Blake School Literary Festival's Zine (2nd Edition)

In honor of The Blake School’s Literary Festival

2024

Blake School Literary Festival’s Zine

2nd Edition

Each year, Blake welcomes a guest author or illustrator to campus for Literacy Festival. This year’s author (and graphic artist) was Drew Brockington!

Students also participated in literary arts crafting and a book exchange. This Zine honors all things literary in celebration of Literacy Festival. We hope you enjoy reading!

This zine was curated and formatted by Blake middle school students:

Olly Bower, Madelyn Ferguson, Teaghan Smallwood, Lilly Tarakji, and Lena Varela.

Thank you to all who submitted creative works and took the courage to contribute.

Corgi Haiku

By: Stella D

Gr. 3

Butterflies and Flowers

By: Mihika S.

Gr. K

Dragon

By: Ella B. Gr. 5

I See

By: Reese S. Gr. 4

I tower over all my peers. My caramel colored trunk reflects the early morning sunlight. Dew coats my green leaves, like glaze on a donut.

The breeze ruffles through the leaves. Leaving them shook. I see a forest.

Deep in the thicket of bushes in the forest, animals are just waking up.

Deer and foxes.

Mice and bears. I imagine that they yawn. Stretching their arms in the air.

I see outside the forest in a lush, dazzling meadow, flowers are growing.

They all bloom.

Colors like red, purple and yellow emerge.

Roses and tulips.

Sunflowers and daisies. Now on the edge of the meadow. In a small cabin. I see a little girl waking.

I wonder if she dreams about me, a lofty tree, the thicket of the forest or the lush meadow.

Where she wishes to go. I see her parents cooking steaming porridge.

I see her run down the stairs and embrace them. Her smile is as long as a mile.

I wish that I had a family to hug but I am just a tall old tree.

I close my eyes so I can't see anymore.

Riding Freedom

By: Harper B. Gr. 5

Art

By: Grace B.

Gr. 2

Two Bunnies in a Yard

By: Grace B.

Gr. 2

Once there were two bunnies. They loved hopping around in a front yard and so they kept doing it. But they were in the front yard, and so the owners of that house always tried to catch the bunnies. The bunnies tried to run away and the owners did not catch them at all. The bunnies were just too fast! And so one said, “I am sick of this, this is ridiculous!” And so, they wanted to go to a different front or backyard to play and hop. But all the people wanted to try to catch the bunnies at least once! The bunnies were awfully scared. One house looked really haunted but the people inside did not want to catch the bunnies. They figured that was the right place for them. So from then on, they hopped all the way around the house several times! They loved it too much! They had so much more fun than they had at the other house and they just kept playing every day. But then the people that owned the house moved to a different house! The bunnies got scared and hid in a bush. And then they decided to go to the park and play there instead. And then they said this park is perfect for us, obviously!

My Backyard

By: Emily S.

Gr. 2

Welcome to the Mermazing Aqua World

By: Audrey R.

Gr. Pre-K

Lead and More Lead

By: Phoebe F.

Gr. 5

Thoughts on Happy Songs

By: Rita R. Gr. K

Happy songs should never sound like sad songs or scary songs. Happy songs should sound lovely and beautiful and happy. Always.

Where My Life Begins

By: Hank V.

Gr. 4

“Are we there yet?” I asked in an inpatient and soft voice. We have waited forever, and it is now here. For this I can't wait, all the pride and joy in the world can not stop me. I can't wait. We finally arrived. It has been a long time since I have had a dog. My dog Cally passed away this year. It has been a long year without her, but we are going to get a new one today. We looked at the slightly old nook filled with dogs. As we rushed into the warm cottage to find a new companion. The warm lady greeted us at the door. “My name is Ivy, " The breeder proclaimed , while her daughter ran around. My mom said, “It is nice meeting you. ” while she peeked in the house. I could tell she was inspecting the new house. ;I went into the old woman ' s home while I saw the dog I wanted. He was like me, I could tell. I saw him bullied by the other kids. Like me. No person to stick up for him. Like me. I knew he was the right dog. I watched him as he sat with other dogs around him. The little retriever sat and looked at me.I went over to my mom and we left with the dog. He snuggled in my arms. As the warm touch on my face fell into my lap. And I knew he was special! As the little fluff ball cuddled in my arms I sat with joy and I thought about what would happen with him. But I knew his name because he is a trustworthy companion and that deserves a good name. Little Joe. "

3 months later

As the little dog sat next to me I thought of how he had changed. My mother died last month. The little dog had helped me through it all. It was rough but I love this dog now and he needs me and I need him. And he loves me and I love him. So I leave and so does he. We have to leave tomorrow, to Kentucky. Joe sat with me as he and I started the long car ride to Kentucky. I guess it was not that bad, it was actually pretty good. And so forever now I will be his whenever wherever and for always he will be my Joe. So now I live with Aunty Ilsa. She was a very nice aunt but not like mama she was different. Living with my cousins was weird and now there are my siblings. Well I missed my friends at school too but I have new traditions and new friends so I like It. And my cousins love Joe and they call him Joey. I know JOEY. But now I have to wait for my dad to get a job to move here and to take me home but now I have noticed that Joe has been with me through the hard times. And all the trouble. And I thank him for that. I think I know now that Joe was special. And I love him. And now it will be different and he has helped a lot, he is a special dog. My Joe. My Joe who speaks to me. My Joe who dances in the wind and calls my name. My Joe.

By: Lillian G. Gr. 5

Really Really Cool Picture

By: Konnor W.

Gr. 3

Heart Machine

By Lily P. Gr. K

My Beautiful Art

By: Mila P.

Gr. K

I Love My Family

By: Eliana Z.

Gr. 4

Do you love your family? I do! I love my family because I have the best cousins. My Aunties and Uncles are the best. There are so many people in my family.

I have the best cousins in the whole wide world because three of my cousins live across the street and we play together a lot. I love having 13 cousins between my Mom and Dad sides. Some of my cousins live out of the states. I love hanging out with my cousins. Remember when me, Charlotte, and Samantha played The Eras tour with their barbies and then we watched The Barbie Movie. Isn't it funny that we played with barbies and then watched The Barbie Movie!

My Aunties and Uncles are super nice to me. I love having so many Aunties and Uncles. I have 6 Aunties and Uncles that live out of state, one of my Auntie and Uncle live in Canada. All of my Aunties and Uncles have kids! Remember when Auntie Faye and Mommy took me, Leo, and Noah to starbucks and I tried my first Pink Drink.

I love having so many people in my family so that I never have to feel lonely. I have 30 people in my family between my Mom’s and Dad’s sides. I love having out of town family so my family gets to visit them.I love when some of my out of town family comes to town for the holidays. On Thanksgiving my family has to have 2 tables. Remember when we had a hanukkah party at grandpa Paul's apartment building and we all had matching hanukkah shirts made by grandma.

I’m so grateful to have a big family with amazing cousins,great Aunties and Uncles. Even when I’m with my brothers I never feel lonely. That is why I love my family.

Rapunzel

By: Laine F. Gr. K

Kitty Cat Snowflake

By: Matthi F.

Gr. K

Ballerina

By:Eliada G.

Gr. 2

Flocky Loves Vania

By: Alinda M. Gr.

3

"My brother and I were in the living room on our green couch wating desperately for Vania, because our mom had told us that morning that Vania was coming. My brother and I loved to play with Vania. My brother and I asked my mom for it felt like 1,000 time today. "When is Vania coming?"

She replied. "In a little bit"

“How much is a little bit?"

She didn't answer.

Finally they arrived after it felt like decades.

"Hi!" Vania said with a smile.

The next thing I know are smiles and warm hugs.After about 30 minutes all the guests arrived. After that we ran around the house like wild monkeys and jumping beans.

"Let's play tag" we all yelled at the same time. Coincidence. We played tag. I was the first one to be it. I ran so fast my brother got tagged within 30 seconds.

"Easy!" I yelled in his face as he chased me all around the house.

"Why don't you go chase Vania?" I exclaimed.

"Cause" he replied. Then I stopped running and let him tag me. After that I ran to tag Vania.

"Let's go outside. I am bored." I moaned.

"Why do we have to go outside?" Vania asked.

” Because I want to go see Flocky and Luna. "

Who is Flocky and Luna?" She asked.

My brother replied Flocky is mean he barks, bites and growls.

" Stop Micah" I said. "Stop scaring Vania."

Then we asked my mom if we could go outside and she said yes.Then we ran outside as fast as we could. When we were outside Flocky did not bark.

Surprising. He just stayed. He was not in his cage, he was on his leash! He is almost always in his cage. Whatever I thought. Steve said Hello with a smile.

We started to play with Luna but Vania went to pet Flocky. When she pet him he didn't bark or growl. I was so surpised.

Then I heard Steve and his friend say, Good boy Flocky"

Then I knew Flocky LOVED Vania."

Calvin Catches a Baseball

By: Colin L.

Gr. 3

Casserole

By: Morgan F.

Gr. 5

What Blake Is

By: Miles

B.

Gr. 3

Crazy Unicorn

By: Liesl B.

Gr. 3

Letter to Santa

By:

Carter Y.

Gr. PK

Desperate

By: Maeve K.

Gr. 5

By: Maeve K Gr.5

The Beauties of Stickers

By: Winnie W. Gr. 5

Little Ducky

By: Arthur R

Gr. Pre-K

Spring

By: Liesl B.

Gr.3

Spring slips silent snow drops past winter's iron gate. The daffodils trumpet sound victory!

Spring

By: Chloe W.

Gr. 2

The Beach

By: Yana S.

Gr. 5

The Smurfs

By: Elden L.

Gr. 2

Fan-fiction Character

Catstronauts

By: Jonah A.

Gr. 4

The Beauty of Poems

By Emma T. Gr. 3

Floss

Once you touch it it's full of magic

So cool so clean so helpful is true

Full of imagination

Ideas in your head bloom like crazy

It's so smooth

So not round, so sweet, so pretty

Dice

Dice for a game

Dice for fun

Dice for numbers counting and more

Different colors

Different names

Different numbers it's true

Dice for more games

Colors galore

Mountains of dice

Mountains of games.

Clips

So many feelings

So many sizes

So many shapes

So many differences

So many uses

So many colores

So many clips

So many galore

Some noisy

Some quite

Some big

Some small

Some pretty

Some dusty

Some priceless

Some prissy

The Beach

By: Isla D.

Gr. 5

As I walk along the beach, the sand creeps in between my toes while I watch the salty waves crash over the shore covering the sand in a warm blanket

Panda’s Palace

By: Leila S.

Gr. 1

Bella’s Tradition

By: Eva F. Gr. 3

Blake Street

By: Adelaide G

Gr. 3

Hello 3S Community!

By: Aryan M. Gr. 3

Axolotl

By: Charlotte S.

By: Britton D. Gr. Kg

Gr. 2

Ella’s First Adventure

By: Julien L.

Gr. Kg

Riddle

By: Vaida J

Gr. 4

I am tall when I am young and I am short when I am old. What am I?

Answer: A candle

The Year We Fell From Space

By: Paige H.

Gr. 4

Hiker’s Paradise

By: Sam G.

Gr. 5

Lola

By: Pepin G. Gr. 3

Scratch! The yellow calico cat scratched my mom. My little sister Mia scampered behind a bush. My big brother Big Bob ran into the trash can across the road. I scampered to the Dumpster next to the alley I jumped up to the Dumpster and grabbed a piece of plaid cloth I hid under the cloth I pounced up to see the sky but I fell in the Dumpster. “Yuck! Meow!” I screeched. I pawed at the trash. Suddenly I smelled something. “Rats!” I pawed after the rat.

I ran and ran until I heard something rumble: “The animal catcher.” I ran and turned a couple of corners. I thought I lost them, but as I looked around I could not see anything I recognized. It was getting colder. Brrrrr! I clawed a hole in a nearby box. I was hungry. The rat I had an hour ago was not in my tummy. Suddenly I heard something. Scratch! Rats! I ran around the corner and pounced. My paws hit flesh. I had caught the rat. Yum! I brought the rat to the box. I walked inside the box. I laid down and started gnawing on the rat tail. Soon I was asleep.

The next morning I awoke to birdsong. I walked to the sunny spot. My tummy roared. I was hungry. Super hungry. I walked to the brick wall next to the box. Suddenly I smelled rodent. A rat. I saw a big crack in the big brick wall. The rat smell was coming from the big crack. I squeezed through the big crack I smelled the stench of the sewer I also smelled a rat I started to crawl inside into the sewer. I still smelled the rat. I saw the rat and I got ready to pounce even though the pipe was very skinny. I landed on the rat. Oh no! I was lost in the pipes. I ran this way and that way. Soon I came to a big pipe. I laid down and started to eat the rat.

Suddenly, I felt a rush of cold. A flow of water was pushing me along the pipes. I couldn’t see anything that I recognized with all of the black and grey. My insides were turning, and I lost the rat. I paddled to a smaller pipe on the side of the big one I had been washed into. I heard voices. “We need a pet,” a small voice said.

“No. Dad said we can’t get a pet,” said another voice.

I opened my eyes. It was morning and I had probably fallen asleep while I was telling Poff the plan. I lifted my head. Poff had set me on a big reddish blanket. Poff was by the basket of food. “Breakfast?” she asked She handed me a small piece of bread “You ready?” she asked me after I gobbled up the piece of bread. “To be Olive’s pet?” I stood up and marched to the ladder. Poff followed me and helped me into the harness. She lowered me down then she hopped down from the ladder. We walked over to the small pipe that led to the Carmy family sink and I stopped. But Poff went up to a bigger pipe. Pointing at it, she said, “The Carmy family toilet.” I trotted over. We swam up the long pipe There was more water and now I had to hold my breath The water seeped into my eyes and I had to shut them. Then I swam forward.

Suddenly, my head broke the surface of the water. Poff shook her fur and I followed. Little drops of water flew everywhere and onto the floor. We nudged the door open a crack. I peeked out of the crack and whispered, “Come on. ”

e floor. We nudged the door open a crack. I peeked out of the crack and whispered, “Come on. ” We tiptoed down the hallway and peeked into a dark green room. Olive was sitting on a bed with blue and white blankets. I walked in and tiptoed to a wooden dresser next to Olive’s bed. Poff quietly ran to join me. We slipped behind the dresser. We sat there silently planning are next move. I ran under Olive’s bed and trotted over to the crack between the bed. I let out a short purr. I watched as Poff started yipping loudly. Olive bent down to look under the bed. I leaped through the tiny crack and landed on the blue and white blankets. I let out a yip to Poff and we both charged to Olive and leaped onto her. She laughed until she remembered there was a dog and a kitten next to her.

“Dad will not let me keep you, ” she said in a whisper. Olive looked over at us and said, “Are you strays?” Me and Poff both answered with a little yip. “I promise I will look after you. ”

Olive picked me and Poff up Suddenly we heard footsteps I squirmed in Olive’s arms A tall girl walked into the room. The girl had long brown hair just like Olive’s. The girl gasped.

“Olive, what are they?” the girl asked angrily.

“They’re strays, Lilly,” Olive said.

Lilly’s face turned soft, and she said, “Olive, I promise I will help you look after them.”

Lilly picked up Poff and held her. Olive set me on a pink puffy chair in the corner. She grabbed one of the blankets of her bed and opened the closet. She started throwing all the clothes onto the floor. Olive draped the blanket on the floor of the closet. Then Olive picked me up in her soft arms and set me on the blanket. Lilly set Poff next to me.

“Dinner, kids!” a deep voice called from the bottom of the stairs. My tiny ears pricked up. Olive noticed and said, “That’s dad.”

“One sec, dad!” Lilly called. Then she darted out of Olive’s room. She came back a minute later carrying four white fluffy towels She set them around the closet Then both sisters went downstairs. Olive closed the door. Minutes passed. I heard Poff curl up next to a towel in the corner. I wondered, “Did they abandon us?” But just then the door of the closet was flung open. Olive’s face appeared but there was another face too. A little chubby face. Poff walked up next to me.

“Pets, this is Oliver,” Olive said. She had two bowls in her hands. One had fresh water. I sniffed the other bowl. It smelled very good. Olive put the bowls on the dresser and I ran for the water, but Poff screamed for the other.

Don’t you want chicken?” she asked me. Walking over, I took a nibble of the chicken. It was amazing. The meaty flavors erupted in my mouth. I gobbled the rest up and Olive laughed. Poff started barking at me for eating it all. We heard footsteps and a voice it was Olive’s dad.

“Olive Carmy, what on earth are you doing…?” He stopped as he entered the room. He had brown hair just like the children. He looked at the closet, at me, and then at Poff. He looked like he might faint. “You have…pets?”

“

Olive did the tiniest nod and looked terrified. Then Olive’s dad did something unexpected. His face turned as soft as Lilly’s had earlier that day. “How long have they been here, Ol?” he asked. “One day,” Olive said quietly. “We…can keep them,” he said slowly. Olive's mouth fell open. Her eyes went wide. Lilly came out of the bathroom, brushing her teeth. Her mouth opened and she dropped her toothbrush.

The next day, I woke up next to Poff Poff was snoring I recalled everything that had happened yesterday. “Did I really have a family?” I thought. Poff woke up. We looked expectantly at the closed closet door. Suddenly the door sprang open. Olive was peering in the closet door in bunny PJs. The pajama top had a white bunny holding a carrot in a field of daisies. Her pants had brown bunnies next to white fences. Her hair was in a messy ponytail. She was holding one bowl of water and one full of bacon She broke the bacon in half and set one piece next to me and the other next to Poff. She set the water in the middle of us. We gobbled the bacon up hungrily. We sprang onto Olive and she fell onto the ground laughing.

Walsam

By: Paia S.

Gr. 3

S’Mores Family

By: Sophia S.

Gr.2

Artwork

By: Sabeen S.

Gr.5

Music

By Owen R.

Gr. 5

Music is an art

an art from the heart

an art to be played an art to be made

a song to be sung a sound to be hummed

a tune to whistle a gong to be rung

a drum to be beat

a rap with a word a tap with your feet new beats to be heard these noises and sounds you’ll find all around with passion and flare with love and with care wherever you listen a tune will be there.

Haikus on Elements

By: Julia A.

Gr. 4 Earth

Moist soft comfort on the top of the ground that makes fears invisible.

Water

A rushing river

to a large ocean, the waves are here and will be.

Air

The source of life will be a breeze, a wind, or storm, Singing in your ears.

Fire

Flames of history are singing, living, telling the story of life.

Illustration

By: Grant M.

Gr. 1

The Beautiful Piece of Cake

By: Roya S. Gr. Kg

Butterfly Garden

By: Sky M.

Gr. 1

Rainbow Picture

By: Eloise L.

Gr. Kg

Blizzard

By: Mathilda W. Gr. 3

Tonkadale Greenhouse

By: Cordelia W.

Gr. 4

Hot Cocoa

By: Cordelia W.

By: Cordelia

Figgy Pudding

W.

Gr. 4

Gr. 4

Spirals of Happiness

The Mischievous Niffler

By: William P.

Gr. 5

By: Bennett P.

Gr. 3

Life is Good with Graphic Novels

By: Annaliese L.

Gr. 5

Blank Paper

By: Georgia Doar

Gr. 5

Reaching for the Fairy

By: Juniper F.

Gr. Kg

The Cat of the Blue Sea

By: Viola L.

Gr. 2

Soccer: A Book

By: Billie B. Gr. 1

Serena and Venus Williams

By Noah Z.

Gr. 4

Growing up, Serena and Venus lived in a dangerous town. They would hear gunshots and screams. But that never stopped her and her sister Venus from playing tennis. Her father Richard Williams always wanted her and Venus to be better.they would play at night even if it was hard to see the ball. They were a poor family. When they got enough money to move they practiced at a more serious place. Even some of the best players in the world came. A coach saw how good they were and started practicing with them.they got a lot better and started doing tournaments. Not everybody liked that black kids did tournaments but that never stopped them.

Serena was not always better than Venus. Venus got more coaching because coaches just thought that she was better. At the time it was true but those coaches wish they coached Serena.Venus started doing tournaments first and won most of them. But Richard thought that practicing with a coach was more productive than playing matches so Serena and Venus took a break from matches. When they got back from the break, Venus made the pros first at very young age. In one of her first matches she played the #1 player in the world.Venus won the first set. Her opponent got mad and took a ten minute break but her opponent came back and won the next 2 sets to steal the match. Serena joined her sister in 1995, and took the tennis world by storm. Winning the US open, French open and Wimbledon in 2002, just her seventh year in the pros. She won so many matches that Serena became the women ' s tennis #1 player in the world. Venus made it to #1 many times but not as many as Serena. Serena also held #1 for much longer.

The last match of her career was played at center court of the 2022 US open; she won the first set but lost the next two. Serena got a standing ovation. And made a speech, thanking everybody who helped her in her time playing pro tennis. At the end of her career she was the best women ' s tennis player of all time. To sum it up, Venus and Serena are some of the best tennis players of all time.

Owl Chinese Calligraphy

By: Nicholas W. Gr. 3

Stuffed Letter P

By: Poppy A. Gr. 4

Making Broccoli Soup with My Mom

By: Sylvie S.

Gr. 1

One night I came upstairs from practicing violin. My sister called to me from the tub, “Sylvie! Come up here!”

My mom said, “Don’t go up there, Sylvie. Don’t you want to use the immersion blender?”

I said, “Ok,” and grabbed a stool. I trudged over to the kitchen. My mom showed me how it worked. Then I got to work. I pressed the button. I began to make a weird sound. It sounded like an airplane taking off on the runway: Bbbbbrrrrm. Brrrrrrrm. Brrrrmmmmm.

When the job was done, we tasted the soup. It tasted like how my mom had always made it—like broccoli mixed with peas and lemon juice. We all went to the table and started eating.

Here is the recipe in case you’d like make it sometime:

Melissa Clark’s Seared Broccoli and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

2 pounds (2 heads) broccoli, separated into small florets, stems peeled and diced

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large Spanish onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more for finishing

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 pound potatoes, peeled, and thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste

Grated or shaved Parmesan, to finish (optional)

Flaky sea salt, to finish

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add about a third of the broccoli, just enough so that it covers the bottom of the pan in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook broccoli without moving it for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until dark brown on 1 side only (leave the other side bright green).

Transfer to a big bowl and repeat with remaining broccoli and more oil. When all the broccoli has been browned, season with 1 teaspoon salt and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to pan. Add onions and garlic, black and red peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook onion-garlic mixture until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add potato to the pot with 1 quart water and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover pot and cook until potato is just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broccoli, cover again and cook until tender, another 5 to 10 minutes. Add lemon zest and roughly purée soup with an immersion or regular blender, leaving some small chunks for texture. Stir in lemon juice. Finish with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper and flaky sea salt.

Rainbow, Sky, Flowers

By: Sabina S.

Gr. Pre-K

Princess Land

By: Roshni K.

Gr. Kg

Thanks for reading!