Weekly Flash Contest #6: Draw or paint a scene from a book you are reading, or have read. Anya Geist, 13Worcester, MA The week commencing May 4th (Daily Creativity prompt #31) was our sixth week of flash contests–and our second Takeover! This time, Anya Geist, age 13, from Worcester, MA, took over the Daily Creativity prompts for the week, including some really great art prompts as well as some writing ideas. As always in our takeover weeks, Anya joined the Stone Soup team as one of the Flash Contest judges. To remind you of the process–each judge evaluates the entries independently, the judges’ scores are tallied, and we meet via Zoom to agree on our final lists of winners and honorable mentions. There were a lot of entries this week, and a large number of really beautiful artworks for us to look at. Luckily the judges had very similar views when they awarded their scores, so it wasn’t too difficult to agree on the results (though we can’t say it was all that easy with such a lot of great work to choose from!). Anya had set you a great challenge, and she had some very considered and insightful feedback on the entries. It was a real pleasure to work with her on this contest. Thank you, Anya! This week, we are announcing our 5 Winners, whose work is published below, plus 5 Honorable Mentions. We were so impressed by the different media used, and the creative approaches you all took. Congratulations, everyone! Winners (work published on this page) Analise Braddock, 9, Katonah, NY Anna Dollar, 13, Monticello, FL Catherine Gruen, 13, Chino Hills, CA Olivia Titus, 11, Houston, TX Elia Yamamura, 12, Cary, NC Honorable Mentions Sienna Olsen, 9, Tauranga, New Zealand “Albus Dumbledore” from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling Yincheng Qian, 12, Dallas, TX “First View of Hogwarts” from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling Ava Shorten, 10, Mallow, Ireland “Joey, exhausted, frightened and wounded” from War Horse by Michael Morpurgo Zoe Campbell, 10, San Francisco, CA “Then Percy let go of his tiny ledge, and together, holding hands, he and Annabeth fell into the endless darkness” from Heroes of Olympus: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan Amelia Barth, 10, Elgin, IL “The Beginning of the Armadillos” from Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling Remember, we are running the Flash Contest every week during the COVID-19-related school closures and shelter-in-place arrangements. It is always based on the first Daily Creativity prompt of the week. The prompt is posted on Monday, entries are due by Friday, and the winners are chosen and announced the following week. A Hogwarts interior, from Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling Analise Braddock, 9, Katonah, NY “With a small leap she was on Jeremy’s back” from Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien Anna Dollar, 13, Monticello, FL The picture I painted is a close up scene from chapter 7 of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM by Robert C. O’Brien which is titled “The Owl”. During this chapter, Mrs. Frisby must board the back of Jeremy the crow. That was easy, for as Robert C. O’Brien put it, “With a small leap she was on Jeremy’s back.” The rest of the adventure she would go on with Jeremy was much more challenging and frightening than this “small leap”. But you shall have to read the rest of the tale of Mrs. Frisby if you wish to know why. “Wingardium Leviosa” from Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling Catherine Gruen, 13, Chino Hills, CA “Wingardium Leviosa!” he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill. “You’re saying it wrong,” Harry heard Hermione snap. “It’s Wing- gar -dium Levi- o -sa, make the ‘gar’ nice and long.” “You do it, then, if you’re so clever,” Ron snarled. Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, “Wingardium Leviosa!” Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.’ This famous scene between Ron and Hermione, before they became friends, is from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (or Philosopher’s if you’re from England) by J. K. Rowling. “Escape from Ravagog” from Neverseen by Shannon Messenger Olivia Titus, 11, Houston, TX This scene is from Neverseen, the fourth book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Sharon Messenger. The characters in the piece are escaping from the ogre city, Ravagog. “Self Betrayal” from “The Eagle and the Arrow” by Aesop Elia Yamamura, 12, Cary, NC This is a drawing based on a tale of Aesop named “The Eagle and the Arrow”. The eagle is flying over its home, and is suddenly pierced by an arrow feathered by the eagle’s own down. Moral: we often give our enemies the means for our own destruction.
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Little Women, Reviewed by Ashley, 13
Living in New England in the nineteenth century around the time of the civil war is the seemingly perfect, amiable March Family. In the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, we follow the lives of the March Family. The four sisters are Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth. They live with their beloved mother and father. This novel mainly surrounds the lives of the four sisters who are newly living in poverty after their father gets drafted into the army. They help each other grow up as they make the transition from girls to women. They befriend Laurie, their energetic and once lonely neighbor who lives next door to the Marches with his grandfather, Mr. Laurence. The girls and Laurie go on many adventures together and take him in like a brother. The girls navigate their way through life and hold on to each other through love, loss, trouble, trauma, and laughter. One of the many things I enjoyed about this novel is the strong feminine presence. Especially since,This book takes place during a time when women were very much in the background of society. The March sisters adhered to what was expected of them as young women, but also paved their own ways. Jo March, the second oldest sister and the main protagonist of the novel does not fit the classic stereotype of the women of the time, she’s outspoken, does not care for fashion, has a passion for writing, and does not plan to get married at a young age. Jo develops into a complex, loving character and makes the novel the amazing story that it is. We also get many historical facts about life in the nineteenth century, such as the clothing people wore, the modes of transportation, and how people went about their daily lives. One of the most memorable moments of the novel is when Jo is confiding to her mom and seeks her advice. This is something the girls do continuously throughout the story when they are at a crossroads or are feeling sad. Jo finds herself having trouble managing her anger. This is a problem she struggles with early in the book. She goes to her mother and learns that she too has an anger issue. Together they work through it and Jo gains a new perspective on the problem. “I hope you will be a great deal better, dear, but you must keep watch over your ‘bosom enemy’, as father calls it, or it may sadden, if not spoil your life. You have had a warning. Remember it, and try with heart and soul to master this quick temper, before it brings you greater sorrow and regret than you have known today.”‘I will try, Mother, I truly will. But you must help me, remind me, and keep me from flying out. I used to see Father sometimes put his finger on his lips, and look at you with a very kind but sober face, and you always folded your lips tight and went away. Was he reminding you then?’ asked Jo softly. ‘Yes. I asked him to help me so, and he never forgot it, but saved me from many a sharp word by that little gesture and kind look’”(86-87). We see the sympathetic dynamic between the girls and their mother and how greatly they look up to her and hold on to her words. Overall, this novel was very inspiring and interesting to read. Although it’s lengthy, it is still worth reading until the end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to read classic American literature. This book teaches us that family and close friends are of utmost importance. With a strong supportive network of family and close friends any challenge can be tackled and any obstacle can be overcome. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Puffin Books, 1868. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
“Hope,” a poem by Simran Umatt, 9, illustrated with “Together,” by Anna Elizabeth Linney, 11
Hope By Simran Umatt, 9 We have hope in our hearts, Stored inside like treasure. We hope that someday, We can play with our friends with pleasure We hope that we can Hold hands forever and ever We hope that we can Have fun and come together! Together By Anna Elizabeth Linney, 11 Simran Umatt, 9 San Diego, CA Anna Elizabeth Linney, 11 Leawood, KS
