A CHOICE-FILLED ADVENTURE STORY
TACO BELL MOUNTAIN ISLAND Written by Students of MS. SOLAR’S FIFTH-GRADE CLASS at PITTSFIELD ELEMENTARY
FIRST EDITION AN 826MICHIGAN DIGITAL PUBLICATION
Copyright © 2021 by 826michigan and Blotch Books. All rights reserved by 826michigan, the many whims of Drs. T & G Blotch, and the authors. The views expressed in this book are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of 826michigan. We believe in the power of youth voice and are thrilled that you picked up this book. No part of this book may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher, except for small excerpts for the purposes of review or scholarly study. By purchasing this book, you are helping 826michigan continue to offer free student programs. For more information, please visit: 826michigan.org
You are on an island that is unexplored by humanity. The island has a huge mountain, which has a Taco Bell on top of it that’s inhabited by monkeys. The monkeys are running the Taco Bell. There’s an abandoned farm next to the inescapable city. The monkeys tell you to get ingredients for the Taco Bell. The Taco Bell has a special banana theme. Instead of normal shells, the tacos are made out of bananas. You need to add some artificial flavors to the tortilla, so the government won’t track you. One of the tacos is made out of bananas and the other is made from artificial flavors. The taco shells will be edible for monkeys and squirrels, who are the monkeys’s enemies. The monkeys don’t like the squirrels because they eat the ingredients. You could try to have a truce with the squirrels, or you could make friends with the monkeys.
If you decide to have a truce with the squirrels, turn to page 2. If you decide to make friends with the monkeys, turn to page 3.
1
You make a truce with the squirrels and you say to the squirrels, “We will give you as much food as you want, but you will not eat our ingredients. If you break the truce, we will send you to the water.” The squirrels cannot swim, so they hate the water. You find out that on this island, there is a special chipmunk band. The chipmunks can talk. Their voices are really high pitched, as demanded by you and the U.S. Government. The chipmunks gather food for themselves and you. The squirrels help you gather resources for a shelter or a raft. There are three chipmunks named Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. There are Sour Patch Kids attacking you on the island! They have licorice swords and cupcake wrapper shields. The Sour Patch Kids sound like, “Rrrrahhhr!!” They are trying to get gold from a far away temple.
If you decide to go for the gold to stop the Sour Patch Kids, turn to page 4. If you decide to negotiate so you can have a larger base and community, write your own ending.
2
(start again at page 1)
You decide to make friends with the monkeys who run the Taco Bell because they might give you free food. You could bring them bananas. Unfortunately, almost all the bananas on the island are guarded by squirrels. There are also some bananas on the top of the mountain, which belong to a cyborg yeti, who might be evil. If you go to the cyborg, you may be able to program a glitch in his system. So, you decide to climb the mountain, which is very cold and rocky. As you’re climbing the mountain, you find a giant, black spider with ten eyes looking in every direction. It’s bigger than Godzilla! You decide to ride on her back. The ride is smooth but terrifying because it’s a humongous spider who could probably eat you! You reach the top of the mountain, and you see a fork with two signs. One sign says, “Much Shorter but Dangerous.” The other sign says, “Long and Agonizing way.”
If you decide to follow the short sign, turn to page 5. If you decide to follow the long sign, turn to page 6.
3
You choose to go for the gold in the temple. You bring the Sour Patch Kids army and the monkeys with you. The temple looks very old and has moss, poison ivy, and other substances on the walls. You find out there are traps in the temple! The traps look like spike pits and arrows. Some of the monkeys and some of the Sour Patch Kids fall in the traps. You try to help them, but some of them fall and you have to say bye. You have to keep going until you find the treasure. But when you steal it, a random old guardian pops up out of nowhere. You have to go on your raft and run away!
If you choose to go to the raft, but lose the treasure,
write your own ending. If you keep the treasure, but have to sacrifice something else,
write your own ending. 4
(start again at page 1)
You decide to take the short route. Now, you are riding the spider down an icy, steep hill. Then, you hear a honk and you see a giant flying semi-truck. Spongebob is driving it, in a brown diver’s suit! Spongebob is dancing on the seat and says, “Hiya pal!” in Mickey Mouse’s voice. Then, Patrick and Squidward, also wearing diving suits, jump out of the truck and start throwing Crabby Patties at you! The Crabby Patties start exploding and create an avalanche. Next, Spongebob yells at them, “Stop that! These people are good!”
If you start to run away from the avalanche,
write your own ending. If you get in the flying semi with Spongebob,
write your own ending. 5
(start again at page 1)
You decide to follow the sign that says, “Long and Agonizing Way.” You see two brown deer with orange spots—one male, one female. They’re lying down, staring at you as you walk by. You also see really tall trees covered in snow. They’re almost like a barrier. It’s really cold, and there’s snow falling from the trees and on top of you. There’s black ice on the road, and it’s very bumpy. You keep slipping on the ice. You find out the deer are spies for the yeti because they’re following you. You try to ditch them by running past trees. Snow falls like a barrier so the deer can’t get past it. Your heart is pounding really fast because it’s so cold and you ran so fast. You’re nervous and scared. You see the top of the mountain. There’s snowcovered stairs up the mountain to a dark cave where the yeti lives. It smells really bad because the yeti walks up and down the stairs every day.
If you try to sneak up into the cave to steal the bananas,
write your own ending. If you try talking to the yeti, write your own ending.
6
(start again at page 1)
(space to write your own ending)
THE END 7
(start again at page 1)
inspires school-aged students to write with skill and confidence in collaboration with adult volunteers in their communities. Our writing and tutoring programs uphold a culture of creativity and imagination and support students in establishing strong habits of mind. Through publication and community engagement, we provide students with an authentic and enthusiastic audience for their writing. Our programs provide an energizing creative outlet for students and meaningful volunteer opportunities for community members. We believe that with one-onone attention from caring adults, students improve their academic performance, develop a sense of belonging, and discover the unique value of their voices. We also believe that the more fun a student has, and the more directly we speak to a student’s interests, the more we can help students find the fun in learning. That’s why our programs are more than just extra homework. All of our programs are challenging and enjoyable, and ultimately strengthen each student’s power to express ideas effectively, creatively, confidently, and in their individual voice. ONLINE LEARNING LAB In the spring of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly transitioned all of our programs online. Our priority is to ensure the safety of our community, while continuing to offer engaging, high-quality opportunities to students. Each of our main programs—Schoolwork Support, Workshops, Field Trips, and In-school Projects—has been reimagined for the virtual space as part of our new Online Learning Lab. For the 2020–21 school year, our programs will remain virtual. When is it safe to return to our in-person programs, we plan to continue to offer virtual program opportunities as well! SCHOOLWORK SUPPORT The program formerly-known as tutoring has been given an updated name, but the same great foundations remain. We organize trained volunteer tutors to work with students one-on-one with their homework after school. Schoolwork Support is available for all subjects, for students ages 8–18. Generally, we offer this program at three locations: at our Liberty Street Lab in Ann Arbor, at the Michigan Avenue Branch of the Ypsilanti District Library, and at our Winder Street Lab in Detroit’s Eastern Market, though in-person programs are on pause this year. We have added a Virtual Schoolwork Support program. Students are paired with two tutors to work on assignments for school and writing projects of their choosing.
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826michigan inspires school-aged students to write with skill and confidence in collaboration with adult volunteers in their communities.
Find out more at 826michigan.org!