CHAPTER 1

Did YOU ever hear of a Whistletypuff? No, you haven’t?!?!?? Well, neither had Ticklish Tommy Jones. But he was about to have the surprise of his life!

Ticklish Tommy was an inquisitive little boy who enjoyed learning all sorts of things. Do you????? Do YOU like to learn new things? Ticklish Tommy always seemed eager to meet new folks, and explore new places.

Sometimes, when Ticklish Tommy saw something he couldn't understand, he would ask his Magnificent Mama or his Patriarchal Papa for an explanation. And sometimes his older brother Hilarious Hank would help him with the knowledge he that wanted, too.

"WHAT is a Whistletypuff?" wondered ticklish Tommy. He had NO IDEA what it was. But … he had heard about this mysterious something which had the very odd name of Whistletypuff! Hilarious Hank had told Tommy about it, and said that Whistletypuff was most wonderful and marvelous!

And then he started to giggle and laugh right out loud, just as if someone were tickling him on his funny-bone! And do you know something? Ticklish Tommy did this quite often, as his name implies.

"And it's REALLY mysterious!" Hilarious Hank added. "But I can't explain it, -- you'll just HAVE to see it for yourself, Ticklish Tommy! Yes, you’ll just have to see Whistletypuff for yourself,” he added under his breath.

This caused Ticklish Tommy to feel curious, oh, so curious, yes, very, V-E-R-R-Y curious! Now just WHAT did Hilarious Hank see? And WHY couldn't he explain it? “What made Whistletypuff so mysterious?” Tommy wondered.

Ticklish Tommy just COULDN’T get this brand new creature called Whistletypuff out of his mind. He thought, and he Thought, and he THOUGHT, and then he T-H-O-U-G-H-T some more! What could Whistletypuff possibly be?