From the Girl Who Loves Icecream Every Day by Samia A., Age 8

Dear Reader,
Don’t you think that children should have ice cream everyday of the summer? Well I do and here are some tips to get ice cream everyday of the summer.
Ask your mom at the grocery store to get a huge tub of ice cream to last the summer and if your mom says NO say that ice cream is probably on summer CLEARNCE!
You can always beg and if that doesn’t work say you’ll pay for it. You can pay for it by setting up a lemonade stand in your neighborhood.
You can also do something really good and as a reward go for ice cream.
Try telling your parents you need ice cream for a new dessert you want to make.
You can do chores like cleaning the house or workbooks and if you don‘t get ice cream from that say you won’t eat any other food. I don’t think this will work though.
Tell your parents ice cream is a great cool down in the summer and you will get enough exercise to burn of the calories and will brush extra long before bed to prevent cavities. If they say no then ask for fruit bars instead. Its not ice cream but still is cool and sweet anyway.
If you do any one of these things they will probably work so get out there and enjoy your ice cream. If you do all the things you might get ice- cream most everyday in the summer or at least most days.
Sincerely,
Samia A. Qadir

Family Feud by Sana Kadir, Age 8

It was a hot summer day and the air was filled with delicious smells of the neighbors BBQ. Jane had nothing to do except feeding the birds some leftover food. It was so boring doing that. Suddenly, Jane remembered that there were some bricks in the backyard shed left over from dad's construction project last year. She had a perfect idea of what to do next. She would make a brick wall and see how high the bricks could go. Maybe she could even climb them to see what the neighbors were grilling, she thought. She picked up a pink and blue brick but because they were so heavy, Jane dropped one of them. The brick fell on the pavement with a loud boom and broke into several pieces and made the birds fly away.

Dad heard the loud sound and ran out yelling "Janette Goodman what have you done now!?!"

"Dad I just dropped the bricks and the birds …"

Just then mom interrupted and said "…flew away!" before adding, "Jane what have I told you about the leftover food that the birds don't eat?"

"Ummmmm...I don't remember," replied Jane.

"The food will rot and ruin our yard and make it smell disgusting like a skunk! Let's go inside", said Mom.

As they walked inside the house, Dad said "remember last time our yard smelled, the neighbors called ROTTEN YARD INC. to complain about our yard. We have to make sure that doesn't happen again."

Just as they shut the door behind them, there was a knock.It was Jake, Jane's older brother.

"Where were you Jake, you are half an hour late!" yelled Mom.

"Mom it's not my fault, Mark took too long to do his HW" said Jake.

"Don't use your friend as an excuse, you shoule have been responsible enough to call me and tell me that you are going to be late," said Mom. Then she ordered Jake to go into his room.

Jane was also asked to go in her room. As soon as Jane got into her room she knew exactly what to do. Spy on Jake with the newest spy gadget, The Spy Fly! It was a mechanical fly with binoculars for eyes.

Jane saw Jake making plans to jump out of his window and head to Marks. As soon as Jane heard this, she ran downstairs to tell mom but, mom didn't listen. Then Jane went to dad but he was busy and didn't want to hear it either. Jane decided to scream the information so loud that mom, dad and even Jake heard it!

Jake got in trouble for the plans he was making and Jane got in trouble for spying on Jake. When she'd apologized to her mom, Jane went outside to play on her red and blue scooter. She also put on her matching helmet. Just as she went on the sidewalk her mom called her and said "Jane, your friend Brianna just called to come over to play. Please go and apologize to your brother before she gets here". A

s Jane walked over to Jakes room she knew her apology would not be accepted but she would try her best to tell her brother how sorry she was for spying on him.

The Stream By Michael Scott

The water’s sweet smell fills all of the air,
The water flows past my feet with a chill in the air,
The leaves on the trees around the stream are red, yellow and green.

Jordan's Disastrous Day By Michael Scott, 7

Once my family went to my sister's piano recital. While we were gone my white, fluffy dog Jordan got into a bag of dark chocolate, but we didn't know. He usually is playful and friendly, but now he was limping, shivering and wouldn't play with his toys."Mom, Jordan is breathing weird and acting funny!" I told my mom. But she ignored me, so I went to bed.Suddenly, my sister screamed, "Aaah, there's something gooey and dark brown on my carpet!" My dog had thrown up in four different places in my sister's room! Most of it was dark brown and chunky. While I was sleeping, my mom and my sister Maddie had to clean up the mess, using spoons and a carpet cleaner. Then they had to take my dog to the animal hospital because dark chocolate is poisonous to dogs! Maddie held Jordan with a towel, in case he got sick again in our brand-new car! While they were gone, my other sister, Olivia, woke me up and told me that he was at the hospital. The vet gave him medicine that made him throw up the rest of the chocolate and made him go to sleep after. Then Jordan was able to come home. When he got home, I saw that Jordan had chocolate around his mouth and down the front of his body. Boy, did he smell like a cup of cocoa! So, my mom gave him a bath. The next day a part of my dog's cheek was green. So now Jordan is all white, except for his black nose, red tongue and green cheek. I don't know why but the green is still there. I guess my Mom missed that part of his cheek!

THE END

Flow of Life By Misbah Q. ,11

Oh river flowing slow and free
Stretching out as far as the eye can see
Splishing and splashing all around
Making such a soothing sound

River flowing to ocean
Ocean rising to rain
Rain splashing to river
Only to start all over again

An adventure of life
Rapids swirling with strife
Then smoothening in to ease
Flowing with the cool, gentle breeze

The Seeds By Kate W. Age 9, May 2008

When I planted the strange looking seeds they took 10 minutes to grow. Out came a beautiful yellow flower with a large ‘Pop’! The flower was shaped like a sun and it smelled like popcorn. I wondered if the flower tasted like popcorn. I picked off one of the petals. It felt like smooth and slippery like silk. Then, I tasted it and the petal melted in my mouth. The flower tasted like popcorn! Maybe there were more seeds in the package, I thought to myself and there were. I'd discovered something new!

I decided I would call this plant The Popcorn Plant. I planted a whole garden of them and soon I figured I could make lots of different things out of this plant. I made popcorn plant soup, popcorn plant muffins, cookies, air freshner, and even cookbooks of popcorn plant recipes.

I was on my way to buy more popcorn plant seeds at the plant store and walked down the aisle when out of the corner of my eye, I saw another strange looking seed. I brought it home and wondered what that strange looking seed would look like. I wondered what it would taste like. The new seed was a mystery and I was all set to resolve it.

The Three Wishes By Claire W. Age 9 May 2008

Once upon a time, there lived a cute, fluffy husky-puppy named Snowspot. He had an awful, mean owner named Bill. Bill was so mean and unfair to Snowspot even though he was considered the nicest man in the town. Because he was so nice, the town gave him a mansion, farm and a 3 acre garden. He made Snowspot sleep in a foul smelling doghouse that had bugs and spiders crawling all over it, made him eat bland, dirty flakes and whipped him when he did the tiniest thing wrong.

One morning, Bill made Snowspot pull a vast, old, rickety sleigh full of huge pointy sharp boulders. Bill knew that Snowspot was just a puppy and would never be able to manage it without falling, getting hurt or breaking the sleigh. Sunstripe, a golden brown husky, Snowspot’s best friend, was waiting for him at the garden pond and tried to make him feel better. While the two were talking about Snowspot’s troubles, a fairy appeared. The fairy was wearing an aqua-marine long dress, aqua-marine marabou shoes, and had long, brown hair. She asked Snowspot if he wanted three wishes. Of course, he said yes! So, for his first wish, Snowspot wished that Bill would stay in a hard bed all day so Snowspot wouldn’t have to do anything for 24 hours. At least, that was what he thought would happen.

The beautiful fairy granted Snowspots wish and Bill stayed in bed all day, but ordered Snowspot around to get him hot food, clean the messy house, weed the 3 acre garden, and bring him things. He would have never gotten it done without Sunstripe’s help. He almost didn’t have the energy to go back to the fairy. For his second wish, he wished that Bill would go to Hawaii on an important business trip. The fairy granted the wish and sure enough, Bill had to go to Hawaii. Unfortunately, on his trip, Bill met a bad, mischievous fairy who granted him one wish. Bill wished that the house would be messy so Snowspot would have to clean it up. When Bill got home, he made Snowspot clean the house up. Snowspot spent the next four days cleaning up the mansion floor. Since the next day was Sunday, he rested.

The next day, Sunstripe was waiting for Snowspot at the garden pond. For his last wish, he wished that he could talk so he could tell Bill how he felt. When he did, Bill was dreadfully startled at first, and then felt a surge of sympathy towards the sad and tired puppy. For no apparent reason, Bill despised husky dogs. He needed a dog and this was the only one left at the pet store. Once he realized that Snowspot had feelings too, he changed his ways. He became so nice to Snowspot it was almost like Bill was his father. Then they all lived happily ever after.

A Night in the Golden Castle by Obaid A., age 9

One evening, I was taking a break from doing my homework when my mom said, “Why don’t you take a walk in the forest.” I was walking for about 15 minutes when I heard a horse galloping nearby. I wanted to know were it was going but I couldn’t see it properly because it was too dark so I followed the sounds of the horse.

It took me to a castle made out of gold. I saw a huge moat with big and mean alligators. I could see their teeth glistening in the moonlight. The drawbridge opened for the horse and I followed it into the castle.

When I came in, there was a huge feast being set up. There was roast chicken, ribs, wine and a lot of other food. There were also a lot of decorations and banners with "Newborn"written on them. I guess that meant there was a new baby in the castle.

I thought I might get caught so I took a left turn. There were three rooms. One room was full of jewelry like crowns, rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and gold. I took as much as I could. Then I went into the other room and saw two thrones with king and queen written on each one of them. They were golden and had a soft, red cushion for the seat. I was thankful nobody was there because everybody was at the feast. I went to the last room, it was a dungeon. The prisoners were hanging on the wall from chains. When the prisoners saw me they shouted, “Thief! Thief!” I ran for it as fast as I could though I didn’t know where I was going. I opened a door into a castle passageway. It was very dark. I didn’t know where to go. I knew I couldn’t go out or I would be caught. Luckily there was light behind me. It was a torch. I also realized that the jewelry was slowing me down. I spotted a window that was the size of a knight’s helmet. I threw the jewelry into the forest so no one could find it. Then I used the torch to find my way. I came to another door. I went inside it. It was lit up. It was a place for the knights to train.

All the knights saw me. They ran after me. They all took a torch with them. I went back the same way I came. But I didn’t realize it. I was too busy running. I came to the same door. I didn’t even recognize that it was the same door. So I opened it and there was the king and the guards. The guards surrounded me immediately. The king asked me, “Who are you? And where are you from?” I didn’t answer the king. After he asked me the same questions several times, I still didn’t give an answer because I remembered that my mom said not to talk to strangers. The king was very mad so he shouted to the guards, “He will be my slave! Take him to the dungeon!”

On our way there, we were passing by the entrance to the castle and the drawbridge was opening for a knight to enter. I took a guard’s sword and slashed it at them. They went flying. The drawbridge was closing because the knight was nearly inside the castle. I ran as fast as I could. I was able to slash the knight away and got on the drawbridge. I had to jump in the moat because the drawbridge was almost closed shut. All the alligators were asleep but one. I swam for my life. But the alligator was too fast and was on my tail. I was able to throw the sword at it and I was safe.

I got out of the moat and found the jewelry and ran back through the forest back home before the knights could find me. I told my mom what happened but she didn’t believe me until I showed her the jewelry. She said, “Remind me to never let us go near that forest again.” My mom also told me that I could keep the jewelry if I wanted to buy any thing, unless we need it for something important.

The End

Jordan’s Disastrous Day by Michael S. Age 7

Once my family went to my sister’s piano recital. While we were gone my white, fluffy dog Jordan got into a bag of dark chocolate, but we didn’t know. He usually is playful and friendly, but now he was limping, shivering and wouldn’t play with his toys.

“Mom, Jordan is breathing weird and acting funny!” I told my mom. But she ignored me, so I went to bed.

Suddenly, my sister screamed, “Aaah, there’s something gooey and dark brown on my carpet!”
My dog had vomited four different places in my sister’s room! Most of the vomit was dark brown and chunky. While I was sleeping, my mom and my sister Maddie had to clean up the mess, using spoons and a carpet cleaner.

Then they had to take my dog to the animal hospital because dark chocolate is poisonous to dogs! Maddie held Jordan with a towel, in case he got sick again in our brand-new car!

While they were gone, my other sister, Olivia, woke me up and told me that he was at the hospital. The vet gave him medicine that made him throw up the rest of the chocolate and made him go to sleep after. Then Jordan was able to come home.

When he got home, I saw that Jordan had chocolate around his mouth and down the front of his body. Boy, did he smell like a cup of cocoa! So, my mom gave him a bath. The next day a part of my dog’s cheek was green. So now Jordan is all white, except for his black nose, red tongue and green cheek. I don’t know why but the green is still there. I guess my Mom missed that part of his cheek!

A Very Spooky Place by Lena A., age 7

One evening, I was swimming in a lake. The lake was in the woods by my house. Eventually I got out because I was shivering and the water was too cold for me to continue swimming. I saw a horse galloping really fast from the mountains. The horse was all white but only its tail was black. The saddle was bright yellow with purple and pink stars on it. I wanted to see where it was headed so when it got near me I jumped on it. I fell off right away because I didn’t land on the saddle and I didn’t hold on to the reins. The ground was soft and grassy so I didn’t get hurt. I still wanted to ride the horse. So I got up and ran after it and got back on it. My heart was beating really fast. This time I held on to the reins of the horse really tight and sat on the saddle. Suddenly it started to rain. The horse jumped in a puddle and water splashed on me. The horse led me to a graveyard with lots of stone people and skeletons. There were children, adults, grandmas and grandpas that were carved in stone. There were cob webs and dust everywhere. The place was interesting but it was also scary and spooky because it was so dark and the stone people looked like they could catch me. I was glad I had my flashlight with me so I could see in the dark. I dropped my flashlight by accident and it turned off. I was scared and I was about to cry. Then some other person entered the graveyard and he had his flashlight on. It was a man with orange hair and red eyes. He was wearing jeans and a green t-shirt with a picture of a ghost on it. He was going to put another skeleton up. He looked mean so I crouched behind a stone person. I was worried he might find me because my teeth were chattering. Then behind me I saw a path leaving the graveyard so I quickly ran and followed the path out but it led me back to the graveyard. I felt scared and suffocated. Luckily I found the horse’s footprints and I followed them back to the lake and went back home relieved. What a nightmare! The End

THE PURIFICATION RIVER By Sana Kadir, Age 9

I'm going to my favorite destination,
A place of complete relaxation,
My source of purification.
I smell the air.
How could this be?
It smells like perfume to me.
It's a wonderful place.
The cool breeze on my face,
Makes me calm and gives me peace.
I hear the birds chirp like never before,
I see the kids running and playing
Laughing and swaying.
I love to sit beside you
And watch the waves oh so blue.
You clean my body and mind,
You're a gift to mankind,
You're my purification.

FAISAL REVIEWS TV SHOW IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE!!

Kids TV review
June 14, 2008
—Faisal Khurshid, age 13

My favorite children's television show has got to be "Drake and Josh." The show is an impeccable display of the timeless battle between the person who "has it all," and the unfortunate person who still finds happiness. Drake and Josh are two teenage boys who become brothers after their parents marry. Drake is the stereotypically cool, fashionable guitar player who gets all the girls. Josh is the smart, nerdy klutz who is outlandishly clumsy with girls. They have a sister, Megan, who is the eccentrically evil little sister. The show is entertaining to both children and adults because it is the perfect mix of zany comedy with eloquent plot. Parents need not worry about it having a bad influence on their child(ren). "Drake and Josh" is the perfect blend of silliness and everyday struggle, making it an astoundingly enjoyable show.


The Tribune is asking kids 14 and younger, with their parents' permission, to review their favorite kids TV series, to be printed Saturdays. They must be 150 words or fewer. E-mail them to ctc-arts@tribune.comwith your name, age, address and the daytime telephone number where we can reach your parents. In the subject field, write "KIDS TV REVIEW."

The Magical Harp By Avery K. Age 8

One day a young man named Charles Bonnet was walking his dog in a wood filled with thick green rustling leaves. They heard the wind howl and at the same time birds were chirping. They spotted a golden harp sitting on a dull rock. They starred and wondered where it came from. Amazed at its beauty they walked toward the river, which smelled fresh like newly fallen dew. They looked into the water and wondered if the harp came from a mermaid, or if it just drifted from someplace and landed on the rock. They wanted to get across and see it closer. So they stepped gently onto the slippery rocks. These rocks were particularly rough and seemed partly hollow. The dog thought he saw a rock moving, but Charles knew it was just a turtle. Charles jumped to the closest rock, then he fell into the water with a splash and hit his head on a large rock. Thump! His dog, Coacoa was a very small dog, but he was just the right size to chomp onto Charles’ shirt and pull him to safety. The dog pulled Charles to the rock with the harp, and lifted his head above the water. He placed it comfortably near the harp. When Charles was able to breathe again, he said softly, “Thank you.”

Suddenly, the dog jumped into the river in surprise because the harp magically started strumming a beautiful melody. It started to play because the wonderful fairy Lulu lived within the harp, and when she dusted the inner sides of the instrument, it began to play. The music filled the air with the smells of flowers. The flowers reminded Charles of the first day of spring this year. The flowers don’t smell sweet they smell a little strong. Like all the plants sprouting up.

When Charles and dog where safely on the rock they studied the harp. Charles was curious and wanted to play the harp. When he was about to play he felt a deep rush of anger. He had it because he thought he was foolish to try to jump so far. When he finally reached out for the strings, that were thick and bumpy, there was no sound.

“It’s not making any noise Coacoa.” said Charles in surprise.

“Well it can’t” said an old lady from the bushes. When she came out she stared Charles.

“Is that you?” asked the lady. “Is your name Charles Bonnet?” asked the lady a little louder.

“Yes.” said Charles.

“I am Olivia Bonnet.” said Olivia. “I am your mother.” said Olivia slowly.

Charles noticed the strong shampoo in her hair that she had always washed it with, and knew it was her. They had been separated by a terrible flood. Charles had been just 5 years old, and was playing outside. It had started raining while Charles was walking slowly up the stairs. It started to rain harder and harder. He remembered the sounds of plop, plop, plop, thu, thum, thump, thump, and the air smelled damp. When the rain was finally up to his shoulders he began to float away. He was a strong swimmer but he wasn’t strong enough.

After Charles remembered their separation, He and Olivia burst into their happiest tears, and held onto each other as tightly as they could. Charles felt his mother’s cozy, wrinkled sweater and felt comforted.

“I remember you playing the harp when I was young. Why can’t I play it?” ask Charles.

“I guess you where mad. It’s filled with magic, and you can only play it when you are filled with joy.” said Olivia, “and now that you are, play it!” said Olivia calmly. And so he did!
The End
May 3, 2008

Dusk by Kate D., Age 9

Dusk, is the moonlight fairy that makes the moon rise and fall and helps people fall asleep. Every night Dusk whispers her favorite lullaby that her mother sang to her when she was young. When the moon comes up she goes to the moon and stars and paints them with a shimmering, vanilla bean white paint and then sings, “Hush Little Baby” to help people fall asleep. They hear it in their dreams and soon they are in dream land.

Dusk has ruffled dark-blue wings that flutter through the night sky. She wears a hot-pink dress made of silk and a silver tiara that shimmers in the sun. She smells like fresh bubble gum with a touch of sugar.

Dusk lives in a house in a hollow mushroom that smells like a forest. On the first floor in her kitchen, she has a table and some chairs, a charcoal stove and a peppermint sink. She loves to cook for her family which visits the fourth Tuesday of the month. She always cooks fresh corn on the cob and pot roast.

Her bedroom is chocolate brown and hot pink, which smells like coffee. She has a brown water bed, a pink ruffled lamp and a soft brown and pink side table. On her side table there is a smooth magic globe that shows her family and what they are doing – every fairy gets one. When she says a family member’s name, they pop up out of nowhere.

Dusk used to be a juggler, who wore a big red bow in her hair and a stripped red and white shirt and pants. One day while she was on stage, she heard a big “boo” and she saw who it was and started to cry. Then she ran out of the circus and hid in a pizza parlor that smelled like fresh tomatoes. After she felt a little better, she went to her parent’s house and told them the whole story. Before she became a juggler her parent’s had always wanted her to be the moonlight fairy, and that is how her soon-to-be-new-career had started. Every night when she was young, her mom had sung Dusk her favorite lullaby, “Hush Little Baby”.

When she told her parents what happened at the circus, her mother said now was the time to become the Moonlight Fairy. So she did.

Dusk had to go through extensive training and finally did it. She is now the Moonlit Fairy and is much better at this than being a juggler on stage. So the next time you have trouble falling asleep, simply close your eyes and listen for Dusk, the Moonlight Fairy, to sing you to sleep.

My Teddy Bear - A Personal Essay By Sosy B., age 9

My Teddy Bear


My teddy bear has been with me since I was seven months old. Waa! He has held his smell of me for a very long time and it has the scent of lilacs. It sometimes smells like a winter day with snow pouring out of the sky. He reminds me when my dad’s friend gave him to me. “Here you go.” When he gave him to me he hugged me and he lifted me in his arms. He also reminds me of the middle of the day. He makes me feel secure and comforted. I have had him for nine years now. We love each other. He is so cuddly and feels rough on his head where he has a big hole but I still love him. His eyes feel really smooth and round. His nose feels bumpy and his knob for music is really bumpy and hard. He has never gotten lost because he is always on my bed or in my arms. Every night I have chocolate with him and at bed-time I say good night to him.

The End

Trapped By: Anna S., age 14

Trapped in this place I don’t know
Struggling to be set free
Hoping to find what I’ve always hoped to be -
Happy and giddy, friendly and carefree
Just like everyone else.

Wishing I didn’t have to sit here in this skin
Numbing my soul and setting it free
Even though I know it’s killing me
Sometimes I wish I wouldn’t be me

Pirates by Maura Z, age 14

Wispy gusts of snow veiled the street outside of the warm café window. Carter and I sat there with steaming mugs of cocoa in our hands, as his mother rambled on about how far back their faith goes. Carter's family went to church every Sunday, literally (if the world exploded, they'd still be kneeling in the pews) and his mother always raved about how her great aunt was a nun, or that her brother was off in the peace core. But the incessant flow of Mrs. Petry's voice stopped abruptly, and she awkwardly stumbled over that one shame in her ancestry. "Well, you see…" She sucked in her breath and held it as while before continuing," That's the end of our long line of commitment to the church I guess, your Great Great Grandfather; was a pirate"

Carter, who at the time had been aimlessly twirling his finger in the fluffy whipped cream, snapped his head up at that. Now you can imagine how any 2nd grader would feel about this chunk of news, nothing became more important to him. I watched as a spark of interest exploded in his sea green eyes, and something told me he might take this too far. I never saw anyone spit out as many questions at once as Carter did: Who was he? Where was he from? Do I look like him? Do we still have his treasure? The list went on and on. Mrs. Petry avoided the questions as best as she could weary of herself for even thinking of telling Carter of all people. But Carter never stopped asking questions for the rest of that Friday afternoon. I had no idea that on Saturday, the old Carter would walk the plank.

I woke the nest morning in the pale winter sunlight, and dressed in bundles as I got ready to walk the dog. Carter and I took our dogs on long walks every Saturday morning, even though Mr. and Mrs. Petry didn't really approve of a mutt like mine, but tradition is tradition. So I stumbled across the sick iced sidewalks as quickly and carefully as I could to Carter's crisp, white colonial home. Henry panted excitedly as I rapped on the large red door, both of us excited for a good day. The door creaked open reluctantly as Carters little sister appeared, eyeing me doubtfully. "Hey Riley, is Carter home? We always take the dogs on a walk on-" But she interrupted me. "I guess I can get him..., but remember, I warned you" With that she had flown up the stairs to her brothers room. Before I knew Carter was on his way downstairs, ready for a walk, but…"Carter" I exclaimed surprised,"What's on your hand?" I gestured to the twisted metal duct taped to his wrist. "It's the Caribbean Commander, the best hook for fighting in all the seven seas" he said with pride. "But it's just a fork with its prongs twisted""I think I would know," Carter let out a hardy laugh," You landlubbers think you know it all" I soon learned through all the confusion that there was an immediate change in my friend, and it wasn't easy to deal with. As much as I tried to make sense of it all, I couldn't, and the only thing that was clear was that in his mind, he'd always been a sailor with a hook that loves to steal treasure. The whole day he talked about a big storm that had blown in, while he fought on the waters, like he was the bravest pirate there ever was; but that was only the beginning. On Sunday, after his mom took him to the chapel and back, it seemed that something had grown on Carter's shoulder. It was like a mass of paper and tape strapped to himself. "Okay Carter, I think you're taking this a bit far, I mean seriously, what is that?" I admitted desperately, pointing at his shoulder. "What do you think it is?" he scoffed," It's my parrot of course; every good pirate had a parrot! And stop staring at me like I'm an alien, you act like you've never seen me like this in your life!""That's because I haven't Carter!" I blurted," You've never been like this in your life- you are not a pirate!" But of course this didn't affect his spirit much, he was a second grader who truly believed that right now, he is a pirate, and there was no changing his mind. I dropped the whole thing in the end, but it was hard to ignore his swarthy language, that "parrot" on his shoulder or the hook he swung wildly about. Boys, what did I expect? "Mom, what's his name? Please I promise I won't ask again!" Carter pleaded his mother as we sat in the warmth of the kitchen. He was dying to head over to the library and look up as much as he could with the librarians help. Mrs. Petry clanged the dishes together as she stuffed them in the cabinet. Wearily looking down on Carter's face, she pushed the hair out of her eyes, and sighed," Joseph Arthur Jones, and his 'friends' called him Black Soul Joe" she seemed to murmur that part under her breath," so go do whatever you want to about this, but that's the last time I'm bringing it up!". As she huffed out of the cozy kitchen, Carter was already bolting up the sidewalk towards the large brick library. I jumped on my bike and pedaled toward home in frozen waves of wind wondering what else Carter will find out about his ancestors. It was kind of interesting, all this talk about ancestry, if you think about it, you could be connected to anyone. For all I know I could be related to Queen Elizabeth or anyone else of famous history! The day dragged on with no word from Carter, and it was nearly nightfall when I heard our door bell echo through the house; ringing over and over again. Of course he was out on the porch, and his puffs of air smoked up in the bitter cool breeze. There was no hiding that mischievous gleam in his bright eyes. "But Carter-" I exclaimed in surprise," Where's all stuff? I mean the clothes and the hook… and where'd your bird go?" "Pirates don't interest me, they never really did," he simply stated," but guess what! I never really was part pirate in the first place, I'm all Viking!" We talked for a couple of minutes, and he excitedly told me all about his Great Great Great Grandpa who was now apparently Viking. He also explained that he had to go tell his mom (can't imagine how excited she was!) and I watched him dash across the snowy yards towards home. I suppose I couldn't expect anything more, from a boy with that kind of imagination.

The Tree By Maura Z. Age 14

The Tree Cars whizzed by,
All too fast,
And I imagined things the way they used to be,
With tumbling hills, brimming with warbling birds and flowers so sweet,
The way the fresh wind would blow on my branches, stretching my limbs for a new day,
But now I could only see a wide highway cuttinginto the roll of the fields as I stared onward,
The exhaust had tattered my once tender leaves, and shards of glass littered the base of my trunk,
I thought back to the old farmhouse that used to rest nearby, with its bright windows and warm presence,
I remembered when the children tied a rope around my strongest branch,
And swung in the breeze, their young laughter still echoeinceg thorough my mind,
But the builders came and explained that people with places to go and no time to waste had to come through here,
So the solid little house is gone,
And the people with places to go and no time to waste still race across the once brilliant landscape, not admiring the hue of the golden grases that whisper their sad tales to the fluent wind,
A splatter of mud speckled my trunk and I repeated those words that never left my heart,
Just wait a little longer, someday the sun will sing bright once more. -Maura Zindler

If I Could Be Water, By: Bailey Bystry

"If I Could Be Water" will be published in the River of Words 2008 anthology, River of Words: The Natural World as Viewed by Young People. Bailey was one of only three Illinois residents to win, and a finalist from amongst 20,000 entries.

If I could be water
I wouldn't be a pond
Muddy and brown,
I wouldn't be an ocean
Big and alone,
I wouldn't be rain
Falling again and again,
I wouldn't be ice
Cold and frozen,
I would be a river
Long, wide and free.

Mamma’s Roses, Age 14

By Katy E.

Mamma loved roses, she had bushes and bushes of them growing around our house. In the warm months, when they blossomed, she would place them in every room, slipping them in her art deco vases. That’s the theme of our house rose-art deco. Up stairs, her studio looked more like a green house than a studio, with all the roses she had put in it. The whole western side of the studio was glass, and over looked Mamma’s enormous rose garden. She grew every rose imaginable, I never really remembered the names of any, even though she often tried to drill it through my sisters’ and mine’s head. She would take us up the long spirled starecase to her studio and we would look out the large “looking glass” as Mamma called it, and she would name all of her roses. Rain or shine she would walk through her gardens and talking and singing to them. She told me once that they talk back to her in voices of melted gold. I thought that this was very strange, but not wanting to hurt Mamma’s feelings I said nothing of my opinion and smiled and nodded.

Unfortunately, the roses Mamma loved so much out lived her. We all knew that Mamma had heart problems, yet we didn’t think much of it. Sometimes she would go into surgery and would stay at the hospital over night with Daddy. Auntie would then come and stay with my two older sisters and I. We would watch movies and eat popcorn; then Auntie would tell us embarrassing stories when she and Mamma were little. So we barely thought anything of it when she went in for another surgery. Yet, this time Mamma didn’t come back.

We planted Mamma’s favorite roses on her grave, and had them border her tomb stone. After Mamma’s death Daddy became less and less cheerful. Before, Daddy had always been playful and boyish, he would often run Mamma up the wall with his jokes and little pranks. Now his mood had slipped into the deep casams of thought and distress. Auntie came to visit more often but, her visits weren’t the same. They never were. I would often find myself sitting in Mamma’s studio gazing through the looking glass at her roses. Even they look sad. I had taken upon the honor of caring for her dear flowers. No one could make roses grow like Mamma, but I tried my best. I talked and sang to them diligently, just as she had done and one thing something amazing happened. The roses talked back. Their voices were just as Mamma had described them. Yet, intertwined in the mellow golden notes of their chorus I could hear my Mamma. I knew then that she was happy and felt my heavy heart lift within me as I listened to her voice echo within the petals.

Fire or Camping in the Forest Anna E. Age 8

The hissing of red flames,
Siss, Cackle, and pop.
I sit with my friend-him and I,
it is so cozy and warm.
We roast and toast.
When that is over, I brush my teeth
And go to bed.

Freddy's Home Run By Maura. Z

Freddy's Home RunBy Maura Zindler

The fireflies buzzed in loopy circles around the gnarled oak tree that late July evening. Freddy nestled himself inside the hole in the trunk, feeling cozy surrounded by all the crinkling leaves. Just as the tiny squirrel was drifting asleep, he was startled by a loud crack, and he felt the tree shake around him.

"What could that be?" Freddy thought in surprise. He scurried out of his nest to figure out what was the matter. Dusk was falling thicker around him, but the lights from the small stadium, which actually seemed rather enormous to Freddy, cast a yellow glow on the grass. To Freddy's surprise, he did discover what had hit the ancient tree - it was a baseball. But of course he didn't know that it was a baseball! To him it looked like a giant, white walnut practically the size of him (Fred had always been small for his age!).

Something else now caught Freddy's attention and he was entranced by a thick salty scent that no squirrel could resist: roasted peanuts. Freddy's dark eyes widened as he thought of the wonderful crunchy taste. He just had to have one peanut! Although he had tasty acorns to snack on inside the tree, he scampered off following the scent.

It wasn't long before Freddy reached the tall fence. Even though he was always warned never to jump over it, he climbed up onto the bush and leapt across. He seemed to have tossed aside everything he had learned in Squirrel School. All he wanted was roasted peanuts. Soon he would learn he had made a huge mistake.

Strong lights stared down on tiny Freddy as he realized his surroundings. He was standing timidly on a grassy field; he could see people standing out there, crouching down as if ready to pounce upon something. Suddenly, with a crack of a bat, he was startled as people began to run around much too fast for his eyes to follow. This wasn't what Freddy had expected- he'd find a peanut, and leave before anyone noticed him. The plan had been risky, and he had thought he could do it...until just now.

A voice echoed through the stadium that made Freddy nearly jump out of his skin. "Hold on folks, there seems to be an issue- we have a squirrel on the field, but give us a few moments and we can play ball!"

Freddy bolted across the brightly lit field as all eyes seemed to be following him, and now people with nets had appeared and were puffing after him. This was not what he had planned- all he had wished for was a peanut, and there was no turning back now. The crowd let out a cheer every time Freddy dodged a net in fright. Just in time, he spied just the peanut he was looking for. He leaped into the bleachers and frantically shoved the peanut under his arm. His heart beat wildly as he scanned the enormous ball park for a way out towards the wall that started this whole mess.

Freddy let out a squeak of terror as he saw a net, or atleast that's what Freddy thought it was, swoop over him. "It's all over", he thought to himself, "I should have never come". But the little squirrel didn't know he was about to meet his new friend. Before he knew it, Freddy found himself in a baseball mitt looking up at a smiling face glistening with sweat and a cap dusty from the field.

"Come on little guy, let's get you back to the forest," the baseball player said tenderly. So Freddy stared up at the man, still clutching his peanut to his chest, and watched as the big man walked them across the field. Once they reached the wall, he gently placed Freddy back onto the bush and grinned, "All because you wanted one peanut" and with that he turned around and headed towards the cheering crowd.

Freddy sat on the edge of his small nook in the tree and looked out towards the little baseball field that had seemed so gigantic to him. He sunk his teeth into the roasted peanut. His smiled faded as he realized it wasn't as good as it should have been. He sighed and then began to understand that maybe he should have been happy with all the acorns he had, and he was greedy to have broken the rules for just one peanut. "Never again will I take more than I need," Freddy said to himself and nodded in determination. Since then Freddy's life took a turn for the best.

Once in a while, the baseball player would put a bag of peanuts at the base of the tree that he imagined the tiny squirrel might live in. Freddy would invite all the squirrels in the park to share his gift. Life was ever different for the little squirrel with a big story, and he couldn't be happier.

The River By Maura Z., Age 14

Carved into the rock,
A crevice for every hundred years,
It hardly stands still,
Smooth deep shaded pebbles against your face,
The silent strength of the green water below,
It's pulse; so strong and clear is lost in the echoing forest around,
And it keeps moving,
On towards the dip in the land,
where the water swells and spins,
Blowing kisses to the weeds that bloom in the shadows,
Never ceasing to flow,
Acorns dance in the water,
My toe dips timidly into the coolness,
The slow waves that tickle my skin as I walk into the current,
Plunging underneath before all sense reaches me,
And I can only see the murky green,
all shapes foggy and indistinct,
Inside another world,
But our eyes can't adjust to the light.

By Kathrine C.

The sun was shining through the leaves warming Nutty’s body. He heard the sound of children laughing
from below his nest in the tree. Nutty began to wake up. He stretched until he felt like he could touch the sun. He
shook out his fur and washed his face with a drop of rain from last night. He scampered down the endless tree.
When he finally reached the soft dewy grass, he was thrilled with what he saw. It was one of those big white
tents again. He couldn’t wait to see what left over treats there were today!
He scurried under the giant white tarp and smelled a sweet, strawberry smell. He found what looked like a
pink cloud only it was small and on the ground. He realized that the delicious smell was coming from the pink
cloud. He picked it up with his tiny hands and put it in his mouth. Instantly, he was filled with happiness as the
pink cloud disappeared on his tongue. Just then, a tiny person came waddling into the tent. He was crying out,
“Momma, where are you?” Nutty remembered times when he was little and he was lost and looking for
his mom. He decided to help. He ran across the tall damp grass until he reached the little boy. The boy seemed
frightened. His eyes widened and he shied away. He calmed down after Nutty gave him his best “puppy eyes”.
The boy asked,
“Have you seen my mom?” Nutty nodded yes, even though he hadn’t, just so the boy would let him help.
The boy made a gesture and set his hand on the ground so Nutty could climb on. Nutty scrambled on and went
up and up into the air as if he was flying! The boy started to move. Nutty had to balance himself or he would fall
off the hand. The boy then talked on and on about how he got lost. Nutty tried his best to understand “toddler
talk” but could only make out that Jared, that was his name, got separated from his mom at the fountain by the
rose bushes. Nutty nodded throughout the story until Jared stopped walking. Nutty looked around and then
looked at Jared's eyes to see where they were looking.
“I cant remember where the fountain is!” Jared whined as his lip began to tremble. I looked once more at
the endless park. I found, not the fountain, but a map! I was so excited that I squeaked with joy. Jared asked me if
I saw something. I nodded and as he gently set me down on the stone path, I ran over to the map. Jared wobbled
as quickly as he could. We both stared at the map and soon realized that neither of us could read. Then, Jared
came up with a great idea.
He said, “We should look for things around us to see where we are on the map!” I squeaked with excitement.
As we looked around, we saw a hot dog stand, a small blue bathroom, and a gift shop.
“A gift shop!” Jared shouted. “Lets try to find it on the map!” I squeaked again and looked for a gift shop
marking on the map. As soon as I saw one, Jared did too. So we had established where we were.
“Now we should look for a picture of a fountain.” Jared said. I smiled up at him and yipped “Good job!” I
don’t think he heard me, he was busy looking for a fountain. When he found the fountain marking, he set down
his hand and not so carefully picked me up. I could tell he was excited by the speed of his little legs. I didn’t
know where we were going, but Jared did. He turned corners like a soldier; precise and quick. He was a boy on a
mission. I just hoped I wouldn’t fall. It was a long way down. When we saw the fountain, Jared started running. I
was bouncing up and down and losing my balance as his feet leapt towards the fountain. When we got there, we
walked around and looked for his mom.
Then I heard, “Jared, Jared.” At first I thought I was mistaken, and that I was just day dreaming.
“Did you hear that?” Jared asked. I nodded excitedly. Now I knew that the voice was coming from him
mom. He knew that too as he started jumping up and down. I was thrown into the air and did an accidental flip,
which was very fun, but very scary. Right then, his mom came running towards us and grabbed Jared in a giant
hug. I was thrown to the ground with a thud as Jared returned the hug, which apparently I was not included in. I
landed on the ground with a bump as I did a summersault into a Pepsi can. As Jared’s mom kissed him all over
his face, Jared pulled away and walked over to me. He scooped me up, thanked me for my help, and gave me my
very own pink cloud! I was so excited to show my squirrel friends. As I watched Jared and his mom walk away,
I told myself that this was a day I’d never forget.

Peace by By: Kathrine C.

Bright spring morning,
Crystal clear sky,
Crisp fresh air,
Gentle clement breeze,
Glistening emerald leaves,
Swaying ticklish grass.
Pure trickling water
Smooth glassy stones,
Soft silky sand,
Peaceful river beneath my feet.

Calm River By: Genevieve C.

As the water trickles down the river, I smell nothing but crisp, fresh, air. I see tall trees and blooming plants, puffy, white clouds and the mountains in the horizon- a barrier. The river is calm and pure. I sauntered down the rocky hills and sandy shores and finally into the river. It feels just like I imagined, silky and smooth as I glide through the thin, calm river.

At the River

By Madline S.

I sit on a rock,
Hard and warm beneath me,
And I stare at the river ahead.
The earth beneath my feet is moist,
And I feel a soft breeze fly by me and around my shoulders,
As I dip my feet into the stream,
The coolness soothes my hot skin.
The river is like little ribbons lying across the earth,
It is like warm tender love flowing around the fish,
The waterfall ahead is my mother’s spilt tea falling off the edge of the table back at home,
Or millions of marbles crashing out of a jar and splashing onto the floor.
All of the sudden rain starts to fall,
Dripping down, down my face and body,
The droplets of the rain splash along the rushing river,
Making it move quicker and quicker.
The river now looks like a glittering piece of jewelry,
Rushing along toward the waterfall ahead.
As the day starts to become night,
I slip on my shoes and begin to walk home.
And I know that tomorrow I will come back to,
My Favorite place to be,
At the river.

Waves By: Bailey B.

The surf rolls on to the sand
Bringing its sun burnt cargo in tow.
Then it slides back in to the sea,
Only to repeat again, and again.

The Sea

By: Bailey B.

Where breezes fly though my hair,
Where the sand tickle my feet,
Where cool waves wash over my ankles,
Where the sun keeps me warm in her heat.

Where seagulls shriek at our kites,
Where there are plenty of shells for me,
Where dolphins say hi from the water,
That's where I want to be.

Reflections By: Bailey B.

I know someone
A friend of mine
She kind of looks like me
And every time the lake is still
She always there for me I smile at her
She smiles at me
I wave to her
She waves back at me
When I talk
She listens
When I cry
She does too
And every once-in-a-while
I look at her and see
That that is exactly how Our friendship was meant to be.

Morning Water

By: Bailey B.

A misty morn,
A foggy dawn,
The perfect beginning
For a stroll to the pond.

A splash, a ripple.
The silence breaks.
Deer come to drink
In this hazy morning place.

The sun starts to climb
Into the soft pink sky.
So I bid my farewells,
And say my good-byes.

A misty morn,
A foggy dawn,
The perfect ending
For a stroll to the pond.

AN OTTERS PLAYGROUND

By Caitlin S. Age 12


Blue cold water- icy pleasure in the mountains
Warm furry critters,
Munching on fish, nibbling weeds and scarfing down
clams
Sliding down mud. Plunging,
Ripples wash over their heads,
Bubbles tickle their bellies,
Churning the water as they twirl
Playful otters
Playground rivers
Freedom's little astronauts, weightless in the water

Bountiful River

By Faisal Khurshid

Water flows like the drizzle of bliss that falls from the sky,
the water that brings a smile upon the faces of you and I.

The peaceful blessing of water that comes from cotton candy clouds when
they turn sour,
flows into the river and gives the fish a cool shower.

The blessing of life that makes man’s golden smile dandy,
blesses the plants with vibrant colors like multi-colored candy.

The drizzle of water that the prosperous ignore,
makes the farmer on the other side of the world celebrate and thank the Lord.

The river that makes the young play outside with faces of glee,
makes the adults with stern faces flee.

The drizzle of water brings much happiness to some,
makes the young run and have fun.

The water that gives the fish life,
ends the hungry’s suffer and strife.







© 2008. Faisal Khurshid.

Nature’s Treasure by Katy E., Age 14

Liquid diamonds,
Slipping down a ribbon of sunshine.
Finned jewels weave in and out of the rippled light.
Creating prisms of luminescence
dark petite thieves warble around the crystal surface.
They dip and descend
Attempting to embezzle the glittering diamonds.

Emerald beds lie close to the ridge of the train of glittering silk
On hard stony silver crumbs.
As strong breaths ripple the calm surface
They break upon the silver and scattered themselves
Along the sprouting green limbs.
As the drops of light slip down the slim stalk
Into the copper earth below.

Heavy footfalls fall gently on their tender tips
Slightly dipping them back, scattering the drops of crystal light
Into a sweeping bracelet of color.
Bursting red and greens
Are beaded against hues of blues and yellows.
Brilliantly coming forth with all their shine
They kiss the drifting rays of light
As it disappears into the velvet case of Nuit.

Luna brushes over the drips of diamonds with a practiced hand.
She drenches their shine with her subtle glow.
Her gentle breath calms the gently flowing silk surface
scattering its tamed waves with crystals.
Dressing the mother in its evening jewels.
A crown of pearls fall from the heavens
Lacing golden beds in glitter.

Slowly light slips into the faint elegance.
Delicate creatures arrayed in bright hues of red, blue, and yellow
Flock hither and thither.
With dainty feathered gloves, they dip into the liquid silk.
Ripples swirl in the looking glass,
Reawakening the silent finned sapphires.
Crystalized pearls rest on the green satin and light the day
In a brilliant radiance.

My River By Anna S. 14

My River
By: Anna Soane 14
Whirling, swirling, twirling
Delicately reaching out to my soul
Its beautiful ripples each embodies a dream
A dream waiting to come alive
Dwindling towards mother natures arms
Slivers of hope following the gentle crests and peeks
Swimming, swimming along the side
The scent of the water creeps into my soul
Making me feel alive
As the frigid water splashes against my rock it kisses
my rosy cheeks
The howling winds reaching out towards me
As the sunsets and the stars align
and as I walk home
I hear the gentle crests and peaks,
pintsize splashesand the roar of the crickets
Then I realize that all I will ever need
And all I will ever want is
My River

Journey Through The Seasons

By Taskeen K. Age 10, Grade 4

River,
I can feel your chilly waters
Quietly rushing against my toes.
I taste and smell your misty air.
Through your clear blue waters I see
your nimble fish, quick as clouds,
and your smooth, cool, pebbles.

Your guards are the gray, jagged, snowcapped mountains
which keep you going.
For company you have the talkative Maples
And you respond with your swishing waves.
Before they shed their leaves
they glance in your shimmering waters
looking for their reflection
making sure they look their best.

In Winter, when the Maples hibernate
You gossip with the whispering grass.

And with Spring, the beavers come to help
carve out your meandering shape.

Oh River, who could have a more adventourous journey than you?

LITTLE SQUIRREL

By Sana K. Grade 3, age 8

Once upon a time, there was a squirrel named Rachel. She hated sounds. When Rachel was born she heard a BOOM and a BANG and she started to cry. Ever since that incident, Rachel has never ever liked sounds. Whenever she heard a sound, she would run away or cover her ears.

One day Rachel saw a little squirrel who knew she hated sounds. He was a bully and he made a screeching sound, yelled and slammed a door. Rachel got very upset and ran away home. Her mother said, “ Rachel dear, why don’t you overcome your fear?” Rachel thought for a moment and then she said “But Mommy what should I do when I hear loud sounds? I always get so scared and all the other squirrels laugh at me.”
“No, they wouldn’t” said Mom
“Do I have to be brave?” asked Rachel.
“Yes” said her mother

The next day when Rachel went to school she was feeling very nervous about being brave because she didn’t know what types of sounds she would hear. During the day she heard a locker slamming, a door closing, the school bell ringing, students screaming and each time she heard a noise she reminded herself to be brave. It was really hard the first day but each day Rachel became braver and braver until she overcame her fear. Then the sounds didn’t bother her and she lived happily ever after.

THE END

STREAM REFLECTIONS

By Sana K., Grade 3, Age 8

Little rock, little rock
I sit upon you day and night.
I sit upon you hearing
the streams and waves crashing by.

When I feel you
You seem like a pool of silk rushing past me.
I watch you and it feels like
You go right through me.

I love seeing the animals
I love hearing the birds
I love seeing the fish
I watch the water winding past me
Like a snake.
The croaking of the frogs
The chirping of the birds
Make me feel
Like I am at home.

All the nature is in me
I can feel it
Can’t you see.

I see the reflection of you
Like a mirror
In my heart.

River By Ajmal A. Age 9

In the river water flows
Sometimes fast, sometimes slow
Starts small then it grows
wider, wider every mile
Blue like sky
Fish like rainbows
On the banks, trees and houses
People fishing
boats floating
In the river
water flows

River of Words Contest Deadline Feb 15

Each year, in affiliation with The Library of Congress Center for the Book, River of Words conducts a free international poetry and art contest for youth on the theme of WATERSHEDS. The contest is designed to help youth explore the natural and cultural history of the place they live, and to express, through poetry and art, what they discover.The contest is open to any child in the world, from 5-19 years of age. Older students must have not yet completed high school. There is no charge to enter. (See entry form.)Students may enter on their own, or as part of a group (classroom, Girl Scout troop, 4-H, etc.). All entrants are receive acknowledgement in the form of a "Watershed Explorer" certificate. (See complete rules.)Poetry submissions are judged by River of Words co-founders Robert Hass, who served as US Poet Laureate from 1995-1997, and writer Pamela Michael. Art entries are judged by children's book writer and illustrator, Thacher Hurd.About 100 poems and artworks from both US and international entries are selected as finalists each year. All winners receive ribbons, books and/or art supplies, t-shirts and other prizes.Eight Grand Prize winners—four in poetry and four in art, in four different age categories—are chosen from the US entries.
Category I — Kindergarten-Grade 2Category II — Grades 3-6Category III — Grades 7-9Category IV — Grades 10-12
We also award an International Prize each year to a student from outside the United States. The International Prize may be awarded for either poetry or art.In addition, RoW and The Library of Congress Center for the Book honor two students who live in our respective watersheds: River of Words´ Shasta Bioregion Prize and The Library of Congress´ Anacostia Watershed Prize. The winning works may be either poetry or art.Winners are announced each April at a gala event at the San Francisco Library. The Grand Prize and International winners win an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to attend the RoW Award Ceremony at The Library of Congress.

Yearly Contest Deadlines:USA: February 15Foreign: March 1
Entry Form
Complete Contest Rules (Please Read!)
FAQs

Sour as a Lemon by Michael S. Age 7

I tasted an orange
and I thought it would be as sweet as a mango,
but it was as sour as a lemon.

Kids-in-Print Book Contest Deadline June 1, 2008

The 2008 National Kids-in-Print Book Contest for Students

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Entry Form (PDF)



Past Winners' Awards and Recognition

Entry Form (Word)



Past Winners

Entry Form (HTML)

To encourage and celebrate the creative talents and skills of students, Landmark House, Ltd. is pleased to announce The 2008 National Kids-in-Print Book Contest for Students.*
A qualified panel of judges, composed of professional editors, writers, illustrators, teachers, and librarians will judge the book entries on the merits of originality and the writing and illustrating skills displayed.
Landmark House, Ltd. will then publish the three winning students' books, one from each of the three age categories. The books will be printed and assembled according to the finest quality standards of book publishing.
What wonderful experiences await the three winners! When their books are selected for publication, they will be offered publishing contracts. They also will enjoy all-expense-paid trips to our offices in Kansas City, Kansas, where Landmark's professional staff will assist them in the editing, refining, and final production of their books. Within months, the winners will become published authors and illustrators and will be paid royalties annually on the sales of their books.
*Formerly The National Written & Illustrated by… Awards Contest for Students


Rules and Guidelines (click here for a printable version)

Entry Qualifications:Books by students may be entered in one of three age categories: 1) Ages 6 to 9 2) Ages 10 to 13 3) Ages 14 to 19 Each book submitted must be both written and illustrated by the same student. Any books that are written by one student and illustrated by another will be disqualified automatically. All entries must be submitted via a teacher or librarian.
Entry Fee:$10.00 per entry. All payments must be made in U.S. currency (check or money order; no cash), or by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). The fee will help cover the expenses incurred in properly processing thousands of book entries.
Deadline for Entry:All entries must be postmarked on or before June 1, 2008.
Choice of Subject and Style of Text:Each student's book may be on any subject and in any genre - fiction, non-fiction, biography, autobiography, mystery, humor, science fiction, etc. Text may be written in either prose or poetry. Keep in mind that the best stories have a well-developed beginning, middle, and end.
Interest Level:The student's book must be written at a level that would be understood by and of interest to children who are somewhere within the age range of Kindergarten through Fourth Grade (approximately ages 5 through 9).
Book Dimensions:All books must be eight and one-half inches (8½") wide and eleven inches (11") tall.
Number of Pages:The combination of text and illustrations should be no less than sixteen (16) pages and no more than twenty-four (24) pages. In addition, there must be a Half-Title Page and the Title Pages. Half-Title Page - Consists of one (1) page, which may include: only the Title, or only an illustration, or a combination of both. Title Page - Consists of a two-page spread, which includes: Title, Name of Author/Illustrator, and an illustration.
Number of Illustrations:Students may develop as many illustrations as they choose; however, there must be at least one (1) illustration on every two-page spread.
Choice of Media for Illustrations:Students may develop their own illustrations in any medium of their choice, as long as the illustrations remain two dimensional and flat to the surface of the paper (no pop-ups). They may use pencil, water-color, tempera, ink, colored felt-tip markers, crayon, ORIGINAL computer graphics, or photographs taken by them, etc. If students use pastels, chalk, or any other medium that will rub off, each illustration should be properly sprayed with a fixative.
Type of Paper:Text - Text should be typed on white paper, either computer or regular typing paper.Illustrations - All illustrations should be prepared individually on good quality sketchpad paper or drawing paper.
Type of Text:All text should be neatly typed, double-spaced, and in a 12- to 14-point type. There must be at least a one-inch (1") margin at the top, bottom, and both sides of each page where text appears. The student or another individual may do the typing. For picture books, large primary-size type is permitted. The use of calligraphy or a special style of hand printing is also permitted, but only if it enhances the design and intent of the book.
Rules for Editing of Students' Books:Teachers, librarians, parents, and other individuals may assist the students in the editing of their books for proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Suggestions may also be given for improving the story lines and artwork. However, the finished books must be examples of the skills and imaginations of the students themselves.
Blank Book Construction:Students will need six eleven-inch (11") by seventeen-inch (17") sheets of paper, so that when these pages are folded, they can be bound together into a book that is eight and one-half inches (8½") wide and eleven inches (11") tall. After folding the eleven-inch (11") by seventeen-inch (17") sheets of paper, each page should be inserted one inside another like the stacking of taco shells one inside another.
Placement of Text and Illustrations:Once the blank book is completed, the student can cut and paste the completed artwork and text onto those blank pages. Keeping in mind that there must be at least one (1) illustration and some text on every two-page spread, students may now cut and choose where to paste their materials. For example, a full page of text on one page and a full illustration on the opposite page; or, an illustration that spans a two-page spread, with bits of text cut and pasted somewhere on one or both pages, etc.
IMPORTANT: So a reader may easily follow the story line, it is absolutely necessary that the illustrations reflect the action taking place in the text on that page or two-page spread.
End Sheets:The End Sheets may consist of either white or colored paper.
Binding of Books:Pages (including End Sheets) must be stapled or sewn together on the centerfold, so all pages will lie flat when opened. Side-stitched or plastic comb-bound books are not permitted and will disqualify the book entry.
Book Covers:After the book has been bound, eight and one-half-inch (8½") by eleven-inch (11") pieces of stiff cardboard or chipboard must be glued to both the top and the bottom of the book — similar to a sandwich. This process gives the book the height and firmness needed to look and feel like a real book and will make it easier to accommodate the wrap-around book jacket. Covering the cardboard or chipboard with colored paper is optional.
Book Jackets:Each book must have a loose Book Jacket which wraps around the cover. The Book Jacket should contain a Front Panel, Back Panel, and Spine, and both a Front and Back Flap. All elements of the Book Jacket should be neatly pasted in position on a large sheet of paper, then trimmed to fit the book, offering as professional an appearance as possible.Front Panel - Should contain the Title, the Name of the Author/Illustrator, and an illustration.Front Flap - Should be four inches (4") wide. The copy must be written by the student and neatly typed. It should be a publicity piece that gives a brief synopsis and tells how wonderful the book is. Allow no room for modesty here!Back Flap - Should also be four inches (4") wide. It must include a photograph of the Author/Illustrator, along with a brief, neatly typed biography of the student.Back Panel - For the Contest, the Back Panel may be left blank because the Entry Form must be securely pasted or taped on the OUTSIDE of this panel. If there is already artwork and/or type on the Back Panel, the Entry Form must still be securely pasted or taped on the Back Panel of the Book Jacket.Spine - Must contain the Title and the Name of the Author/Illustrator. Hand lettering is preferred.
Official Entry Form:The Official Entry Form is printed on the last page of these Rules and Guidelines. For additional copies, the Entry Form may be photocopied as needed.
Contest Entries Should Include:1. Only original books; no photocopies.2. An Entry Fee of $10.00 per entry. All payments must be made in U.S. currency. Send only a check or money order (no cash, please), or pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). Please make your check or money order payable to "Landmark House, Ltd.". Be sure to paper-clip the check or money order to the top of the Title Page on the inside of the book. Books that do no include the entry fee will not be accepted.3. A padded Return Book Mailer. To ensure the return of the book, a padded Return Book Mailer, addressed to the student and stamped with sufficient postage, must be included. (Check with your post office to determine the exact amount of postage you need to place on the padded Return Book Mailer.)
How to Send:Each entry must be mailed separately. Due to the high volume of entries, we will not accept phone calls, faxes, or emails to confirm the receipt of any entries. To verify delivery of entries, please use a parcel service with tracking or delivery confirmation, such as, but not limited to: USPS Priority Mail, FedEx, UPS, etc.
Deadline for Entry:All entries must be postmarked on or before June 1, 2008.
Judging and Selection:All books are considered by a qualified panel of judges, composed of professional editors, writers, illustrators, teachers, and librarians. Books are judged on the merits of originality and the writing and illustrating skills displayed. Note: Non-winning books will not be edited or critiqued.
Announcement of Winners:The cataloging and careful judging of thousands of book entries require several months. Winners will be determined and notified by phone by November 1, 2008.
Return of Books:All non-winning book entries will be returned during November/December 2008. ONLY those entries which include a padded Return Book Mailer of sufficient size and stamped with proper postage will be returned.
Scholarships:Each winner will be given a $15,000.00 scholarship to be applied to an accredited college, university, or institute of higher learning.
About David Melton:David Melton, renowned Author and Illustrator of more than 35 books, died November 8, 2002. His gift to young people was his unique “Melton Method” by which thousands of students nationwide have been taught to successfully write and illustrate amazing original books for children. As Creative Coordinator at Landmark Editions, Mr. Melton initiated the exciting National Written & Illustrated by… Awards Contest for Students and supervised the development and publication of 48 outstanding books created by the winning students.
Ideas to Help Cover the Costs of the Book Supplies and Entry Fees:Many times, teachers or librarians contact their PTA, other service organizations, or local business people for help in sponsoring and funding worthwhile projects for students. Seek out such resources and make creating your students’ books an exciting community endeavor. In addition, please see our upcoming website at http://www.landmarkeditions.com/ for other ideas.



Written & Illustrated by… A Revolutionary Two-Brain Approach for Teaching Students How to Write and Illustrate Amazing BooksBy David Melton
Please Note: All specifications for book format are more elaborately explained and examples of methods of construction are shown in detail in David Melton’s highly-acclaimed teacher’s manual, Written & Illustrated by… . This manual is beneficial in showing students how to develop and assemble their materials, but purchase of the book is not required in order for students to enter the contest.

Note: To obtain a free copy of the Contest Rules and Guidelines and Entry Form by mail, please send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope to:


The 2008 National Kids-in-PrintBook Contest for Students1949 Foxridge DriveKansas City, KS 66106

If you have any questions, please email us at contest@landmarkeditions.com.

Copyright © 2005 Landmark Editions, Inc. 1904 Foxridge Drive, Kansas City, KS 66106 Phone: (800) 653-BOOK
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Deadline Feb 14; Grannie Annie Contest

The Grannie Annie Official Guidelines For Students in U.S. Grades 4-5 and 6-8, and Homeschool or International Students Ages 9-14 You are invited to follow The Grannie Annie Official Guidelines and enter a one-of-a-kind story from a past generation of your family. Your story can be humorous, tragic, or inspirational. It can be a story of courage, adventure, or anything you find interesting about your family’s past. Please read these submission details carefully before you begin to write: · A story that is chosen for publication in Grannie Annie, Vol. 3 will retell a one-of-a-kind story from a past generation of your family so that the reader appreciates it in the same way you do. The following criteria will also be considered: overall effectiveness, organization, development, use of language, and mechanical correctness — spelling, punctuation, usage, etc. · Your story must be 275-500 words long and must be written in English or translated into English. For translated stories please submit the original story as well as the translation. · Choose an interesting title for your work, including details from your story. For example, “Lost in the Blizzard” sounds more exciting than “My Great-Uncle Ted.” · Your story must be written by you. · If possible, please type and double-space your story using a standard, easily readable 12-point font. Print your story on 8 ½” x 11” white paper, or copy and paste it into the body of an e-mail. Stories may also be neatly hand printed on standard-size notebook paper. Please do not staple. · Do not write your name on the pages of your story. · Stories will not be returned. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself. · A completed Official Entry Form must accompany each story. Please do not staple. · Entries must be sent by February 14, 2008. Entries may be mailed or e-mailed. Please see Official Entry Form for details. · Stories published previously in Grannie Annie anthologies will not be considered for future volumes. · The decisions of the judges are final. · You may include a black-ink line drawing (no wider than 4", no taller than 7") that illustrates your story. Illustrations will not be considered in selecting stories for publication. In addition, the selection of a story does not guarantee that an illustration submitted with that story will also be published. The illustration may be drawn by you or by someone else who meets the grade/age requirements of The Grannie Annie. If someone other than you illustrates your story, that person must submit an Official Entry Form completed and signed by the illustrator and his or her parent/guardian. All illustrators of published drawings will be credited. Illustrators who are not authors will receive a complimentary copy of Grannie Annie, Vol. 3. · Because stories are meant to be shared, Thumbprint Press and Portico Books pledge to creatively pursue opportunities to share selected stories with a wider audience, in accordance with The Grannie Annie Mission. As a contest entrant, you will retain the copyright to your work while giving Thumbprint Press and Portico Books permission to share your story, as noted on the entry form.

Mitali Perkins Contest: Deadline: June 1

Here are the rules for the 2008 contest:
Do you love to weave words together? Were you and/or one or both of your birth parents born in another country? Do you live in the United States or Canada now? Are you 13-19 years old?
If you answered yes to ALL of the questions above, YOU qualify to enter the 2008 Fire Escape Writing Contests! Submit an original, unpublished poem or story that reflects some of the joys and struggles of growing up between two cultures in America. The Fire Escape will only consider one poem and story per person, so send your best work. (If you like writing non-fiction, too, check out the Fire Escape's Write-a-Review Contest.)
Contests Poetry (up to three poems) Short Fiction (up to 800 words)
Prizes First Prize: $40 Second Prize: $25 Third Prize: $10
How to submit an entry:
* Paste your poem or story into an e-mail message and send it to contests -at - mitaliperkins.com. I will not open attachments.
* Proofread thoroughly and keep your presentation simple. Entries with spelling, grammar or punctuation errors and funky characters/fonts may be disqualified without notice. (There were lots of these this year!) Do not include any clip art, images, or photos with your entry. Words only, please. Fiction longer than 1000 words will not be considered.
* Include your name, age, and e-mail address in your e-mail. Also include your countr(ies) of origin. You and/or ONE of your birth parents must have been born outside North America. If you were born in Puerto Rico and are now living in one of the states or Canadian provinces, you qualify.
* Current U.S. or Canadian residents only please, and previous winners are not eligible.
* To qualify, your entry must be received between September 1, 2007 and June 1, 2008.
REPEAT: you must be an immigrant or internationally adopted teen (or a teen with one immigrant parent) currently living in the United States or Canada.
NOTE: Failure to follow all of the contest guidelines will disqualify your entry.
Winning Poems and Stories will be published on the Fire Escape. Winners will be notified by June 30th. If you do not hear from us by June 30th, you can assume that your entry was NOT a winner. Prizes must be claimed by September 1, 2008. Please note that editorial or any other personal comments will not be provided for contest submissions. The Fire Escape reserves the right to award no prizes if no entry meets the judge's standards.
The Fire Escape seeks the following permissions from young authors: permission to publish your work on the web site, and permission to include your work in online archives after publication. Authors retain the copyright to their work. Once selected, winners must send their school information and a mailing address so that the Fire Escape can validate the entry and send the prize. Read the Fire Escape's privacy policy for more information.

Rain

By Faisal K., Age 12

The water flows like the drizzle of bliss that falls from the sky.

The peaceful blessing of water that comes from the cotton candy clouds when they turn sour.

The blessing of life that makes man’s golden smile dandy,

blesses the plants with vibrant colors like multi-colored candy.

The drizzle of water that makes the prosperous run and leave the water ignored,

makes the poor on the other side of the world celebrate and thank the Lord.

The drizzle that makes the young flock outside with faces of glee,

makes the adults with stern faces flee.

The drizzle of rain brings much happiness to some,

makes the young run and have fun.

The drizzle that makes the sky have prisms of light.

ends other peoples suffer and strife.

The rain that makes children play,

can still somehow make adults run away.

WAR

By Faisal Khurshid


A victory that can’t be won,
Why is our tax money exchanged for a gun?
The cause for fighting is none,
The effects cannot be undone,
Why devastate a soldier’s loved one?
War never helps in the long run.

War is just a woeful plight,
Which is never alright.
With many soldiers dying each and every night.
You know what would be a delight?
If every war, every fight, just ended tonight,
Let’s stop the seemingly endless fight.

Where is the Love?
You know what is something I’m really sick of?
The world needs more love.
Maybe one day war will be something we never talk of.

Love don’t Hate,
Don’t discriminate,
What if we made all wars abate?
That is something that I strongly await,
Wouldn’t a world with no wars be great?

What if all wars just stopped,
And bombs would never again be dropped,
Is that really asking a lot?

The Conch

By Bailey B.
Age 11

The top of a tower,
The color of a pearl,
It's texture like the watery waves,
Where it is always submerged.

What once crawled inside it is nowhere to be seen,
So pick up and plop it in your bucket,
Full of treasures from the sea.

The cat who was red and small ( written at age 6)

By Taskeen Khan

There lived a cat named Magwa who was very small but wanted to be big. Magwa was red and angry about that too. All the other cats were not red. She didn’t know what to do.Along came a zebra and said, “I’m much bigger than you” and magwa said, “If you were in my skin, you’d be small too.”Zebra said, “ If you were in my skin, you’d be big and have stripes like me.”Then the Zebra walked away and said, “Hah! She should have been bigger. I didn’t even hear what she said!”Then a tiger came and said to Magwa, “That Zebra who walked by you said that he couldn’t even hear you. Why don’t you hop on my back and then everyone can hear you?”Magwa said, “ You have orange and I have red. No other animals have that. Can we be friends and live together?”“Yes,” said the tiger, “ I don’t have children. You could be my child. I will be your mother.”They lived together and had a happy life. Later Magwa married another tiger and moved to a new cave and had cat babies of her own.The end

Room 107 By Taskeen K. ( written at age 7)

One day in Room 107 they were making cupcakes. Their teacher Mrs. Buchholz said, “Put butter on the pan.” ‘Ok’ they said. So they did. Then Mrs. Buchholz said, “Put the pan in the oven.” So they did. The oven went CRRRCRRRCRRR. “Oh, oh,” said Mrs. Buchholz. “The oven is broken.” “Awwwww,” said the children. “It’s okay,” said the teacher. “We can put it in the sun.” “Yay!” said the kids. Then they made the frosting and then the cupcakes were done. Then they put the frosting on the cupcakes. Then they ate the cupcakes! MMMMMM !!!!! Chew, Chew. But by then the day was over. So everyone got ready to go home. TING !!! TING !!! TING!!! Then everyone went home with a full stomach. The end

With Winter By Taskeen, Age 9

With winter comes flakes of snow. With snow come
Igloos made by children. With chilly children come
Nannas’ wiping boot-stained, wet floors. With wet floors, come hot chocolate and
Taffy Apples. With hot chocolate and taffy apples, comes
Everyone savoring a warm, blazing fire.
Relaxation settles over the house as everyone gathers around the table,drinking hot chocolate while sticky hands clutchtaffy apple sticks.