Farm of Laughs—Wonderful Writing from the Wee-Bots, 2020–2021

H e l lo , Wo n d e r f u l We e - b ot Wr i t e rs !

Each story has a special part in the illustration on the front cover.

See if you can find anything from your story there!

826michigan Staff Dr. Naimah Wade, Executive Director Judy Tipton, Development Director Catherine Calabro Cavin, Education Director Frances Martin, Operations Director Megan Gilson, Program Manager Ariel Kaplowitz-Hahn, Volunteer Engagement Associate Josi Ezinga, Development Associate Caitlin Koska, Spring & Summer Program Coordinator

Copyright ©2021 by 826michigan and Blotch Books.

All rights reserved by 826michigan, the many whims of Drs. T & G Blotch, the illustrators, 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.

Design and illustrations by Jessica Pace Copyedited by Annie Else, Aaron Stone By purchasing this book, you are helping 826michigan continue to offer free student programs.

For more information, please visit 826michigan.org

ALSO PUBLISHED BY 826MICHIGAN Young Authors Book Project: Because No One Else Could Do It Rare Air / Aire raro A Lantern of Fireflies Tell Me How It Was Enjoy! Recipes for Building Community All I Could Do Was Look Up: Anatomy of a Middle School What to Call the Place I Call Home: Voices of 26 Ypsilanti Middle School Students The Moons Were Jealous 2020: Visions of the [Near] Future How to Rise Or, I Put My Heart into the Close Suddenly My Heart Stopped for Just a Small Portion of Time: Defining Moments

OMNIBUS: 826michigan OMNIBUS I 826michigan OMNIBUS II 826michigan OMNIBUS III 826michigan OMNIBUS IV 826michigan OMNIBUS V 826michigan OMNIBUS VI 826michigan OMNIBUS VII 826michigan OMNIBUS VIII 826michigan OMNIBUS IX 826michigan OMNIBUS X 826michigan OMNIBUS 11 826michigan OMNIBUS 12

Digital Publications: The 826 Online Writing Gallery

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Selected Chapbooks: And I Did My Best The Big Mess-Up and Other Stories Bon Temps Roulez!

Carrying Ourselves Across: The Art of Self-Translation The Clouds Spell Detroit Colors Came Out Cuando los robots atacan The Distance Between Two Sides of a Color Even the Stars are Robotic Everything You Fight For And Gain The Fog Was Geemy Hello Sandwich I Am Thankful for the Moon So I Can See in the Dark I Hope You Consider What I’ve Said: Kids’ Letters to President Trump I Rode My Yak to School Hello Sandwich I Use This Pencil To Write It Tasted Like the Sun Let’s Make a Bridge Maybe I Was Born to be One of the Big Creatures My Heart Felt Sad for the Bird Really, Really Melted Up Talking Back, Giving Thanks, and Why You Should Never Drink the Haterade That Moment Broke My Heart But Also Made Me Strong They Have Pet Stars The Ultimate Tacocat When the Whales Celebrate Where Everything is Written Zomb, the Formalist

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CONTENTS 1 2 4 7

15

Introduction: Our Collaborative Writing What We Like About Virtual Wee-bots 2020-2021 Reading List

Section 1: Animals

8

Verda Celiker Woof! Woof!

11

Mylan Selvaraj Once Upon a Time, There Lived a Little Bear

9

Elsie Brady Monday Morning

12

Athena & Xander Talaska Claudia and Vincent

10

Quenby Mulhauser Hank and Mira

13

Eleonore Cras Cucumber the Cat

Section 2: Family Stories

16

Bell’a Coleman What A Dream

18

William Parent Wolves Chase Professor Through Pyramids?

20

Sevie Roddy A Day in the Life of a Mother Turtle

21

Nathaniel Chase The Story of Stacks

23

33

43

Section 3: Food & Cake

24

Gabriel Etheridge Peanut Butter, Grape Jelly, Strawberry Jelly, and Marmalade

26

Mira Wicklund The White But Then Rainbow Shoes

30

Carlo Cohen-Weeg Mr. Cake’s Vacation

31

Clyde Musehl A Really Bad Birthday Party

Section 4: Day in the Life

34

Matthieu Cras What Is It Like to be One of Santa’s Elves?

39

Addison Wade Aladdin’s School Day

35

Zuri Dukes What I Do in School

40

Sydney Wade Movies

36

Maya Selvaraj The Sharks of the Ocean

41

Ruth Musehl The LEGO Dots Shop

38

Mason Hardy On My First Day of Preschool, I Felt Nervous

About 826michigan

48

Acknowledgments

Advice for future writers from the Wee-bots: Just write the words how they sound. * After you write the story —if you are having your work published with an editor and an illustrator— you should be patient because it will take a long time— sometimes a

long,

long

time. *

INTRODUCTION: OUR COLLABORATIVE WRITING In the 2020-21 school year, the 826michigan Wee-bots, a group of elementary school-aged writers, adapted to learning and creating at home via Zoom rather than together in our tutoring centers. Through these tough times, the Wee-bots kept their senses of creativity, humor, and whimsy. Meeting online provided the opportunity for student writers and volunteers from all of our cities to meet and write together.

Every week in our Wee-bots Writers Workshop, we read a story, discuss it, and then students write something based on the week’s theme. Lessons from 2020-21 included: family stories, surprises, feelings, traditions, and problem solving. The Wee-bots also studied the revision process and revised their pieces in preparation for publication.

Enjoy!

1

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT A COLLABORATIVE INTRODUCTION MY NAME IS CAT, and I work for 826michigan! I like that so many people can join us from differ-

ent cities!

MY NAME IS CLAIRE. I like doing Wee-bots online because I get to meet writers from all of the different 826michigan cities!

MY NAME IS NOELLE. I like Wee-bots online because I love hearing everyone’s different takes on

a story prompt or idea!

HI, I AM ZURI . I like Wee-bots because I like drawing pictures.

MY NAME IS CARLO. I like Wee-bots online because I like making stories with my dad.

I’M CLARA, and I like doing Wee-bots online because it gives me a sense of what virtual school

must be like.

HI, MY NAME IS GABE, and I love going to Wee-bots online because I get to stay at home.

MY NAME IS KASEY. I like Wee-bots online because I get to meet and work with young writers.

MY NAME IS ASHLEY! I like doing Wee-bots because I love hearing all of the different creative

and unique stories!

WE ARE RUTH AND CLYDE. We like to read books together and write stories.

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VIRTUAL WEE-BOTS: WRITTEN BY WEE - BOTS STUDENTS, 826 VOLUNTEERS, & STAFF MY NAME IS OLIVIA, and my favorite thing about Wee-bots online is listening to everyone’s stories.

MY NAME IS MARISSA, and I like doing Wee-bots online because I get to help students become a

lot more creative with their writing.

HI, MY NAME IS NEENA! Because I live in Ohio, I couldn’t regularly participate in Wee-bots if it

were not online!

HI, MY NAME IS BELL’A, and what I like about Wee-bots is I get to make books.

HI. MY NAME IS WILLIAM. Doing Wee-bots online is fun because you have your work with you, so if you want to make changes while in person, your work is at the building.

MY NAME IS MIRA, and I like doing Wee-bots online because I like getting to make stories!

MY NAME IS MAYA, and I like to do Wee-bots online because I can use different tools to write, like

colorful pens.

MY NAME IS AMELIA, and I like Wee-bots online because I get to write stories!

HI, MY NAME IS QUENBY. I like Wee-bots online because I like writing stories and because I can

stay home for it.

MY NAME IS MYLAN, and I like writing.

3

Wee-bots Reading List

Fall 2020 The Day the Crayons Quit

written by Drew Daywalt

illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Izzy Gizmo

written by Pip Jones

illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing

written and illustrated by James Rumford

Creepy Carrots!

written by Aaron Reynolds

illustrated by Peter Brown

Me and My Fear

written and illustrated by Francesca Sanna

Alma and How She Got Her Name

written and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later)

written by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard

illustrated by James Ransome

The Night is Yours

written by Abdul-Razak Zachariah

illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

4

written by Traci Sorell illustrated by Frané Lessac

Wee-bots Reading List

Winter 2021 The President of the Jungle

written by André Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro,

Paula Desgualdo, and Pedro Markun

Who Will I Be Lord?

written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

illustrated by Sean Qualls

The Good Egg

written by Jory John

illustrated by Pete Oswald

Nian, The Chinese New Year Dragon

written by Virginia Loh-Hagan

illustrated by Timothy Banks

How this Book Was Made

written by Mac Barnett

illustrated by Adam Rex

Grandma’s Records

written and illustrated by Eric Velasquez

I Wanna New Room

written by Karen Kaufman Orloff

illustrated by David Catrow

WEE-BOTS READING LIST 5

ANIMALS! I Named Him Cucumber Because of the Eyes The amazing works in this section explore the theme of animals, showcasing animals’ unique perspectives and exciting experiences! Will a sad sloth and speedy squirrel get along? Read on to find out!

AGE

VERDA CELIKER 9 ACHIEVE CHARTER AC ADEMY

Woof! Woof!

It was a wet, sticky, but sunny afternoon. Ugh I hate this. I sat out there for exactly seven hours and thirty-five minutes. Maybe I should start meowing at the striped door.

Soon the cat’s owner let her in. Why did I not think of this the past seven hours? the little cat said in her head.

The little cat carefully sipped her hot milk, trying to act elegant in front of her owner. As soon as she left, she gulped the whole jar in a second. The cat’s owner came back with a fuzzy and bunchy blanket for her . . . After all of that, the cat snuggled into her bed and slept peacefully until next morning.

“Woof, woof!”

“What’s wrong, sweetie? Did the cat scratch?”

“Woof!”

“Bad kitty,” the owner said without even thinking. “That’s it. I’m walking the cat outside again.”

“Back to square one,” grumbled the cat. The cat was thankful that it was sunny.

Screech.

“Eek!” squealed the cat. It’s . . . it’s a dog? “Meow!” yowled the cat, of course trying to catch attention to get the dog in trouble.

“It’s OK, I’m trying to help you, but also with my attention . . . uh and yours,” the dog said after the cat yowled at him. “Come closer.”

“What are you trying to do?”

“I’m trying to put red marker on you, so it looks like you’re hurt.”

“Ohhh,” said the cat, realizing how he really was. The thing was, the cat was wondering, was he actually going to give all the attention to her?

8

Animals

AGE

ELSIE BRADY 8 EBERWHITE ELEMENTARY

Monday Morning I woke up on Monday morning. I walked through the door. I went outside. There was a heavy wind.

I went to get my dog. I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk. He barked.

“I think that’s a yes,” I said. I went to get my coat. When we went on our walk, my dog pulled hard.

I fell down. Bonk!

“Ouch!” I said. It hurt a lot. We continued walking. My dog saw another dog.

“Uh-oh,” I said. “This is bad.” He barked and barked constantly, over and over. We finally went home.

It was a relief that we were home.

I Named Him Cucumber Because of the Eyes

9

AGE

QUENBY MULHAUSER 7 BACH ELEMENTARY

Hank and Mira Hank and Mira were playing ball. Hank wanted to go back inside, so he started barking at the door, which woke up the other dogs and made them mad. They chased after him and Mira. Hank tried to go home, but the other dogs ran after him. He led them to his house, and they barked at the house, just like him.

Ms. Lewbert opened the door, and the dogs ran in.

Mom said, “Not so fast.” And she explained what had happened.

Meanwhile . . . the dogs were sneaking around the house.

Hank asked the dogs their names.

They replied, “Emerald, Loopie, and Lou.” “I KNOW LOOPIE!” “What is your name?” asked Loopie.

“Hank. Oh yeah, we were best friends in training.”

“I met these babies after training; they are so funny! I forgot about you.”

“Me too,” Hank said.

“How will we tell my human about this?”

“Maybe we could . . . ” “I have an idea!”

“I think I found your dogs.”

“You mean the huskies?”

“Yes!” “Mommy is going to catch me with a cat.”

The End

10

Animals

AGE

MYLAN SELVARAJ 6 ANN ARBOR OPEN SCHOOL

Once Upon a Time, There Lived a Little Bear. . .

Once upon a time, there lived a little bear. He was trying to make friends, but no one trusted him, so then some hunters got all of their animals except the bear.

And the bear came and saved them. The bear had friends. The hunter came, and they got angry.

And now . . . to be continued.

I Named Him Cucumber Because of the Eyes

11

AGE

ATHENA & XANDER TALASKA 7

YPSIL ANTI INTERNATIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Claudia and Vincent Once upon a time, there was a sad sloth named Claudia. She was sad because a speedy squirrel named Vincent took her favorite nap spot.

She was enraged.

She was angry.

Vincent was napping under the healthiest acacia tree—her favorite napping spot. She walked slowly over. It took her an hour and a half. She saw how peacefully Vincent was resting there. She felt a little better.

She poked him to wake him up. He yawned and then woke up.

Claudia asked, “Can we share the spot under the tree?”

Vincent said, “Sure.”

And they napped happily ever after.

12

Animals

AGE

ELEANOR CRAS 6

THURSTON ELEMENTARY

Cucumber the Cat His color is black and gray, and his stomach is white. Cucumber also has green eyes. I named him Cucumber because of the eyes.

Five years later, Cucumber and I went on an epic adventure! We saw lots of cool houses, and in one of the houses, we found a family of cats with green eyes the color of cucumbers. It was Cucumber’s family.

Then all of Cucumber’s family came to live with me happily ever after. The grandpa’s name was Merlin, and the grandma’s name was Merlina.

I Named Him Cucumber Because of the Eyes

13

FAMILY STORIES My Mom Was a Kid, & I Was My Mom This collection of stories was inspired by Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard and illustrated by James Ransome. Students discussed how writers can draw from their real-life experiences with their families to create details in their stories, both fiction and nonfiction. The following family stories employ real-life details with imaginative flair!

AGE

BELL’A COLEMAN 8

UPA ELEMENTARY: ELLEN THOMPSON C AMPUS

What A Dream My mom was a kid, and I was my mom. And I was confused because usually I was a kid. It wasn’t easy as a kid to try to go to work. My mom had to wait until she was allowed to bring me to her work. But now it was so much easier because now I was my mom, and I could go to work. No one would know that I really was a kid, running around in work, doing the work.

Without saying anything to my mom, I flung open the door and ran away to go to her (now my) work. But it got more confusing and harder because there was no map in the car. It would be much easier if I had my bike to go to the corner store. How was I going to go to my mom’s work if I didn’t have a map? I had forgotten that there was a map in the car. The car had a little screen which showed a map. I had thought there was such a big problem when the solution was right there with me in the car.

I was about to leave when I realized the car didn’t have gas. And the first thing you’re supposed to do is get gas, but how are you going to get gas if your car doesn’t have gas? You need gas to get to the gas station to get gas.

But I knew I wasn’t going to walk there. I knew there were a lot of roads to pass if I were going to walk to the gas station. Then again, the car had a map, and I had a bike. I forgot, though, that it was a small bike. How was I going to get to my mom’s job with a little bike? It was a bike that could break if I sat on it.

But then I had an idea. My mom had a bike too. So I could put my map on that bike. Easy peasy.

The only hard part was riding the bike without training wheels. But I was going to have to try. I was older than eight, so I could only try it. So I did. I tried going up and down the sidewalk and stopped to see if the bike would fall over. The bike started to tilt, but I knew that even if it had training wheels, it would tilt, and I would be scared. So I kept trying and trying. I went on the road, riding her bike, riding and riding.

16

Family Stories

Then I stopped and rode it back to the sidewalk. I got off the bike, and I felt bad about leaving my mom in the house. So I ran to the house, and I saw my mom, a kid, on a chair.

She said, “Do not leave me again or you’re grounded!” Then she said, “Go to the gas station, and don’t say a WORD!” “Shush,” I said, but I felt something. I saw stars all around me. I was in the living room. My mom was herself, and I was myself again.

My mom said, “Never ever speak of that.”

“I will not.”

My Mom Was a Kid, and I Was My Mom

17

AGE

WILLIAM PARENT 7 EMERSON

Wolves Chase Professor Through Pyramids?

Once, my Grandpa David was chased through and around the Egyptian pyramids by a pack of wolves. He lived in Cairo for six months to study Arabic. My dad learned about this adventure through postcards his dad sent him. He survived this scary experience by running away until the wolves lost interest. My Grandpa David was known for getting himself into funny catastrophes like this. My dad, my grandma, and my uncles laughed at the story when they heard it. My dad tells me that this is a very famous story in my family’s history—but is it true?

The tradition of storytelling is an ancient tradition. It is common in many cultures, including Native American culture. Sharing stories allows new members of the tribe to learn and pass down stories to the next generation. It also helps in passing down languages.

A question I have is: when stories are told and not written down, how accurate are they? Was my grandpa actually chased by a pack of wolves? Were the wolves actually wild dogs? What really happened?! I had to investigate.

My Grandpa David’s youngest sister, Claire, did not remember when her brother was chased by these wolves, but she did remember the time when she was three years old and a neighbor’s dog bit her. My Grandpa David’s oldest sister, Arlene, did not remember at first but then vaguely remembered this story later. My Grandpa David’s youngest brother, Elmer, did not remember the story at all but did remember when my grandpa had to ice skate really fast around the rink to avoid the ice caving in under his feet. My grandpa called it “rubber ice.” That sounds really scary!

My last hope from that generation was my Grandpa David’s cousins, Earl and Traude. They even remembered receiving a postcard from my grandpa while he was in Egypt. Everyone agreed that he did travel to Egypt! Unfortunately, they didn’t remember this story either, but they did believe that it sounded like something my grandpa would get himself into.

18

Family Stories

Since all of Grandpa David’s siblings and cousins are fairly old and do not have the best memory, I asked my dad’s brothers and cousins. I thought that they might remember more because they are younger.

My dad’s cousin, Judy, did not remember the story of her uncle’s near-death experience either but did remember that he was in Egypt and came up with a board game that helped Egyptians learn English and Americans learn Arabic. My dad’s other cousin, Sue, did not remember that scary time either and only remembered that my grandpa was actually in Egypt. At least that part of the story is true! Surely, my dad’s brothers would know. They are Grandpa David’s children!

My dad remembered most of the facts, but we still are not sure when this event happened, and how my Grandpa David got away from the wolves. What time of year was it?! Was it 1989? Was it 1991? Was my Grandpa on a sabbatical?! Was he also in Jordan during the same trip?

My dad’s youngest brother, Robert, remembered that Grandpa David was exploring the Pyramids of Giza. While he was walking back to his hotel, some wild dogs or wolves crossed his path. He immediately ran to safety. This is hard to believe because everyone agrees that Grandpa David was not a fast runner! We called my dad’s brother, Mike, and figured out some of the confusion.

Grandpa David was on a sabbatical. While there, he was staying with an Egyptian family.

My dad and his brothers all remembered receiving postcards from their dad, but no one can find them!

If anyone does . . . . . . they will solve the whole mystery of this tale.

My Mom Was a Kid, and I Was My Mom

19

AGE

SEVIE RODDY 9 ANN ARBOR OPEN SCHOOL

A Day in the Life of a Mother Turtle There she is. My baby. The last one. I will get some food. The reeds brush against my tough shell, and she cries, “Mama! I’m hungry! I want food!”

I will leave her to rest. She is safe in her nest of reeds. The current won’t carry her away, and the older babies will guard her. Here are the tastiest plants. My baby eats them up hungrily, sucking the bitterness from each tough stem. Then she goes to sleep. I watch her shell harden, knowing that I will miss her. She has been my favorite of all my many babies.

Now she wakes, ready for a new day.

“Goodbye, Mama!” she calls.

“Goodbye, sweetheart!” I call. There she goes, ready to find her place in the world. I miss her already. But she is gone.

20

Family Stories

AGE

NATHAN CHASE 8

YPSIL ANTI INTERNATIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The Story of Stacks There was a stray cat in the library. My dad was working with his friend, Kevin, when he found the cat. He didn’t take him home for a little bit.

Then my dad said, “Let’s have this cat.” And he named him Stacks. After that, my dad slept with him. When he almost slept through his alarm, Stacks would paw my dad’s face and start licking his eyes. Then my dad married and had us. The cat would always come to me when I was a baby.

Then my brother was born, and to this day, Stacks is our family’s cat.

Exact setting: late at night, my dad and his friend, Kevin, were at the library, and their job was to tell everyone that the library was closing. Then they went to a room between two tables of American History and Nursing. They found people not studying but playing with the cat. My dad asked, “Is this your cat?”

They said, “No, but we played with him.”

My Mom Was a Kid, and I Was My Mom

21

FOOD & CAKE Peanut Butter, You’re Up First!

The wonderful pieces in this section revolve around food. Exploring everything from cake to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to ice cream, these delicious stories are bound to make you hungry!

AGE

GABRIEL ETHERIDGE 10 DETROIT PREP

Peanut Butter, Grape Jelly, Strawberry Jelly, and Marmalade One day, Peanut Butter was walking to school when suddenly he ran into his friend, Marmalade.

“Good morning, Marmalade,” said Peanut Butter.

“Guess what today is?” Marmalade resounded. “It’s pairmate day!”

Uh-oh, Peanut Butter thought. Every single year his school celebrates a holiday where everyone chooses their pair, or a buddy, for the rest of the school year. And every year, his three friends, Grape Jelly, Strawberry Jelly, and Marmalade, make him choose one. This stresses Peanut Butter out because he always wants to satisfy people, especially his friends. And each person makes or does something to try to impress Peanut Butter. Grape Jelly makes treats.

“THEY ARE AMAZING!” Strawberry Jelly makes marquee signs.

“Something from who knows where. He says that he got the idea from the Broadway signs and the one on the Fox building in downtown Detroit.”

Marmalade makes songs.

“Her songs are never out of tune. Like seriously, she does it perfect-ish every time.”

“Please be mine; oh won’t you be my pairmate? Just be my pairmate,” Marmalade sang.

Peanut Butter thought to himself, Ahhhhhh! My ears!

When the two got to school, Strawberry Jelly said, “Ta da!” Peanut Butter looked up and saw “Will you be my pairmate?” in bright blue-green letters.

“Woah, but why is it blue-green?” Peanut Butter said.

“Meh, it’s OK . . . I guess,” Marmalade cut Peanut Butter off. “But my song was way better,” Marmalade said.

24

Food and Cake

Lastly, when they got to homeroom, Grape Jelly was there. “Smell that?” Grape Jelly said. “I made macarons . . . chocolate and coconut, your favorite types.”

“Not as good as mine, but you gave it a good try,” Strawberry Jelly said.

“Think again,” Peanut Butter said. “These are amazing.”

“Time to choose,” said Mr. Limeade and Ms. Lemonade. “Peanut Butter, you’re up first.” Peanut Butter came to the front of the class and said . . .

“Because I don’t want to hurt any of my friends’ feelings, I choose . . . Honey.”

“What?” Grape Jelly, Strawberry Jelly, and Marmalade said in unison.

“It was for the best, and the best gift is sometimes no gift at all.” Peanut Butter said. True, that was better off.

The End

Peanut Butter, You’re Up First!

25

AGE

MIRA WICKLUND 8 SUMMERS - KNOLL

The White But Then Rainbow Shoes On a warm day in early June, Hoppy was at Callie’s house. It was the morning after the sleepover that they had had last night. It was Monday, and Callie said that she could walk Hoppy to school.

They were having pancakes for breakfast.

“Yum,” said Hoppy. Then something happened in the kitchen. Callie’s pet fish jumped out of her fish bowl and landed in the pancake batter. It splattered all over Hoppy. Callie giggled a little.

“Well, it’s better than getting splashed by mud,’” said Callie.

“Yeah, well, better get to school,” said Hoppy.

“Yeah, but you need to have another shower first,” said Callie.

“OK.” Afterward, when Hoppy came up to Callie, Callie said, “Here’s some white shoes. They don’t fit me, so I thought you could have them.”

“Thanks,” said Hoppy.

“You’re welcome.”

Hoppy put them on. Callie put on yellow shoes, and they went to school.

Meanwhile, Ian the rat was spilling blueberries, raspberries, pink ice cream, white ice cream, cherries, and melted chocolate all over the sidewalks.

“This is going to be good. This is going to be so good,” he cackled.

Meanwhile, Callie and Hoppy had just started walking to school on the route Ian had put food all over. They walked and walked, and they were about to turn a corner when Callie saw a pile of squishy blueberries that stained and never came out.

“Look out for the—” Splotch “—blueberries.”

“Oh no, my shoes are bluish-purple,” said Hoppy.

26

Food and Cake

“I tried to warn you,” said Callie.

“Neh neh neh neh, neh, neh,” said Ian, who was hiding behind a bush. He was blocking one path so that Callie and Hoppy would step in the food on the other path.

“Hey, that’s not nice,” Callie and Hoppy said together. They kept walking. Now Hoppy and I have to be careful, thought Callie. They kept walking, and then there was a big butterfly, and Hoppy bounced into the grass. Then, squelch. She stepped on the leaves.

“But why are your shoes turning purplish?” Callie asked. The girls looked at each other in horror.

Callie stared carefully, taking leaf by leaf out of the pile.

When Hoppy looked at her new shoes, she was so sad that she had ruined them. Then Ian jumped out of nowhere, laughed at them again, and left.

“Oh, I knew that he might have tricked us again,” said Callie.

“I know,” said Hoppy.

Then, they kept walking, and they were about to cross Apple Street when there was a small puddle in the road. Callie was careful; Hoppy was not, and she stepped in it. Squelch.

“Look, he stepped in chocolate,” said Callie.

“I thought it was mud, not chocolate,” said Hoppy.

“Well, look at your shoes now,” said Callie. “They are brown. “ “Neh neh neh neh neh,” said Ian as he jumped out of the bushes and fell into the chocolate. Splat.

Woops!

“Yum,” said Ian. He jumped onto the tree branch, then jumped into a taxi that was open and zoomed off.

Callie and Hoppy kept walking, and then Callie saw something pink and moved into the grass.

But Hoppy kept walking on the sidewalk and stepped into the pink stuff, which turned out to be Peanut Butter, You’re Up First!

27

strawberry ice cream. Squelch.

“Oh no, I did it again!” said Hoppy.

“Ha ha he he ha ho,” said Ian as he jumped out of nowhere.

“Look at my shoes! They’re rainbow, what a crazy color,” said Hoppy. “Oh well, better get to school.”

“Yeah,” said Callie.

They kept walking, and they saw something red up ahead. Callie walked into the grass; Hoppy followed.

“Yay, I’ve finally dodged the food!”

“No, you did not,” cackled a familiar voice.

Ian jumped out of a tree, startled Hoppy, and Hoppy stepped into the cherries.

Squelch.

“Ha ha he he ha ho,” said Ian. Then he ran away.

“Oh come on, not again!” said Hoppy. “I almost dodged it.”

“Come on, let’s keep walking. We are almost at school,” said Callie.

“OK, let’s go.”

They kept walking, and they finally got to school. Their teacher, Ms. Dogwood, said, “Oh my, what happened to your shoes, Hoppy?”

“Ian put food all over the sidewalk, and I stepped in it,” said Hoppy.

“Oh, that is not nice,” said Ms. Dogwood. “Max, can you go find Ian? I think he is in the stuffed animal bin.”

“OK,” said Max. “Hey, why did you do that?” said Max to Ian. “Because I wanted to,” said Ian. “That’s not an answer,” said Max. “Yes, it is,” said Ian. “No, it’s not.”

“It is too.”

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Food and Cake

“Fine, it is,” said Max, and he left.

“Well, it’s time to go outside, class,” said Ms. Dogwood.

“OK.” Hoppy was the second one out. Squelch.

“Nooo!” said Hoppy.

“Ha ha he he ha ho,” said Ian. “Oh no,” said Ian, and he stopped laughing.

“What?” said Ms. Dogwood as she came outside. “What is it?”

Ian did not answer, and he stared at Hoppy’s shoes. “What everyone else did.”

“Look, my shoes are white,” said Hoppy. “Yay!” Ian had put vanilla ice cream on the stairs, and Hoppy had stepped in it, and her shoes had turned white again.

“Ian, I will call your parents, and you will go home,” said Ms. Dogwood. And she picked him up and brought him inside.

Hoppy was so happy. She said that everyone could come to her house after school and have a party, if they wanted.

Someone said, “Yes, we will come!”

“Good, we will have twenty pizzas for dinner, and ten different kinds of ice cream for dessert.”

“Yum, yum!”

Ms. Dogwood came out after a bit and said that Ian’s parents had just picked him up, and he would not come back to school.

At the end of the day, everyone went to Hoppy’s house. They had an amazing time, and Hoppy and all the others did not step in food. Then, when Hoppy was at her house, she stepped in water.

And her shoes returned to normal.

“Yay! I fixed my shoes,” said Hoppy.

The End

Peanut Butter, You’re Up First!

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AGE

CARLO COHEN-WEEG 6 WINES ELEMENTARY

Mr. Cake’s Vacation Hi, my name is Mr. Cake.

Henry wants to eat me. And it is hard to be a cake. Whenever you get relaxed, someone tries to eat you.

Henry’s mom says he can’t eat me. So I’ll just walk away for a few minutes. Actually, I think I could have a vacation.

Now I’m at the airport. I’m going to see what’s on the TV on the plane. Wow, I love the Farm of Laughs!

Now I’m in Hawaii. I’m relaxed.

But it’s Henry’s birthday.

The End

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Food and Cake

AGE

CLYDE MUSEHL 10 HOMESCHOOL

A Really Bad Birthday Party Timmy woke up on his birthday. Downstairs on the table was the biggest cake ever. He was so happy that he ate the whole thing before anyone could take a piece.

Then they started the dance party, but Timmy was so full from the cake that when he jumped, the floor broke, and they fell into the basement. So then they decided to open presents. Timmy was so excited that he tore into them without paying any attention. He threw the wrapping paper behind him, and it piled on top of everyone. Then all the guests ran away and never went to Timmy’s birthday party again!

Peanut Butter, You’re Up First!

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DAY IN THE LIFE Girls With Shark Heads The lovely pieces in this section were inspired by The Night is Yours by Abdul-Razak Zachariah and illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. Students discussed how writers describe everyday experiences in their writing, using sensory details to appeal to the five senses and make these experiences come alive for readers!

AGE

MATTHIEU CRAS 9

THURSTON ELEMENTARY

What Is It Like To Be One of Santa’s Elves?

Santa Claus’s elves live in the toy factory where it always smells like some good barbeque. Maybe that is because that’s what they eat every day.

Well, today we are entering Frank Joe Bob’s life, FJB for short. FJB always wakes up at 6:00am sharp.

He and the elves get dressed and go to the mess hall where they eat breakfast, which is cereal and milk. Then they brush their teeth.

The mail elves go to get the letters for Santa. The building elves get to their tables to get the lists and start building.

At 12:30pm sharp, they have lunch, which is pasta. Then they go back to work.

At 8:00pm sharp, they get ready for dinner, which is barbeque. Then they watch a good movie and go to bed.

We thank you very much, FJB, and see you later. (Elves don’t eat junk food.)

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Day in the Life

AGE

ZURI DUKES 7 CHRYSLER ELEMENTARY

What I Do in School When I wake up, I go see the snow. Then I go get ready for school. It’s a really busy day . . .

What I do first, I do language arts. We do work, and then we break into groups. Then we have lunch until 12:15pm.Then in the afternoon, we do math until 1:30pm. Then we break into groups. I have art or gym, and after that, I am done with school. Then I do my homework if I have homework.

Then I play with my friends, and that is it.

The End

Girls with Shark Heads

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AGE

MAYA SELVAREJ 11 ANN ARBOR OPEN SCHOOL

The Sharks of the Ocean “Hi Emily!” exclaimed Brooke. Brooke Tanner was the most popular girl in middle school. She was pretty, smart, nice, and athletic. Everyone said she was lucky, but she worked for everything she got! She practiced volleyball on weekends, studied every night, and maintained her friendships well.

“Hey Bestie! I forgot to study for French . . . Oops!” Emily cried. Emily Sharma was a girl who was most known for her voice and was also Brooke’s best friend!

Brooke handed Emily a few pieces of paper and whispered in her ear, “These are study pages. We have time before French. Study these carefully, and you will be good to go.”

Emily thanked Brooke and put the papers in her locker.

Brooke walked over to her locker to put on her makeup and gathered her stationery. Someone gently tapped her shoulder, and Brooke turned around, saying, “Hey Liv!” Meet Olivia Nia Taylor, a girl who was most known for her fashionable clothes and her beautiful brown skin. She was one of Brooke’s best friends and was as smart, nice, pretty, and athletic as she was.

“Hey Brooke! I was reading this book about girls with shark heads! It is hilarious!” Olivia laughed.

Brooke and Emily asked if they could read it at lunch. Suddenly, Emily reached in her locker. She pulled out a box with the same cover as the book.

“I actually have the board game for it! How about we go through it at my house after school? We can grab Starbucks on the way!” They all jumped up and cheered.

It was 3:30pm, and Brooke, Emily, and Olivia were off to Starbucks with the book. When they got there, one of the employees noticed the book and kept staring at it. When the girls realized, they went over to her. She asked what their order was but kept staring at the book. That was when she asked if the book was theirs. They responded, and she told them to be careful because “danger awaits.” The girls thought the woman was talking about the adventures in the book and carried on with their cake pops and frappes.

36

Day in the Life

They ran all the way to Emily’s house, eagerly saying, “I am so excited! I can’t wait to play the board game! According to the web, this board game was last seen in 1985!”

When they got to her house, they ran straight to Emily’s bedroom and opened the board game box.

Olivia put the characters on the starting point, and suddenly, everything was pitch black. When they opened their eyes, they had shark heads, and they were waterskiing far into the ocean. They screamed, and they fell into the water. The shark heads had a mind of their own and bit the girls, tearing their skin apart. Some say, they search the bottom of the sea to have kids join their shark tribe to take down the world.

Girls with Shark Heads

37

AGE

MASON HARDY 8

UNIVERSIT Y PREP SCIENCE & MATH: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

On My First Day of Preschool, I Felt Nervous On my first day of preschool, I felt nervous. So I went to lunch and made some friends, but I still felt nervous. By the end of the day, I made about half of the class as friends, and I didn’t really feel nervous anymore.

38

Day in the Life

AGE

ADDISON WADE 6

UNIVERSIT Y PREP SCIENCE & MATH: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Aladdin’s School Day Aladdin is sitting at her desk, drawing with a light. Aladdin is sad because she is bored, but she knows that when she goes to lunch she will watch TV. She will watch Disney because it makes her happy. She goes somewhere to watch. She decides that she will watch at home.

Her classmate Parker has a playdate with her, and they watch together. They get dropped off after school by the school bus. They like riding the bus, and they wave when they get off. They are watching unicorn shows and trying to avoid doing their homework. They take a break from TV to eat cake and chicken. They fall asleep . . . what about the homework? DUN-DUN-DUNNN!

Girls with Shark Heads

39

AGE

SYDNEY WADE 10

UNIVERSIT Y PREP SCIENCE & MATH: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Movies One time, there was a girl waiting for her friend named Angel. She was having a sleepover with her friend, Cadence. They were going to watch movies, paint their nails, do their hair, and eat popcorn and pizza.

First, Angel waited on Cadence to show up. Then when she showed up, they decided to get their popcorn and pizza to watch movies.

Angel said, “Let’s watch a grown-up movie.”

Cadence said, “OK.” So they watched grown-up movies. By the end, they were scared.

Angel had to go to the bathroom, but she was too scared to go.

Cadence said, “Just do it. Just turn on the light.”

So she turned on the light and went to the bathroom.

And when she came out, they watched a different movie other than grown-up movies, so they wouldn’t be scared anymore.

40

Day in the Life

AGE

RUTH MUSEHL 7 HOMESCHOOL

The LEGO Dot Shop The LEGO DOTS club was building a new shop. Galus and Pal were painting with pink. Illguz was taking away the old sign. Aggie was putting in the new sign. Ig was painting the door green. Jelly was the greeter. Pokey was looking at the blueprint, and finally, Smiles was testing out the sets.

Girls with Shark Heads

41

ABOUT 826MICHIGAN 826michigan 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-on-one 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.

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Our Programs

ONLINE LEARNING L AB 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 Inschool 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.

WORKSHOPS We offer a number of free workshops taught by professional artists, writers, and our talented volunteers.

From comic books to screenplays, bookmaking to radio, our wide variety of workshops are perfect for writers of all ages and interests. One of the most popular workshops we offer is our weekly Wee-bots program for elementary-aged writers.

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ONWARD

Our Programs

IN -SCHOOL PROJECTS Our trained volunteers go into local public schools every day to support teachers with their classroom writing assignments. Based on the teacher’s curriculum, assignments range from writing tales to crafting college essays to exploring poetry. In addition, we hold regular Writers Clubs, in which small groups of students are able to work on a writing project over the course of a semester, culminating in a publication.

We also partner with schools to hold Family Writing Labs: laughter-filled events in which families to come together and participate in an evening of engaging writing activities and community connection.

FIELD TRIPS Always full of surprises and theatrics (and usually a visit from our crotchety editor, Dr. Blotch), our Field Trip program is an experiential writing extravaganza. We welcome teachers to bring their classes in for field trips during the school day. Students join a group of volunteers, interns, and staff to help solve a problem through writing—whether that is Dr. Blotch’s insomnia, our looming story deadline, a mystery in need of solving, or one of the many others we encounter. Our field trips always end in a finished publication of original writing that students take home. Often the field trip writing is connected to a second leg of the students’ journey, whether a trip to a museum, library, or local record label, thanks to our many incredible community partners.

OUR STORES Our Robot Supply Co. stores are one-stop shops for robots, robot owners, and enthusiasts alike. They are designed to inspire creativity and bring awareness of our programs to the community. When it is safe to do so again, come visit the Ann Arbor Robot Supply Co. at 115 East Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor and the Detroit Robot Supply Co. at 1351 Winder Street in Eastern Market in Detroit.

In the meantime, please visit the Robot Supply Co. at onwardrobots.com. All proceeds from our stores directly fund our free student programming.

ROBOTS!

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826 National was inspired to take a stand on issues of inclusion and diversity in light of the many events that spotlighted social and racial injustices throughout the country. We as educators, volunteers, and caring adults need to be aware of the wide range of issues our students face on a day-to-day basis. We need to support these young people as they navigate through and try to make sense of the world and their own identities.

We need the support and the feedback from our community to ensure 826 is living up to these standards.

Through our inclusion statement, our internal diversity and inclusion group, cultural competency resources provided to staff and volunteers, and partnerships with other organizations, we are always working towards being a more inclusive and supportive organization.

We at 826 have the privilege of working with the next generation of scholars, teachers, doctors, artists, lawyers, and writers. It's our job to make sure they are able to take their own stands.

As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826 National and its chapters recognize the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive 826 environment in which great leaps in learning happen, we commit ourselves to inclusion: we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, military service, or disability.

The 826 National network is committed to encouraging youth to express themselves and to use the written word to effectively do so. We encourage our students to write, take chances, make decisions, and finish what they start.

And 826 strives to do this in an environment free from discrimination and exclusion.

by Gerald Richards, CEO

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WRITING IS

A way to figure things out by ourselves

We create a safe place to be ourselves and try new things We support the ways that writers work (like thinking, sketching, talking)

A way to help us connect to our world

We study the writing we want to do so we can try it We learn how to change our writing for genre, audience, and purpose

A way to help us learn who we are and who we will become

We work with a group of writers who help and support each other

A way for us to use our power to make changes and build a better world

www.826michigan.org

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TREMENDOUS THANKS TO Claire Stano, our wise and wonderful Wee-bots Facilitator Neena Dzur, our outstanding and organized Wee-bots Editorial Intern Jessica Pace, our terrifically talented publication designer

AND TO OUR VIRTUAL WEE-BOTS VOLUNTEERS: Tiarra Abbott Masa Baghal Sophia Bailey Elaina Baker Fatima Bazzi Mikayla Bergwood Alexa Berman Javier Bonamego Athena Bryer Olivia Carr Yanduo Chen Graysen Colpaert Joselyn Cordero Maggie Crunk Analise Doorhy Anne Else Amy Ewing Caroline Fairey Megan Girbach Leah Gowatch Olivia Grantham Lillian Grantham Bhoomika Gupta Caroline Hauck Elizabeth Heald Clara Hendrickson Nicole Inza Lauren Jakosalem Courtny Julien Mark Kneisel Caitlin Koska Doris Lanzkron-Tamarazo Elizabeth Le Joanne Lee Arim Lee Sarah Mallon Nishitha Malugari Reyan Manchanda

Lauren Martin Daniel Marvin Maisha Massey Keith Allen Melong Elizabeth Mitchell Lauren Nelson Jordan Norberg Lara Orkun Tessa Osborne Esther Park Jessica Parker Kay Perry Rohitha Polasani Connie Powers Amy Ransom Aakash Ray Sara Razoky Emily Ritner Isabella Schilling Katie Schrepferman Noelle Sciarini Riley Shepherd Allison Siegel Lawrence Smith Atticus Solomon Mahima Srikanth Claire Stano Siobhan Stemme Lindsay Torey Amanda Victory Jonathan Wang Marissa Weber Ashley Wefel Hannah White Aubrianna Wickings Madelyn Yake Tian Yeung Angela Yoon