WAR & CITIZENSHIP By Alex, age 11

war & citizenship

book 2 in the adventures of the liangs series

Hello, my name is Admiral Luu. The story I am about to tell you travels from San Francisco to the Middle East, for two reasons: war and power. Actually those two things are the same. Okay, I’m going to stop yakking and move on to the story.

A San Francisco flag snapped on the balcony. Commuters honked. A radio sat on a shelf. The room was filled with books. “Time to wake up,” said Mayor Liang. “It’s time for you to take the Standard Citizenship Test.” 

“Why?” Mrs. Liang asked.

“Because you’re undocumented. That’s why you’re just an unpaid intern.” 

“Just get the book.” Mr. Liang opened his drawer and took out two books. He handed Mrs. Liang one of them.

Mr. Liang flipped through the pages. “Okay,” he said. “What rights are guaranteed by the First Amendment?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Who was President during the Korean War?”

“I don’t know.” 

“Why not?” he asked. “I don’t have a General Education Development diploma.”

 “Okay, you’ll get your education.” 

“How?” 

“Military.”

Car horns honked on the street outside. Voices chanted. People united, if Earth is divided! Mr. and Mrs. Liang ran to the balcony with their binoculars. They looked down. 

“I see ants,” said Mrs. Liang. 

“I disagree,” said Mr. Liang. “I think they’re protesters.”

“Get the tank.” 

“Remember, I’m driving.”

“Are you ready?” Mrs. Liang said.

 “Yes,” Mr. Liang replied. 

Mrs. Liang climbed up the ladder and plopped down on the seat as Mr. Liang started the engine. They stopped at United Nations Plaza. 

“Are we at the League of Nations Plaza?” Mrs. Liang asked. 

“Yes. Remember it’s United Nations, not the League of Nations.” 

United! United! People chanted. 

“Fire!” 

Protesters ran everywhere. Some of them threw rocks at the tank. People pepper sprayed ts windows. Cannons flew into the air. Mr. Liang turned the tank around, and they scuttled back to City Hall.

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. A shore patrol officer checked his watch as he stood guard at the entrance to the registration office. Mrs. Liang walked up to him. “Welcome to the US Navy,” said the officer.

“Are you sure it’s the Navy?” asked Mrs. Liang.

 “Just knock the door.” 

Mrs. Liang looked at the sign. Welcome to the US Navy. It’s 9:45. All buses go to the California National Guard HQ. Tap. Tap. Tap. Knock! Knock!

“Come in,” I said. “I’m Admiral Luu.” 

“I want to join the US Navy,” said Mrs. Liang. 

“Give me your information.”

 “My name is Mary Liang, I live at 1 Polk Street.” 

I gave Mrs. Liang the forms, and we both filled them out.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Come in,” said Mr. Liang.

I opened the door. Silence filled Mr. Liang’s office. He was signing tax return checks. “Comrade,” I said, hugging him. “May I talk to Mary Liang?”

“Yes, go to the door on your left.” 

“Are there any warnings I should take?” 

“She’s actually part of a sacred communidad.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes.” 

“But she’s Chinese, so she can’t be.” 

“Go in and see.” 

“How is the 82nd Airborne?” 

“Fine. They’re working at the shipyard, preparing for deployment tomorrow as ordered, though you’re second in command. ” 

I opened the door, swaggering in front of Mrs. Liang. I gasped. Guns were everywhere. On the walls. On the ceiling. “Hello,” I said. “Hi,” said Mrs. Liang. “Did I forgot something?” 

“Yes, your military identification card and uniform.” I gave her the card and her uniform. “Join the 82nd Airborne at the Hunter’s Point-Daly City Shipyard tonight.”

Vroom, vroom. Screech. Clink.

“Prepare for the ceremony,” said Mr. Liang. Chairs clinked. Water splashed. Rain poured down. 

“Sir,” said a man in a khaki uniform. “Seaman Blue requesting postponement.” 

“Show must go on,” said Mr. Liang. “Hurry up.” Chairs slipped. Officers trudged. Mr. Liang raised a banner. The rain stopped pouring.

Cars and buses lined up at the shipyard. People sat down quietly. Soldiers and medics marched to the aircraft carrier. I walked to the podium, escorting Mr. Liang past a row of news cameras. 

“Today is a special day,” said Mr. Liang. “I’m going to be at war.”

People gasped. 

“Now,” he said. “My cousin, Bobby Liang, mayor of Daly City will temporarily take People cheered. The Shore Patrol escorted us to the ship, blocking civilians and reporters asking questions. 

Chinooks lined up at the runways. Soldiers embarked. “Take off your patches,” said Mr. Liang. “We’re now the Operational Bravo-Detachment 9017, Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group.” 

Soldiers put on the new patches. We flew across the Pacific and disembarked at the Af-ghan-Iran border. 

“Admiral Luu,” Mr. Liang said to me. “Here’s your new uniform. You’re still second in command, but you’re Sergeant Major.”

Boom. Boom. Boom. Buildings crumbled. Civilians fled the city. Tanks rolled over the debris. Dust flew through the air. Paratroopers landed on the road. They inspected the buildings, raised American flags. Mr. Liang’s troops cheered, but he did not. I walked towards him, staring at the dead bodies. There was sadness on his face, but glory, the same look I had seen when he watched the mayoral election returns. He stood on a pile of rubble.

“March to Qom!” yelled Mr. Liang. Our troops left the city.

Vroom, vroom. Tanks and trucks rolled onto the tracks leading to Qom. Soldiers walked beside them. Mr. Liang turned to me.“We’re heading this way,” he said, “because there’s no military there.” 

“Except the Iraqis and the British,” I said. 

“How do you know?”

“History.” 

“There are the Brits!” yelled Mr. Liang. “And Iraqis!” 

Soldiers cheered from approaching tanks, hopping to the ground. “Major Camp,” said a stocky man, shaking Mr. Liang’s hand. “I’m leading the Iraqi-British Campaign for the Battle of Qom.” 

“Specialist Liang,” said Mr. Liang. “I’m leading Afghan-American forces with my assistant Sergeant Major Luu.” He pointed at Mrs. Liang who was knitting behind him. “And over there is my wife, Private Liang.”

Fshh. Fshh. Leaves rustled. Soldiers looked into the forest bordering the road. Major Camp entered the green maze. Mr. Liang’s troops followed. Birds chirped. Camp’s troops found a box, opened it: a weapon for mass destruction, a Teller-Ulam.

“Nuke!” yelled Mrs. Liang. “Honey,” said Mr. Liang. “We need your yarn!” Mrs. Liang attached the string to the fissile sparkplug. The soldiers scurried to the train yard. Mr. Liang tied the yarn to the safety pin, yanking it from the grenade. He threw the metal egg into the forest. A cloud mushroomed out of the greenery, cottoning the sky. Trees collapsed. Major Camp’s soldiers inspected the area.

“Safe,” said Major Camp. “No damage, but retreat.” 

“Back to the train station,” Mr. Liang yelled. 

Soldiers set up camp on the platforms, exploring the station. They split into two groups. Mr. Liang’s troops stayed at the station, Major Camp led his to battle.Iranians walked along the road to Qom, escorting tanks. Soldiers scurried through the sand, pointing their M16s upwards. Bullets flew everywhere. Civilians ducked. Iranians wandered around, searching for Ma- jor Camp’s troops. Major Camp looked up. A plane soared through the sky, dropping bombs on a nearby tank.

 A soldier rushed to Major Camp. “Phone,” said the soldier.

“Fire!” yelled Major Camp, then he picked up the phone. “Hello,” he said. “Who is it? Ministry of Defense?” 

“Hello,” said Mr. Liang. “It’s Specialist Liang.” 

“What is it?” 

“Ministry of Defense and DoD called.”

“Why?” 

“The States’ Navy is covering for you guys.” 

“Thanks, bye.” Major Camp hung up the phone, throwing grenades at the enemies. Iranians raised a white flag, dropping their arms. Major Camp’s soldiers retreated to the train station. “Specialist Liang,” said Major Camp. “Onward to Tehran.” 

“Tehran!” yelled Mr. Liang. “All ATVs must leave through Qom-Tehran Railway.”

Tanks rolled down the tracks. Soldiers climbed onto trucks. I watched the forest. Leaves flew through the railway. Air Force Thunderbirds soared through the sky, dropping First Aid tubes to the ground.Blood filled Mrs. Liang’s uniform.

“So help me God,” Mrs. Liang said. Mr. Liang awarded her the Distinguished Service Cross and Citizenship Certificate, con-

gratulating her as he hung the cross over her bandaged neck.

 “Specialist,” I whispered. “I hate to have to tell you this now, but American involvement in the ASEAN conflict is unavoidable. We’re heading to the Republic of China.”

about the author

Hi, my name is Alex. I am eleven years old. I am a San Francisco native. If I had a superpower, I would like the power to grow up instantly and become the United Na- tions Secretary-General. I do wish there were no clubs

that discriminate like the Boy Scouts of America. If I could go back in time, I would go back to June 6, 1944 at Normandy to see D-Day in action. This is my third published book. I am also the author of Don’t Worry About It and Other Stories and Shark Story.

SEARCHING FOR HARUKO By Jessie & Liyi, both age 10

A wizard waved his wand and whispered gibberish. Joann ’s mother carried her, running up the stairs. She hid her baby under her bed, but it was too late. Their blood froze in their veins. Their lungs whitened and their brains melted. The wizard separated mother and daughter into different dimensions! Joann lived on earth and her mother lived in the magic world. 

“I’m sick of people telling me that I’m not old enough to find my mother,” Joann said. “We’re 14 years old! I want to find her!”

“I’m not sure about this because I have a feeling we might get lost,” Emily said.

“I’m going by myself then!”

“Ok then I’ll come with!” 

Emily and Joann ran into their closet and jumped through a shiny, black hole. It whirled like water down a drain. They slid into the portal, jumped out and ran to toward the castle in front of them.

“Remember when we were here to tutor Chika?” Emily said.

“Can we go to my mother’s house?” Joann said “She lives around here somewhere.”

Emily wandered to the castle wall. On the brick hung a poster that said, “This wizard is banned from this castle for doing his evilness.”                  

“I want to find my mom now,” Joann said. “I really miss her.” She handed Emily a jar of powder. Emily dusted it on herself. It sunk into her body, fading her skin and bone and muscle. Achooo!

They whistled. A swan swooped down from the air. They jumped on its back, and it flew gracefully and landed right next to the castle walls. Brownies bounced in the parapets. Their crimson eyes stared at the girls.

  “Stop right there!” the brownies said, frying the doorway with their laser eyes. 

The girls punched and kicked the brownies. Emily’s hair darkened, her curls tangling in the cold air. “Ahh my hair,” Emily said, brushing her split ends. A fat brownie lay on the ground in front of her, she pinched off a piece and gobbled it down.

The girls tiptoed to the back of the castle and put on the jetpacks they ordered from the Scholastic Book catalogue. Rings of smoke blasted from the packs. They flew into a yellow room where golden furniture shined. A glass desk walked to a corner and shattered.

“Wow!” Emily said. “This place is awesome. Whose room is this?” She opened a file folder on the floor. A picture of a man in  blue-striped glasses topped a stack of papers. The caption said Room 13J.

“He was on the poster,” Joann said. “That’s why he looks familiar. Let’s go to room 13J.”

Crack! Crack! Trails of blood led the girls to room 13J. They skipped to the door, stepping on gooey blood and glass.

“Oh no!” said Emily. “My shoes are getting dirty.”

“Who cares?” said Joann. “We’ll clean them later.”

“But the blood will ruin my shoes and it won’t come off!” 

Red stained the metal door in front of them. Creak!

“What was that?” asked Emily

“I don’t know, maybe it’s another ghost!”

They pushed through the door. Blood was splattered on a messy bed. Pieces of paper flew across the floor. The girls connected  two of the scraps and read the words on them. “Great Dragon’s Cave in Danger.”

Joann said, “I know where it is!”

“We’ve got to get there before he does!” said Emily.

The girls flew by jetpack to the cave. When they arrived, the rubies on the floor were disappearing. 

They returned to the castle and found a note that said, “Meet you in my room!” They ran to Room 13J. Piles of rubies stood around the wizard. “Ha, ha, ha! You will never stop me!”

“Oh yeah?” Joann flew into the air, snatched the wand from him and banged it on her knee. Red smoke drifted into the rubies. The wizard crumbled into ashes.

The girls left the castle and walked through the dirt outside. A woman in an apron stood in front of a fence. Joann walked up to her and said, “Can you tell me where Miss Mash is?”

“I am Miss Mash, Haruko Mash,” the woman said. “Why are you in my boss’s yard?”

Gummy worms squished across the coco dirt. Haruko scooped up a handful and threw them over the fence then planted some candy cane bushes around a gurgling chocolate fountain. A galaxy of candy hung by skyscraping stems. 

Joann, amazed, said, “You’re my mom! Come with me!”

“No,” Haruko said. “I want to stay here where I can see candy grow!”

“Come with me!”

“I’ll think about it.”

About the Authors

      

Hi! My name is Liyi. I am ten years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom. I’m good at hoola-hooping and math. I want to be good at art someday. I want to be a nurse when I grow up. I’m not shy anymore but I still hold on to that shy identity. If I were weather I would be snow because it is my favorite color. My favorite books are Popularity Papers. If I could have a super power I would pick mind-reading because I then would know what my friends are thinking. I speak Chinese at home. This is my third published book. I also wrote The Beautiful Lady and When I Was Little.

Hello! My name is Jessie and I’m ten years old. I live with my parents and I like to daydream and sit and watch others. I’m good swimming and math. I want to be good at science and drawing humans. I want to be a pharmacist someday. I’m different from other people because I chatter a lot but I finish my work. My favorite book is Camille Mcphee Fell Under the Bus. If I could have any power I would go back in time so I could fix my past mistakes. I speak Chinese and English at home. I have also published A Dangerous Day in King Tao’s Palace and Hair Help. Of course, this is my third published book.

Watch Room 2 actors perform a Readers' Theater adaptation of this story here:

GHOST TOWN By Emiliano, age 9

Ghost Town

By Emiliano

Harry says to his mom, “Can I go to the park downtown with my friends Leon, George and Craig ?” 

Harry’s mom says, “Yes.” 

Harry and his friends ride to the park. They disappear into the fog and get lost. A ghost takes their bicycles. The boys follow him to his castle. The fog disappears. Harry and his friends go inside the castle. Harry punches the ghost in the face and says, “Give me my bicycle!’’

The old ghost runs away but Harry throws his bicycle on him and takes his cane. The ghost faints.

Harry yells to his friends, “Come in.”

Harry’s friends help him tie the ghost to a chair with very strong ropes.

The ghost’s friend tries to take off the ropes but they’re too strong. Harry shoots an arrow.

Whoosh goes the arrow. It hits the chandelier.  It falls on the ghost and his friend. 

About the Author

Hi, my name is Emiliano. I am nine years old. I live with my mom and sister in San Francisco. I like to draw, watch TV and play with my cousin Ricardo. I enjoyed writing this book. I am also the author of The Adventures of Mac and Monster’s Curse.

THE FOOT SMELLERS By Pradipti, age 9 & Jessica C., age 8

Fog floats through the air. Snowmen and women slither through the snow. Aunney Dumpbe Dobay opens the door. Fog drifts into the house. Auney looks a little mean but pretty. Whenever someone gets mad at her she always slaps herself in the face and leaves a red hand mark. In front of new boys Aunney acts graceful and smart. In class she helps the boys do math problems. Someone must like her. Someone who is mean like Aunney.       

“Are you making a blizzard in the house again?” asks Aunney’s twin sister, Tunney Dumbe Dobay. 

Aunney stomps and crosses her arms. “Hey, don’t you say that.”

Mommy!” says Tunney, stomping her feet.

“So I’m telling dad. Daddy!” cries Aunney.

“Mom. She brought in snow again!” Tunney yells, jumping around like a baby. Tunney raises her eyebrows.

Whenever any of the Dobay family walk or run they leave slimy green trails that are invisible to the living. Every night they get out of their tombs and leave gooey pathways right across the roof of Feastwill Elementary School!

Aunney squeezes Tunney’s neck until she leaves red fingerprints then she pushes Auney down onto the foursquare court and runs. Their parents shout from the bench. Their mom jumps up and slaps Tunney in the back. Their dad runs over and slaps Aunney in the back. 

“Stop it dad you’re making it worse! Ha!” screams Tunney.

“Shoot!” says their dad. “How am I making it worse?” 

The twins’ mom slaps both girls in the face! “Gugu shoot!”

“Oh sorry we slapped your body,” say Mr. and Mrs. Dobay.

Mrs.Dobays wobbles to the house and jumps onto the bed.

When Mr. Dobay gets home he kicks the bed and now it is rolling across the room.

“Help! Help!” cries the twins’ mom. 

“Why did you scold me?” asks the girls’ dad.

“No. No No. NO!” scolds Mrs. Dobay and then burps in his face!

He sticks his tongue out.

While Tunney is sleeping Aunney wakes up and gets a fake rattling snake! Its scales thumble next to Tunney’s nose. The snake makes the sound, SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

“Ah! Help me Aunney!” Tunney says.

“What happened, Devil? Ha?” shouts Aunney.

“A snake! A SNAKE!”

A sound rattles in the room.

“Don’t worry. The toy snake makes sounds sometimes.”

“No, it’s something else.”

Something shuffles in the snow Aunney tracked across the floor.

A bottle jumps into the girls’ bed.

“Ah!” shout the girls. “That’s so scary!”

Some words write themselves on the bottle. The words say: It’s us! Foot Smellers 1 and FS 2! Meet us at school!

“Well,” the girls say, “we don’t know you, Foot Smellers, so go away!”

Pom pom. The bottle shatters and the broken pieces of glass hop out of the room. Soon the girls are asleep. 

In the morning the Dobay family eats bowls of darkish colored, icy junk food and the girls go to school.  In the girls’ bathroom it smells like socks on feet and socks in shoes. The little black rat door underneath the sink cracks open and....KABOOM!! A bottle shatters and the Foot Smellers appear.

“Hello! Remember us? We’re the Foot Smellers!”

“Yeah!” the twins say. “But we will see you after school. We would met you at recess but we are going on a field trip to the beach because today is the last day of fourth grade.”

“Ok!”

After school the sisters meet the Foot Smellers.

The one with white eyes says, “I am Bookee.”

The one with rotten teeth says, “I am Smukee. La La you fart too much, Tunney.”

Bookee says, “And Aunney, you burp too much.”

The Foot Smellers slither out of the bathroom and through the snow on the playground. They find their little bottle in the snow and jump in.

Words write themselves on the glass. Hi how are you? If you dare to open this bottle you have to be brave as a dragon! Howdy my dear! You have nothing to fear! My dear, now go! The Foot Smellers have nothing to eat! 

The twins hop and rollerskate through the telephone wires to their secret hiding place. Their family is having a party there. Soon the whole family starts crying. They sing, ”Salut comment allez vous? Si vous osez ouvrir cette bouteille, vous devez être méchante comme une sorcière! Ma chère Howdy nouveau. Vous avez nohting à craindre! Mon cher, allez maintenant! Les Smellers pieds n’ont rien à mauger!”

“Ha HA HA HA HA HA!” The bottle is back! It wiggles and jiggles. Glitter sprinkles out and into the girls’ noses. Jangle, tangle, and Kaboom! The girls return to death.

About the Authors

Hello! My name is Jessica. I am eight and a half years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom and dad. I am good at drawing. I love to read spooky stories and I like to knit. My family comes from China. I was born in Toisan but I haven’t been back since I was a baby. I would like to go there because my dad came back from China and brought back a pack of dried plums that cost 100 dollars! I didn’t know there could be such expensive fruit. My favorite Room 2 author is Pradipti because she is my best friend. My favorite book is When We Were Very Young by A. A. Milne because it has lots of interesting poems. If I were weather I would be snow because I love white. The thing I was wondering is when did life on earth begin and how did the world start? When I grow up I want to be botanist and an astronomer and a sushi chef. I would like to be famous for art. I am different from other kids because I am small. The scariest thing in my life was when I thought there was a ghost behind me in the girls’ bathroom. If I could go back in time I would go to 2004 because I would like to see what I looked like when I was a baby because all of my baby pictures are in China. If I were a plant I would be a chrysanthemum because it is really soft and pretty. If I had a superpower I would like to control things with my mind so I could make objects float to me. I speak Taishanese and Cantonese at home. The happiest day of my life was when my cousins came back from Los Angeles. I am also the author of Things I left Behind. This is my second published book.

Bonjour, my yummy candies! I hope you enjoyed our story! This my last published book so please enjoy it! My name is Pradipti. I am nine years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom, brothers, sisters, and my dad! I am in the same class as Jessica Chen in 3rd grade, Room 10 with Ms.Karihara. Our CDC teachers in Room 2 are Robyn and Harold. I love to joke around. I am good at yelling. That is why I get in trouble a lot! I want to be good at ELA someday. I want to be a lawyer when I grow up. This is why I joke around. I get sad when people say, “You are a midget!” If I were weather I would be snow because I love snow. My favorite Room 2 author is JC because she is my best-best friend! My favorite book is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory because it has chocolates! I would like to be famous for my art someday! One thing I always ask my mom is, “Is it true we only have seven lives?” The happiest day of my life was when my new baby sister was born! I speak English, Tamang and Nepali at home. My family comes from Nepal and I was born there. If I could go back in time I would be a baby again so I wouldn’t have to worry too much. If I could go forward in time I would go to the end of the world. I would like to go all over the Earth. I love spooky books. If I were a plant I would be Rhododendron because it is pretty and it is Nepal’s national flower. If I were a machine I would be a weather machine because I want it to snow in San Francisco! If I had a power it would be the power of invisibility. I am also the author of Wishing Factory. This is my second published book and my last published book in Room 2!  

Watch Room 2 perform a Readers' Theater adaptation of this story here: