We all got quiet, admiring her beauty It was finally spring in the woods of Montana. The bitter coldness had ended at last, and not only was the temperature warmer, but also the hearts of those who lived there. Bozeman, a chocolate-brown horse, was about to have a baby. Her life as a rodeo horse […]
Shriveled Roses
Under the gray sky In a dreary meadow, One with the trees and fallen leaves. A raven flies overhead And the cold north winds Start to creep in. But in between two oaks is where they lie. Once flourishing and lush, just like this meadow. Shriveled up, facing down With a pile of petals Upon […]
Not Quite as Easy as Pie
“Great job, guys!” Gabby smiled. “You made a pie!” I heard a loud bang! Followed by a “No, darn it!” I rolled my eyes, knowing Max was in the kitchen again. Clumsy, fumbling, so not-a-chef-and-never-will-be, Max. I peeked around the corner of the door frame, only to see him and his cat, Rufus, covered in […]
Tuesdays at the Castle
Tuesdays at the Castle, by Jessica Day George; Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers: New York, 2011; $16.99 Jessica Day George’s Tuesdays at the Castle is a wonderful, heart-pounding story about a young girl who needs to protect her home, the Castle Glower. When an evil man named Khelsh tries to take over the castle, it […]
My Kitty Mango
Mango gave me a look that I think I could remember for my whole life It was a drizzly, rainy day. There were hardly any people walking on the street. My sister was in her room, singing a pre-school song. My mom huddled in her bed, reading a book. My cat Baboo was, of course, […]
The Chances We Take
She left before the sun came up. I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye. Goodnight; I love you. The last words spoken between us The suitcase had been packed that night. Button-up shirts, Silky and soft. A warm embrace; The smell of roses. I’ll be back before Sunday, she had said. It was a […]
Breeze
“Is this your dog, kid?” a tall policeman asked There’s a funny thing about love. Love can twist you and tie you in a knot. Love can make your heart burst and your eyes fill with tears, and love can make you so jubilant even when there’s a tornado outside. Love can bring you together […]
Lillian
Everybody seems so happy except for me I wake up to the sound of my little brother, Carson, screaming. I plug my ears with my pillow, trying to block out the noise, but it doesn’t help. “No, Daddy, no!” Carson laughs. Laughs. That’s something I’d sure like to do. You see, ever since Carson was […]
Dreamer of Dreams
I can capture a bird’s flight, a mountain’s splendor, a tiger’s roar. My pen marks the crisp white paper like footprints on a snowy trail. My dreams are alive, and leaping like sparks in my hands. To dream is to speak a thousand words and never speak at all. In my dreams, I fly like […]
The Ghost Children
Everyone said it was haunted, but we never listened We always loved going to that old house on the hill. Everyone said it was haunted, but we never listened. Michael, Emma, and me, Summer. Why did we always go there? I guess we were interested. We didn’t believe in ghosts. Not then. Now we know […]
Camp Conflict
To my amazement, Chris just set up the pieces and started playing! My name is Jake. I have brown hair and green eyes, and I’m eleven years old, but most importantly, I’ve always wanted to go to summer camp. Every year I beg my parents to let me go, but they always insist that it’s […]
My Life with the Lincolns
My Life with the Lincolns, by Gayle Brandeis; Henry Holt and Company: New York, 2010; $16.99 Wilhelmina Edelman has three goals for the summer: to get through age twelve without dying, to keep her mom from becoming insane and going to a “nuthouse,” and to stop her dad from getting shot. As you might know, […]
