ELECTION DAY By Wendy, age 9

“Oh no!” said Blossom. “The pancakes are burnt!” Flour was everywhere, eggshells cracked, and milk spilled all over the floor. Then she accidentally ran into the stove. Her hand swung into the flame. “Ouch!”

Her mom came into the kitchen. “I’m going to vote,” she said. “This mess better be cleaned up by the time I get back!” Blossom’s mom ran outside to catch the 19-Polk.

Blossom sighed as she walked past the mess in the kitchen. She went into the living room and turned on the TV. A news reporter said, “There is a monster attacking City Hall. It is red and eats people. The monster is now eating—Ahhhh!” Munch, munch. Blossom switched to another channel. She saw the monster stomping around the steps. The monster was as tall as city hall. Scales and spikes covered its skin. It grabbed people with its four long arms, shoved them into its mouth. Another TV reporter talked about how the monster wanted to be mayor because he loved loud noises like the Blue Angles. Blossom’s mom loved loud noises too! Blossom looked at the crowd of people on TV. Blossom’s mom and her friends were there, chanting! Vote for the monster! Loud noises, loud noises, Vote for the monster! Librarians were running out of the library across the street. It looked like they were saying, Shhh! Shhh, but nobody could hear them. Then the monster began to eat everyone up, whether they liked loud noises or not.

Oh my gosh! thought Blossom. My mother is there. I have got to save her. But how will I? Blossom smelled smoke. She turned around and looked into the kitchen. Flames danced from the stove to the curtains to the wall. “There’s a fire,” she yelled. Blossom called 911. There was no answer. She called again. “Still no answer, one last time.” Beep.
“You have called the police.”

“Hi, my name is Blossom and the house is on fire.”

“Ok, ok don’t yell,” the operator said.

“Fine,” Blossom said.

“Ok, we’re coming.”

Honk, honk. Blossom heard sirens and ran outside.

Splash, splash, splash, splash. The firemen knocked a hole through the wall and sprayed the hose into the kitchen. There was still a little bit of fire. Swoosh. The wind went through the new hole. Swoosh. The fire was getting bigger and bigger. They kept on spraying the hose.
The firemen said, “We need more water. There’s a fire hydrant across the street.”

Another fireman went across the street. He hooked up the hose and handed it to Blossom. “You have to finish this yourself,” he said. “We just got a call form City Hall. There’s a big disturbance and we need to get there quick.”

Blossom grabbed the hose and sprayed it into the kitchen. The flames disappeared and she ran inside. The kitchen was burnt and smelled smoky. The floor, counters and even the walls were all wet. “No time to clean this now,” Blossom said, hopping on her scooter. She scooted all the way to City Hall. Her brother Stephan was already there with some rope. He threw an end to Blossom, and she threw it around the creature.

Swing and swing.

“Got you,” said Stephan, pulling the creature across the steps.

Roar!

“The more it eats, the more it grows,” said Blossom. “Keep pulling! Ok. Now squeeze that monster to death. Ok squeeze harder!”

Boom! The monster exploded. Jell-O flew through the monster’s eye sockets and landed in the park across the street. All the people the monster had eaten popped out of holes in his stomach. Blossom saw her mom on the steps covered in slime.

“Mom,” Blossom said. “Are you ok?” She ran to her and gave her a hug.

“I’m ok,” Blossom’s mom said. “Let’s go home.”

At home, the kitchen was still a disaster. “Sorry mom,” Blossom said. “It’s not cleaned up.”

“It’s ok,” Blossom’s mom said. “Let’s get dim sum.”

About the Author

Hi! My name is Wendy and I am nine years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad, grandma, my brother, Andy and my little baby sister, Judy. I like to draw and I am good at running. When I grow up I want to be an artist. If I were weather, I would be snow because it never snows in San Francisco and I want it to snow here! My biggest wish is for my baby sister to learn a lot when she grows up and have a happy life. I am also the author of Stung.

LOVE THIS STORY? DOWNLOAD THE BOOK HERE, COMPLETE WILL ALL ILLUSTRATIONS!

KIM GOES TO HAWAII By Spencer, age 8

Kim is hungry. He walks into Cala Foods and touches the donuts. He gets sick. He gets a stomachache and he throws up in aisle seven. He hates aisle seven. He hates every aisle, except the watermelon aisle. He gets a cart and starts looking for watermelons. He loves watermelon because he is allergic to every other food in the world.

It is winter. Watermelon is out of season in California. Kim decides to go to Hawaii. He travels there by airplane. When he gets there, he goes to a farm to look for work. The man there says, “You can work here on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays.”

“Ok,” Kim says.

“Each day you come, you get fifty dollars.”

“Ok,” Kim says.

“On Mondays you have to milk cows. On Fridays you have to plant plants and on Saturdays you have to get eggs.”

“Ok,” says Kim.

On his first day of work Kim asks the man, “Can I eat watermelons?”

“When you are done Kim,” the man says.

At the end of Kim’s first day the man says, “It is getting dark Kim. You have to go home.”

“I don’t have a home in Hawaii.”

“Oh,” says the man. “You can come home with me.”

“Ok,” says Kim.

Kim and the man walk to his house.

The next morning is Tuesday. “I do not have to go to work,” Kim says. Kim folds a toy gun out of paper. “Boom!”

“Be quiet Kim,” the man says. “You are too noisy.”

“Sorry,” says Kim. “Can I have the watermelon yet?”

“They are not done growing. They will be done in May. It’s still December now.”

“Fine,” says Kim. “My birthday is Monday.”

“How old are you?”

“I don’t know what year I was born.”

“Why not?” says the man. “Where are your parents?”

“They are dead.”

“When did they die, Kim?”

“When I was six.”

“How?”

“A stranger shot them.”

“Tell me the story, Kim,” says the man.

“My mom and dad were walking with me on a street where a lot of strangers lived. I saw a man with gold earrings and a gun. I was about to tell my mom and dad but it was too late. They fell on the ground. The stranger smelled like rotten cheese and when I smelled him, my asthma was cured, but I got terrible food allergies after that.”

“Then it’s time to go to the doctor,” said the man.

“NOO!” said. Kim. “I do not like to go to the doctor.

“Too bad. You have to or else you will die. The watermelons won’t be ready to eat until May.”

“Fine,” said Kim.

The man brought Kim to the doctor.

“Hi,” the doctor said to Kim. “Follow me.”

Kim followed the doctor into a little room.

“Where do you want your allergy shot?” the doctor said.

“On my stomach.”

“Okay, pull up your shirt.” The doctor poked the needle into Kim’s stomach.

“Ouch,” Kim said. “That hurts.” Kim felt his body changing. He felt his insides moving. “I don’t have to eat watermelon anymore.”

About the Author

Hi, my name is Spencer. I am eight. I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad and my baby brother. I am good at jumping high on my bed. I can almost touch the ceiling! Some day I want to be good at taking care of my baby brother. Right now it’s hard because I have so much homework. My earliest memory is of the time I ripped up my mom and dad’s important papers. I was so little, I didn’t know they were important. If I got one wish, I would wish for a baby sister because my baby brother hits me a lot.

A DAY IN SAIGON By Giang, age 10

When my mom and I got out of the airport, the afternoon heat enveloped us. Many of my relatives stood on the sidewalk waiting for us. My cousin Ngan faked a smile. Long, black hair covered her eyes. My other cousin, Tam waved. Sweat ran through his hair. His eyes were swimming with happiness. Tam said, “We should leave now and go eat.'' My mom got in a taxi. She asked me if I wanted to go with her. I said no and got on my cousin's motorcycle.

We took off and the sticky air flew past us. The sun burned my skin. The street was full of motorcycles, the sidewalks were cracked and trash was everywhere. Gasoline was the only thing I could smell. My cousin went really fast and I almost fell off. I yelled, "I’m going to fall." The motorcycle slowed down. The smell of sewage hit me. I asked him, “Why does it stink so much?”

He said, “This is where people throw their trash.”

I looked down. We were on a small bridge. Trash rotted in the water below.

“Why would people throw their trash here?”

“I don’t know.”

My shirt was covered in sweat. “Can you go any faster?”

“I can’t go any faster.”

“Do you have any water?”

“No.”

I wondered about my dog. The last time I saw him, he was a puppy. My cousin was taking care of him for me while I was in America. “So how is Lucky?” I said.

“He’s okay.”

The motorcycle stopped in front of a grey house. There were shoes in front of a white door. My cousin parked the motorcycle and we walked inside. The walls where white with a little bit of dust. The stairs were light blue. Large cracks covered them. This was my grandma's house. I lived here when I was little. My mom and I went inside the kitchen. She started talking to my grandma. A picture of me when I was little was stuck to the refrigerator. I was at the water park splashing water at my mom.

My grandma gave me pho. When I finished eating my mom and I went to our hotel. On the way in, I saw a coin. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. We went to our room and slept. When I woke up it was eleven o'clock. The moonlight shined in my face.

About the Author

Hi! My name is Giang. I’m ten years old. I live with my sister and her baby, my mom, and my mom’s boyfriend, who I think of as my dad. I’m (sometimes) good at getting along with people. I want to be good at drawing. When I grow up I want to be an inventor, so everyone will see the stuff I create. Something that makes me special is that I can get along with people and make them happy (sometimes). What confuses me is why there is life and why we’re all here. If I were a gas, I would be air so I would know everything everyone’s doing. If I had one wish I would wish to be better at math. I am also the author of When My Dog Died.

BELIEVE By Liyi, age 8 & Linda, age 9

CORNDOGS ARE RED By Judith, age 8

LION HUNT By Andrew, age 8

My dad is a hunter. He hunts big cats in Mexico. One day my dad went out to the hills in his green army fatigues. Eagles flew through the sky. Flying lizard glided to the trees. He stayed all night. He got his gun out. He heard a growl and saw two red eyes glaring at him from a cave. It was a lion. Orange mane stood up around its face. A wild pig hung from its teeth.

No hunter had ever shot a lion before. My dad imagined that the lion was going to eat me. He shot but the lion did not die. He got mad and he said, “It’s you time to die!” And he shot the lion. It did not move. My dad touched the lion’s neck. There was no pulse.

About the Author

My name is Andrew. I am eight years old. I live with my mom, my three sisters and a brother. I like to pick up my sister and carry her. I am good at spinning the stick. I want to be good at making beats and rhythms. When I grow up I want to be a fireman so I can save people’s lives. Night confuses me because the stars look like eyes. If I had one wish I would wish to be a night crawler so I can disappear. I am also the author of John and the Snake and The Ice Monster’s Anger.

MEMORIES OF TOISAN By Vicky, age 8

Bee Sting

When I lived in Toisan a bee flew through my window. I was three years old. I touched the bee softly and it stung my finger. After the bee stung me, it died. My dad removed the stinger from my skin and gave me the bee. I smashed it and it looked like mush. My mom gave me a bandage. She said, “Does it hurt?” It didn’t hurt. This memory smells like cigarette smoke because my dad was smoking that day.

Preschool in China

When I was three I went to preschool. One day after lunch my teacher took us for a walk inside the school. The walls were painted the color of tan horses. The school smelled like floor cleaner. My mother brought me a blanket. I saw her in the hall and ran toward her. I held onto my mother. My teacher said, “Let go of your mother.” I cried. Two teachers pulled me off of my mother because they didn’t want my mom to pick me up. Then I stopped crying. The school was strict about parents visiting their children. They wanted the kids to become more independent.

Packing for America

When I packed to move to America I brought these things with me: my blanket, my pillow, clothes, family pictures and one toy. Everything smelled like the soap my mom washed my clothes in because I packed it all together. I chose my pillow because it has the words Good Friend and Mickey Mouse on it. My blanket has a flower on it and I’ve had it since I was little. I brought clothes for cold weather because I knew about the cold fog in San Francisco. I chose my teddy bear because it’s my favorite. My mom said only one toy because we were already bringing too much stuff.

About the Author

My name is Vicky. I am eight years old and I am shy. I live with my parents in San Francisco. I like doing math and I am good at drawing. When I grow up I want to be a teacher. If I were a plant I would be a tree because trees give us fresh air. I hope my sister will be smart when she is born. Right now she is still inside my mom.

HARVEST TIME! By Alex, age 8

Last fall we planted purple kale, rainbow chard and lettuce in Room 2's garden. Yesterday we finally harvested all of our winter greens. Look at all the colors. The chard has green leaves, and red or yellow stalks and veins. Yesterday, we ate lettuce with sesame dressing. Today, we will steam the chard and kale with rice for lunch. We will eat light brown rice because it has nutrition in it. We will eat it with soy sauce or sesame dressing. Next week we will plant beans. We can’t grow tomatoes because Tenderloin summers are too foggy.

THE BEAUTIFUL LADY By Liyi, age 8

Birds flew across an orange sky. Squirrels jumped through dead leaves on the ground. The sun was setting over the sea. Children climbed the monkey bars and grown-ups ate icecream on benches.

“Why are you crying?” Ann asked her sister.

Katy did not answer. She opened her notebook and wrote the words Beautiful lady.

Ann saw what she wrote. “Who’s that?”

“I don’t know,” Katy said.

“Come on, Katy, just tell me.”

“Let’s go home.”

“No!” Katy said. “Aren’t you going to tell our parents that you’re sad?”

Katy did not answer.

“Come on Katy, answer me. Just say something.”

Katy kept crying.

“Don’t cry Katy. It’s getting late. Let’s go home.”

Katy stopped crying and said, “Ok.” She turned left.

Ann pointed right and said, “Home is that way.”

“I know a short cut.” Katy tiptoed to the monkey bars without Ann.

Ann walked home alone. At the door, she felt a prickle at her back. She took it off and looked inside. She saw a porcupine climbing on her books. “How did that get there?” she said. She felt something wet on her back and it hurt a lot. “Mom!” she called.

Ann’s mom hurried over to her. “What happened?”

“A porcupine got in my backpack and it poked me!”

Ann’s mom carried her to the hospital. The doctor put medicine in the pokes and kept the porcupine and did some tests on it to see if it was poisonous.


When Ann returned home from the hospital she could not find Katy. She looked everywhere. She went outside and finally she found her at the park. “Where have you been? What are you doing out here?”

“Umm. Nothing, “ Katy said. “I just stayed here.”

“Let’s go home and go to bed.”

“Ok,” Katy said.

At home Ann asked Katy, “Can you please tell me who the beautiful lady is?”

“No,” Katy said.

“Just tell me Katy.”

“No.”

“I’m telling mom.”

“Then I’m telling dad that you are bothering me,” Katy said.

“Fine,” Ann said. “I won’t tell mom.”


At school the next day, Katy met a new kid named Jennifer. She was good at hula-hooping and she had smooth hair.

“Hi,” Katy said to Jennifer.

Jennifer did not say anything

“You did not even tell me your name,” Katy said. “Who’s your teacher?”

“Ms. Water. Who’s your teacher?”

“My teacher is Mr. Sock,” Jennifer said.

“Are you scared?” Katy said.

“No,” Jennifer said. “Why should I be scared?”

“Because Mr. Sock is so mean. Once he said GET OUT OF HERE to me and my sister, but we didn’t do anything wrong.”
The bell rang and everyone went home.

In the schoolyard Ann saw Jennifer. They stared at each other. They recognized each other from preschool. Ann remembered the first time she saw Jennifer. Ann and Katy were building a palace and a castle out of blocks. Jennifer came over to them and knocked over their kingdom then she grabbed Katy and said, “What do you want to play now?”

Ann and Jennifer said hi to each other on the yard and started to fight and shout. Then they went home and took baths. Ann went to bed and fell asleep. She had a dream that she hit Jennifer’s head and gave her amnesia. Ann was the master of Jennifer, but when Ann woke up she was not.


The next morning Ann and Katy got dressed. Their mom said, “Quickly, you’re getting late for school.”
Ann and Katy ate breakfast while their dad drank tea. They went to school. At recess they played tag. When recess was over their teacher gave them a math test. Ann gave Katy a note. It said, Katy, I know who is beautiful lady. Sophie told me Jennifer is beautiful lady.

Katy wrote a note back. It said, How did Sophie tell you? I told her not to tell anyone. I was so scared I cried. I knew Jennifer was coming, that’s the reason I cried too.

Ann read the note and wrote back: Why did you cry?

Katy wrote: I think Jennifer is going to make some trouble between us like in preschool.

Ann read the note and the girls quickly finished their math tests and gave them to their teacher. They put their chairs up and went home. Their mom was in the kitchen on the telephone. She hung up and looked at the girls. “That was the hospital,” she said. “They got the results of the porcupine tests. They found out the porcupine belongs to a girl in your class named Jennifer.”

“How can a test tell you that?” Katy said.

“I don’t know. It’s science.”

“I knew Jennifer did that kind of stuff,” Ann said.

The next day at recess, Ann pushed Katy on the swing. The girls talked and giggled. Jennifer was jumping rope. She stopped jumping and walked over to the where Ann and Katy were swinging. “Hey,” she said. “Could I play?”

Katy and Ann closed their mouths.

About the Author

Hi! My name is Liyi. I am eight years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom. I am good at math and hula-hooping. I want to be good at painting. When I grow up I want to be an astronaut because I want to see what everything in space looks like. I hate kickball. I’d rather get shots than play kickball. English confuses me when two different words sound the same. If I were a planet I would be Pluto because it is icy and I like to make people shiver. I wish I wasn’t so shy because sometimes I just stand there. The Beautiful Lady is my first published book.

CONNIE'S MAGIC By Anny, age 8

It is cold and windy. Connie flies in the sky with the birds. She doesn't have any friends but she has a magic wand. She found it behind the trees.

Her stepmother calls to her in the sky. "It’s time to make cakes."

Connie leaves the sky. She goes to the kitchen. Her stepsister Ling is at the table. Connie asks her for help. "Get the sugar and milk and eggs," Connie says.

Ling says, "No."

Connie stomps to the cupboard and takes out the flour." I wish you would leave if you're not going to help," Connie yells.

Ling throws all of the eggs on the floor and steps on them.

"Get out!" Connie says. Connie goes to her stepmother. "Mei," Connie says. "Ling's bothering me."

"I am not!" Ling says.

"Don't talk to Ling like that," Connie's stepmother says. "Go to your room and stay there.”


Connie flies back to the sky. She hears music. On top of a sky mountain there is a girl playing a flute. The girl flies away and Connie follows her. She catches up with her on the other side of the sky mountain. "What is your name," Connie asks.

"Hi! My name is Amy."

Connie asks if she can be Amy's friend. "Don't let my stepmother and my stepsister know we're friends," says Connie.

“Why not?”

“They are mean.”

“How?”

“They always tell me to do everything.”

“I’ll save you,” Amy says. “Let's use our magic to get to my garden.”

"But l don't how to use my magic," says Connie.

"What do you mean you don't know how to use your magic? You’re flying! I will show you one time only. Here's how. First, point your magic wand at the ground, that's all."


The girls fly to Amy’s backyard. They fill cans with water and pour it over the flowers. Their petals open and the flowers have faces underneath. The flowers stare at Amy and Connie then start to chat. The petals of a red rose blow open. Its mouth moves. Its sharp teeth shine. “Hi,” the rose says. “Welcome to our garden.”

About the Author

Hi! My name is Anny. I am eight years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom and dad. I like to play the keyboards. I am good at writing and swimming. I want to be good at math someday and I wish I were better at drawing. I want to be a nurse when I grow up so I can help people. I don’t get why preschool teachers in China don’t let us hug our moms and dads. If I were a tree I would be a redwood tree so that I could grow tall. This is my first published book.

STARING THROUGH TEARS By San, age 9

Look

You step off the plane into the Hanoi airport and your life changes. Airport workers hold up signs that say which way to go. People pull their suitcases behind them as they walk. Long lines form. Motorcycles on the road speed by. Confused faces wonder, What will I experience in Vietnam?

Smell

Smells of mit in baskets fill the air. The fruit is thick and yellow, pokey on the outside but smooth on the inside. Baskets of rice hang from poles women wear across their tired shoulders. They say, Ai muon mua com? Dust flies in the air and you walk through it. It looks like you’re staring through tears. Wear a gauze mask to protect yourself.

Listen

Horns honk around 4pm. It's rush hour. School bells ring. Restaurant workers bang on pots, shuffle noodles and chop meat. Customers close the door, which makes a screech. Policemen blow horns. They want the cars to move. It is very crowded and noisy. The streets have no lanes. They make me think of tangled hair.

Taste

Try famous Vietnamese dishes like spring rolls or pho. When you walk into a restaurant, they will give you the menu right away. You can make your own spring roll. It will not taste salty or sweet. Chew the thick meats and fresh vegetables. Crunch the carrots and sip the dipping sauce. Oh boy, you can eat as much as you want!

Touch

Whenever you touch anything in Vietnam, be sure to wash your hands. The water is dirty too! Nothing is one hundred percent for sure clean. Your hands feel rough and dry from the soap and water. Most things are dusty but more things are fun!

About the Author

Hi! My name is San and I live with my mom and dad in San Francisco. I like to play on my keyboard and read books, especially comics like Ultracute. I am good at figuring things out and drawing. Someday I hope I am braver because now I’m too shy. When I grow up I want to be a journalist or an artist. I am different from other kids because I am usually the smallest in my class. Optical illusions mix me up! If I were weather I would be hail because I want to be cold and hard. People touch my soft cheeks too much. If I had one wish I would wish for all my friendship troubles to be erased. I am also the author of The Frog who Lost his Crown.

THE BAD EXAMPLE By Arnold, age 9

"I dare you!" John said.
"No," Jason said.
The crowd said, "Go go go go go!"
"No," Jason said.
"I will give you thirty dollars," John said.
"Do not bribe me with money!" Jason said.
"You scardy cat," John said.
"Am not," Jason said.
Are to," John said.
"Shut up," Jason said.
"You scardy cat," said John.
Jason said, "Am not."
John said, "Prove it."
Jason ran up to a tree and hugged its trunk. He reached for a branch and he missed. He stretched his arms as he dropped and hurt his backbone and his ankle on the ground. He looked at the dirt. Mealworms wiggled through the grass and ants carried leaves to their anthill.

Jason woke up in the hospital. He had a cast on his ankle. His parents came to see him.
His mom said, "What happen? Your teacher said you were hurt. Are you okay?”
"I'm fine," Jason said. "Can we go home now"?
They went home and Jason’s parents told him to never listen to that boy.

The day Jason got his cast off he went outside for recess. He climbed the monkey bars. John pulled on his leg and Jason kicked him in the face. A purple bruise oozed on his cheek and broken teeth fell out of his mouth.

Two kindergarteners named Steven and Nick saw John and Jason fighting. They watched for a while then Steven stepped on Nick's foot. Nick yelled and punched Steven in the stomach. Steven whacked nick in the face. John and Jason heard the little kids fighting and broke it up. Their teacher heard about what they did. She said, “Can you both stop those little kids if they fight again?”
Jason and John thought about it and both said, “Ok” then they started home together.
“I’m gonna get you,” John said.
“I’m gonna hunt you down.”

About the Author

My name is Arnold. I’m nine years old. I live on Eddy Street in San Francisco with my two brothers and my mom and dad. I like to draw and swim. I want to be good at math someday. When I grow up I want to be an FBI agent. I wonder why whales have spouts. Why not gills? If I were weather I would be rain so I could help save water. I wish my brothers and I would get along so my mom won’t be in pain.

SHADOW CLIFFS By Brandon, age 8

Eating

Shadow Cliffs is a big park in Pleasanton with a lake and water slides and a place for picnics. At Shadow Cliffs we had to pay to go inside. We could pick a spot to eat. We ate McDonalds.

Swimming & the Boat

When we finished eating we went swimming. The deep end of the lake was cold. When you dive you will hit your head and you will drown. The last time I was there I dove and almost drowned. Dustin saved me. I said, “Thank you.” I went to get my boat. When I got my boat I went to the deep side. I played and I fell down in the water ten times and my mom just came out of nowhere. She just pushed me and I fell down again. I told my mom to stop and I put my boat next to the playground.

Football

I got my football from my mom’s bag and I told my mom to play with me. I threw it far. My mom missed. She threw it back. I dove down to catch the football and Dustin joined the game. Dustin was on my team. I took my boat and told my mom not to play with the football.

Missing Kid

Somebody’s parents came up to the lifeguard and said, “Our kid is missing!”
The lifeguard said, “Everybody out of the lake!”
All of the other lifeguards came to the lake. They all had on flippers and they found the child. He was next to the lifeguard tower all along.

Going Home

I wanted to play with my boat and I got my boat. My mom rode in my boat. She almost popped the boat and we packed up to go home. It was my brother’s turn to sit in the front seat of the car. I sat in the back and we went home. I saw a road sign that said Road Closed. I told my dad to go back. He said, “No, this road will be ok.” I fell asleep in the car. When I woke up I was at home and I helped my dad to carry stuff upstairs to our apartment.

About the Author

My name is Brandon. I live with my mom, dad, sister and brother. My age is eight. I live in San Francisco. I like to play Legos and I am good at ice-skating. I want to be good at reading. When l grow up, I want to be a driver for 101 Trucking like my dad. If I were a plant would be a weed with thorns because then if someone tried to pick me they would get poked. If I could have one wish I would wish for a drivers license. I am also the author of Trip to Vietnam.

JOHN & THE SNAKE By Andrew, age 8

John lives in the jungle. He is not an animal or a human. He is another kind of creature. He is green and he has blue eyes. He is made of goop. One day a snake tries to kill John because the snake wants to be the king. It wants to be king so it can boss everybody around, so it can rule and live at the top of the mountain.

The snake has a spider tattooed on its head. It squeezes John and bites him. Poison comes out of its teeth. John burns the poison up with his eyes. He runs and runs. The snake chases him. It jumps on him. John stabs the snake’s eye. He makes a big scratch. But when he does that the snake eats him up.

John shoots fire from his hands inside the snake’s stomach. He opens the snake’s mouth and jumps out, onto its head. He cuts off the snake’s head but the head shakes John to the ground. John gets mad and bursts into flames and starts to fly. The snakehead jumps up and tries to bite John. John shoots flames into the snake’s mouth.

About the Author

My name is Andrew. I’m eight years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom. I like going for walks. I am good at drawing. I want to be good at swimming. When I grow up I want to be a hunter so I could spend more time with my dad who is a tiger hunter in Mexico. I am different from other kids because I am loco. Birds confuse me because sometimes they look like kites or planes. If I were a machine I would be a cyborg because then I’d never die. My wish is to be Shadow the hedgehog from the videogame Sonic World. This is my second published book. I am also the author of the Ice Monster’s Anger.

GHOSTS & CHERRIES By David, age 10, Ahn, age 9, Destin, age 9 & Dustin, age 9

GHOST By David, age 10, Ahn, age 9, Destin, age 9 & Dustin, age 9

MS. PAC MAN By David, age 10, Ahn, age 9, Destin, age 9 & Dustin, age 9

PAC MAN By David, age 10, Ahn, age 9, Destin, age 9 & Dustin, age 9

GUANG ZHOU ZOO By Vicky, age 8

When I was five years old my uncle drove my parents and me to the zoo in Guang Zhou. I saw giraffes, kangaroo, rabbits, elephants and monkeys.

Two elephants were walking to the pond for water. Some people fed carrots to the rabbits. There were two giraffes making noise because they were hungry. Kangaroos were jumping and looking for food.

I did not have a chance to look at each animal for very long because my mom kept saying, “Time to go look at another animal now.”

About the Author

My name is Vicky. I am eight years old. I live in San Francisco with my father and mom. One year ago my family moved here from Toisan, China. I am good at math. I want to be good at English and drawing. When I grow up I want to be a teacher. I am different from other kids because I sit with one leg crossed on top of the other. English confuses me. The spelling doesn’t make sense to me.

MAD BLUE WORLD By Giang, age 10

THAT'S THE WAY LIFE WORKS By Serenity, age 8

Lotte slides into home plate. Her shoes untie and she trips over the laces. “Home run!!! Home run!!!” the fans shout. She tries so hard not to cry or waste time doing her shoes again. Her teammates cheer. Her parents and friends are waiting. Lotte sees her mom and dad in the stands.

They celebrate the big win with steaks and ice cream at a restaurant in San Francisco with gold wallpaper and a crystal chandelier. There are party hats and games, music and presents. Waiters wear dark blue uniforms. But Lotte’s leg hurts the whole time. It feels like a tornado. Her leg keeps on spinning. She pulls on her mom’s shirt and says, “My leg hurts really bad.” It hurts but she holds her tears.

Her parents take her to the hospital. In the waiting room there are wheelchairs, doorways, canes and windows. It smells like medicine. They wait for two hours. Doctors do tests on Lotte’s leg. They say she cannot play baseball anymore.

Lotte’s parents go to a window called Accounts. The lady there gives them the bill.

They say, “Wow! Now that’s a lot of money.”

The lady says, “Those are the usual charges sir.”

The tests are over. They get the results. Lotte’s bone is broken.

They come home from the hospital. Lotte lies on the couch. She feels sad. She takes a nap. Lotte dreams that she is playing baseball and she does not have a broken leg. She wins the game. She hears her mom calling her name.

“Lotte, Lotte.”

She wakes up and falls off the couch and says, “Aww, my leg!”

Her mom says, “Sorry, Lotte.”

About the Author

My name is Serenity. I am eight years old. I live with my mom in San Francisco. I like to draw and write. I am good at running. I want to get better at Writers’ Workshop. When I grow up I want to be a brain surgeon because I’ve never really seen the inside of a human body and I’d like to experience that. What confuses me most is Fridays. Sometimes my mom says she is going out but then changes her mind and changes her mind again.

TODD & BEN By Tai, age 8

The smell of frog spread through the class. All the kids knew it came from Todd. Todd was fat and big. He sounded loud. The teacher told the kids, “You need to do your spelling words.”

Todd did not do his own work. He copied from Ben and Ben copied from Todd. Ben told the teacher about the copying. The teacher said, “The two of you will sit down five minutes after school.”

The bell rang. All the kids went home except for Todd and Ben. Todd tried to hit Ben but missed.
“You’re cuckoo,” Ben said then ran away.
Todd started to cry. His cheeks turned red.
The teacher said, “Todd now you have to stay twenty minutes and Ben, you need to go.”

About the Author

My name is Tai. I am eight years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom and dad. I like to play with a ball with my dad. I am good at math and jumping. I want to get better at making jokes. I want to be a clown when I grow up. Sometimes my friend calls me mean and this confuses me because I think I am nice. If I were an animal I would be a bear because bears are big and eat a lot of fish. I wish I had a pet dog.

THE ICE MONSTER'S ANGER By Andrew, age 8

There was a tunnel with a big ice monster in it. The monster came out of his tunnel and when he stood up he saw an alien attacking the city.

The ice monster was so mad. He went to the city and pushed the alien. The alien stood up and controlled the ice monster with his mind.

The people in the city realized the ice monster was trying to help them. The police shot the alien in his one eye. The ice monster snapped out of his trance then he threw the alien into a Hawaiian volcano.

About the Author

My name is Andrew. I’m eight years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom. I like to run. I am good at math. I want to be good at somersaults some day. When I grow up I want to be a policeman. I am different from other kids because I am shy. Legos confuse me. If I were a plant I would be the seed because it is strong. I wish I had the power to run fast.

LOVE AFFAIR By Serenity, age 8

SEA CORN By Dustin, age 9

MOM LOVES YOU BEST By Andy, age 10 & Dustin, age 9

BILL'S ADVENTURES IN THE ANTI-GOBLIN LEAGUE By Dustin, age 9

Bill dribbled the ball across the court. It was snowing and he slipped on the ground. His opponent had a red nose. He took the ball from Bill and won. What a clown, Bill thought. Bill felt bad that he lost the game and left the court. He decided never to play basketball again. He decided to become a soldier. He became an archer and joined the Anti-Goblin League and his unit was sent out to the front lines on the shores of the Sea of Sadness.

Seals and turtles played on the shore. The archers practiced shooting at them. Bill hit one of them and killed it. They gutted it with a stick. They made a fire on their boat and cooked the seal and ate it. Bill said, "I think this is burned."
“Now Bill you have to go fight the goblins,” said the captain. "Your mission is to save the people held captive by the goblins in the Megan hotel in Hawaii."
“Don’t call me Bill. You call me master now."
“Yes master."
The captain turned to the archers behind him. "Ty, Rush and Fire, you three go too."
“Let’s go archers,” said Bill.
Yes Bill,” Rush said.
"Watch out," Bill said. "The goblins are here now! Behind you! Use your arrows!"


The goblins moved slowly. Their eyes were made of fire and they smelled like chili. The goblins dodged the arrows. They took down Ty. Bill walked over and said hi to the monster and slashed the goblin and it fell on the ground and came back up and slashed Bill's hand off with a dagger. Bill fell down but he did not cry. Bill cut the goblin's heart out of its body. Bill kept on slashing and it died.
Bill and the archers looked at the sea. Some sailboats had washed up on the sand. They picked a big one with a lot of color. They sailed to Hawaii. It was windy and it took an hour. When they got there, they found a spooky hotel on the beach. It was spooky because the goblins were already there! Bill and his men had to rescue the people in the hotel. "Go go, go and go," Bill said.
Bill tiptoed through the front entrance of the hotel. Bill, Ty, Rush and Fire looked behind the desk and in the rooms.
The goblins came out of the doors so Rush shot them.
"You will die," Bill said. Slash. "Now run, run and run."
They ran. The rug was on fire and their feet burned but still they saved the people in the hotel. They carried he people out on their backs. They couldn't run because they had cuts on their feet.
Bill and the archers went back to the boat with the people they saved from the hotel. A turtle and her babies climbed on the boat with their tails. Bill, Rush and Fire got on the boat then they went fishing.
The mother turtle attacked the rescued people with her tail because she thought they were threatening her babies. Bill, Fire and Rush built a fire. Boom!!!! A gun. The goblins were back in a boat next to the archers' boat. The goblins were climbing on board!


"Hey," Fire said to the goblins. "There's a boxing ring at the other end of the deck. Meet us there so the innocent people won't get hurt."
The goblins made grunting sounds and headed for the ring.
"We are the best at this," Bill said. "We will not lose."
The people from the hotel were crowded into the ring because there wasn't any other room for them on the boat. Bill ran to the ring. "Oh no," Bill said. "We forgot the hotel people are here. We need a new place to fight. How about that pool?"
"Ok," Fire said.
The archers and the goblins jumped into the pool. The archers' bows and arrows got wet and they didn't work right. Bill shot arrows at a goblin but it was already dead and sunk to the bottom of the pool so the arrow missed and hit Fire instead. Then Rush called a helicopter to bring help. It comes right away and Rush and fire leave in fly back to base. All the goblins were dead and Bill was alone with them.

At the base, the master yelled at the sky. "Bill, where were you?"
"He's on the boat with the dead goblins," Rush said.

Bill climbed out of the pool. He looked at all of the dead goblins floating in the water. One looked like a clown. It reminded him of the red-nosed guy he played basketball with.

About the Author

My name is Dustin. I am nine years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad, sister and my brother. I like to do play the Wii. I am good at drinking milk fast. When I grow up I want to be on a SWAT team. If I were a plant I would be a rose and when people picked me up they would get poked. This is my second published book. I am also the author of My Enemy.

SQUISHED By Vicky, age 8

This poem is part of a class poetry project inspired by the song "Old Glory" By the band Harvey Milk.



How do you think the pencil feels,
stuck in the sharpener,
squished by your hand?
Have you ever been
squished?
I feel this way
right now,
in
this
class.

LOST IN THE RICHMOND By Tommy, age 11

It was scary when I got lost. It felt like I was not going back home, like I was gone forever. I was eight and a teenager friend Stephanie brought me to her house in the Richmond.

I rode my scooter to Chinese Playground. It was four blocks from my house. Along the way I smelled porridge from Dim Sum stores. Pigeons ate bread in a garden. Buses honked on the streets. I knelt down and felt the cracks on the sidewalk with my hand. They felt rough. I had never seen them there before.

Stephanie met me at the playground and said, “I want to show you something at my house.” I didn’t ask what. I went with her and we took the bus to her house. She said that she couldn't bring me back to Chinatown. I think she was lying because she lies to me a lot. The first time she lied to me was when she said I owed her money. The second time was when she said I lost a library DVD. The third time was when she told me her brother was sleeping and if I woke him up, he would beat me up. I always hated that Stephanie kept lying to me, but she kept doing it.


I left Stephanie’s house on my own and rode my scooter all the way across a very busy street. I found out later that she came outside and went looking for me. She didn't find me and she went home. She said her mom would get mad at her for leaving the house.

I saw a women walking down the street. The woman looked a little young and she had blond hair. I asked her, "Do you know how to go to Chinatown?"

"Yes," the woman said. "I know how to go to Chinatown." She took me to her work place. I was thinking, Why am I going to her work place?

"Why are you here in the Richmond?" the woman said.

I told her that my friend Stephanie brought me there.

"I have to go home now," the woman said, "and I can't bring you back to Chinatown."

I thought that she would. "Why not?" I said.

She asked me if I wanted anything to drink.

"Yes," I said.

She brought me downstairs to a store and bought me an orange juice. She brought me back to her work place and asked me, "Do you want to play on my computer?"

"Yes," I said.

I played some games and she said, "You need to call your parents."

I called my mom and she said, "Where are you?"

"I am in the Richmond in this woman's workplace," I said.

My mom told me to give the phone to the woman so she could find out exactly where I was. I hung up and a couple of minutes later some police showed up. I didn’t know anyone called the police.

“Can you bring this kid home?” the woman said.

I followed the police to their car. "Can you drive me back to Chinatown?" I said.

The policemen said nothing and they brought me back to my home.


About the Author

Hi! My name is Tommy and I live in San Francisco with my mom and dad. I am 11 years old. I don't live with my brother Raymond because he moved to El Cerrito. I like to play computer games like Runescape. I am also the author of The X Army, The Missile and the Citizens, and My Gold Fish Died. I am good at sports such as kickball. I also like playing Blob Tag because it is good for exercising. If I were a creature, I would be an alien because they have good weapons in battles.

EARTH, 1981 By the kids in Room 2

The whole class worked on this collage. The original measures about three feet by three feet. We spent all summer on it! To make it, we used lots of glue and several issues of National Geographic magazine from 1981. If you click on the image you can zoom in and see all the details up close.

HUNTING JASION: THE THIRD & FINAL CHAPTER IN THE STINK & INK SAGA By Holly & Linda, both age 11

Stink and Ink were walking down Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. CRASH! Stink bumped into a pole.

“Are you hurt Stink?” Ink said, eating the rest of Stink’s chocolate.

“No and take your filthy hands off of my chocolate,” Stink said, trying to steal the chocolate back.

“Do you think we should visit our parents?”

“Sure," Ink said, "but we should prepare one question to annoy them, and why are you changing the subject? Ink bit her fingernails as if they were chocolate.

“No reason,” said Stink.

“Why?”

“Because we killed them, remember?”

“Oh right, I had forgot.” Ink said.

“Ink, don’t be so stupid. We can get our answers to where we were born from Aunt Pink and Uncle Think.”

“Okay, but when do we go?”

“Now?”

“Yes, right now,” said Ink.


Stink and Ink's Aunt Pink and Uncle Think lived in a pink house because Aunt Pink loves the color pink.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

“Now who in the world would that be?” Aunt Pink said. “Don’t come in.”

“Too bad,” Stink said. “Let us come in or I'll break down the door.”

Aunt Pink opened the door.

“Hi,” Stink said, licking his fingers, ignoring Aunt Pink.

“Hello,” Ink said.

“You two again?” Aunt Pink said.

“Where’s Uncle Think,” Ink asked.

“I’m coming,” Uncle Think said from upstairs.

“We got one questions to ask the both of you,” Stink said.

“Ask away,” Uncle Think said.

“Can you tell us why we were named Stink and Ink?” Ink asked.

“Well, Stink was born with an odor and Ink was born covered in dark slime.”

“Thanks for your time, bye,” Stink said as he walked to the door.

“Wait,” Uncle Think said.

“What?” said Stink.

“We saw a poster outside. Maybe you could use it,” Uncle Think said.

“What for?" said Stink.

“Because if you had the 500k award you might share it with us,” Aunt Pink said.

"Why should we share it with you?" Ink said.

"Because we're the ones who showed you the poster," Aunt Pink said.

“Sure,” Stink said but he crossed his fingers.

"Thanks for all your time," Stink said.

"Bye," Ink said.

The twins headed down Melrose Avenue.

“That wasn’t annoying at all.”

“What wasn’t annoying?” said Stink.

“That whole interaction,” said Ink.

“Whatever,” said Stink.

“Let’s get out of here.”

As stink and Ink walked home, Spy Master did his business next to a nearby bush.

“Ink, how would you like to become a boy?” Spy Master asked. “But only for a week.”

“No," Ink said. "Boys are so disgusting, they don’t care about fashion. But, it does sound interesting. When can I start?”

“After you finish your new mission,” Spy Master said. “Which is to soak Jasion in toilet water. He has become the Flaming
Sorcerer of Death.”

"The cops are offering $500K for his capture," Said Ink.

"Forget about the cops," the Spy Master said. "You work for me."

“We understand,” Stink said. “But why toilet water?”

“I just want to be mean he to him,” Spy Master said. “So I’ll just present you with two fully filled toilet water guns.” The Spy Master pulled the guns from his coat pocket and handed them to the twins.

“That brand is way old," Ink said. "You should get in fashion."

“Two machine guns,” Stink said.

“Only water guns,” Spy Master said.

“What else have you got?” Ink said.

“The new and improved water gun,” Spy Master read off of the package. “Water gun, sprays out water rapidly and can carry three bottles of water to spray at a time. Caution: The gun's weakness is chocolate. It will clog."

“But Ink doesn’t get to be a boy,” Spy Master said.

“Fine, but we get new spy suits and all the accessories because ours are falling apart,” Stink said. “Or we’ll quit.”

“Well none of my business,” Spy Master said. “But you better not quit or I’ll hire Jasion to kill you.” he said, bluffing.

“Fine then deal with Jasion yourself,” Ink said to Stink.

“Oh no or I’ll take your spy ID,” Spy Master said. “Yes,” Spy Master said sarcastically.

“Give us new suits first,” Ink said, trying to grab a chocolate bar from Spy Master’s pocket.

The twins went to the hospital and stole some needles. They needed them to drug the Spy Master. It would be best if he were unconscious for their mission. They took the bus from the hospital to the Spy Master’s lab. They shot the Spy Master while he was not looking and he fell out of his chair. His mask fell off. It was actually Jasion. Stink and Ink took out their cameras and snapped a few pictures of the flaming sword and ran.

“Why are we running?” Stink said. “We have water to spray at the flame sword.” They ran back and sprayed water at Jasion’s flaming sword. “Now to the police.”

“What is the number again?”

“I think it’s 311,” Ink said.

Stink took out his cell phone and dialed 311.

“Hello MUNI service,” a man said.

“Um… sorry wrong call,” Stink said.

Next he dialed 111, 211, 411, 611, 711, 811, and 911.

“Hello police, may I help you,” a man said.

“Yes," Stink said. "I got Jasion and the legendary flaming sword but they're drenched in toilet water, now give us the money on the poster."

The poster pictured the flaming sword and Jasion picking his nose. It offered a 500k reward for his capture.

“I’ll give you the money if you slice Jasion’s head off,” the man said.

“Ok,” Stink said. “Wait, but I don’t have a knife. So I’m going to drag him to the station.”

One minute later…

“How’d you get here so fast?” the man said.

“We were next door,” Ink said. “Our money?”

“Here,” the man said, handing over several stacks of cash.

Ink counted the money. “It’s only $499, 999. You're missing a dollar.”

“Fresh out.”

“Fine, we’ll just turn him into the Fire Department.”

“Fine, here's your dollar,” said the man.

Stink turned to Ink. “Give him Jasion.”

“Here,” Ink said.


Aunt Pink and Uncle Think were at home waiting for Stink and Ink to come back and give them some of the reward money.

“Where are they?” Aunt Pink said.


Stink and Ink left the Police Department and wandered down a street. They weren't paying attention to where they were going.

“Where are we going?” Stink said.

“To Aunt Pink’s house,” Ink said.

“No, No, No,” said Stink.

“Why?” Ink said.

“Because I don’t want to share the money!” Stink said.

“But we’re here silly,” Ink said, laughing.

They stood in front of the big pink house.

“Hello children," Uncle Think said. "Where is my money?" He stared at their hands.

“Hi! Aren’t you going to invite us in first?” Stink said.

“No! We want the money right now!” Uncle Think said. Aunt Pink walked to the door.

“So where is my money?” Aunt Pink said.

“How do you know if we have it?” Stink said.

“Well, the internet says that you and Ink just captured Jasion and the flame sword!” Aunt Pink said.

“So where is my money?”

“Hey, don’t talk like that,” Uncle Think said.

“Are you talking to me?” Aunt Pink said.

“Yes,” Uncle Think Said.

While Aunt Pink and Uncle Think argued, Stink and Ink stood there looking.

“Should we leave?” Stink said.

“I guess so,” Ink said and turned toward the door.


About the Authors

Hey my name is Holly. I am 11 years old. I live with my mom, dad, and brother. I like to chat with my friends online. I am good at many things such as making people laugh and running. I want to be good at reading someday. I want to be a photographer when I grow up. I am different from other kids because I laugh a lot during class time. One thing I wonder is, why do zebras have to be black and white? If I were a food I would be chocolate because it makes me crazy. I'm starting middle school soon. I hope I'll get use to my new school. I am also the author of The Time I Went to the Hospital, The Spy Twins, Spy Master's Death, and this post about our class mural.

Hi my name is Linda and I am 10 years old. I live with my mom, dad, my sisters Lena and Lara and my brother. I like to draw, read and talk with my friends. I am good at spelling and reading. I want to be good at drawing and writing. I want to be a teacher when I grow up. I am different from other kids because I am the only one with braces in Room 2. The thing that confuses me is the reason people have war. If I were I planet I would be Pluto because I like cold weather. I hope I can make as many new friends in middle school as I did in Room 2.

FOOTBALLS & ARROWS By Alex, age 8

SLIME By Lisa, age 10

STONEHENGE By Linda M., age 8

REINCARNATION By the Kids in Room 2

This poem is part of a class poetry project inspired by the song "Old Glory" By the band Harvey Milk.




How do you think the pigeon feels?
Squished by a bus,
Stuck on the wheels.
Do pigeons know about suicide?
I asked this one and
he said, “No,
but I believe in reincarnation.”

How do you think my wooden chair feels,
screeching on the floor when I move it around,
wobbling
when I sit on it?
My mom puts something hard under one of its legs.
Do you ever feel that way?
I did the time my sister went to Mexico
and I stayed here.

How do you think your pants feel?
Sagging down to your knees,
ripping, fraying, falling down.
Have you ever felt like that?
I have,
the time I got lost in the forest.

QUAN'S HEAD By Andy, age 10

Quan sits at the edge of the basketball court while kids play basketball in front of him. They’re rough with the ball. Traffic screeches past the playground and roars through the Broadway tunnel. Quan worries about his head. He doesn’t have a real human head. He has a basketball for a head. Kids whisper and point at him. They might pull it off, he thinks. He wants to try to make friends with those kids so he won’t feel lonely anymore. He walks over to them and asks them if he could be their friend.

“Yes," one of the kids says. “Do you want to play basketball with us?”

Quan says, “Yes.”

They play basketball. They all pant and sit down to drink water. A boy named Jim tries to grab Quan’s basketball head but misses. Quan thinks he is trying to get the ball from his hand but he realizes that he is trying to get his head. He drops the ball and runs away from the kids. He sits at the bus stop to wait for the #1 on Clay St. Birds fly close to his head and dogs bark at it. He looks at a wilted plant. At home he plays games on his computer. In one of the games cube people keep on busting into his house and taking his stuff. He makes a plan about how to get them to stop trying to take his head off. He stays up all night thinking.

The next morning he runs back to the basketball court and plays basketball with the same kids. He puts on a mask to prevent the kids from pulling his head off. The mask also protects him from dogs and birds. Jim is there again and he tries to take Quan’s head off again but he grabs the mask instead. Quan runs back to his house.

He cuts two seatbelts out of his car with scissors and gets two pieces of metal, drills holes in them, and screws in pegs. He attaches his new device to his mask and straps himself in. He rides the bus to the basketball court to play basketball again. Jim is there. He tries to take off Quan’s new and stronger mask.

He doesn’t succeed, but he rips the mask strap. Quan runs out of the court and goes back to his house. He goes to the garage to build more protection for the mask. Then he goes back to the park.

“Why is your head like that?” Jim says.

Quan notices a lump in Jim’s chest. “Why is your chest like that?”

Jim covers his chest with his hand.

“Huh?” Quan says. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing”

“What‘s wrong with you?”

“I have a baseball instead of a heart.” Jim starts to cry.

Quan takes off his mask.

About the Author

Hi, my name is Andy and I am ten years old. I live on Polk Street. I live with my mom, dad, grandma, and sister and this is my second published book. I like to play computer, basketball, ping-pong, and pay with my friends. I am good at videogames, knitting, drawing, and math. I want to be better at making friends. When I grow up I want to be an engineer because they get to fix electronics. Something I wonder is where did trees come from? Where did the first seed come from? If I were a planet I would be Jupiter because it has the most moons and one of them named Io has the most volcanoes. I wish that there were no more bullies.

SPLINTERING By Destin, age 9

This poem is part of a class poetry project inspired by the song "Old Glory" By the band Harvey Milk.




How do you think the T-shirts feel,
full of holes
and ripping?
Have you ever felt this way?
I have,
the time
my mother
threw away my snails.
How do you think the skateboard feels
when it cracks,
splintering,
poking,
scraping cement?
Do your guts ever feel like that?

HOW I FEEL By Andrew, age 8

This poem is part of a class poetry project inspired by the song "Old Glory" By the band Harvey Milk.





How do you think my puppy feels,
when a kid throws a rock at its head
and I have to take it to the hospital?
How do you think my baby bird feels
when his mama is not with him
because she is getting food?
How do you think my baby sister feels
when she trips on the stairs when she’s running?
How do you think the zoo animals feel
when their cages are full of garbage?
I felt this way after my birthday party.
Do you ever feel this way?
What would you do if you were lost in the forrest?
Do not run.
Wait for the sun to shine
in the north,
south,
east
and west.
Then you will be free.
I did this before.

JOE'S DREAM By José, age 11

Joe had a turkey drumstick for a hand and he always wanted to play the guitar but he couldn’t. One day he passed a hospital and saw a sign that said Operations. He went inside and asked for an appointment for surgery. The person at the desk said, “Sure. How about tomorrow?”
“Ok.” Joe went back home because it was getting dark. When Joe went to sleep he dreamt that he was at a rock concert. Aerosmith and Run DMC played “Walk This Way.” In the middle of the song he woke up and remembered his appointment.
When he got to the hospital he sat in the waiting room for an hour. He looked at the TV bolted to the wall. It was tuned to MTV. Angus Young was playing a guitar solo. The solo made Joe feel good and hopeful because he thought how soon he would rock too.


A nurse called Joe’s name and told him to come to the operation room. He took his guitar with him. The doctor came in with a mouse. A human arm grew out of the mouse’s back. The doctor put headphones on Joe’s head. The headphones were attached to an MP3 player. Joe searched through the songs and chose “Back in Black” by AC/DC. The doctor put a virtual reality helmet on Joe’s head, over the headphones. The helmet covered his eyes and he saw the “Back in Black” video. He could not here anything in the operating room because the music was so loud.

There was a problem. The human arm was still stuck to the mouse. The doctor said that it still had to grow. It was too small. There was another arm-mouse but Joe had to wait another day in the hospital. Joe went to sleep. He dreamt again that he was at a rock concert. Aerosmith was playing “Sweet Emotion,” but in the middle of the song Slash from Guns ‘n’ Roses ran on stage and played a guitar solo. When he finished, Joe Perry thought it was a guitar battle and he started to play a solo too.

Then the doctor woke Joe up. He told Joe the operation was in five hours. Joe thought, what the %@*$ is wrong with them. He daydreamed about rock. Suddenly the lights went off and bunch of doctors came inside the room. They gave Joe a pill. The doctor told him to calm down after he took the pill. Joe was really scared he started to feel tired. While he slept the doctors drew lines on his body. They traced the lines with a scalpel and cut the drumstick off. The blood was gooey. The doctor got a hand from a donor and replaced the drumstick hand with the human hand. Joe woke up. He got out of bed and picked up his guitar. He strummed a chord. His arm hurt.


About the Author

Hello my name is José. I am eleven years old. I live with my mom and dad, five cousins, four aunts, two uncles, my grandpa and grandma, and my two brothers. I like to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and I am good at dodge ball. Someday I want to be good at playing the electric guitar. I’m different from other kids because I can make different shapes with my tongue. I get confused about how the world started. What was here before? If I were a planet I would be Saturn because rocks are floating around it and I like rock. I wish I would get along better with my cousin. This is my first published book.

TROUBLE IN MADAGASCAR By Destin & David, both age 9

Chapter 1
Where’s the Vanilla?

Chicken stew boiled on the stove. Colonel Tang dropped pieces of fruit into the blender. A rice cooker sat on a marble countertop, pots and pans hung on a rack above the sink. Spices in jars stood on top of the stove. Tomatoes and potatoes rolled off the counter, bouncing on the floor.

Colonel Tang lived in a white mansion in Washington DC with Captain Gao. The men were in charge of the Third Infantry Division of the United States Army. A collection of rocks from wars sat on a shelf in the hall. At the end of the hall a knight stood at attention. Pictures of bloody bodies hung on the walls in the living room.

Captain Gao pulled a cookbook off a shelf above the stove. It was full of Madagascar vanilla bean recipes. He flipped to a recipe for vanilla ice cream. He loved vanilla ice cream.

He opened the spice drawer and pulled out his bottle of vanilla extract. It was empty.

“Hey Jim,” Captain Gao said. “Did you drink all the vanilla extract? Do you know how much money I spent on it?”

“I didn’t drink it.”

“How will I ever get more?”

Chapter 2
The Contract

Ding Dong. Colonel Tang opened the door. There was a man waiting on the porch to give the officers instructions for a secret mission.

“Hello,” said Colonel Tang.

“Hello Colonel. I’m Sergeant Wu. He handed Colonel Tang the papers and pointed at the bottom of the first page. “Sign here. These are orders for your next mission. You’re going to Madagascar.”

Colonel Tang signed.

“Would you like me to come with you?" Sergeant Wu said.

“Ok,” Colonel Tang said.

That night Sergeant Wu, Colonel Tang and Captain Gao got on a plane headed for the Indian Ocean with the Third Infantry Division.

Chapter 3
The Flight

The next morning they ate breakfast on the airplane. They had eggs with soy sauce and bacon with salt.

“How long is this gonna take?” Captain Gao said.

“About a day or so,” Sergeant Wu said.

“WHAT!!!” Colonel Tang said.

“Why is it that long?" Captain Gao said.

“Oh, it's because we are going across the sea,” Sergeant Wu said. "Didn't you read the instructions?"

"No,” said Captain Gao.” I was thinking about the vanilla bean.

Chapter 4
Mess Hall

The Third Infantry Division landed at a military base in Australia and headed to the mess hall. There was a crowd getting food to eat for lunch. So Captain Gao, Colonel Tang, and Sergeant Wu joined with the crowd.

"What do we have for lunch?" Colonel Tang said.

"Oh we're going to have fried duck, chicken, and beans," Sergeant Wu said.

They got trays and sat down quickly.

“This tastes like clay,” Captain Gao said.

“Maybe it’s just the cooking,” Colonel Tang said.

While they ate, they heard footsteps running through the halls. And the footsteps were getting closer.

Chapter 5
The General

"That sounds like the General," one of the men said.

Footmen kicked through the mess hall door. Everyone stood at attention until one of the footman gave commands. "The general says all of you follow me. The Madagascar government has been leaking important US military secrets to the Iranians and they are hoarding their vanilla bean reserves."

"All we have to do is distract them," Colonel Tang said.

"But they have many weapons," Captain Gao said.

“I’ve already got my orders from the General,” the soldier said. “We’re heading to Madagascar.”

Chapter 6
The Battle

Colonel Tang’s troops were not prepared for the Madagasy assault. His soldiers couldn’t see. Their eyes were covered in blood. They were sprawled out along the Madagascar shore with their mouths open and their tongues sticking out. Soldiers buried their dead in the sand. Something shiny burned Colonel Tang's eyes. He moved closer. It shined bright as the sun, white and shocking. It was a box filled Vanilla Beans. Colonel Tang reached out to touch it but a soldier from the Madagascar Army was blocking it. He spread out his arms and held a sword in his right hand. When he squatted, the armor on his legs shined. The soldier set off a bomb attached around his neck. He blew himself up and the box of vanilla beans flew threw the air. Colonel Tang's soldiers hit the ground, covering their heads like there was an earthquake. A cliff overhead collapsed and rocks fell down on the troops.

"We need to get out of here," Colonel Tang said.

"We need to dig," one of the men said. “We’re trapped.”

But all of the sudden light shined in the American soldiers' faces. The Madagasy were digging out Colonel Tang’s troops.

"What are they doing?” Colonel Tang said. “Why are they helping us?”

“They’re not,'' Captain Gao said. “They’re trying to salvage the vanilla beans.”

Colonel Tang a handful of the vanilla beans. He heard the click of a gun trigger and he felt something wet oozing from his gut.

Chapter 7
Gone

Colonel Tang lay on the ground. Helicopters landed nearby. Medics jumped from the helicopters, carrying first aid kits.

"Let’s get Colonel Tang to the chopper and bring him back to base," Sergeant Wu said.

The medics loaded Colonel Tang into the chopper and Captain Gao hopped in behind them. Off they went, flying across the cool waters of the Indian Ocean.

“Finally I got some,” said Colonel Tang, strapped to a stretcher, clutching the vanilla beans.

Captain Gao pressed his hand over Colonel Tang’s heart. It was beating slowly. Colonel Tang’s heart beat even slower and he ran out of breath. Captain Gao yelled to the medics, “Help, we’re losing him.” Blood streamed out of Colonel Tang’s mouth and dripped from his eyes.

“He’s gone,” one of the medics said.


In his kitchen Captain Gao mixed the vanilla beans into a batch of ice cream then he tasted it and thought about Colonel Tang.



About the Authors

Hi my name is David. I am nine years old. I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad and sisters. I am good at sports and making friends. I want to be good at drawing someday. I want to be a doctor when I grow up. If I were weather I would be rain so I could torture people who hate storms. I wish I had a brother that would play with me a lot because now I only have sisters.


Hi my name is Destin. I am nine years old and I live in San Francisco. I live with my sister, dad, and my mom. I like to play Soul Caliber 4 on my Play Station 3 and also I like to play my Nintendo Dsi. I am good at math. I wish that I could be good at drawing and fighting someday. I would like to be a scientist inventor when I grow up. I am usually confused about why adults forget to keep their promises. If I were a tool I would be a screwdriver so I could fix toys. If I were granted a wish I would wish to get along with my sister so we won’t upset our parents.