Change is always scary and sad. Once you get used to a particular change, there will be a new one. I dislike change and would like life to go on as it is now forever. But reading the Anne series by L.M. Montgomery has changed my mind a little. Maybe change is not always bad? I will leave that for you to find out. The series follow spirited, imaginative, hot-tempered, headstrong, red-haired (please do not judge her based on this) Anne, from the day she arrives at Green Gables to her life as a mother of six children. Anne Shirley, an orphan, is brought to Green Gables by the Cuthberts, but she realizes that they do not want her. They want a boy to help them in the fields, and a girl would be of no use. Anne is bitterly disappointed for she had been so happy to come to the lovely, cozy farmhouse and excited about the prospect of a nice, loving home. As a reader, I had gotten acquainted with Anne in the past chapter, and I felt so sorry for her at this point. Fortunately, after a surprising turn of events, Anne stays on at Green Gables to be brought up by the crisp, stern, and practical Marilla and the kind and shy Matthew. The first two books portray her childhood, the third one is of her in college, and the last ones are of her as a young mother and wife. Her scrapes, adventures, stories, “kindred spirits,” and “bosom friends” all make these books friendly. One of the many reasons I like the books is that Anne seems to be as weary of change as me, and the way she gets over them make me feel better about what lies ahead of me too. I feel like anyone of my age should actually try the books. It is certainly worth it! Another reason I like it is because I see myself in those pages, and I am sure you would too. My favorite book of the series is the first one because as Anne often says herself “there is a scope for imagination.” I feel I too can share Anne’s whims, fantasies, and flights of imagination in the first book. In the other books I felt that this was not possible. Another reason I did not like the later books is because that it seemed pretty tame compared to the first book. On the whole, however, the books are awesome, and I recommend them wholeheartedly for absolutely everyone!! Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Puffin Books, 2014. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Saturday Newsletter: April 20, 2024
Annalisa (acrylic) by Rebecca Wu, 9; published in the March/April 2024 issue of Stone Soup A note from Tayleigh Greene Hello from Houston! Although it’s hot, the skies here are gray today, so I’m enjoying a healthy dose of technicolor in the form of Rebecca Wu’s Annalisa, shown above and published in the March/April issue of Stone Soup. If you’d like to see your work in a future issue of Stone Soup, there’s still time to submit to the Stone Soup Art, Poetry, and Story Prizes! Submissions are due May 1 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. We will select a single winner—one story, one poem, one piece of art—from each category for publication in Stone Soup Magazine. Winners will also receive three free expedited submissions ($30 value) and a one-year, print subscription to the magazine ($89.99 value). All entries are always considered for publication in the magazine, as well. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity! In other news, there are only two spots left in our spring session writing workshop, Adaptation: Crafting Stories from the Familiar and the Unknown, which begins next Saturday, April 27th. If you’ve been thinking about registering, do it now! Those last two seats are sure to sell out quickly. Registration for our summer camps in collaboration with fellow literary nonprofit Society of Young Inklings is now open. From playwriting and memoir to micro fiction and prose poetry, we have a workshop for every young writer. This year, we’re also excited to offer a filmmaking course with award-winning filmmaker Isidore Bethel! Click here to explore the full range of virtual summer camps open for registration. Warm regards, The Stone Soup Art Prize The Stone Soup Poetry Prize The Stone Soup Story Prize Only two spots left! Register for Spring Writing Workshops 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, story arc, and what makes a great sentence. Click here to peruse the entire selection of camps available; our friends at Society of Young Inklings are teaching a variety of additional courses, and more courses will be announced soon! Stone Soup is published by Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization registered in the United States of America, EIN: 23-7317498.
“Marjorie” by Taylor Swift, Reviewed by Priscilla Chow, 10
The song “Marjorie” is played in the movie Eras Tour in the Evermore leg of the concert, where I first heard it in early 2024. Ever since then, I have fallen in love with this song because the tune sends calming tingles down my spine and never fails to make the point of how much Taylor Swift misses her grandma Marjorie Finlay. I also love how the song’s lyrics are structured like chants, with life lessons Taylor has learned from Marjorie, for example, “Never be so kind, you forget to be clever.Never be so clever, you forget to be kind.” Taylor shares a heart-shattering story about knowing her grandma has passed away but still feeling her spirit in the world around her. The song emphasizes how Taylor looks up to her grandmother and how her grandmother has passed on her dreams to Taylor Swift. This song truly expresses Taylor’s grief for her grandma. Taylor Swift was born in West Riding, PA on December 13, 1989. She released her first official album at 16 years old. She is known worldwide for singing many famous love songs, but some people don’t realize that she’s not the love-obsessed girl they think she is. Instead, she is also the singer of songs like “Welcome to New York” (about moving to New York), “22” (celebrating being 22), “Shake it Off” (about ignoring the haters), and “Marjorie” (about her grandmother). The song “Marjorie” is in Evermore, Taylor’s 9th album. The album cover has Taylor with her hair in a braid and in a flannel sweater. The album was published when Taylor Swift was 30 in 2020. “Evermore” originally is an adverb that means forever, always, or in the future. I love this word because the word “forever” always brings reassurance to my mind, as it makes me feel like the hard times will pass, and everything will be the same in the future as before. This album was once a top album and “Willow,” another song in the album, was once a top song. I recommend this song because it is engraved in Taylor Swift’s heart, representing her as a person just like any of us. The grandma-granddaughter connections seem to be even more precious nowadays after COVID-19. This song will definitely raise people’s spirits and even make them cry when they connect this song with someone who passed away or disappeared in their life. Such a loss can result in a closed heart unable to be open to new love and invisible pain stabbing them in the side every day. This invisible pain is usually concealed and untold. The heart, however, is like a piece of paper; after it’s crumpled it can never be the same. Possibly because of the power of connecting people, the song “Marjorie” becomes an important part of the legacy of the Eras Tour, as it is sung in every concert.
