Matthes and the Aruba Treasure E-Book

Christian Rook

• Herausgeber: tredition
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 143

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

The book, Matthes and the Aruba Treasure, is an adventure tale for children and young adults that combines humor, mystery, and elements of exploration. It tells the story of Matthes, a locomotive enthusiast, and his trusty steam engine, Emma, as they navigate unexpected adventures tied to a mysterious treasure. The story begins in the quaint town of Kaltenbach but soon expands into a thrilling quest linked to the Caribbean island of Aruba, secret maps, and legendary treasure. Along the way, the narrative explores themes of courage, teamwork, and problem-solving, with a blend of lighthearted moments and suspense.

Leseprobe

Christian Rook

MATTHES

AND THE ARUBA TREASURE

An Adventure Tale for Children and Young Adults

Illustrations: Amna Asif

© 2024 Christian Rook

ISBN Softcover: 978-3-384-44602-2

ISBN E-Book: 978-3-384-44603-9

Printing and distribution by the author:

tredition GmbH, Halenreie 40-44, 22359 Hamburg, Germany

The work, including its parts, is protected by copyright. The author is responsible for the content. Any use is not permitted without the author's consent. Publication and distribution are carried out on behalf of the author, to be reached at: tredition GmbH, Department "Imprint Service", Halenreie 40-44, 22359 Hamburg, Germany.Christian Rook: [email protected]

Illustrations: Amna Asif

For my wonderful children Johanna, Malte, Maximilian und Nele

Foreword

There is a special kind of magic that fills the room when a bedtime story begins. The soft rustle of a turning page, the rhythmic rise and fall of a parent’s voice, and the quiet awe of a child listening intently—these are moments where imaginations awaken and hearts connect. For small children, bedtime stories are more than just words on a page; they are journeys to far-off lands, lessons wrapped in adventure, and seeds of wonder planted in growing minds.

The tradition of bedtime storytelling is not merely a cultural ritual; it has profound psychological benefits for children, as shown by decades of research. Scholars like Bruno Bettelheim, in his seminal work The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (1976), argue that storytelling helps children grapple with complex emotions and unconscious fears in a safe and symbolic way. Meanwhile, research by Dr. Jessica Horst at the University of Sussex highlights how repeated storytelling enhances vocabulary acquisition and long-term memory. Bedtime stories also serve as a tool for emotional bonding, as demonstrated in studies by developmental psychologist Mary Ainsworth, whose attachment theory emphasizes the critical role of shared, comforting experiences in building secure relationships between children and caregivers.

Matthes and the Aruba Treasure was born from this very magic. It is a tale of courage, curiosity, and the unshakable bond between adventurers. But beyond its story of sunlit seas and hidden treasures, this book holds a greater purpose. It is meant to be shared—read aloud under the glow of a bedside lamp, where a child can feel the comfort of your presence and hear the excitement in your voice.

Stories like these do more than entertain. Research has shown that they build the foundation for critical thinking, creativity, and emotional resilience. A study by Maria D. Sera, a professor of child development, underscores how narratives foster cognitive development by helping children understand causality, sequence, and empathy. By listening to stories, children learn to navigate complex social relationships and moral dilemmas in a way that is both engaging and accessible. Moreover, bedtime stories serve as a vital tool for stress reduction. Dr. Sara E. Waters’ research on parent-child interactions demonstrates that the calming effects of a caregiver’s voice during storytelling lower cortisol levels in children, creating a sense of safety and stability.

Most importantly, bedtime stories provide a safe harbor at the end of a long day, where the worries of the world fall away and anything becomes possible. They remind children of their own inner strength and the infinite possibilities that await them.

As you open this book, let it become a tradition—a moment of connection between you and your child. Let Matthes’ quest remind them that they, too, have the courage to explore life’s mysteries, and let the magic of bedtime storytelling linger long after the last word is read.

Happy adventuring,

Christian Rook

Prologue

My two ten-year-old twins Lilli and Jan let out a resounding cry of “Nooooooooooooo!!!” in unison, expressing their refusal to accompany me on a visit to a railroad museum the following day.

"Museums are sooooooo boring," Jan stated, accompanied by a dismissive gesture, as Lilli turned away in disgust and remarked, "and sooooooo dull."

"Hey everyone, listen up! This one is quite unique. It's genuinely captivating!" I attempted to calm them down and resolve the conflict, but soon realized that my suggestion was not as impressive as I had initially thought.

When I mentioned the P8 locomotive from 1923, which is known for being incredibly rare and renowned for its remarkable adventures, my statement seemed feeble and reminiscent of an activity one might engage in during a dull Sunday with no functioning technology and an internet outage.

"Fine, if that's how you feel, then we won’t!" I abruptly ended the discussion in a frustrated manner and shifted my attention towards the living room.

Jan called out, "Hold on! What about the story we usually get to hear before going to sleep?"

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

Prologue

1. Matthes and the Journey to the Caribbean

2. Matthes and the Aruba Treasure

3. At the Station in Kaltenbach

4. On the Way to Kaltenbach

5. In Kaltenbach

6. On the Way to Mahlen

7. In Mahlen

8. Back in Kaltenbach

9. At the Mattheshof

10. At the Mine

11. Back at the Mattheshof

12. In the Mayor’S Office

13. Matthes and the Gold Plate

14. In the Old Mine, Today

15. In Matthes’ House

16. outside the Mattheshof

17. inside the Mattheshof, the Next Morning

18. In the Engine Shed

19. In Kaltenbach

20. At the Old Mine

21. In Kaltenbach

22. Around the Corner

23. At the Fountain

24. At the Old Mine

25. In Kaltenbach

26. At the Old Mine

27. The Pursuit

28. What Happened in Aruba?

29. In the Old Mine

30. In the Police Car

31. Heading to the Old Mine with Emma

32. On the Road with the Police

33. Inside the Old Mine

34. On the Run

35. Back at the Mattheshaus

36. On Road B 500

37. On the Plane to Aruba

38. At the Mattheshouse

39. On an Airplane in Amsterdam

40. The Voyage

41. In the Ship’S Hold

42. Fridolin, the Baby Elephant

43. In a Hotel Room in Amsterdam

44. Aboard the Cinatit

45. At the Harbor in Amsterdam

46. In Matthes’ Cabin

47. The Freighter Black Gull

48. Cinatit - on Deck

49. On the Black Gull

50. In the Cargo Hold of the Cinatit

51. Island Dreams

52. Steadying the Cinatit

53. Negotiations

54. At Home with Lilli and Jan

55. The Cinatit Lands in Oranjestad

56. On the Black Gull

57. At Queen Beatrix Airport, One Day before

58. Emma on Wheels

59. At the California Lighthouse

60. In the Arikok National Park

61. At the Balashi Gold Mill by the Spanish Lagoon

62. At the California Lighthouse

63. In the Arikok National Park

64. At the Balashi Gold Mill

65. Behind a Hill near the Balashi Gold Mill

66. On the Way Back to the Hotel

67. The Gold Treasure

68. A Biting Curiosity on a Hill

69. The Open Treasure Chest

70. Police Sirens

71. At the Balashi Ruins

72. The Horror of Frenchman’S Pass

73. The Police Operation

74. The Treasure Chest

75. Next Day at the Dutch Pancake-House in Oranjestad

Matthes and the Aruba Treasure

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

1. Matthes and the Journey to the Caribbean

75. Next Day at the Dutch Pancake-House in Oranjestad

Matthes and the Aruba Treasure

Cover

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1

MATTHES AND THE JOURNEY TO THE CARIBBEAN

Lilli and Jan snuggled up to me, ready for their bedtime story, and I began to weave the tale.

Telling bedtime stories had always been a tradition in our family, a ritual we shared every night before sleep. I usually made up stories on the spot, inspired by whatever crossed my mind or whatever the kids had been excited about that day or week.

But tonight, I had something different planned. And so, I began.

Jan immediately protested, "Wait! It’s called PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, not JOURNEY TO THE CARIBBEAN!"

"Don’t worry, I’ll explain. It’ll all make sense soon. We could even call it ‘Matthes and the Treasure in the Caribbean’ if you’d like, or Matthes and the Aruba Treasure,” I said, trying to reassure them.

And that’s how it usually went: I’d start a story, only to be interrupted every few minutes with helpful suggestions, questions about the plot, or a loud, exasperated "What?"

So, let’s begin … again:

2

MATTHES AND THE ARUBA TREASURE

Once again, Matthes’s phone was ringing. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. Early. Very early.

Matthes, a tall man in his mid-forties with dark brown, shoulder-length hair, heard the ringing and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. The phone rang a second time. Matthes yawned and stretched. It rang a third time. Matthes got to his feet and shuffled, eyes half-closed, toward his desk. By the fourth ring, he finally picked up the bulky receiver of the massive, old-fashioned black telephone. Without knowing who was on the other end, he asked, “Willi?”

And yes, it was none other than Willi Hoffmann, the mayor of Kaltenbach.

Kaltenbach was a small, quiet town nestled in the Black Forest, home to about 6,233 and a half residents.

Willi was fifty-five and skinny, with an unmistakably bureaucratic look about him—always. Even on Sundays. Early in the morning, though, he usually had a distinct "Did-you-just-roll-out-of-bed-Mr.-Mayor" appearance. His outfit? A long white nightshirt, matching white slippers, and a white nightcap, almost like Mr. Lampel in Wilhelm Busch’s Max and Moritz story.

I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. Scout’s honor from your storyteller dad.

Now, picture it: a split screen. On the left, we have a groggy Matthes, yawning and fresh out of bed, clutching the oversized black telephone receiver. On the right, there’s Willi Hoffmann, sitting at his grand mayoral desk in his office, dressed in his spotless white sleepwear, complete with nightcap, holding a similar old-fashioned black telephone.

Their conversations usually would begin like this:

Mayor: “Mr. Matthes… uh… Matthes?”

Matthes: “Hello, Mr. Mayor. What’s going on?”

Mayor: “You need to come quickly. Very quickly. Something terrible has happened!”

At this point, Matthes would usually throw on some clothes, gulp down a cup of black coffee—no cream, no sugar—and dash down the 21 steps to his engine shed. There, Emma, his trusty locomotive, would be waiting, ready to set off on their next adventure.

“Stop!” Lilli shouted, interrupting the story. She sounded annoyed. “You’re just telling us about this stupid train so we’ll go with you to the museum tomorrow!”

“Just listen!” I said, trying to calm her down. “It’s not as bad as you think.”

Jan was still completely hooked on the story, listening intently.

Let’s keep going.

Since the train line between Kaltenbach and the nearby county seat was shut down fifteen years ago, the tracks from the engine shed to Kaltenbach had belonged entirely to Matthes and Emma.

The Kaltenbach station only saw a train these days when Emma and Matthes rolled in.

And when they did, the mayor was usually standing on the platform in his nightwear, awaiting their arrival.

I have to tell you that Mayor Hoffmann never revealed over the phone what these "terrible events" were. He would patiently wait at the station until Emma puffed into town, and Matthes stepped onto Platform Number 1.

3

AT THE STATION IN KALTENBACH

Today, though, was different. The mayor didn’t sound worried at all on the phone. In fact, he was whistling, and Matthes could hear a faint “One, two, one, two” coming through the receiver.

“Willi?” Matthes asked, slightly confused. The mayor hadn’t answered his earlier question.

“Yes! A very good morning to you, my dear Matthes!” Willi replied cheerfully.

“Mornin’,” Matthes grumbled sleepily. “Why are you calling me so early if it’s just an ordinary, beautiful day?”

“I went jogging this morning,” the mayor said proudly, sounding both energetic and awake. “Picked up some fresh rolls from the bakery, too. Oh, the air is so crisp, today, and the sun is shining so brightly.”

“And that’s why you woke me up?” Matthes asked, rubbing his eyes.

“Well, Matthes, I thought, after our exciting trip to Aruba a few weeks ago, and now that we know each other a little bit better… maybe you’d like to come over for breakfast?”

‘Breakfast?‘ Matthes thought. Truth be told, he’d much rather stay in his warm, cozy bed. Breakfast didn’t seem worth leaving that fluffy sanctuary for.

But the mayor wasn’t wrong. After all, they had just returned from a thrilling and adventurous trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba, and it was nice that, for once, there wasn’t something terrible that had happened in Kaltenbach, nothing that needed to be fixed, nobody needing any rescuing. Why not have a relaxed breakfast in town and spend a few pleasant hours with his new friend Willi Hoffmann?

4

ON THE WAY TO KALTENBACH

So, Matthes agreed. He got ready and set off.

When he stepped into the engine shed, Emma was already waiting for him.

Emma was Matthes’s locomotive, an old retired steam engine for passenger trains—a P8 workhorse from 1923.

Now, you’re probably wondering about the name Emma. Well, Matthes was a huge fan of Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver, and naming his locomotive after Luke’s Emma felt like the perfect tribute. He had read the book more than 20 times and loved the stories dearly. That’s why he named his locomotive also Emma. It was as simple as that.

“The story of Luke, Emma, and Jim Button wasn’t bad,” Lilli interjected, trying to sound a little more diplomatic.