An update from our sixth Stone Soup Book Club meeting! This week, in Book Club, we began discussing Out of My Mind, by Sharon M. Draper. This is the story of a 10-year-old girl with Cerebral Palsy. She is extremely intelligent but struggles to communicate her thoughts—she cannot speak, write, or walk. We began our session talking in small groups about the importance of words. We discussed the role words play in our lives, whether words are more valued verbally or written, and how we might try to communicate without the ability to speak or move our bodies. We went on to discuss the strength of Melody as the main character and the role of the many companion characters the author uses to tell her story. We also talked about what we considered the core themes of the book, including perseverance, courage, strength, the importance of friendship, and our deep human yearning to communicate with others. Next week, we are so excited to be joined by Adam Gidwitz, author of The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, for the first part of our session. Please come prepared with a few questions about the book, if you read it, or writing more generally. Since we have only a short time with Mr. Gidwitz, please keep in mind that everyone may not have the opportunity to ask a question directly. Following our time with Adam Gidwitz, we will continue discussing Out of My Mind and conclude by voting on the next one or two books we will read in Book Club. The Participants: Anya, Georgia, Lena, Vishnu, Rachel, Lucy, Joanna, Djin, Enni, Kaya, Allegra, Arianna, Katie, Zoe, Penelope, Em Jay, Isabel, Chloe The Stone Soup Book Club is open to all Stone Soup contributors and subscribers, age 9-13, during the COVID-19-related school closures and shelter-in-place arrangements. We meet every Wednesday for one hour via Zoom to discuss our chosen book.
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
A Brief History of a Fictional Virus, poem and video reading by Abhyudoy Basu, 13
A Brief History of a Fictional Virus Abhyudoy Basu, 13 A poem, and video reading by the author (3:45 min) One New Year’s Eve, many summers ago, A man in China started to cough and other symptoms began to show. His wife and son took him to the doctor for a test, The doctor said not to worry and prescribed him just rest. “It looks like a virus,” he said, “but a harmless one for sure.” The man went home satisfied, that the fever wouldn’t shorten his tenure. He went to work the next day, his symptoms having receded, But soon it became clear that a second opinion was needed. The man felt very tired, and his temperature did increase, And as for his cough, it became drier and did not cease. He decided to go to a specialist, so he went to Beijing, And the virus test results did not make him sing. It seemed that the virus was not as harmless as he had thought, And that his chances of recovering were very close to naught. After a week however, he recovered and his symptoms ceased, But that didn’t mean that that was the end of the disease. Soon after, his wife felt sick, and the symptoms were the same, And it transpired that the virus was all but tame. It had multiplied ruthlessly, infecting everyone, The man’s employees, workers, also his wife and son. The man’s wife’s condition began to grow worse, The man had to take her to the hospital and leave her with a nurse. After two days the virus had her by the throat, She suffocated, and to the unknown realms did float. Soon many people, across that district, especially that particular town, Reported a fever and then did the doctors frown. “A contagious virus,” they thought, “has spread in some way or the other. “If it is left untreated, it could turn out to be a bother.” They thought it would be wise to call a specialist from abroad, And so they hired a specialist of Italy, and he was awed. “It’s a virus which affects the lungs,” he surmised, “If it is left to fate, it could lead to worldwide demise.” The specialist took a sample and took it back home, He had to study and show it to his fellow doctors in Rome. But little did he know the virus was in him now, Slowly it was spreading to Spain and Macau. People started to fall ill and die, In the States, Iran, even Dubai. Word came out that even on a ship at the dock, The deadly virus had come to deliver a knock. Soon the virus began to spread everywhere, Step out of the door? Oh! Don’t you dare. No more cars, no buses or trains, The killer virus had infected the world’s veins. The roads were deadly quiet, the rail-lines rusted in peace, Everybody in their homes, even the police. Mother Nature was happy, the birds began to sing, The animals reclaimed their land, even as the world died with its offspring. Millions died across the globe, their bodies rotting in the streets, The world’s best technology and hospitals, all rendered obsolete. But slowly and surely, the world did climb back, Everybody rallied together and got back on track. So this is a good time, to reflect and turn the page, Or else, my friends, it’s back to Stone Age. Abhyudoy Basu, 13Bolpur, West Bengal, India
Daily Creativity #45: Write About a Miscommunication
Sometimes a plot turns on a mistake or a miscommunication. What if the crucial email, letter, text or phone message never arrived? It could be a disaster, or it might mean a lucky escape. Write a story where an important message never got through, and that changes the outcome for the better.
