Pickleball in Pickleton

—Donn Truax, Middle School Boys Life Fitness Educator

Bucleigh Newton Kernodle

“Pickleball in Pickleton creatively intertwines the foundation for spiritual growth and living with the joys of the game of Pickleball. Even in the face of ‘spicy’ opposition, this book illustrates how faith overcomes, and the fruit of the spirit is the foundation for healthy community and sportsmanship. It's an active and true testimony that God’s love conquers all. As a Physical Educator, this book would be a great tool and resource.”

Pickleball in Pickleton

The Pickle families of Pickleton are in a real pickle! They live their everyday lives by the fruit of the Spirit but the Spicy family doesn’t. They cheat, bicker, and even mock the other pickles when they play the town’s favorite sport: pickleball. Will they ever learn the lesson of being a good sport?

Bucleigh Newton Kernodle

Bucleigh Newton Kernodle

Pickleball in Pickleton

by Bucleigh Newton Kernodle copyright ©2025 Bucleigh Newton Kernodle All rights reserved. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents, except where noted otherwise, are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any other resemblance to actual people, places or events is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books.

To order additional copies of this book, or for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Kids P. O. Box 52 Terra Alta, WV 26764 mybook@headlinebooks.com www.HeadlineBooks.com Published by Headline Books Headline Kids is an imprint of Headline Books ISBN-13: 9781958914588 Library of Congress Number on file with the Library of Congress

P R I N T E D

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T H E

U N I T E D

S T A T E S

O F

A M E R I C A

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

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Deep within a forest, not too far from here, resides a village full of pickle spears.

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Pickleton is the town, and the pickles are green.

They’re a kind group of pickles and are never mean.

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Helping others and being kind is the Pickleton way.

Arguing, yelling, and fighting are considered foul play.

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Love, joy, and peace, absolutely do not cease.

Patience, goodness and kindness matter.

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They make sure these acts spread and scatter.

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With gentleness and self-control They live happily in the town as a whole.

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Each family has their own personality...

The Breadenbutters are clumsy in totality.

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The Koshers are beautiful inside and out.

The Sweetlys are always kind, there is no doubt.

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The Dills are helpful, honest and true.

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While the Sours can sometimes be hard to chew.

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The pickles love to play pickleball, it is their favorite sport.

To play they need paddles, a ball and a pickleball court.

One pickle can play against one, or two versus two.

It’s loads of fun to play, just be sure to tie your shoe!

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It is now a ball match with slams, hits, and smacks!

The ball is hit back and forth until there is a winner.

Anyone can play, whether an expert or a beginner.

The area on the court where the ball cannot go, Is called the kitchen, wouldn’t you know?

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The pickles stay out of the kitchen, they never volley there.

They hit the ball and it bounces right back in their square.

Whenever any of the pickle families play, They remember to keep their frustrations at bay.

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It can get competitive and even a little tough.

But there is never any cheating and no one will bluff.

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It was all fun and games for the pickles on the court, Until one day a new family arrived to play the fun sport.

They were the Spicy Familyfiery, zesty and red hot.

When it came to showing love to others, the Spicys would not.

There were four pickles in the family. Pepper, the mom, Burnie, the dad.

Hallie-Peño and Bitter, the daughters. These pickles all went bad.

Their sneers really stung and their words always burned.

Hurting feelings never brought them one bit of concern.

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When it came to the game, it put everyone in a pickle.

Their presence in town made everyone feel fickle.

With bragging and cheating their way to the top, They made everyone feel Pickleball was a flop.

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The laughing, pointing, scoffing and mocking, Had all the pickles of the town now talking.

“How come they can act that way and even still win?”

The pickles asked each Greenie other as they scratched Kosher shared, their chins.

“We have never played like that and if we did it’s wrong!”

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Daddy Dill urged, “We have to talk with them, to show them how to belong.”

Jade Breadenbutter agreed, “They are new and may not know how to be, When it comes to being a good sport or honesty.”

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Jade felt bold in flavor and walked up to the Spicy bunch, She mentioned that lying and cheating all threw a bad punch.

“A bad sport makes others feel bad. It really is a bummer.

“Can we show you a nice way to play so we have fun all summer?”

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She tried to explain the value of sportsmanship.

But Pepper interrupted, “Hush your mouth, little chip!

We love to win. Whatever it takes, it is what we do.

Now go away. Leave us alone little pickle. Shoo! shoo!”

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Jade felt defeated even though she didn’t play a game, Pepper made her feel sad, and even brought her shame.

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But her boldness kicked in again, so she said, “Hold on a minute.

“You’re pushing my patience to the limit!

“I’ll show you how to be nice and still play a solid match.

“It’s time to stop acting like you were just born in the pickle patch.”

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“You will see it is fun to play fair.”

“Fine,” Pepper sneered, “this will be the easiest dare.”

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Candy Sweetly exclaimed, “This is epic! What a big dill!”

Krispy Kosher added, “Will they ever change their fiery will?”

“I hope so,” Jade answered, “The best way to show them how, Is not to be spicy too, just show love here and now.”

The day of the match, every pickle came and found a seat

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“Hey, Jade,” Pepper yelled, “you’re going to lose. You can’t handle my heat!”

“May the best pickle win. Good luck to you,” Jade said with a smile.

Already Pepper was puzzled, she hadn’t heard “good luck” in a while.

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They both played as hard as they possibly could Pepper tried to cheat, but the ref said “no good.”

She tried to smack the ball at Jade’s face But Jade was ready and gave her grace.

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Pepper teased Jade, “You can’t beat me, you’re too small.

I’m better than you and will always get the ball.”

Jade took a breath and fought back sad thoughts.

She swallowed the hurt and hit shot after shot.

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She used self-control to keep the frustration away, And spoke with patience and kindness the whole day.

“Nice get! Good hit!”

Jade encouraged Pepper as they played.

Pepper didn’t understand why her red color began to fade.

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The town cheered, “Patience, kindness, love, give joy like the Lord above!

Patience, kindness, love, give joy like the Lord above!”

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Pepper and her family could not believe their ears!

They never knew such kindness and love from their peers.

“Is this how we are supposed to act if we ever want love and joy?” The Spicys wondered as the cheers went on from every girl and boy.

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Burnie yelled to the ref, “The ball was on the line!”

Bitter screamed, “Are you foolishly brined?”

But no one could hear them over all the cheers.

Encouragement and hope took over the spears.

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The game continued as Jade was winning very quickly.

Pepper desisted all the lying, cheating, and speaking prickly.

With one final hit, the ball bounced on the line, Pepper tried to get there but didn’t make it in time.

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Jade won! Everyone cheered.

Pepper came to a halt.

She and her family now realized all of their faults.

With a shake of the hand and a pat on the back, Jade said to Pepper, “Good game. You never gave me slack.

You really did well and it was really fun to play.

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Maybe we can play doubles with our husbands some day?”

The Spicys couldn’t believe all the goodness they saw.

They didn’t understand this way and felt very raw.

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“We were mean and zesty in every single way.

How’d you keep your kindness, what do you have to say?”

“It did hurt my feelings, of course I didn’t like it,” Jade said, “but the fruit of the Spirit helped me every single bit.”

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“Can you teach me?” Bitter asked with hope.

“Me too!” Hallie-Peño agreed. They all wanted to cope.

“No more cheating or trash talking is a good start.”

The whole town pitched in to help guide their hearts.

Burnie added, “You really brined up a good point in all of this.

Self-control, patience, kindness and love can be bliss.

We may be vinegary from time to time But we will work on it. It will be sublime.”

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And so the Spicys turned from hot to mild.

They tried to be kind to every pickle and child.

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They climbed a pickle vine of wisdom today, When they learned the fruit of the Spirit is the only way.

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Kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, peace, joy, self-control, and love, Are all the values and virtues we learn from our great God above.

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Be sure to check out

The Pickles of Pickleton to learn other ways God shows us unconditional love!

Award-winning author Bucleigh Newton Kernodle is a Charlotte native and has always been passionate about creative writing. Inspired by her ninth-grade teacher to spread her wings and sparked to push her limit at Elon University by her communications professors and her editors at the Charlotte Business Journal, all culminated in a desire to write children’s books. Her “I Would Love You Even If ” Series has won the Creative Child Magazine Book of the Year, Gold Mom’s Choice Award Winner, Next Generation Indie Book Award winners, Readers’ Favorite International Book Award recipient, and more. Her faith in God is where she finds her direction.

The Pickle families of Pickleton are in a real pickle! They live their everyday lives by the fruit of the Spirit but the Spicy family doesn’t. They cheat, bicker, and even mock the other pickles when they play the town’s favorite sport: pickleball. Will they ever learn the lesson of being a good sport?

Bucleigh Newton Kernodle

“I love how the Spicy Family learns such a valuable lesson, a lesson that I try to instill in my students daily. Thank you for a story that is not only charming with the loveable Pickles from Pickleton but also rooted in the foundation of learning about the Lord and how we should treat one another.”

—Ashley Moritz, 5th Grade Reading Teacher

Pickleball in Pickleton

“Pickleball in Pickleton creatively intertwines the foundation for spiritual growth and living with the joys of the game of Pickleball. Even in the face of ‘spicy’ opposition, this book illustrates how faith overcomes, and the fruit of the Spirit is the foundation for healthy community and sportsmanship. It’s an active and true testimony that God’s love conquers all. As a Physical Educator, this book would be a great tool and resource.”

—Donn Truax, Middle School Boys Life Fitness Educator

Bucleigh Newton Kernodle