Johnny One-Time

Johnny One-Time

By: Thomas Cannon

1. Picture of Johnny One-Time pointing his finger in the air.

2. Dedication Page: “To my three queens, Tressie, Shasta and Cammy, who have always encouraged me to try new things – often to unpredictable outcomes.”

3. Title Page

4. This is Johnny. His mom and dad call him Johnny One-Time because he will try anything...once.
Illustration: Johnny stands all alone, waving to the reader.

5. Johnny got his nickname when he was three years old. Johnny wanted to be a pirate for Halloween.
Illustration: Little Johnny is fully dressed as a pirate. He's swinging his sword and guarding a treasure chest.

6. But his mom thought he would look so cute as a little bunny rabbit. “Try it just once, Johnny. If you don't like it, you never have to be a cute little bunny rabbit again, OK?”
Illustration: A cheery mom holds out a bunny costume to Johnny. Little Johnny can't believe it.

7. “Just once. But...NEVER AGAIN!”
Illustration: Little Johnny stands all alone, pointing his finger in the air and proclaiming “NEVER AGAIN!”

8. As Johnny got older he tried many different things. He tried pizza. He watched football games with his dad.
Illustrations: Johnny happily munches pizza. He and his dad cheer for their team at a live game.

9. Actually, they often do both at once.
Illustration: Johnny and his dad eat pizza while watching TV.

10. He read his first book. It was about animals with long teeth.
Illustration: Johnny sits on a recliner, thumbing through a picture book.

11. He played the drums. Loudly.
Illustration: Johnny happily bangs away on the drum set.

12. He played dodge ball. It had its ups. It had its downs. Johnny decided it was OK to try again.
Illustrations: Johnny dodges a ball. Johnny gets nailed in the back of the head. Johnny gives an approving thumbs-up.

13. But true to his nickname, Johnny tried many things only once.
Illustration: Johnny strokes his chin as he looks like he's debating whether or not to try something new.

14. At an Italian restaurant, Johnny tried something called “calamari” that looked like an onion ring. He thought he liked it, until his dad told him it was chopped-up squid tentacles.
Illustration: Johnny munches on the calamari as his dad offhandedly tells him what it actually is. A talk bubble from dad shows a picture of a disgusting squid.

15. “Nehber uhgin!”
Illustration: Johnny hastily wipes his tongue with his napkin.

16. Johnny stayed up late one night and watched a scary movie. It was called “Zombies Versus Vampires Part Seven.”
Illustration: Johnny is in a dark living room watching TV. A zombie and a vampire are visible from the TV.

17. “...never again...”
Illustration: Johnny is pale and shivering with tiny little eyes. He's clutching a teddy bear.

18. One Saturday, Johnny's mom set up a play date for him with Meghan, the bossy, know-it-all girl down the street.
Illustration: The two moms chat at the front door as Meghan waves Johnny inside.

19. She made him play “tea party” with her and her dolls. “Never again!”
Illustration: Johnny sits at a little table in the backyard, surrounded by Meghan and her dolls. He is not happy.

20. Johnny liked to watch ice hockey on TV. One winter he decided he would try to ice skate just like the hockey players.
Illustration: Johnny is wildly out of control. His arms are flapping frantically and his posture is precarious.

21. “nuh vuh uh guh!”
Illustration: At the edge of the icy pond is a snow bank. Two little legs protrude from it. Out of the snow bank is a talk bubble with Johnny's muffled words.

22. Johnny's grandmother in Florida has a lot of cats. When he visited her, Johnny played with all of them. No one told Johnny that he is allergic to cats.
Illustrations: Johnny bends over to pet a black and white cat. A tabby cat sits in his lap while a tortie cat lies atop the small TV set he's watching.

23. “Neh...ACHOO!...ver...ACHOO!...ah...Choo!..gain!”
Illustration: Johnny lies in bed sneezing. Cats are lying all over the bed.

24. Last summer, Johnny was having a marvelous time at Happy Memories Amusement Park. Until he went on something called “The Heart Stopper.”
Illustration: Johnny is at an amusement park. He and his mom and dad are waiting in line for The Heart Stopper, a very imposing roller coaster. He's just tall enough to ride it.

25. “NEVER AGAIN!”
Illustration: Johnny and his mom and dad are on the roller coaster. Johnny's eyes are big and he's screaming.

26. Johnny rode his bike around the neighborhood. His mom always made him wear his helmet. Johnny thought he was too old to wear a helmet.
Illustration: Johnny speeds along on his bicycle. A rock is on the path.

27. “Never...again?”
Illustration: A dizzy and confused Johnny sits on the sidewalk with his finger out to the side. His bike is bent.

28. Johnny has attended Sensei Mojo's Karate Dojo for four years. It is time for his next big test.
Illustration: Johnny is kicking, punching and somersaulting around the page.

29. His karate instructor, Sensei Mojo, says that Johnny is ready to punch through three boards of wood at once. Do you think Johnny can do it? Do you think he will try it again?
Illustration: Johnny and his fist look very, very small next to the enormous boards of wood looming in front of him. Johnny looks very nervous.

30. 3....2....1....KERR-RACK!
Illustration: Johnny's fist flies towards the boards of wood...

31. “AGAIN!”
Illustration: Johnny's fist is past the boards. The boards have splintered all over the page. Johnny yells triumphantly.

32. Information Page