Calling (oil pastel) by Serena Li, 12; published in the May/June 2024 issue of Stone Soup A note from Laura Moran Greetings Stone Soupers! As is our annual tradition in New England, the first early spring day begins with my young son bursting into my bedroom, begging to wear shorts. Maybe some of you will concur—there is just something about shorts when you’re nine! And when the weather inevitably chills a day or two later and I deny his shorts request? Let’s just say the agonizing disappointment quakes throughout the house. With a couple of rounds of this routine in the books, I believe we have officially entered nine-year-old shorts season in our corner of the world. In fact, as I write this note, I’m looking out my kitchen window onto an overgrown grassy path that runs along the side of our house, where a woman has just set up an easel and begun to paint. I imagine she’s at work capturing the delicate blooms, vibrant and dewing, that creep along the rickety wooden fence of my neighbor. Or maybe it’s the steeple of Old North Church, across the street, drenched in morning sunlight. I’m thoroughly enjoying the artwork and stories that capture these quintessential spring-like images in the current issue of Stone Soup. I am also particularly drawn to Aila Monacelli Schrider’s memoir, “The City,” in which she captures the unique experience of springtime in New York City. I recently spent a few delightful spring days in New York City with my family. We ate and ate and ate, and we walked, and walked, and walked—across the High Line on the old freight rail line above Manhattan, through the bustle of the lower East Side, and amongst the tulips and cherry blossoms of central park. It was a perfect start to the season and the sights, sounds and smells so astutely captured in Aila’s story bring me right back! In Refugee Project news, I’m excited to share the newly launched Anthropology of the Everyday webpage which features the work of both our Stone Soup and Refugee Project cohorts! Young people in Nakivale Refugee Settlement celebrated the conclusion of the workshop with a festive celebration, which I was able to attend over Zoom. Happy spring and happy writing! From Stone Soup May/June 2024 The City by Aila Monacelli Schrider, 11 I step out of my school, and immediately noise fills my ears. The honking of cars, the steady chatter of kids as they leave, the footsteps, the wind in the trees. This is the very heartbeat of our city. I greet my mom or dad, depending on the day. We walk toward the train, the hard, gray sidewalk pushing against my feet as I walk. The wind stings my eyes, my nose, my cheeks, but I walk anyway, against the breath of the beautiful soul that is New York. Shops are crammed next to each other along the sidewalk, like people sitting on a subway during rush hour. The windows are smudged and the doors are grimy. The faded brick seems to sag, like an old man who has seen many things in his life. Delicious smells fill the air, tickling my nose and making my stomach yearn for food. Food there is, indeed. Food from Europe, Asia, Africa, everywhere you could possibly think of. I don’t have enough noses. Cars shoot past like bullets, and a train honks in the distance. We’re getting close to the station. We round the corner and duck into the deep, dusty staircase. People hurry down the stairs beside us, not looking at anyone, not pausing for a single second. They must all have somewhere to be. To read more, click here. Explore our summer camps Playwriting June 17–20; 9–11 am PT The goal of this course led by Conner Bassett is to produce one 10-minute play. To help you do this, we will approach playwriting as a form of craft—grounded in dialogue, character, voice, setting, tone, conflict, action, and plot structure. This workshop will also emphasize a play’s arc: its beginning, turning point, and ending. Reality Hunger: An Introduction to Memoir June 24–27; 9–11 am PT In this class, led by Emma Wood, Executive Director of Stone Soup, we will read and write memoir and personal essays—in short form. We will consider how they work, ask questions about the ethical aspects of writing nonfiction (What if my mom reads it? What if I hurt someone’s feelings? What if my memory is “wrong”?), and—most importantly—experiment in the form with daily in-class writing prompts, sharing our work in a supportive, fun community. Literature in Miniature: A Study of Micro Fiction & Prose Poetry June 24–27; 1–3 pm PT Sometimes, the biggest ideas are best expressed in the tiniest of forms. In this workshop taught by former Stone Soup Blog Editor Caleb Berg, you will learn to condense your horizons into a style of writing perfected by writers like Lydia Davis, Daniil Kharms, Gertrude Stein, and many others. You will write multiple discrete pieces per day and finish the class with enough writing to fill up a chapbook. Intro to Poetry: The Image and the Line July 22–25; 9–11 am PT Emma Wood will also teach a class on poetry. Immerse yourself in what a poem is and what it can do. Students will write their own poetry, shaking themselves out of established modes of thinking. Filmmaking as Dialogue August 5–9; 9–11 am PT In this class taught by filmmaker Isidore Bethel, we’ll use the camera to facilitate and enrich our interactions with others – friends, family, animals, plants, and the world around us. Writing texts with a partner, recording and sharing short videos, and interpreting their meanings aloud will be starting points for developing individual and collaborative approaches to filmmaking. Editing and Revising Fiction August 5–9; 1–3 pm PT In this class taught by Stone Soup Editor in Chief Diane Landolf, you’ll learn how to think like an editor and make your stories the best they can be. We’ll discuss first paragraphs, character development, dialogue,
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Flash Contest #67, May 2024: Write a story based on one of your favorite songs—our winners and their work
Our May 2024 Flash Contest was based on Prompt #304 (provided by Stone Soup intern Sage Millen), which asked that participants write a story based on one of their favorite songs. Musical inspirations included Shawn Mendes, Ruth B., LL COOL J, and Brandi Carlisle. Characters faced 200 ft demons, made new friends, and attended incredible concerts. In one submission, a case of mistaken identity even led to an arrest! As always, thank you to all who participated, and please keep submitting next month! In particular, we congratulate our Honorable Mentions, listed below, and our Winners, whose work you can appreciate below. Winners “I Can Tell That We are Gonna Be Friends” by Sejal Arora-Patel, 10 “Child Psychology” by Sarah Hu, 12 “Fallout” by Gargi Mondal, 12 “Talking to the Moon” by Dora You, 11 “Oh Klahoma” by Melody You, 13 Honorable Mentions “Older” by Meera Amin, 13 “The Dandelion Wish” by Brielle Barlow, 12 “As Is” by Erin Mundt, 11 “The Wish Tiger” by Jiya Parekh, 10 “Floater” by Zoe Pazner, 13 I Can Tell That We are Gonna Be Friends SEJAL ARORA-PATEL, 10 Song: “We’re Going to Be Friends” by The White Stripes Fall is here Kids are shouting and yelling and I kind of don’t know how to feel. The school building stretches high in front of me, and fall leaves are scattered on the ground. Red, yellow, orange, and rare purple that match the shoes I secretly like even though boys aren’t supposed to like purple shoes. They make climbing the fence easier, racing the new girl whose curly brown hair makes her look pretty. “I forgot my new math book.” I whisper quietly. “You can borrow mine if I can take your cursive pen.” She says. “Is red okay?” “Red’s my favorite color.” I can’t help grinning ‘cause I think this must be some kind of good omen. Suzy Lee “Thanks for letting me borrow your book.” I tell the girl with the curly hair. “No problem.” She does a smile that makes me smile. I hope she likes my smile. “What’s your name?” “Suzy Lee.” “That’s a pretty name.” It is. “Do you wanna walk over there?” “I like to walk.” Kids play on the slide and swings and try to go higher than the others. Their shouts echo loud, and we giggle. I put one foot on the tall redwood that stretches up, up, up. It’s an evergreen. Green leaves all year. I like that. “I don’t think you should try to climb that tree.” “You think?” “I found a worm.” “I found a beetle, I think. In this tree.” We sit down on the grass, and I put the beetle down beside her worm. “Bug party!” I giggle and take a breath. “Do you want to walk to school together tomorrow?” She nods. “Yeah.” So we do. No one else Walking to school is like a bubble with just us that never pops. And it has shiny colors all over it. “Have you noticed that our uniforms are dirty?” Suzy’s eyebrows knit together like a caterpillar. We’ve been searching for bugs for days, and we still haven’t found a caterpillar. “No. Is it class time?” “I think. I wonder what we’ll learn?” And if we’ll sit next to each other, I silently think. Numbers, letters “Suzy, can you tell me how to spell noun?” Teacher asks. “N-o-u-n.” “Yes.” “How are you so good at spelling?” I giggle. “Okay, class, let’s get our letter blocks.” I try to tip them gently, but I accidentally spill them on the floor. “Oops.” Suzy Lee grabs four blocks. Blue, red, red, blue. “See? Noun.” “Doesn’t it describe a type of word? Is it an actual word?” “Both.” “Can you spell rabbit?” “No, but I’m gonna bring mine to show and tell.” Suzy’s rabbit almost got crushed by Big Red when I took it to her house. That’s what teacher calls the ball I accidentally stole. It’s back at school now, ‘cause I’m not an on-purpose thief. “I don’t think you should. Teacher said my measurement was four whole feet, and your rabbit’s half that. I’m still scared of the Forbidden Forest. No Time I used to wanna try out that time-lapse thing on Mama’s phone, but it feels like that with Suzy. “You sing like smooth peanut butter, Suzy.” “Teacher says the same thing.” “Does she think I sound like a snorting rhino?” “Pretty much. “But personally, rhinos are my favorite.” Tonight “Do you need me to tuck you in tonight?” “No, Mama.” I say, my eyes drooping with sleep. “‘Cause tonight I know what I’m gonna dream about.” “What, baby?” “About bugs. And the alphabet. “And Suzy Lee. Walkin’ to school together.” And “‘Cause, Mama?” “‘Cause what?” “I can tell that we are gonna be friends.” Child Psychology SARAH HU, 12 Song: “Child Psychology” by Black Box Recorder There is a rumor that in the house uphill, that barren, wooden shaft of a home, there lives a man who can turn flowers into fertile trees, and up top the second hill, a villager carries three coffins over their left shoulder without a hassle. The third hill is dominated by a pack of coyotes, and the fourth is a graveyard. They say these two hills are so close to each other that when a weep or a shout is heard, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between a cry and a plea. Either way, a soul is lost, and in theory, two more will die with it. One, the caregiver, and two, the lover. And although it is frightening how similar fear and grief have become, and the loss of life is nothing short of a tragedy, what’s even more startling is the fifth hill. Amalgamations of brick and stone and mirth lay upon the grassy patch. Red spills from fruit and flesh alike. Plum blossom petals scamper away from the tree they break off from. This is the hill humanity resides in, ignorance. It’s
Weekly Creativity #305: Draw Your Pet as a Fantasy Creature
Draw your pet (or a friend’s pet) as a fantasy creature.