Snowflake Hiding in Blues by Hannah Parker, 13 (South Burlington, VT) illustrating “Northern Night” by Poppy Lowenthal Walsh, 12 (Minneapolis, MN) A note from Sarah Ainsworth I recently subscribed to a poem-a-day newsletter, and it has changed my mornings for the better. I like how the poem delivered to my inbox each a.m. gives me a moment every day to slow down, think about something in a new way, and carve out time for reading for the sake of enjoyment. For a long time, I’ve felt like I’ve been stuck in a poetry rut—reading only the poets I know and like. This newsletter has provided me with a new poet every day, some from poets I’ve heard of, but many that I hadn’t. I don’t always like the poems, but it exposes me to writing I wouldn’t have otherwise found, and it can be helpful to take the time to discover what you do and don’t like. Would you be interested in a similar newsletter from Stone Soup dedicated to poetry? Let us know! I encourage you to take the time today to scroll down and read Poppy’s poem “Northern Night,” which is published in full down below, with a striking accompanying photo from Hannah Parker. Concentrating your energies fully on a poem, even just for a minute, feels like a nice change of pace from what sometimes feels like an increasingly frantic world. Happy weekend, Contest, Partnership, & Project News We’ll soon be announcing an exciting contest in partnership with another writing organization—stay tuned! Highlights from the past week online Don’t miss the latest content from our Book Reviewers and Young Bloggers at Stonesoup.com! Former Contributor Abby Sewell On Monday we published another Former Contributor Interview, this time with Abby Sewell. Abby wrote the story “On the Headland,” from our March/April 1996 issue, which is also featured in our Friendship Stories anthology. Abby now works as a journalist in Beirut, Lebanon, and she reflects on how she has shifted her focus from when she got her start in Stone Soup. Young Blogger Lucinda Chu What are your methods for studying for a test? Our young blogger Lucinda Chu gives you some suggestions in a blog post from this week. Lucinda emphasizes the need to practice moderation in studying—or in other words, space out your study sessions into smaller portions. Also, don’t forget the importance of sleep! From Stone Soup, October 2019 Snowflake Hiding in Blues Northern Night By Poppy Lowenthal Walsh, 12 (Minneapolis, MN) Illustrated by Hannah Parker, 13 (South Burlington, VT) Flashlight light draws two silhouettes walking side by side. As the canvas of this heavy darkness turns to this silent night tonight I gaze into the sky’s sweet face sprinkled with freckles of stars. The crickets sing and spread their wings. Whose song, they ask, is most true? It’s true when the day fades there’s a special way that the sky is the brightest blue. Our Fall Fundraiser, 2019: The Refugee Project We are raising funds to support the production and publication of creative work by children in refugee camps around the world. We have almost reached our preliminary target of $5,000 to support a special issue of Stone Soup and associated projects—and we want to keep going! You have already helped us fund workshops in the Za’atari camp, Lebanon, and put us in touch with other organizations we can work with to expand our efforts. Please help us raise the money to continue this work. You can read more about this initiative at our website and help us by sharing the link with others. Thank you. 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. Stone Soup’s Advisors: Abby Austin, Mike Axelrod, Annabelle Baird, Jem Burch, Evelyn Chen, Juliet Fraser, Zoe Hall, Montanna Harling, Alicia & Joe Havilland, Lara Katz, Rebecca Kilroy, Christine Leishman, Julie Minnis, Jessica Opolko, Tara Prakash, Denise Prata, Logan Roberts, Emily Tarco, Rebecca Ramos Velasquez, Susan Wilky.
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Better Ways to Ace Your Test by Lucinda Chu
Many people think burning the midnight oil before a test is the most reliable way to get an A. But is it really the best way? Sure, short-term memory can help you keep several important facts in your head, like memorizing concepts before a Math test, but if you want to store this information for long-term usage, like being able to use phrases you learnt Spanish class when you transfer to a school in Brazil, you will need some more work. Luckily, I’ve got you covered. Your Way to an A+: How to Study For a Test Better 1. No, Long Study Sessions aren’t the Key Your parents probably reminded you before that ‘practice makes perfect’, but not all at once. Long and focused study sessions may seem good, but chances are you are spending most of your brainpower on trying to maintain your concentration for a long period of time. That doesn’t leave a lot of brain energy for learning. (Unless you’re practicing playing Fortnite. But would your mom really allow that?) 2. Mix Up Your Classroom The first step toward better learning, according to author Benedict Carey of “How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens” is to simply change your study environment from time to time. Let’s say, instead of revising at the library, you decide to stop by a cafe. Instead of deathly silence, you’ll hear the sound of coffee-stirring, sipping and idle chatting. To the brain, these are new, unique sounds that help you form new connections between what you’re learning and what you’re hearing. So, when you take your History test and trying to remember So-and-So, you’ll think about the smell of coffee and go, “OHHH! Now I know!” 3. Space Out No, not start daydreaming, but set several different study sessions a week. For example, if your Chemistry test is on next Friday, set aside time for study sessions every three days. Trust me, it’s better to water your lawn for 30 minutes three times a week than 90 minutes at one go. Your plants would thank you for that. 4. And This is the Perfect Excuse For a Nap Finally, you have a chance to catch up on your ‘Z’s and you’ve got a valid reason for it. And you’ve got an expert to prove it. “Sleep is the finisher on learning,” Mr. Carey said. “The brain is ready to process and categorize and solidify what you’ve been studying. Once you get tired, your brain is saying it’s had enough.” But wait! Different subjects need a different sleep schedule! This is what Mr. Carey (my new favorite Science reporter) said: (Blogger’s explanation in parentheses) The first half of the sleep cycle helps with retaining facts; the second half is important for math skills. So a student with a foreign language test should go to bed early to get the most retention from sleep (remember facts better), and then review in the morning. For math students, the second half of the sleep cycle is most important — better to review before going to bed and then sleep in to let the brain process the information (remember how to apply concepts in different questions). So you’ve got the secrets of Test Success. Now go get that A+! (Reference: Article ‘Better Ways To Learn’ in the New York Times)
Former Contributor Interview: Abby Sewell
Editor’s Note: our Former Contributors Interview Project showcases former contributors of Stone Soup and the wonderful things they’ve gone on to do. Abby Sewell wrote “On the Headland,” from our March/April 1996 issue. SS: What are you doing now? AS: I’m a journalist, currently based in Beirut. I’m a staff reporter for The Daily Star, the primary English-language newspaper in Lebanon, and freelance for a number of international publications. I cover a variety of subjects, but I’m particularly focused on human rights issues, including the situation of Syrian refugees. I also do some volunteer work, primarily teaching English, and am part of a group called Hakaya that puts on storytelling events. SS: What did Stone Soup mean to you? AS: From the time I was around seven years old, I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. Stone Soup gave me an early taste of what it would be like to be published, and of course it boosted my confidence to see my work in print. I think I also enjoyed seeing what “the competition” (aka my peers) were writing. SS: Do you have any advice for current readers, writers, and artists who contribute to Stone Soup? AS: When you’re learning a craft, whether it’s writing or art, it’s important to expose yourself to works that you can learn from and that will give you inspiration; but at the same time, to develop your own voice and your own vision. Experiment with different styles and subjects. For fiction writers, the classic advice “write what you know” still holds true, but that doesn’t mean that your characters and situations have to come directly from your life. What it does mean it that you should draw from your own experience and observations of the world as you tell your story, even if that story takes place in an imaginary world or in a setting very different from your own. Ursula Le Guin, one of my favorite novelists, called this “imagination working on observation.” Also, try to meet as many different types of people as you can and listen to their stories. And as with any skill, practice. SS: How old were you when you started writing or creating art? Do you remember what motivated you at the time? AS: Even before I could write, I used to tell stories (there’s a cassette tape somewhere with some of them on it). My parents both shared their love of books with me. Before I was old enough to read a lot of the classics myself, they used to read to me — everything from Little Women and Tom Sawyer to the works of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Ursula Le Guin. Naturally, I became a voracious reader myself as I grew up, and seeing the power of stories, I was inspired to tell my own. SS: Are you still writing or creating art, and have you since published works anywhere else? Please provide links, if you’d like! AS: Yes, I write for a living, although it’s a different type of writing. As a kid, I always wanted to be a novelist, but I remember at one point deciding that I should work as a journalist first to learn more about the world before trying to write fiction. And indeed, I do know more about the world now, but I haven’t yet gone back to writing fiction! But it’s certainly possible that there’s still a novel in my future. For those interested in seeing my journalistic writings, you can find some of them here. Thanks so much, Abby! If you have any questions that you’d like to ask former contributors, contact sarah@stonesoup.com and let us know!
