We the People have been creating cacophony dissonant chords and jagged notes, scattered rests and twisted octaves the chaotic melody vanquishing a weak, sibilant harmony as tritone chords overwhelm the concert while the awkward bass clef fails to signal the start of the ensemble in an imperfect union. We the People have not yet accomplished our orchestral objectives the jarring and unbalanced rhythm flat, staccato, and splintered the staff becoming abstruse, the treble clef abandoning its position as the bass, melody, and voicings belong to different pieces preventing the construction of a pleasing arrangement when the white and black keys are in opposition forming an imperfect union. We the People of the United States are ready now to establish justice fairness and equality the chords pulsing in uniform tempo a smooth cadence every instrument has a chance its voice being heard the harmony fluently resting in the middle following the score and rhythm of the music in order to form a more perfect union. We the People of the United States have voted to insure domestic tranquility protect the nation’s peace the notes calmly flowing through the harmony every note as one working together to rise to the voicings of the chords crescendos and diminuendos vibratos and sustains the mellow rests allowing reflection in order to form a more perfect union. We the People of the United States commit to provide for the common defense protect our nation the sixteenth notes enfolding the eighth notes while the notes of the chords secure one another as the staff is accompanied by the crystalline time signature every musical element flowing to another in order to form a more perfect union. We the People of the United States shall promote the general welfare help people live better when in need the notes intersect with others as the rests make space to accommodate the whole notes every note supporting the other just as the bass, melody, harmony, and voicings Spiral in layers shaping the music in order to form a more perfect union. We the People of the United States with certainty will secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity make sure we are free and remain free as each sharp and flat takes hold of the staff and the quarter notes swell into whole notes for each note, rest, chord, has a role in the symphony to stand out and contribute to the music in order to form a more perfect union. We the People of the United States are ready for a new composition a glorious riot of sound and a jubilant melody ready to lift us up soaring upon triumphant wings of a more perfect union. Sofie Dardzinski, 10Potomac, MD
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Stone Soup Author Interview: Enni Harlan
Stone Soup contributor and 20-21 intern Anya Geist, 14, talks with three time winner of the Weekly Flash Contest Enni Harlan, 13, about writing a novel, the research that goes into historical fiction, and the feeling of living in your story. 0:18 – How were you introduced to Stone Soup? 0:49 – How did you decide to submit to the Flash Contests and how did you feel when you won? 1:05 – Did you ever not win when you submitted? 1:18 – What was it like to receive a rejection? 1:28 – Have you ever submitted to Stone Soup Magazine? 1:39 – Did it feel different to submit to the Magazine than it felt to submit to the Flash Contest? 2:08 – What was your favorite part about the Writing Workshop? 2:30 – How did it feel to write a book? 2:53 – What was your book about? 3:24 – Would you write another historical fiction novel? 3:49 – What was your favorite part about writing a book? 4:06 – How did it feel to submit the finished product? 4:45 – What is your favorite thing about writing? 5:05 – Which is your favorite genre to write in? 5:29 – Do you find that the writing you do for school is different from the writing you do for fun? 6:03 – Do you have any writing advice for your peers? 6:21 – How would you describe Stone Soup?
Hello, Universe, Reviewed by Pragnya, 12
The Universe is a vastly strange place. It can bring a group of people from completely different worlds together, and create a string of coincidences so distinct yet so intricate almost no one can comprehend how exactly it happened. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly is an intriguing, cleverly plotted and heartwarming novel about friendships, personalities, embracing your inner quirkiness and learning to be yourself, all mixed together with a touch of coincidence and that thing we all experience called life. The story is about 4 middle-graders: Virgil, a shy,thoughtful Filipino-American boy filled with folktales told by his Lola and his pet guinea pig Gulliver, Valencia, a determined yet easily underestimated young girl because of her hearing disability, and witty Kaori Tanaka and her little sister Gen, two astrology-obsessed fortune tellers who run a business. As far as they were concerned, they were just normal kids that happened to live in the same neighborhood. Until, Chet Bullens, a notorious bully, traps Virgil and Gulliver in the woods and makes them land up into a well. From there, it is up to Valencia, Kaori and Gen to band together and search for Virgil, and save him before it is too late. Meanwhile, Virgil takes time to reflect on everything, and starts to discover his inner bayani (hero). Will they get to Virgil before it’s too late? And how coincidental really is our universe? I like the fact that the novel has been converted into shorter chapters, or vignettes, each one with different perspectives of the characters. It helps the reader understand where each protagonist is coming from. It also highlights where each character is at the same time, which you don’t normally get to experience in most books. I find this book extremely relatable, filled with situations all of us have experienced at least once, like getting embarrassed in front of people from school, falling out with a friend because their interests have changed or trying to show yourself better than you actually are. People don’t always know what the other characters are feeling at the same moment, and the writer has portrayed that aspect of the story beautifully. Something I especially enjoyed looking at was character development, and how the main conflict changed their personalities, and the aftermath of the whole story panned out really well. I enjoyed reading about Virgil’s perspective the most, mainly because of the inclusion of various Filipino cultures and myths, like Pah, a gigantic bird from lore who was said to eat people. Valencia also proved to be an interesting character, with her interests and eye for detail about the natural environment. With its well-paced plot, intricate character description, extremely vivid imagery and a serene writing style that still keeps you hooked, Hello, Universe is definitely a book I would recommend, especially because everyone can find themselves in the pages of this captivating story. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. Greenwillow Books, 2020. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
