TOFU By Liyi & Anny, both age 11

I run home from Hodo Soy

as leaves fall in my hair.

I arrive at noon

and rush into the kitchen

with a plastic bag of 

tiny, 

jiggling 

squares.

Tofu dances on the pan,

chasing oil.

I scoop my meal onto a plate

but I trip

and it spatters to the ground.

My stomach growls.

DEVIL By Khenny, Ryan Ly & Thaksin, ages 9-10

It is noon at the Giants game. 

If I’m not watching it

then why am I here? 

Why did I buy this expensive ticket? 

And why am I dying of baldness? 

I don’t even have any underpants. 

Does the devil have fan-girls and green eyes? 

He says, “And don’t forget my sweet leg.” 

Why is he talking to me? 

I am going home.

TALL GIRL By Tran, Jessica C., Jessie, Wendy & Alex, ages 9-11

Tall Girl hops over kitten.

Kitten purrs.

Tall Girl twirls

around the playground.

Teacher screams,

“Watch out for the wall.”

Tall Girl gallops to the library.

The donkeys here kick 

books off shelves.

Tall Girl’s ear tears into 

four furry bits that hear:

1. Screaming

2. Stomping

3. Shuffling pages

4. Silence. Shh!

Tall Girl reads about how to

regrow sadness. She wants to be alone.

Inspired by Anne Waldman's poem "Fast Speaking Woman."

Watch Room 2 perform a Readers' Theater adaptation of the poem here:

NOON AT KFC By the kids in Room 2

It is noon at KFC. 

Oil sizzles,

Bones crack.

If I am not eating,

why am I here?

When I order

I will try joy

and button my sweater.

Right now I am leaving. 

THE FOOD By Thaksin, age 10

I am Thaksin. 

I am ten years old. 

I come from Thailand. 

I am learning English. 

I like San Francisco 

because I like bananas and hamburgers. 

I like soccer. 

I learned to play in Thailand.

I like rice. 

I like to play chess. 

I learned how to play it in America.

I love America 

because I like food.

I have a friend. His name is Khenny. 

I play soccer with him.

I live with my father and two brothers on Geary street.

I don’t have a sister.

I like basketball. I am learning how to play it in San Francisco.

When I was in Thailand I rode a motorcycle. 

The motorcycle was red 

and had flames on the sides.

I was scared but it was fun. 

It felt like I was flying, 

but I don’t want to do it again. 

About the Author

 Hi my name is Thaksin. I come from Thailand. I moved here last year in December. I am ten years old. I like to play soccer, basketball, kickball and football. I live in San Francisco with my dad and my brother. I like to eat apples, bananas and hamburgers. I like to drink cola. My best friend is Khenny. He likes to play soccer.

THE RESCUE By Andrew, age 11

“Mike,” Roy said. “Come down. We’re going to get him, ok? We should get ready. It’s almost time.” 

Roy and Mike drove deep into the forest until they reached two guards blocking the door to a palace. Above the door, lights twitched as slaves screamed. Torches burned in the turrets beside goblins who staredat the boys with eyes like lava. Skulls hung down the castle walls from sticks.

Mike took out his AK-47 and blew the guards’ heads off. Blood shot out of their necks. Mike and Roy snatched the guards’ clothes and put them on. They found a castle map and two walkie-talkies in one of the pockets. They marched to the palace door but a guard stopped them. “Password?”

Mike looked around and said, “I don’t know.”

The guard twirled the revolving door open and let them in. Mike and Roy shimmied out of the bloody guard uniforms. “Eww,” Mike said. “Those were gross.”

The boys bolted through the guards inside. They found the cage where Mike’s brother was locked up. They pulled on the door and it squealed. They grabbed Mike’s brother. He shivered with fear. “E-boy!” Mike said.

“Let’s get out of here,” E-boy said.

Mike and Roy tried to sneak passed a guard but got caught. E-boy snatched his brother’s sniper and shot the guard in the chest. His body fell to the ground. The boys bolted toward the exit. “Stop,” E-boy said. “They’ll be waiting for us.”

“But what if-” Roy said.

“Just listen,” E-boy said.

“Ok,” Roy said.

“Now,” E-boy said, “you and Roy jump into the vents and I will sneak my way out of here.” E-boy handed the map and a radio to Roy. “Call me when you’re out.”

Mike and Roy slithered to the exit and radioed E-boy. “We are out,” Roy said. “I repeat. We are out.”

E-boy spiraled into the palace lobby, wove through the guards, and hopped into the truck with Roy and Mike. 

About the Author

Hello, my name is Andrew and I live in San Francisco. I am 11 years old and I have one brother and three sisters. I like to skateboard with my brother and cousin. I am good at playing 3-D games. I want to be good at not moving. I do not have a lot of anger. If I could be anything in the world I would be Spiderman because he got bitten by a spider that gave him powers. The saddest moment of my life was when my mom and dad got divorced. I speak English and Spanish at home. I am also the author of Lion Hunt, My Dog Poncho, Final Destiny, Time to Die, The Ice Monster’s Anger, and John and the Snake.

BLACK POLKA DOTS By Tran, age 8

Teddy Bear

Soft with a strawberry smell and stiff arms that bend.

When I press its plastic belly button,

it says, “Chow” in a little girl’s voice.

When I hug it

I remember my grandma

because when I hug her

she makes a pig noise.

Chow means oink in Vietnamese.

Wedding

When my grandma found a boyfriend

my mom bought me a fancy dress to wear to the wedding.

It was white and covered with daisies.

I was three years old.

My job in the wedding was to walk behind my grandma

and throw flowers on the floor.

The flowers were plastic because

people in Vietnam don’t want to pick real daisies.

They worry that the daisies will disappear.

Before the wedding I practiced at home with my mom

so I knew what to do.

I didn’t cry or walk in the wrong direction.

I felt embarrassed when everyone

watched me.

Coffee

My mom put

a cup of mocha

on the table.

My brother pushed it and spilled it on

his head, shirt and hand.

The drink was warm,

not hot.

My brother got all wet and smelled

like coffee.

My mom saw him laughing and wet and

she said, “Go take a bath!”

He asked my dad to give him a bath.

And he did.

When I walked into the bathroom,

I said, “Why did you take bath?”

“Long story.”

“Tell me.”

“I thought the cup

was a cow because it has black polka

dots.”

He was interested in cows.

He said, “Sorry,” to Mom.

He does not remember.

But I do.

About the Author

Hi! My name is Tran. I am eight years old and I was born on August 10, 2004 in Saigon. Now I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad, brothers, and sisters. I’m good at knitting. When I grow up I want to be a doctor because I like helping people. Black Polka Dots is my first published book. If I were a bird I would be a robin because I like red.