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Contents

Face Your Fears

Katherine looked up into the smiling faces of her parents. Though they appeared to be cheerful on the outside, she could sense the worry that hung about their shoulders and the urgency in their movements. She watched as they put on long black overcoats and dark hats with brims that obscured their eyes. “Mommy, Daddy, [...]

The Fire of Diwali

A TRUE STORY Kamina grinned. Finally, it was Diwali! She had been longing for this day since she had come with her family to her grandparents’ house, and now she could hardly wait to start the celebration! Diwali was an Indian holiday, celebrating the return of the prince Ram. The story was that Ram had [...]

Thank You, Mr. Huffington

  OCTOBER Come on, Josh,” Mom urged one day. “It won’t kill you if you join band.” “Yes, it will,” I retorted. “I’ll take away your video games,” Mom threatened. “OK, fine!” I finally gave in after weeks of argument. “I’m sure the way to fit in at my new school is to be a [...]

The Gold Pocket Watch

The Eiffel Tower was the ideal pickpocketing spot. Tourists were the most likely targets because of their ignorance and trust in the locals. Much of Paris’s underworld hung around the Eiffel Tower, preying on unsuspecting, over-trusting visitors. One clean, quick, unseen swipe, and the fool had lost a possession. When that fool found out, it [...]

Letters to Bobbi

Dear Bobbi, There is definitely a risk in sending letters. I know that. However, there is more of a risk in trying to visit you or send a holo-message. Then I’d get caught for sure. Holograms always pass through the Big Villa, and they would watch it before you even knew I had tried to [...]

Eyes

Even as a child, I was fascinated by wild things. Some of my first memories are those of my dad marching me into the wilds of the jungle and pointing out troops of monkeys, kaleidoscopes of butterflies, and schools of fish. The flapping of wings intrigued me most. It didn’t matter if the wings were [...]

Frustration, Happiness, and Pure Amazement

How I Found Chanterelles Rain splattered against ice-cold windows, and fat, foggy, clouds hung low. I was in my dad’s twenty-one-year- old Honda Accord, zooming along the highway. It was four-thirty, and I had just gotten out of the two-hour Chinese School that I attend every Sunday. My dad, sister Mia, and I were on [...]

Camping in the Fall

Dark skies The Milky Way shining through The once bright blue sky Toasty fire Turning white marshmallows To golden brown Silent wind nips my nose The occasional hoot of an owl The yellow-orange flicker brings Peace to the family Optimism to the air Light dew begins to form Across the sloping grass Leaves slowly float [...]

Flight

I had forgotten what it felt like to fly I watch as the plane speeds down the runway A lurch The wings turn upwards as the wheels retract The plane flies gaining height dips to the right then the left now it steadies itself It climbs higher reaches a peak and then climbs higher touching [...]

Whirling into Whispering Wind

I fall into a golden, crisp carpet of leaves watching as the wind whirls them into a painting of bronze butterflies their wings rustle and I am by the sea again remembering the summer I love the aroma of sweet-scented cinnamon sprinkled on warm pumpkin pie crunchy apples and maple leaves brushing the air with [...]

The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill

The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill, by Megan Frazer Blakemore; Bloomsbury Children’s Books: New York, 2015; $7.99 In 1953 Hazel Kaplansky is a fifth-grader who wants badly to be a detective. She has read all the Nancy Drew books in her library, feels that she is the perfect sleuth, and is prepared to solve any [...]