The Man Who Wants a Head by Stanley, age 10

Yang wants a head. He really wants a regular head so the killing time begins. He wants to kill someone and get their head and put it on his neck so he can show off. Now his new plan is to kill someone famous so he will look cool and so people will be so jealous of him.

He is the vice president of the Department of Fines. He talks through a box. He types what he wants to say into a computer and then a voice comes out of a box connected to it. There are glass eyes stuck to the box. When people pay their fines, he rolls the glass eyes at them.

This is how he kills. He grabs Jackie Chan and ties him on a chair then cuts his head off with a blade then he dies. This is how he attaches the head to his own body. He sews it on with a needle and thread. When Yang gets the new head he acts like the famous guy he just killed.

When people see him sing his happy song they say, “Good song,” because they do not want to be fined. Yang’s job is all about giving people fines so people are afraid of making him mad. But when Yang hears a guy named Mr. Earwax say, “Good song,” he wants him to get fined because Yang thinks it was a bad song, even though he was singing it. That’s what he did, fined the guy and then kicked him with a kung fu move.

About the Author

Hi my name is Stanley. I am ten years old. I like to go to the movies and play chess with my friend. I am good a math and science. Someday I want to be good at history. When I grow up I want to be a pilot. It really confuses me when math and science are together. If I were a disaster, I would be an earthquake because I want to see a lot things get destroyed for real. If I was granted one wish I would go to the past and see the 1906 earthquake.

STUNG by Wendy, age 7

Lili was born with flowers instead of hands, and the only thing she wanted was to live in the sky. Her hands were petals that opened and closed so she could hold things. Thorns grew all over her wrists. When she dreamed, she dreamed about living in the sky.

One day her dream came true. She went to the sky in her dad’s spaceship. He was an astronaut and he kept a small spaceship in their garage. When she got to the sky she met a star. The star’s name was Fluffy and her last name was Star and she liked Lili’s flower-hands because they smelled like roses and reminded her of an old friend who gave roses once.

Fluffy lived in a sky city. It had big buildings and houses, shops and restaurants. Lili was excited because there were so many things to see. Lili thought that it was fun in the sky. Lili and Fluffy played ball and jump-rope. Fluffy said, “You could sleep in my house.”

Fluffy took Lili to her room in the sky and showed Lili her stuff. “This room is for you Lili,” Fluffy said.
Lili liked her room. Fluffy showed her the living room, kitchen and back yard.

Lili said, “Nice.” She saw a TV, lamp, flowers in a pot, toys and pet bees that lived in a plastic cage. Fluffy took the bees out of the cage and played with them. Lili was scared to touch the bees because they were attracted to the pollen on her flower-hands and she worried they might sting her.

“I want to go home,” Lili said.

Lili built a flying car to travel home. She used her thorns as tools to screw together all the parts. Lili said bye to Fluffy and Fluffy said bye to Lili. Then Lili went back home and went to sleep in her own bed.

About the Author

My name is Wendy. I’m seven years old. I live on Polk Street in San Francisco with my mom, dad, brother and grandma. I like to read. I am good at reading and writing. I want to be good at drawing. When I grow up I want to be an artist. I am different from other kids because I talk quietly but my grandma says I talk loud. If I were a star I would be the sun because it heats the earth. I wish my brother would get along better with me. This is my first published story.

Rain by Michelle, age 11

In Search of the Gaper-Blabber by Nathan, age 10

Chapter 1
Betrayed friend

Ben wore gentlemen’s clothes, a black suit that came with a tie. His wish was to be rich. Ben was looking for a secret, an ancient powerful thing called a Gaper-Blabber. He needed it to power his clone machine.

Ben jumped around the hotel lobby and threw daggers and marbles all over the place. The things stuck to his assistant’s sweaty body. His assistant was named Fluffy and he tripped over the marbles still on the floor. Fluffy got up and slipped down to the floor again. He jumped up and landed on the ground, and walked out the exit with Ben. They walked across the street to the Grand Mountain and they climbed to the top. They felt the ground shaking. Fluffy tried to balance, but he fell and rolled down the mountain. Every time Fluffy bounced on the ground he burped and spit out food and grew bigger, two feet taller with each burp. When Fluffy climbed back up the mountain, he fell back down.

Chapter 2
Mountain Trouble

As Fluffy rolled down the mountain he crushed Ben by accident. Ben was now flattened like a piece of paper. The wind blew and Fluffy returned to his normal size and Ben turned back to normal too. “Shut up Fluffy,” Ben said. They looked around the foot of the mountain for the Gaper-Blabber.

Chapter 3
The Gaper-Blabber

Ben and Fluffy were still at the bottom of the mountain, and it was foggy down there. Dark clouds came and made everywhere unseeable.

Zombies came out of nowhere. Their wrinkled skin fell off in blobs, their red eyes stung Ben’s skin like lasers and they walked towards Ben with their hands straight out in front of them. Ben and Fluffy tried to shoot them all, but it was very hard to kill them because there were too many of them. Fluffy found a machine gun on the ground next to a skeleton of a dead soldier. Fluffy picked up the gun and gave it to Ben. Fluffy threw his pistol at one of the zombie’s heads and a slice of its scalp fell off. He used the machine gun and fired the bullets rapidly at the zombies.

Ben and Fluffy looked for the Gaper-Blabber in the castle behind the Gate of Fate. The Gate of Fate was black and two bushes grew on each side of it. Behind the gate there were mysterious creatures.

The Gaper-Blabber was a type of blue gem. Its value was 98,467,998 dollars. The Gaper-Blabber was the rarest thing in the world. It could turn you into a maniac, give you good liver function and lots of Mana, but the most important thing was that the Gaper-Blabber would fuel Ben’s clone machine. They had to find it, then activate it with bone ingredients.


Chapter 4
The Castle

Ben and Fluffy entered the castle behind the gate. Ghosts appeared in front of them in the hallway. The phantoms carried lamps in there hands. Their blue eyes glowed like fire.

Ben and Fluffy found the Gaper-Blabber. It sat on a small red cushion in the center of the Room of Traps. Daggers hung from the ceiling. Two warrior statues were standing beside the Gaper-blabber. The room was dark. Small, slimy creatures in bowls sat on tables.

They saw a skeleton appear in front of them. It took out two swords and charged at them. Fluffy saw a rope and a stick on the ground and gave them to Ben. The skeleton smelled bad because it was dumped in the junkyard. It came to the castle because it wanted to live there, and train like a warrior. There was a training camp at the back of the castle. When the skeleton charged at Ben and Fluffy, they dodged it. Ben and fluffy distracted the skeleton and threw sticks at his head. The skeleton went dizzy. Ben and Fluffy stole the swords from the skeleton’s hand and they sliced it up. Ben and Fluffy got their first bone ingredients.

They put the bones in a black pot. Then they poured the slimy creatures into the pot and stirred in red, yellow and blue dye. They poured the mixture into the Gaper-blabber. Now their mission was complete. They had the fuel for Ben’s clone machine.

About the Author

Hi my name is Nathan I am ten years old. This is now my fifth published book. My other stories are Random and Sparrow, Future Wars, Future Wars II and About my Dad. I like video games and a lot of war. That is cool. I also like machine creations, creatures and cannons. I think when I grow up I want to create video games with my friend Jose. When I grow up I want to be a soldier because I want to stand and fight to save the country.

Old Times by Destin, age 8 & David, age 9

Hair by Tommy, age 10

Another Thing by Manuel, age 8

Tree by Jason, age 10

Wild by Chelzea, age 10

The King who Lost his Crown by San, age 9

Rain came down from the sky and then thunder and then lightning. It was so bad that when the lightning stopped, for a few seconds a giant, dusty tornado swirled through the sky. The tornado was so windy that it blew away the King Frog’s crown! The river flooded the town. All of the tadpoles in the river were shocked. The tadpoles said, “Oh, we think we’re going to die!” The tadpoles wanted to be safe so they hid under a safety rock. The tornado blew away the lily pads and made the waves of the river grow huge! The tornado stopped. Frog's house under the bridge was ruined when the bridge crashed down into the river, tearing and blowing away the lily pads and lotuses. Only a little bit of water was left in the river.

King Frog wanted to get his house fixed so he called Froggy the Builder. Froggy the Builder came to Frog's house and fixed it.

Froggy the Builder looked at King Frog and said, "Why are you still mad?"

Frog said, "Because I was suppose to be the king of this river but I lost my crown."

Froggy the Builder said, "Too bad, too sad, are you unglad?"

"Well of course," said King Frog.

Froggy the Builder left the river. King Frog had an IDEA! King Frog reported the crown he had lost to a TV news program. He called a TV news reporter named Maggy. Maggy showed up to do the interview at Froggy's house with a cameraman.
Maggy said, “In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 and action!! The cameraman pressed the button play.

“What is your name sir?”

“I’m a king of the river and my name is King Frog. I lost my crown in a windy tornado.”

Maggy said, "How are you feeling?"

“Sad.”

Soon other river creatures heard the news of King Frog's lost crown so they made a lot of copies of pictures of the crown. They stapled them where there was no water.

One day a bad guy saw one of the pictures of the crown. The bad guy wanted the crown because it sparkled and shined. He wore a black mask, black jacket, black shirt, black pants, black thick gloves and black shoes. A thick bumpy mask covered his face.

The flyer said, "KING'S CROWN MISSING." The bad guy looked at the word “KING.” He thought that if he wore the king’s crown he would turn into a rich king! The bad guy went everywhere to find the crown. A few seconds later, he heard something tinkling and he saw something shining on the ground. The bad guy went closer and closer and then he really did find the crown! But before he could reach it, a cop came and said, "Hey! You go in the cop car right now."

The bad guy said, "B-b-b- but I found the crown."

The cop said, "No buts allowed."

The bad guy hopped into the cop car sadly. The cop’s partner took the crown.

King Frog could not sleep that night. He turned sad, mad, madder then FURIOUS. He shouted out, "WHERE IS MY CROWNNNN?"

The tadpoles swam up the river to talk to the King.


The tadpoles said," WHY DID YOU SCREAM SO LOOUDDDD?"
The king said, "You don’t dare talk to me like that!!!"

All the river creatures kept on arguing and arguing. When the cop heard the noise, he handed the crown to the king and said, "Is this your crown?"

The king said, "YES! YES! That is my crown!!!" Frog took his crown and swam down stairs that led him to a ballroom then he danced.

About the Author

Hi! My name is San and I live with my mom and dad in San Francisco. I like to swim at Presidio YMCA. I am good at drawing. My friends are good at field hockey so I want to be better too. I want to be an artist when I grow up. I can’t swim and play kickball really good like other kids. If I were a planet, I would be Mars because I like its color. My wish is to swim all day!! The King Who Lost His Crown is my first published book.

When I Came to America by Betty, age 8

When I moved to America, I was surprised that I was allowed to stay here. I thought somebody would say, “It is time to go.” I was surprised that I made a new friend so fast. Also, I was surprised that I got 100% on my first math test.

Before I got to San Francisco, I thought about the TransAmerica Pyramid. My aunt told me it is one of the tallest buildings, and on top there is a triangle.

I came here with my mom and dad. When I first arrived in America, I felt happy because when I was in China, I always wished to come to San Francisco so I could learn English and more math and stop taking naps at school.

I didn’t know that my family was moving to America until we were on the airplane. Then I asked my mom, “Why are we on this airplane?” I think my mom thought I was too young to understand or I might have gotten angry at her for moving us to America. When she told me, I was angry and a little miserable because I couldn’t see my grandma and grandpa anymore. I asked my mom, “Why didn’t you tell me at home?” She told me she forgot because she was too busy packing clothes.

About the Author

Hi! My name is Betty. I am eight years old. I live in San Francisco with my parents, my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle and cousins. I’m good at math. I want to be good at writing and reading someday. I don’t want to grow up because I don’t want to die. I am special because one of my knees is smaller than the other. I just moved to San Francisco from China when I was six. It confuses me when I lose my Chinese. If I were a food, I would be a watermelon because watermelons are summer fruits. My hope is that my parents and I will have a long, healthy life.

Tension Time by Kenny, age 11

Pigger lost his brain. Pigger wanted his brain back. He couldn’t think or learn, and he was not smart. It all started when Pigger did an experiment that made brains go away. His plan was to use his invention on other people because he was a misanthrope. He put spiders, broken glass, and a pair of scissors into a cup and heated them up so they turned to liquid. He was about to put the liquid mixture in his water gun, but he tripped on his bumpy floor and the mixture fell on his head and melted his skull off. His brain ran away.

‘’NOOO!’’ cried Pigger. ‘’Come back.’’

His brain looked liked a chewed up piece of pink gum with legs and arms. It threw a cactus at Pigger’s head. The brain flew with a jetpack to Pigger’s house. It broke the TV’s glass and metal parts. It took out the electricity. The brain was so smart that it made a thousand robots out of the broken metal and electricity. The robots punched Pigger in his face. The brain and the robot made their escape. Pigger saw them flying to the desert. (He saw them with his Super Sonic Eye.) Pigger followed them in his jet. The brain pressed a button on one of the robots. Then lasers came out of its chest. The lasers hit Pigger’s jet. It fell down.

“Ow,” said Pigger.

Then one of the robots stomped on Pigger. SMASH!!!

Pigger heard sirens. A police car rolled up next to him. One of the cops said, “Come with us.”

“I didn’t make those robots,” Pigger said. “My brain did!”

“That will get you twenty years of jail time,” the other cop said. He put handcuffs around Pigger’s wrists.

“NOOOOOOO!” cried Pigger.

Now the brain was free forever.

“Hooray!” said the brain.

About the Author

Hi, my name is Kenny. I am ten years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom, my dad and my little brother Kevin. I like to play kickball and Capture the Flag. I want to get better at history and reading. I want to be a doctor when I grow up. If I were a machine, I would be a watering robot so I can water all the plants. I hope I’ll go to college. I wish for freedom in the world too and hope there will be no wars. I am also the author of Bumpy’s Day, Bumpy and the Ice Bird, My Mom and The Robot’s Revenge. Tension Time is my fifth published book.

Meteor Shower by Holly, age 10

Signals of Life by Alex, age 8

Blue Brother by Linda, age 10

To Be or Not to Be by Destin, age 8

My parents want me to be a doctor so I will make a lot of money so I can buy a house instead of renting an apartment. I don't want to be a doctor because I'm scared blood might spread around my eyes.

My parents would be upset if I became a police officer because I might get shot. I don't want to be a police officer because I might die in one second.

My parents don't want me to be a cook because cooks don't make a lot of money. I don't want to become a cook either. If I become a cook at the restaurant where my dad works I will have to work harder than my mom.

I don't want to be an adult because when I turn into an old man my hair will turn grey.

I want to be a scientist when I grow up because then I will be able to invent anything and I want to learn about Mother Nature. I want to invent machines like a robot sea creature. I will just make a piece of goo and put any battery inside of it. Its goal will be to look for gold under the sea and look for parts of the Titanic.

I also want to be a marine biologist so I can learn about sea creatures. I want to learn how to take care of tropical fish because when you feed human food to fish they might die the next day.

About the Author

My name is Destin. I am eight years old. I live with my mom, dad and sister in San Francisco. I have been to Los Angeles. This is my first published book. I am in third grade. I wonder if turtles like dogs and cats. My biggest fear is Black Widows because they are poisonous. I am good at Kick Ball and Two Square sometimes. I like to play my PS3 and my DSi. My favorite games are Street Fighter four and Soul Calibur four. Someday I want to be good at soccer. If I were a tool I would be a screwdriver because when someone breaks something they will just use me and they will fix whatever they broke. If I were granted a wish I would wish to be a good student and participant in class.

I Have a New Friend by Linda M., age 8

Apple Explosion by Michelle & Nhung, both age 10

Chapter 1
We have to win

“Oh my god, we got the perfect slime color for the project,” Joanie said standing in the middle of the lab she shared with her sister. “We’re going to be a shoo-in! We might win!”

“Of course we’re going to win,” Cassie said as if she were a master at everything. “We’re rich, beautiful, and smart. Hah to all the scientists out there because I’m the best!” The expression on Cassie’s face was full of rage and power.

“Excuse me,” Joanie said, looking at Cassie with her big eyes.

“Did I say me, I mean we.”

“Yeah you better,” Joanie said, nodding her head. “Oh yeah and Cassie.”

“Yeah,” Cassie said looking at Joanie curiously.

“You’re really weird.” Joanie giggled.

“I know,” Cassie said with confidence.

Cassie and Joanie went to school to sign up for the science contest. They planned to build a giant bomb shaped like an apple. After school, Joanie and Cassie went back to their lab. It was full of blueprints and different creations like the Peace Maker Professor Sally gave them. Cassie stopped, tucked and rolled to a table covered with mechanical experiments and grabbed a bag full of mini time bombs. Joanie set them to go off at five thirty on the day of the science contest. Joanie gently put them into a five-foot tall metal apple.

After five days the two sisters got ready for the Science Contest. Joanie put on a white coat with three red stripes on one sleeve and three blue stripes on the other. There was one black stripe down the middle. Cassie put on a similar white coat. They got into their limo where their chauffer was waiting for them. They strapped the apple to the roof of the car. When they got to the science fair, they pushed the apple through the front door. As Cassie pushed, fireworks were flying everywhere in celebration of the science fair. Cassie pushed the apple to the podium. “What a funny looking project,” one of the judges said. “What is it?”

“Well,” Cassie said staring at the judge’s wrinkly forehead and his eyebrows as big as full-grown caterpillar. “It’s an apple that can give you a filling of grape jelly.”

“What?”

“For example, you have a donut and you want a filling but you can’t fit this entire apple in your house.”

“Yes, yes” the judge said stroking his freakishly long beard.

“So, all you need to do is by it in stores mini version.”

“That is an excellent idea. if you girls win we will absolutely consider your project as a nice filler.”

“Thank you very much sir.” Cassie about to walk away when she stopped herself and said to the judge, “Oh, and nice beard.”

“Why, thank you oh so much.”

“Oh no problem. I really mean it.”

The judges roamed around and observed the experiments for at least fifteen minutes. Finally the judges tallied up the scores and gave them to the announcer. “We have seen a lot of exellent work today,” the announcer said. “We proudly present, Joanie and Cassie, the new winners of our Fiftieth Annual Science Fair!”

Confetti flew everywhere! The girls received a golden trophy shaped like the earth. There was a ring around it that said, “We Love Science!” People cheered and some of the competitors cried because they lost.

After receiving the trophy, Joanie pushed the announcer and shouted, “Thank you! Thank you all!!” Just before Joanie was about to continue her speech the announcer shoved her.

Chapter 2
Oh No You Didn’t

Everyone gasped as Joanie fell down.

“Why did you do that?” someone from the audience shouted.

“She pushed me first!”

“So it doesn’t mean you have to push her!”

“You’re not the boss of me! I’m the announcer! I could tell the principal on you. He’s upstairs right now listening to Jingle Bell Rock and watching us through the window.”

“Ooh, I like that song,” the person in the audience said. “Would you mind if I go up and... Wait a minute we were just arguing about not to push that little girl up on stage.”

“Hey!” Joanie said with attitude. “I’m not a little girl, I’m a teen girl.”

The argument didn’t last long.

The fair was just about to close when Joanie remembered to inject something into the Apple. She told everyone that they had a surprise then Cassie ran to their toolbox and took out a syringe filled with purple goo. She injected the syringe into the apple. As Cassie walked calmly back to the toolbox, the apple exploded! Purple slime covered everyone and the walls.

“What in the world is going on?” the Principal shouted as a plop of slime dropped atop his gel filled hair. Principal Walker shouted so loud, Cassie dropped the syringe. It broke, leaving a big plop of slime on the floor. The Slime covered Cassie’s new shoes, leaving them sticky and purple.

“Aw man,” Cassie whispered to herself. “These shoes were new but now they’re dirty and old.”

“Stop talking to yourself,” Joanie said, looking back at Cassie. “Nobody cares what you wear as long as you wear something.”
“Oh, Ok,” Cassie said, looking down at her shoes and pretending to model them for a camera.

Joanie looked back at Principal Walker. “It was our science experiment,” she said, walking toward principal Walker. “We didn’t mean to do that.” Joanie glared at Cassie.

“I did nothing of any kind,” Cassie whispered, staring back at Joanie.

“Well, I don’t allow it,” Principle Walker shouted.

“You two will have to clean this mess spotless! I don’t care if you girls have to stay over night, just make sure that this room is clean and neat.”

“Well fine,” Joanie said, looking at the broken pieces. “Besides, I got and idea.”

“OK,” the principal said as if he didn’t care. “Carry on. Come on everybody, let’s leave them alone while we go to the movies.”

“Yeah!” the crowd shouted.

Chapter 3
Another Explosion

Cassie went to the bathroom while Joanie pulled some of the competitors’ inventions off the tables, demolished parts and glued them to a plastic tube she found on the ground. Then she managed to push a vacum cleaner into a bottle she found. She tied a wire to the end of the bottle and attached a red button to the other end. She let the machine dry because it was wet with super glue. A couple of moments later she had finished building a machine. She pressed a button and just like that, the entire mess disappeared. The machine bulged, full of purple slime. After a few seconds of silence, the machine exploded.

“Oh my goodness,” Cassie said returning from the bathroom. “I thought you would clean some of the slime up while I was gone!”

“Well,” Joanie said softly. “I made a machine while you were in the bathroom.”

“No wonder there is a metal rod sticking on the ceiling. And look, there‘s a long tube right next to me.”

Joanie sighed and walked slowly to the janitor’s closet.

Chapter 4
Slime Be Gone

Joanie came smiling back with a mop in one hand and a bucket filled with dirty water in the other. Cassie thought she was going to do something crazy. Joanie set down the bucket and the mop in front of a tree-shaped blob, scooped some of it up, and threw it in the bucket. Joanie used the mop to stir the blob. Cassie looked into the bucket and saw that every time Joanie stirred the slime, the bit of blob sitting on the bottom shrunk. Cassie looked amazed, and sat on a chair to watch the show.

Chapter 5
Help

Cassie dug a Big Chunk candy bar out of her bag while Joanie stayed up working on the mess. Cassie walked to the judge’s chair and fell fast asleep. Joanie got so tired she almost fell on Cassie and almost smashed her candy, but instead she took the Big Chunk out of Cassie’s mouth and said into the judge’s microphone, “Wake up and help me clean up the other half!”

Cassie jumped onto her feet and said “Cassie on duty, ma’am!”

“Well it’s about time. “Joanie took the Big Chunk from the chair and pulled it in half. She sat down to watch Cassie work. “This is so cool.”

Chapter 6
Just in Time

By the time Principal Walker drove into the school parking lot early the next morning, the girls had finished. They put the supplies back in the closet as Principal Walker opened the door.

“Amazing,” Principal Walker said doubtfully. “I never thought you’d be able to finish cleaning this mess.”

“Well,” Cassie said, “two heads are better than one.”

“I did most of the work,” Joanie said.

“OK,” Principal Walker said. He walked over to the Big Chunk wrapper lying on the floor. “You guys forgot-“ A rumble from the closet interrupted Principal Walker. He walked slowly toward it and opened the door.

Chapter 7
This Chapter Is Shocking!

A huge blob of purple slime with green, glowing evil eyes glared down at Principal Walker. The blob was nine feet tall. Yellow dots covered its entire body.

“What is this?” asked Principal Walker.

“Who in the world knows?” Cassie shouted.

“No One!” Joanie said, walking backwards from the growling blob. The monster pushed Principal Walker to the floor and walked out the front door. They ran after it. “It’s gone!” Joanie said, trying to find it. “We’ll have to try to find it in the next book.”

“I’ll come with you,” Principal Walker said, looking down at his slime-covered tuxedo. “This creature will be avenged!”

Chapter 8
Listen Up! We Found out Something and We Need Your Help

Dear, Reader,

This letter is the last chapter and we have important information.

We made the apple and somebody put a tracking device in it for some reason. We figured that out while we were playing a game online. We looked at the bottom of the screen and a tracking detector was blinking. By mistake we threw the slime piece with the tracker into the bucket Joanie said.

We went online to our tracking device center and saw that the slime blob has left town, so we need your help to find it.
His name is Blobber. Blobber is nine feet tall. It has yellow spots all over its back and stomach. If you see it, please do not look into its red eyes or you’ll slowly catch on fire without knowing. Then you’ll ‘accidentally’ walk off the earth’s surface.
If you see him please contact us. Our number is 1123-33345-5566-66645-254-6534. Thanks for listening and thanks for cooperating. Bye and see you in the next book.

Sincerely,
Joanie and Cassie

About the Authors

Hi, My name is Michelle. I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad, my sister, two aunts, my uncle, and my grandma. My favorite outdoor activities are basketball, baseball, and kickball. I’m good at spelling, math, spying, and science. I want to be good at gymnastics, swimming, and racing someday. When I grow up, I want to be a chef, or a musician. If I were a planet, I would be Neptune because Neptune is the god of the body of waters, and controlling water is very unique and very artistic. My biggest fear is my family falling apart. I wonder if all the planets but Earth will ever be sucked into a black hole and spit out covered with life.

Hello, my name is Nhung. I live in San Francisco with my mom and dad. I am good at science, music, and math. I want to be good at reading and grammar someday. When I grow up I want to be a doctor, a dentist, or a lawyer. My biggest fear is dying on a rollercoaster. I wonder if Earth will ever shrink or fall into space without gravity.

Dogs Are Spirits by Alina, age 10

Dark Dream Storm by Holly, age 10

He Wants to Bite by Dustin, age 8

You Pretend to Focus by Angela, age 10

Magic Dream Storm by Andy, age 9

A Spirit by Lisa, age 9

Magnetic Poetry by David, age 9

Magnetic Poetry by Lisa, age 9

Something Pink by Jason, age 10

Summer Dreams by Stanley & Jose, both age 10

Magnetic Poetry by Sara, age 9

My Name by Betty, age 9

My Chinese name is Shi Fen. My grandpa named me. It means great and beautiful. I think my name is easy to remember and write. My American name is Betty. It means promise. My mom named me when we came to America. She asked me, “Do you like it?” I thought about it and I told my mom I liked the name Betty. I like my name because of the way it sounds.

Names by Holly, age 10

My American name

My American name is Holly. It’s a kind of tree popular at Christmas. I like my American name bcause I get to be popular at Christmas. My uncle actually chose my name. He chose Holly because it has an H. He told my mom my name stands for Holiday and Holy spirt.

My Vietnamese name

My Vietnamese name is Mylinh. It means bright sun. My mom chose my name because she liked the meaning of it. I like my vietnamese name because it’s popular like my American name. I like having a name that a lot of other people have even though I usually like being different.

Names by Angela, age 10

My American Name

My American name is Angela. It means Angel or messenger. My dad wanted an “A” name because my Vietnamese name also starts with an A. I like my name because if I’m an Angel, no one can hurt me. But I also don’t like my name because being a messenger includes traveling and I don’t like traveling because I have to pack up my stuff.

My Vietnamese Name

My Vietnamese name is Tran Nhat Anh. It means sunlight or sunshine. My dad gave me this name because he thought this name would fit me best because my dad’s name means red sun and he wanted my name to have something to do with the sun too. I like my name because I go in the sun a lot even though when I look at the sun, I get bad eyesight.

The Name by Destin, age 8

My American name is Destin. My dad wanted to name me with a letter D. If I had been a girl then my parents would have named me Destiny, but I am a boy, so my parents made the name into a boy-sounding name. My name is funny because people keep on messing up my name all the time. They always call me Dustin and Justin. My Chinese name is Bong Chung. It means a smart reader. My grandpa chose it for me because he wants me to be smart. I like it because I really want to be smart.

The Missile and the Citizens by Jason & Tommy, both age 10

This "cycle story" is part of a series of Room 2 stories inspired by the Argentinian folktale "The Sun and the Snow."


Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
I am not evil.
The launcher is evil who controls me.

Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
I am not evil.
The war is evil who puts me to work.

War who puts the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
I am not evil.
The countries are evil who fight.

Countries who fight,
War who puts the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
We are not evil,
The politicians are evil who argue.

Politicians who argue,
Countries who fight,
War who put the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
We are not evil.
The citizens are evil who vote for us.

Citizens who vote for the politicians,
Politicians who argue,
Countries who fight,
War who puts the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our house,
Why are you evil?
We are not evil,
The missile is evil who blew up our houses.

About the Authors

Hi! My name is Tommy. I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad, and my brother. I am ten years old. I like to play my XBox360 and I also like to play Runescape. I am good at opening stuff and Mario Kart. When I grow up I wanted to be a scientist because they can do experiments. I like this game called Ninety-Knights. I like to play Ninety-Knights because in the game I am a boy character with a stick that can blast people away like a gun and I also like to play the game call Metal Slug 7. I am also the author of The X Army and many poems.

Hi! My name is Jason. I like to play on my Wii and DSI. I am good at many war games such as Halo, Metal Slug and Call of Duty. When I grow up, I want to be a pharmacist. If I were a machine I would be computer because they are very useful. I am also the author of Curses, Goshi and the Dragon, and Dimension Problem and many poems.

If Eyes Were Lightning by Lisa, age 9

If eyes were lightning,
then fingers would be snow
If marbles were paper,
then oranges would be cardboard
If bombs were tornados,
then glitter would be rain
If Kentucky were fried chicken,
then Maryland would be Candyland
If Alaska were tulips,
then China would be bamboo
If anger were roses,
then calmness would be daisies
And I would pick them
and their petals
would move
like waves

My Name by Lisa, age 9

I was born on February 7, 2000. My mom named me Lisa and it means “god’s promise,” and I imagine the promise was about being good. After I was born, my mom asked the doctor what she should name me and the doctor asked my mom if she liked the name Lisa and she said yes. I like the name Lisa because it represents God and I trust in God. Before I knew the meaning of my name, I liked it because it’s short to say and it’s on all the important papers about me like my birth certificate. It’s my official name. My Chinese name is Hong May Yee. My mom chose this name and it means “beautiful son” even though I’m a daughter. This is a name in China that people name their daughters if they want to have a son next, but that wasn’t the reason my mom chose this name. My mom chose it because she thought it was a simple, cute name and has the word beautiful in it in Chinese. The name Hong May Yee is special to me because it’s similar to my sister’s name.

If, Then by Sarah, age 9

If clothes were stripes,
then shoes would be scales
If pants were ants,
then jackets would be babies
If oranges were sticks,
then apples would be rocks
If guns were cars,
then knives would be maps
And I would
unfold them carefully
and look at them
with sharp eyes

My Names by Andy, age 9

My American name is Andy. My name means warrior. My mom named me that because it is short and easy to remember. My Chinese name is Liu De Hua. It means “moral china, Chinese.” My mom chose my Chinese name because it is the name of a famous singer in Hong Kong. I think my Chinese name does not fit me because I am the opposite of moral. I mess things up and get in trouble a lot. I like my American name because it means warrior and warriors go to war and I like war because it has violence and enemies.

How to Fry Eggs by Tommy & Jason, both age 10

Step 1: Wash the pan (optional)

Step 2: Put the pan on the stove

Step 3: Open the flame

Step 4: Put olive oil in the pan

Step 5: Spread the oil around by moving the pan

Step 6: Crack as many eggs you want into the pan

Step 7: Shake the pan back and forth a couple of times

Step 8: Add anything little (such as salt, pepper or small peas) and shake again
(optional)

Step 9: Using a spatula, flip the egg or eggs (After 3 minutes for each side)

Step 8: Close the fire and place the egg or eggs in a dish

Step 9: Enjoy your eggs!

Name by Mimi, age 10

My American Name

My American name is Mimi. It means “star of the sea.” My dad gave me this name beause when I was living in Singapore, my aunt called me “mei mei,” which means younger sister in Chinese. I am younger than my cousins, that’s why my aunt called me “little sister.” But my dad couldn’t say mei mei, he kept on saying Mimi. So my name became Mimi. My name doesn’t fit me because I’m not the younger sister anymore.

My Vietnamese Name

My Vietnamese name is Vu Minh Hanh. It means happiness and kindness. My mom chose that name for me because she liked the meaning and she wants me to be happy and kind. I kind of like my name because I want to be happy and kind.

Sorry for Nothing by Edmund, age 10

I’m sorry for nothing
Now I have a Wii
So you better be sorry for calling me poor
I’m not sorry for getting you in trouble
I’m not sorry for playing tricks on you
I’m not sorry for lying or for hitting you
because you did that to me

From Edmund

Name by Stanley, age 9

My American name is Stanley. It means “stony meadow.” My dad named me. He chose this name because he liked it. He didn’t tell me why. My Chinese name is Wu Jian Hua. It means a lot of things. It means “healthy, grow up strong, prosperous and rich.” My grandma chose this name because she likes the meaning of it. All these meanings make me think about what I’m going to do when I grow up because I want prosperity and money and strength when I grow up. The “stony meadow” meaning fits too because rocks are hard and strong, and meadows make me think of growing up.

Short Life by Kimberly, age 10

This "cycle story" is part of a series of Room 2 stories inspired by the Argentinian folktale "The Sun and the Snow."


Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The blood is mean that vanishes.

Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The veins are mean that are weakening.

Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The heart is mean that stops pumping.

Heart that stops pumping,
Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The diseases are mean that destroy me.

Diseases that destroy the heart,
Heart that stops pumping,
Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are mean?
I am not mean.
The people are mean who eat too much junk food.

People who eat too much junk food,
Diseases that destroy the heart,
Heart that stops pumping,
Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
We are not mean.
Life is mean that is so short.

About the Author

My name is Kimberly. I live in San Francisco, California. I am ten years old. I like to watch television. My goal this year is to publish one more book so I can finally beat Sandy’s record for publishing books in Room 2. This is my eighth published book. I am also the author of Muni Disaster and Other Stories, Spy Twins, Spy Maser’s Death, Quan who Buys us Dim Sum, Hypnotized, Stink and Ink vs. Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Jasion, and the blog post about our class mural I wrote with Holly. Sometimes I wonder why people are different from each other.