LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN By Sosorbaram, age 10

I AM FIVE By Binh, age 9

SCIENCE, MAGIC & A DREAM: A SURGERY STORY by Nam, age 8

THE FIRST TIME I SAW HER By Tran, Helen, Jessica C. & Anna L.

She was sitting on her preschool cot,

sobbing.

It was like the time I went to the

Hello Kitty store in Japantown

and picked up a stuffed

bunny and petted its soft ears,

lulling myself into

wonderland.

And like when I grabbed all those

puffy stickers,

the glittery musical notes,

hearts,

stars,

pink,

silver,

blue,

all of that shimmer in between

my fingers,

peeling the shapes off of the

slippery plastic

and sticking them on my wall

and Mom saying,

the landlord will be mad

but

who

cares?

NINE THINGS ABOUT ME By Nam, age 8

Nine Things about Me

By Nam Nguyen

I was born in the 

Year of the Dog.

(Maybe this is why

I like to run.)

One time I went to the hospital,

and the doctors asked me three questions:

What flavored air do you want?

(Cherry.)

Does your bump feel itchy?

(No.)

Does your bump hurt?

(No.)

My parents met at a funeral.

(But the sadness

is not in me.)

HOW TO SAY GOODBYE By Misu, age 8

How to Say Goodbye

By Misu

I kick

pebbles 

and they fly

through the air.

Tear drops 

soak into the dirt.

The wind whistles, 

my hair

brushes

against my cheek,

leaves dangle,

apples fall,

flowers tickle

my palm.

The sun vanishes

into the clouds,

doves fly

above

my head,

roses surround

the coffin, 

flautists blow

into

their

instruments,

calming

the

blade

of my

family's

sadness,

memories

floating

around

my head.

When

will 

the 

silence

disappear?

MASQUERADE By Jack, Nhi, Tony, Misu, Tran & Alan

Masquerade

By Jack, Nhi, Tony, Misu, Tran & Alan

Sheep-shaped 

clouds

blossom

balloons

and

blanket

helicopters.

Sun rays 

burn my shoulder.

The moon glows 

in a San Francisco sky,

alone.

The city 

drowns

the stars

in light.

BECAUSE By the Kids in Room 2

Because 

By the Kids in Room 2

Clothes are for wearing.

Rubber bands are for hair.

Shoes are for feet.

Sharks are for scaring.

But I heard they are actually scared of humans.

They only eat people because they think they’re seals.

I only eat sharks

because 

they’re salty

and sweet.

THE BROKEN ONE By the Kids in Room 2

The Broken One

By the Kids in Room 2

A pigeon.

One wing bent 

the wrong way,

dragging across the concrete.

The other wing

flapping,

its neck feathers

shimmering.

The one with beady,

red

eyes

waddles over to the 

broken one

and

their beaks smooch

under

the bench.

TWO SCOOPS A DAY by Lily & Helen, both age 8

THE GARDEN GUARDIAN BY ANNA, NHI, LESLIE & JESSICA M., AGES 9-10