I was eight, just a third grader. It was June 2016. I had my mind full, because the Copa America Centenario was happening, and my team, Argentina, was doing well, and had a good chance of making it to the final. When I got home one afternoon, my dad said, “We’re going to the Copa America final at Metlife! I have tickets!” I couldn’t believe my ears. I could be watching Argentina play in the final, live! That weekend, I watched Argentina vs. U.S.A. – the semi-final – with anticipation. After ninety minutes of waiting, I knew I was going to see my favorite international soccer team play, with my favorite player: Lionel Messi! The next week was the longest week I could remember. I went from counting the days, to hours, to minutes. Finally, the big night arrived! As we arrived at the Metlife Stadium, I heard the announcer talking about how you should drink Pepsi, and how they sponsored the game. I stepped into the stadium. Many smells filled my nostrils: hot dogs, burgers, chicken and so many other things. But I didn’t want any of it. I was too nervous to eat. I looked around. The stadium was huge! Each floor was packed with vendors that were selling all of these delicious things, and hundreds of people trying to find their seats. All of the Argentinian and Chilean fans were chanting in Spanish, the Argentinians in blue, the Chileans in red. Even though I couldn’t understand what they were saying, I could feel the strength in their singing, the passion. I was one of those fans. A few years before, my dad’s friend from work had given me my first Argentina shirt, with Messi’s name on the back. When I got that shirt, I didn’t know who Messi really was, but since that day, I had followed his career and watched Argentina play many times. Now Messi was my idol, and Argentina was my team. I had to pinch myself to believe that I was actually going to see him play in less than an hour! After a completely excruciating 40 minutes of waiting, while the two teams warmed up and my nerves took over, the game began. The first 10 minutes of the game were very even and then Argentina took control of the ball and I started to relax. I was about to ask my dad for something to eat, when an Argentinian, Marcos Rojo, fouled a Chilean player and got a red card! My heart sank. How could Argentina win the final when they had one less player than Chile? That thought got stuck in my head until a Chilean player also got a red card, and the teams were even once again. The rest of the first half went by with little action and so did the second half. Because the score was still 0-0, and the teams couldn’t share the trophy, they played another 30 minutes of soccer. For the first time that day, that week, the reality dawned on me that Argentina might not win, but I pushed that thought away. I believed too much in this team for them to let me down. I sat on the edge of my seat until extra time was over. There was still no score. It was down to a penalty shootout. Messi was going to take the first penalty for Argentina, but it was Chile’s turn first. Everyone in the crowd in front of me was standing up, blocking my view, so I had to listen to the crowd to know whether or not the Chilean player had scored. Penalty shootouts are usually a 50-50 battle, so there was no way of knowing who would win. Suddenly, a roar from the Chilean fans filled the stadium. He had scored. A sinking feeling tried to penetrate my confidence, but I wouldn’t let it. I had believed in this team for too long for them to let me down now. Then it was Argentina’s turn. “Piece of cake,” I muttered to myself, as Messi got ready to take the penalty. The whole crowd became silent, just like they were holding their breath. Out of nowhere, everyone gasped, and I saw the best player in the world bury his face in his hands and walk away to his team. He had missed! Tears started to pool in my eyes. He was the player that I’d wanted to see play more than anyone. And he’d let me down. I didn’t even care if Argentina won anymore. “He missed,” my dad said breathlessly. “I … I know,” I stuttered back. My dad and I stood and watched as Chile won the penalty shootout and the tournament. My eyes became two faucets, and poured and poured. I got up from the slippery plastic seat and cried, “I don’t want to see them lift it!” (the trophy). “Okay, okay. We’ll go then,” said my dad. The train ride went by very quickly because I slept like a baby. It was, after all, 1:00am. As we pulled into Penn Station, my eyes popped open, and I was removed from dreamland. After the taxi ride home, just as my dad and I walked into the apartment my mom said,“I’m sorry.” I felt like throwing my Copa America scarf against the wall and storming into my room. I felt like giving up on Messi and Argentina for good. I wanted to do so many things because of the way I was feeling. But I didn’t do any of them. Instead, I walked over to my mom and gave her a hug… As I lay my head on my pillow, I thought about what had happened at the Metlife Stadium. Messi was probably feeling way worse than I was. I thought of all the amazing goals I had seen him score before on TV. I couldn’t stop liking him because of one bad penalty. I knew I’d be cheering for Argentina again the
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
A Day in the Life in the Amazon Rainforest
The rainforest is one of the most complex and interesting places on earth. It is also full of energy. This energy comes from the plants which are eaten by other organisms known as primary consumers, which in turn are eaten by secondary consumers. The energy continues to travel up the food chain until it reaches the apex predator, at this point there is not much energy left. As the sun rises, consumers like macaws and harpy eagles begin chirping and screeching. Meanwhile, the jaguar sets out to the swamp in search of caiman, a reptile like the crocodile. However, another predator is already there. The green anaconda. The conflict between the green anaconda and the jaguar is an example of competition. This mighty snake can weigh up to 550 pounds and can swallow a pig easily. When this massive snake comes into conflict with the 3rd largest big cat, who will come out alive? The jaguar tries an ambush attack, but the anaconda shakes the jaguar off and begin wrapping around the jaguars’ chest. The jaguar begins scratching and kicking at the anaconda, drawing blood. The hurt and exhausted snake recoils and tries to flee. However, the jaguar grabs the anaconda and preforms a skull bite killing the snake instantly. Then, it begins to hunt caiman… Not so far away, a colony of leafcutter ants is gathering leaves from producers like a jackfruit tree. The ants are doing this, so they can obtain some of the energy the leaf got from the sun. In other words, eating it. However, the journey back to their nest is dangerous, as 10 feet, away lies an anteater. The anteater immediately starts trotting to the line of ants. It then proceeds to eat, that is until a harpy eagle begins chasing it. Still the dangers are not over yet. The phorid fly is a tiny insect that attacks the leafcutter ants and lays its eggs on the ant’s head. When the larva matures, the head of the ant detaches. This is an example of parasitism. The ant will soon be consumed by decomposers, such as worms, fungi and bacteria. It is midday, when a macaw is out searching for food. Suddenly it spies a banana tree. It starts flying toward it when suddenly a puma lunges out. The macaw barely dodges. The puma aims another swipe at the macaw. This time the puma’s paw slightly cut the macaws wing. The puma is about to deliver the killing blow, when suddenly it spots another predator. The jaguar. The jaguar doesn’t normally eat macaws, but it takes opportunities for a chance to eat. These two animals normally stay out of each other’s way. However, both animals are hungry, and they are ready to fight. Perhaps, this will give the macaw a chance to escape from predation. Indeed, it does. While the cats fight the bird escapes. Whatever cat dies shall feed the scavengers such as millipedes and phorid flies although a fight will take place. The interesting things in a rainforest are not limited to the bugs and animals. The tall trees in a rainforest mean that the other plants can’t get enough sunlight. However, the orchid has evolved to solve this problem. The orchid has evolved so that it can grow on a tree. This helps the orchid get sunlight and the tree does not care at all. This known as commensalism. As the sun sets, a lone capuchin monkey wonders about looking for bananas or flowering trees. When it spots one the monkey begins climbing toward it. The monkey quickly devours the pollen. In the process the monkey spreads seeds everywhere (annoying a caiman while doing that). The plant gives the monkey food and the monkey spreads its seeds around. Both benefit so this is a mutual relationship. Perhaps, more of the seeds would have been scattered had it not been for a harpy eagle snatching the monkey away.
Saturday Newsletter: March 30, 2019
“Jenna would love it here, Adrian found herself thinking” Illustration by Ashley Burke, 13, for “The Baseball” by Katie Russell, 13. Published in Stone Soup, September/October 2006 & in The Stone Soup Book of Sports Stories (2018). A note from Jane Levi This week’s featured story is actually one of a pair of stories, both published in Stone Soup more than 10 years ago, about the same character—a girl called Adrian—and telling the story of the same event—a baseball game in the park—from different perspectives. In “The Baseball,” we learn about Adrian’s inner life and the story of her family, especially her troubled older sister, who gave her the baseball of the title. The other, “Adrian,” tells the story of the appearance of this new girl, Adrian, in the baseball game being played by a group of friends. In that story, we learn about the girls in the group, their response to Adrian’s arrival in their game, and how wrong we can be when we jump to conclusions based on superficial, surface appearances.* Originally, we published these two stories in the order the author sent them to us: “Adrian” first, “The Baseball” second. Presented in this order, Adrian is the titular hero from the beginning, but she is actually as much of a mystery to us, the readers, as she is to the group of baseball-playing girls. We are left at the end of that first story wondering where she came from, how she got to be so good at baseball, and whether she will become friends with the rest of the girls. It is only in the second installment that we start to understand who Adrian is, what she is going through, what baseball means to her, and how she came to that baseball game on that particular afternoon. Re-read some of your favorite books and you will see how often authors use this device—switching perspective—to help their readers develop intimacy with the hero of the story, and how frequently they will imply who the hero actually is by giving you insight into their minds earlier in the story, or more often. When we chose these two stories for The Stone Soup Book of Sports Stories, we had to think really carefully about which order to present them in. It was an interesting dilemma, because the story works both ways, but the reader’s perspective on the wider tale changes with each part. Sequentially in time, the second story actually comes first, and in it we learn more about the lead character than the other characters know. We almost reversed them in the collection, but in the end kept the original publication order. Reading them again now, I still wonder whether we should have flipped them around and subtly changed readers’ experiences of the stories. When you write stories with several characters, how do you decide what to reveal about them, and at which stage of the story? When you read these two specific stories in a different order, does it change the way you feel about the story? If these stories were chapters in a book about Adrian, which order would you put them in? If you think you would have made a different editorial decision for The Stone Soup Book of Sports Stories, please write and tell us why! Happy reading, *The other girls made some harsh judgments about Adrian, based on her clothes, which are described (and illustrated) in the 2004 story “Adrian.” In the 2006 illustration for “The Baseball,” her green nail polish is shown because it is mentioned in that story, but the illustrator invented the rest of her clothes. Our spring contest and partnership news Write for a podcast: Closing date April 15 Our current contest, in partnership with the By Kids, for Kids Story Time podcast, to write a short story about climate change or other environmental theme. Your work could become a dramatized reading, broadcast on the podcast, and be published in an issue of Stone Soup! All the details about entries and prizes are on our website contest pages. Summer writing mentorship program for 9th-graders and up: Application deadline April 15 We’ve partnered with The Adroit Journal, a literary magazine for teens. The applications for their Summer Mentorship program, which takes place from June to August, are open now. This program pairs young writers in grades 9 through 12 with an experienced writer who helps them learn more about the creative process. We know this is for an audience older than ours, but if you are a former reader or contributor, or know any teenagers who are aspiring writers, encourage them to apply! Highlights from the past week online Don’t miss the latest content from our Book Reviewers and Young Bloggers at Stonesoup.com! Mirembe, 12, reviews Kid Beowulf: The Rise of El Cid, the third graphic novel in a series by Alexis E. Fajardo. Here’s the start of the review: “Attention! Calling all young readers! Are you an adventurous middle grade reader (ages 8 to 11) who would love to travel throughout the middle ages? Do you find medieval battles thrilling? Do you want to fight for justice? If so Alexis Fajardo’s graphic novel Kid Beowulf: The Rise of El Cid might be perfect for you.” Read more of Mirembe’s thoughts on the blog. (Plus—keep an eye out for an interview of the author we’ll be publishing soon!) From Stone Soup, September/October 2006, & The Stone Soup Book of Sports Stories (2018) The Baseball By Katie Russell, 13 Illustrated by Ashley Burke, 13 Adrian stared at the ball in her hand. It was old, obviously well-used and well-loved. Dirt and grass had been ground into it, its once shining whiteness now a muddy, undetermined brown. The laces had been worn down, rough and rusty red. When Adrian held the ball, her hand could feel familiar bumps and dents that had come from years of use. Adrian could remember when her sister, Jenna, had first handed her the ball and taught her how to play baseball. The ball had been new then, just-bought-from-the-store new. Its creamy outside had promised exciting adventures that the two would face. Adrian loved the ball. It had been years since Adrian last
