Setting:
The kids live in a mythical cemetery in an average size town.
Their abode is a mausoleum. Theirs is alternate enchanted universe: The plants are of weird varieties and enlarged – like big venus fly traps. There is also a lily pad pond at the cemetery.
Small non-speaking dragons/imps serve as pets. There are jellyfish in a tank instead of traditional fish.
The children keep a neat and beautiful home. It has stripey or otherwise ornate wallpaper and wonderful little pieces of art all over.
The lizards hang out a lot and help take care of the kids.
The children each tend to their unique talents and hobbies which will be discussed in their individual descriptions.
Theodore and Dorothy
These two are more like their mother and other worldly. They are on the paler side and dress in a more antiquated way, usually in all black.Dorothy has tiny black wings in the back and a curl on the right side of her head. She is serious and really into ancient history and taught herself how to read hieroglyphics. She has books all around her and has kind of a young Indiana Jones thing going on.
The others are always trying to get her to lighten up.Theodore is a musical prodigy, specializing in brass instruments. He’s really into
Travis and Mavis
These two are more human in appearance and eccentric like their dad. They dress like twins- both in striped- brown and orange shirts and jeans and are pretty darn mischievous together.
Travis is really into sewing and home ec. His garments all come out with a magical quality to them. They can be invisibility cloaks or make you fly, etc.
He’s a cheerful sort and merry when he is creating. He is proud of the outfits he makes.
Mavis has a green thumb. Sometimes she gets carried away. She is growing all kinds of tropical plants in the patio area of the mausoleum. She is fascinated by jungle life and its dark mysteries and indigenous peoples.
Roger
This is the groundskeeper. He’s pretty spooky himself, but is very kindly. He keeps an eye on the kids. He is secretly their father’s brother who never married and prefers the simple life of tending to the cemetery and preserving its history.
Mallory and Tommy
These are siblings who befriend the Quadrooplettes. Tommy is in the same grade as our four. Mallory is a year older. When all the other kids think the Quads are freaks, Mallory and Tommy embrace them. Mallory and Tommy grew up in a liberal household. Their parents are very accepting people.
The live on the cemetery grounds and found the Quadrooplettes as babies. At first they weren’t sure what to make of them, but then got really attached to them. Jasper is kind of femmie. He carries a parasol around. Elton is constantly curious about things. He’s an instigator.
Ms. Wormblight
She is the school mistress/principal with a major attitude problem. She knows about the Quadrooplettes because she used to be in love with their dad. She resents them because they are their mother’s children. Ms. Wormblight also tries to get the kids into trouble. She is disgruntled about her life and wishes she had gotten away from the town and been more popular. Instead she is the disciplinarian that tries to keep people down. She wears pointy witchy shoes and has big hair that is always too neat. She’s pretty wound up.
+Dead man’s circus comes to town.
The performers show the kids that its ok to be different.
The kids also learn about life on the road.
Elton and Jasper accidentally end up in a trapeze act.
+Mavis makes everyone go to a home and garden expo with her.
She learns about botanicals and how there is an elixir that makes people look dead, but doesn’t really kill them.
+A world class tennis player buried in the cemetery returns.
He is getting restless in his coffin and wants to keep perfecting his back hand.
The kids learn about pride and letting go.
+Dory volunteers in the children’s program at the local museum.
She learns about embalming from the Egyptian exhibit manager there.
+A friend of the children’s parents rises from the cemetery to tell them about a time before they were born.
+Elton and Jasper take a ride into town to go umbrella shopping.
They discover that the umbrella maker once was in love with Ms. Wormblight and never told her.
Because they’re really cute as well as clever. They don’t take their interests lightly. Each of them is really into his or her area of expertise- music, biology, history or design.
They show kids how to stick to something and know it well and to keep exploring it.
They are outcasts. They don’t know their own background or how they came to being. There is no one like them in their town.
Kids may feel left out by their peers and classmates, sometimes even ostracized. This shows them they are not alone and can prevail and do other things to make themselves happy.
There are compassionate characters who show people really do exist like that – out there. The Quadrooplettes are prime examples that being unique is what its really all about, and ignoring public perception.
They show children how to have strong conviction, self belief and healthy self esteem.
Even though the Quadrooplettes have absent parents, life goes on. In our present day, there are so many one parent or divorced parent households. The Quadrooplettes are almost orphans, yet they get by with their heads held high.
They love and wonder about their parents and see evidence that their dad thinks about them, even if he is on his own path. They give kids who feel isolated or come from fractured households hope.
They are fun for all. The Quadrooplettes draw empathy from their audience. They have a Harry Potter-ish quality to them in that they are mysterious and alone in the world, except they aren’t witches. They are just normal, smart, and talented kids whose parents come from different walks of life and some minor supernatural qualities.
The Quadrooplettes live in a wildly imaginative atmosphere. They are free to flourish. They have encouragement and autonomy. Anyone who watches them would feel more and more vicariously liberated.
