beans, and she wanted to fit in. Camilla always worried
about what other people thought of her.
Narrator 4: Today she was fretting even more than usual. It was the very first day of school, and
she couldn't decide what to wear. There were so many people to impress!
Narrator 1: She tried on forty-two outfits, but none seemed quite right. She put on a pretty red
dress and looked in the mirror. Then she screamed.
Narrator 2: Her mother ran into the room, and she screamed, too.
Mother: "Oh my heavens! You're completely covered with stripes!"
Narrator 3: she cried. This was certainly true. Camilla was striped from head to toe. She looked
like a rainbow.
Narrator 4: Mrs. Cream felt Camilla's forehead.
Mother: "Do you feel all right?"
Narrator 1: she asked.
Camilla: "I feel fine, but just look at me!"
Narrator 2: Camilla answered.
Mother: "You get back in bed this instant. You're not going to school today."
Narrator 3: her mother ordered. Camilla was relieved. She didn't want to miss the first day of
school, but she was afraid of what the other kids would say. And she had no idea what
to wear with those crazy stripes.
Narrator 4: That afternoon, Dr. Bumble came to examine Camilla.
Dr. Bumble: "Most extraordinary! I've never seen anything like it! Are you having any coughing,
sneezing, runny nose, aches, pains, chills, hot flashes, dizziness, drowsiness,
shortness of breath, or uncontrollable twitching?"
Narrator 1: he asked.
Camilla: "No, I feel fine."
Narrator 2: Camilla told him.
Dr. Bumble: "Well then, I don't see any reason why she shouldn't go to school tomorrow. Here's
some ointment that should help clear up those stripes in a few days. If it doesn't,
you know where to reach me."
Narrator 3: Dr. Bumble said, turning to Mrs. Cream. And off he went.
Narrator 4: The next day was a disaster. Everyone at school laughed at Camilla. They called her
"Camilla Crayon" and "Night of the Living Lollipop."
Narrator 1: She tried her best to act as if everything were normal, but when the class said the
Pledge of Allegiance, her stripes turned red, white, and blue, and she broke out in
stars!
Narrator 2: The other kids thought this was great. One yelled out,
Narrator 3: "Let's see some purple polka dots!"
Narrator 4: Sure enough, Camilla turned all purple polka-dotty. Someone else shouted,
Narrator 1: "Checkerboard!"
Narrator 4: and a pattern of squares covered her skin. Soon everyone was calling out different
shapes and colors, and poor Camilla was changing faster than you can change channels
on a T.V.
Narrator 2: That night, Mr. Harms, the school principal, called.
Mr. Harms: "I'm sorry, Mrs. Cream, I'm going to have to ask you to keep Camilla home from school.
She's just too much of a distraction, and I've been getting phone calls from the
other parents. They're afraid those stripes may be contagious."
Narrator 3: he said. Camilla was so embarrassed. She couldn't believe that two days ago everyone
liked her. Now, nobody wanted to be in the same room with her.
Narrator 1: Her father tried to make her feel better.
Father: "Is there anything I can get you, sweetheart?"
Narrator 2: he asked.
Camilla: "No, thank you,"
Narrator 3: sighed Camilla. What she really wanted was a nice plate of lima beans, but she had
been laughed at enough for one day.
Dr. Bumble: "Hmm, well, yes, I see. I think I'd better bring in the Specialists. We'll be right
over.”
Narrator 4: said Dr. Bumble to Mr. Cream on the phone. About an hour later, Dr. Bumble arrived
with four people in long white coats. He introduced them to the Creams.
Dr. Bumble: "This is Dr. Grop, Dr. Sponge, Dr. Cricket, and Dr. Young."
Narrator 1: Then the Specialists went to work on Camilla. They squeezed and jabbed, tapped and
tested. It was very uncomfortable.
Dr. Grop: "Well, it's not the mumps."
Dr. Sponge: "Or the measles."
Dr. Cricket:"Definitely not chicken pox."
Dr. Young: "Or sunburn."
Narrator 2: replied the Specialists.
Specialists:"Try these. Take one of each before bed."
Narrator 4: said the specialists. They each handed her a bottle filled with different colored
pills. Then they filed out the front door followed by Dr. Bumble.
Narrator 1: That night, Camilla took her medicine. It was awful.
Narrator 2: When she woke up the next morning, she did feel different, but when she got dressed,
her clothes didn't fit right. She looked in the mirror, and there, staring back at
her, was a giant, multi-colored pill with a face on it.
Narrator 3: Dr. Bumble rushed over as soon as Mrs. Cream called. But this time, instead of the
Specialists, he brought the Experts.
Narrator 4: Dr. Gourd and Mr. Mellon were the finest scientific minds in the land. Once again,
Camilla was poked and prodded, looked at and listened to.
Narrator 1: The Experts wrote down lots of numbers. Then they huddled together and whispered.
Dr. Gourd finally spoke.
Dr. Gourd: "It might be a virus,"
Narrator 2: he announced with authority. Suddenly, fuzzy little virus balls appeared all over
Camilla.
Mr. Mellon: "Or possibly some form of bacteria,"
Narrator 3: said Mr. Mellon. Out popped squiggly little bacteria tails.
Dr. Gourd: "Or it could be a fungus,"
Narrator 4: added Dr. Gourd. Instantly, Camilla was covered with different colored fungus
blotches. The experts looked at Camilla, then each other.
Experts: "We need to go over these numbers again back at the lab. We’ll call you when we know
something,"
Narrator 1: said the Experts. But the Experts didn't have a clue, much less a cure.
Narrator 2: By now, the T.V. news had found out about Camilla. Reporters from every channel were
outside her house, telling the story of "The Bizarre Case of the Incredible Changing
Kid."
Narrator 3: Soon a huge crowd was camped out on the front lawn.
Narrator 4: The Creams were swamped with all kinds of remedies from psychologists, allergists,
herbalists, nutritionists, psychics, an old medicine man, a guru, and even a
veterinarian.
Narrator 1: Each so-called cure only added to poor Camilla's strange appearance until it was hard
to even recognize her. She sprouted roots and berries and crystals and feathers and
a long furry tail. But nothing worked.
Narrator 2: One day, a woman who called herself an Environmental Therapist claimed she could cure
Camilla. She said,
Environmental Therapist: "Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and become one with your room."
Camilla: "I wish you hadn't said that,"
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FAQs of A Bad Case Of The Stripes By David Shannon

What causes Camilla Cream's stripes in the story?
Camilla Cream develops stripes due to her anxiety about fitting in with her peers, particularly regarding her love for lima beans. As she tries to hide her true feelings and conform to what others think, her emotions manifest physically, resulting in her changing stripes. This transformation reflects her internal struggle and the pressure she feels from her classmates, illustrating the impact of peer influence on self-identity.
How does Camilla's condition affect her at school?
At school, Camilla becomes the target of ridicule as her stripes change color and pattern based on the reactions of her classmates. Initially, she tries to act normal, but her condition escalates, leading to embarrassment and isolation. The principal eventually asks her to stay home because she is too much of a distraction, highlighting how her uniqueness is misunderstood by her peers and authority figures.
What is the resolution of Camilla's story?
The resolution occurs when an old woman offers Camilla lima beans, which she initially rejects due to her fear of judgment. However, when she finally admits her love for lima beans, her stripes disappear, symbolizing her acceptance of herself. This moment emphasizes the story's central message about the importance of being true to oneself and embracing one's preferences without fear of societal pressure.
Who are the specialists that try to help Camilla?
Various specialists, including Dr. Bumble and a group of experts, attempt to diagnose Camilla's condition. They conduct numerous tests and offer a range of bizarre remedies, but none are effective. Their efforts illustrate the absurdity of trying to fit into societal norms and the misunderstanding of individuality, ultimately leading to Camilla's realization that her true self must be embraced.

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