One Summer Changes Elinor

**One Summer Changes Elinor** is an upcoming one-hour special in *Elinor Wonders Why*.

## Plot

Elinor takes up the whole summer to get some butterflies out of her stomach. Suddenly she invites Olive and Ari to spend the most of summer while her parents help out with Elinor's aunt Bianca and uncle Clifford on fixing Elinor's dad's new car that has been broken down before the end of May. Turns out, from the end of June to the end of August, their summer together leads them to have fun together as one, and Elinor gets to help raise Lily Rabbit, her new baby sister. Inspired by how Jorge Cham's family's summer in 2021 went well with Daniel Whiteson's family.

## Transcript

### Theme song

Elinor: (singing) Wherever I go, I see things that I want to know. Wherever I am, I find things I want to understand. Go and explore, listen and see, Just follow your curiosity!

Chorus: (singing) Elinor wonders why!

Elinor: (singing) Why do birds sing and how do they fly?

Chorus: (singing) Elinor wonders why!

Elinor: Why do ants march and where do they hide? There's so much to learn, wherever you turn, Just listen and see, and follow your curiosity!

(short instrumental break)

Chorus: (singing) Elinor wonders why!

Elinor: (singing) Ask a question, what will you find?

Chorus: (singing) Elinor (oooooooh!) wonders why!

Elinor: (singing) Just listen and see, come and wonder with me!

### June 24 (After school plans)

(Opening credits)

Elinor: One Summer Changes Elinor! A big summery adventure! Directed by Kevin Micallef! Written by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson! Enjoy the movie!

(Ms. Mole escorts her classmates out of her building, including Elinor, Olive, and Ari. Ari nudges Elinor and Olive's trunk slaps Elinor's ear.)

Elinor: I'm glad that the last day of school is over. It's my favorite school day in the world.

Ari: Yeah! That's mine too!

Olive: Don't you just LOVE summer break?

Elinor and Ari: Yeah.

Elinor: I can't wait to spend the entire summer with all of you guys. We're going to have a great time throughout the entire summer while my aunt Bianca and uncle Clifford help my parents fix my dad's broken car.

Olive: Broken car?

Elinor: It was brand new, but it broke down when he took me to see *Mean Hares 3: More Friends, More Fun* in theaters.

Olive: Oh, okay.

Elinor: But trust me, we're going to have the best summer in the entire world!

(They leave off to the school building. Later, they're headed to where Elinor lives. In the garage, Bianca and Clifford are helping Elinor's parents with the car.)

Bianca: Okay, so, I probably think the engines were stuck to the motor, is this right?

Mr. Rabbit: Yeah, and the gasoline has been spread out to the engines.

(The three kids rush out to see them.)

Elinor: Mom! Dad! Bianca and Clifford!

Ranger Rabbit: Oh hi Elinor! How was the last day of school?

Elinor: Fabulous! I brought Olive and Ari in here!

Ranger Rabbit: Oh, that's great!

Elinor: (to Olive and Ari) And that is not all, because now that school is over my parents have a big surprise for me and it's going to be the best one! (runs over to Ranger Rabbit) Mom! When will the new baby come?

Ranger: Oh, soon Elinor. And it is a girl, so, why don't you and your friends try to find the perfect name for her?

### June 29 (Camping van)

(The kids are now in a camping can rented by Ari's mother.)

### July 4 (Fireworks night)

**This day in the special is based on how Jorge Cham watched fireworks with her daughter Elinor on July 4, 2021. As a recreation in the special, Elinor watches them with Olive and Ari.**

(Timeskip to three days later. Bianca and Clifford are still working up with Mr. and Ranger Rabbit. It's the 4th of July, aka Independence Day, and Elinor is with Olive and Ari.)

Elinor: Ahh, the 4th of July.

Ari: The most awesome day that has the most fun!

Elinor: (laughs) Yeah. That's right. It's when the United States got their independence long ago when Great Britain became their demeanor.

Olive: That's cool.

Ari: Oh yeah, and what else?

Elinor: Many people have been celebrating it using the red, white, and blue colors to represent the flag.

Olive: Yeah, and there are so many things to do on that day too.

Elinor: That's right Olive! I've seen 4th of July parades a few times before, along with a few baseball games.

Olive: Ok, pretty clear enough Elinor. So what do you want to do this year?

Elinor: I want to talk about fireworks!

Olive: Alright go on.

Elinor: I love their beautiful colors and their special affects it's amazing!

Ari: Yeah, fireworks are so cool! I want to see them!

Olive: Yeah! Me too!

Elinor: Okay we can go to the park and watch later. Nobody celebrates 4th of July without fireworks, and if you celebrate with them, either there's a show revolving around them or a parent can help you light them up. My dad was going to grill some carrots for our BBQ, but he can't this year. There is going to be a whole lot of fireworks at the darkening of the sky!

Ari: There is? Okay, let's go soon!

(Hours later, they start heading to the park. Elinor brings fresh and delicious hot chocolate with her. The hot chocolate is in a thermal bag.)

Elinor: We're only a few minutes away to get here.

Ari: Are they going to start one we get here?

Elinor: (laughs) I hope so, Ari.

Olive: I can't wait for the fireworks, my favorite fireworks ever are the ones colored blue! Because they're blue, my favorite color!

Elinor: (laughs) Why do you obsess over blue, Olive?

Olive: Don't know, Elinor. I love blue colors, even when it's a firework!

Elinor: I love the fireworks that look like colorful butterflies! Those ones are MY favorite!

Ari: Okay! We're here!

(They make it to the park.)

Elinor: This is the perfect spot to look at some exciting fireworks!

Olive: I hope they show the blue ones!

Ari: I love the ones that go BOOM!

(Elinor and Olive laugh.)

Elinor: Oh Ari!

Ari: Oh, it's just because of the loud explosion. That's why I like the booms.

Elinor: I brought hot chocolate! We can drink it while we wait for the show!

(She takes the three hot chocolate cups out of her thermal bag and passes them to her friends.)

Olive: Thank you.

Ari: Thanks so much Elinor.

Elinor: There's one cup for me too.

(The three kids enjoy drinking the hot chocolate.)

Olive: Mmm, this is good stuff...

Ari: Yeah, I agree.

Elinor: (gasps) Look!

Olive: What is it?

Elinor: Here comes the fireworks!

(There is a purple and pink firework in the sky.)

Ari: Yeah. I see.

Olive: Me too.

Elinor: Me three. What colors do you see?

Ari: (looking at the sky) Oh, there's red, white, and blue!

Elinor: Yes! But what else?

Olive: Blue?

Elinor: Yes. (looks back up at the sky) Look, there is an orange one.

Ari: (looks back up at the sky) Yeah, and there's another one too.

Olive: There's a blue one! Just like the one I like! I saw a blue one after all!

Elinor: (laughs) You sure did. (takes another sip of her hot chocolate)

(Boom)

Elinor: (gleefully) Look! There's butterfly ones! And flower ones, and crackling ones...

Olive: Yeah! And rainbowed ones...

Ari: Ooh! And whirly ones!

Elinor: Yay!!!

(The fireworks are sparkling, twirling and exploding until they're just over. Once it's over, Elinor cheers very happily.)

Olive: That was cool!

Elinor: Let's hear back to my house.

(Soon as they walk over to Elinor's house, a rocket whizzes by and explodes.)

Elinor: Oh, that was my dad who did this. Me and my parents get to watch fireworks as a family.

## Trivia

* Elinor's aunt, Bianca Rabbit, returns in the series from "A Wonderful Journey".
* The whole title is a pseudo twist on the phrase "one summer changes everything".
* The only three home media releases with this episode are One Summer Changes Elinor, The Complete Third Season and the PBS Kids compilation DVD PBS Kids: 20 Summertime Stories.
* The following things are inspired with the Cham family's summer with the Whiteson family for the "We Have No Idea" podcast reunion:
	+ Elinor Cham (Jorge's daughter which the show is inspired by) had butterflies in her stomach before getting to see Daniel. (In special, Elinor does it)
	+ Jorge's dad (aka Elinor Cham's grandfather) compressed Daniel within the "20 Second Hand Slapper". (In special, Elinor's dad and Elinor's uncle Clifford does it)
	+ The Cham family has a fun time seeing fireworks in July. (In special, Elinor, Olive, and Ari does it)