Miah Allsman

Mitchell and Me and the Secret Key Miah Allsman

When Mitchell's mother finds her boys playing video games on a beautiful summer day, she takes them on a road trip to teach them the importance of using their imagination and playing outdoors. First, she takes them to see their lazy, couch-potato Uncle Vern and then, in contrast, she brings them to their Grandpa Scott who is very active. Grandpa explains to the boys that the secret key to staying healthy in one's senior years to get up off their seats and move around while they are young. When they return home, the boys play in the backyard, pretending that they are the characters from their video game. The story addresses how the overuse of electronic devices such as computer tablets, phones, and video games can sometimes stunt the development of some other important skills such as social interaction and the ability to use one's imagination and it encourages children to stay physically active whenever possible by playing outdoors.