Daniella Horna-Baxter, 13Oak Park, IL Something Smells Fishy Daniella Horna-Baxter, 13 I was tired of being stuck inside with only my parents. I was itching for sunlight, and barely any clouds littered the sky. So, I decided to go to the backyard to do my e-learning. I was doing my math when I noticed how pretty the pond water was as it reflected the clear blue sky. I decided it was time for a break. I got my camera and started taking pictures. I was marveling at the pictures when I took a closer look and noticed that there were only 10 of my 30 or so fish there. Interesting . . . I got some fish food and flew outside. I counted again. 11. Hmmmm. I threw the specks of food all across the pond hoping some would come out. Nothing. If the food was in the pond, why weren’t fish coming out? I called my best friend that I had lived next to for over 8 years. Joel answered right away. “Hey Hannah what’s up?” “I think a raccoon is eating my fish.” “Really? Try setting up a camera.” I did, but I forgot to get a light and all the footage was pitch black. 9 fish. So, the next night I got my flashlight and aimed it at the pond. I was sure to catch the animal. The next morning I woke up and immediately checked the footage, the video had gone dark at 10 o’clock. I checked the flashlight, dead. 6 fish. I called Joel, yet again he answered immediately “Have you caught it?” “No, I don’t know what to do.” “Why don’t you stay up tonight? I’ll check on you each hour.” I woke up at 7. 4 fish. I called up Joel. “Joel! Why didn’t you wake me up last night?!” “I was trying to! But you sleep like a baby! I tried waking you up with a megaphone, but Old Greta across the street yelled at me for being too loud. So I tried to go wake you up but then I remembered the 6 foot rule.” “Well what am I going to do now?” “I have some motion activated lasers that send a notification to your phone when something moves.” “How do you have that? “My dad worked night security at the Art Museum” There was no movement, and now I had no fish. I Face Timed Joel. “Joel! There’s no more fish left!” “Oh no!” Then I noticed something behind him. A fish tank. With my fish.
The History Keepers series by Damian Dibben, reviewed by Madeline Sornson, 12
Review of The History Keepers series by Damian Dibben 1. The Storm Begins 2. Circus Maximus 3. Nightship To China Review by Madeline Sornson, 12 Our protagonist Jake Djones is an ordinary boy with an extraordinary ability–much like the beloved Harry Potter. But Jake cannot wave a wand and cast spells; he can travel through time. And he must, in order to find his parents and rescue them from wherever they are in history. Damian Dibben opens the series with the kidnapping of fourteen-year-old Jake. He is driven to a base hidden beneath a monument in London, and then he sails away to 19th century France, where he meets the members of the History Keepers–a secret society that travels back in time to stop history from being meddled with. Jake discovers that his parents are a part of this society, and that they had been sent out on a mission from which they did not return. Determined to rescue them, Jake joins a group of advanced members (who would soon become his best friends) on their way to Renaissance Italy, where the evil Prince Zeldt is plotting to destroy the world. One of my favorite things about this series is that you get to travel with Jake to multiple different times and places in history. Circus Maximus takes place primarily in Ancient Rome, where Jake and his friends go to defeat Prince Zeldt’s sister, also known as the most evil woman in the world. Nightship To China is set, as you might expect, in Imperial China, where Jake goes to vanquish the terrifying, three-eyed Xi Xiang. The Storm Begins, Circus Maximus, and Nightship to China are well written, and have twists and turns waiting on every page. There were some frightening, violent scenes (like the one where Jake ends up in a dark pit with dozens of fifteen-foot-long black mambas), but the wit and humor Dibben wove in made the books fun to read while still being packed with action. These three books are almost impossible to put down. All ended in cliffhangers, so I hope that a fourth book is in the works. You will be desperate to find out what adventure Jake embarks on next. Overall, I loved The History Keepers: The Storm Begins, as well as its sequels, and I would absolutely recommend them to any reader in search of an adventurous, comical, and engaging series. The History Keepers series by Damian Dibben. Corgi Children’s (2001). Buy the books here and support Stone Soup in the process! A picture of the author, Damian Dibben Reviewer Madeline also did an interview with author Damian Dibben! To see the great questions Madeline asked, and to learn more about The History Keepers series, Damian’s writing process, and more, check out the interview here.
The Reason for our Smiles, the Amazing NHS, a poem by Cali Davis, 9
Cali Davis, 9Manchester, UK The Reason for our Smiles, the Amazing NHS Cali Davis, 9 To all our heroes helping out during this illness, Your bravery and selflessness deserves our respect, For all you have done and all you will do, We have been brought together and that’s thanks to you. The stars are shining brighter with every waking hour, You’re saving lives, risking your own and for that you have the power, Words can’t express the gratitude we feel, You’re the sun in our eyes and you make our sadness heal. We all await the day for our lives to go back to how they were, But for now let’s appreciate each other and be grateful for what we share, Soon enough this will be a faded memory and the hardships will be less and less, One thing that will never be forgotten is our unsung heroes, the NHS! Editor’s note: For readers not based in Britain, NHS = National Health Service
