Words Work Wonders, Volume I: Idaho Writing Camps 2013 by The Cabin, a center for readers & writers

WORDS WORK WONDERS Idaho Writing Camps 2013

VOL. 1

WORDS WORK WONDERS Idaho Writing Camps 2013

VOL. 1

WORDS WORK WONDERS Idaho Writing Camps 2013

VOL. 1

This is a Log Cabin Book, an imprint of THE CABIN 801 South Capitol Boulevard, Boise, Idaho 83702 (208) 331-8000 www.thecabinidaho.org ÂŠ 2013 The Cabin All rights reserved. Book design by Jocelyn Robertson. Printed and bound in the USA in an edition of 320 copies. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher except in the context of reviews.

Idaho Writing Camps and publication of Words Work Wonders are made possible by generous support from: Agribeef Bistline Advised Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation Boise Cascade LLC Foundation Boise Inc. Boise Weekly The Caxton Printers, Ltd. City of Boise Charlotte Y. Martin Foundation Greater Boise Rotary Foundation Idaho Commission on the Arts Idaho Community Foundation Idaho Power Company Nagel Foundation John William Jackson Fund Keybank Larry Miller Charities Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation Scentsy Family Foundation Steele-Reese Foundation Seagraves Foundation Treasure Valley Litho U.S. Bancorp Foundation Whittenberger Foundation

CONTENTS Introduction

• 1

WORD PLAY

• 5

CABIN WRITERS WRITING WILD

• 61

• 101

OFF BROADWAY

• 143

Teaching Writers’ Biographies About The Cabin

• 215

Acknowledgements

Index

• 219

• 217

• 213

INTRODUCTION Every summer the Cabin opens its doors to a host of kids. They come wearing sandals and shorts. They come from Star and Eagle and Marsing and Meridian and Boise and beyond. Some carry backpacks and granola bars. Some have ghostly faces smeared with SPF 100 sunscreen. Some kids don’t even know where they are. It’s Monday morning and suddenly there is a pencil in their hand and a binder in their lap. Their writing teacher reads, “I am the blue horse that runs in the plain.” Then he asks, “What are you?” And with this simple question and these simple tools, the kids begin to write. They begin opening secret back doors inside themselves; doors they didn’t even know existed before writing. As a teacher, I point out some directions, where the kids go from here is always a surprise. We walk through tunnels beneath Capitol Boulevard, we skip across shadows in the trees of Julia Davis Park and we discover new worlds in overlooked places by simply asking questions. What would it be like to be a tree? How did the troll along the Greenbelt get turned to stone? Through poems and stories we realize that everything has a secret side to it; we just have to be imaginative enough to look and listen for it. In school, kids strive constantly to achieve abstract goals, a test score or a grade. In writing, the only goal is that the author is happy with the finished piece. By the end of the week, every kid has created a piece of writing that they are proud of, not because they received a number from a computerized grading machine, but because they did it for themselves. A sense of pride and feverish imagination runs deeply through the writing in this book. Open the door to its wonders. — ADRIAN KEIN Teaching-Writer, The Cabin 1

WORDS WORK WONDERS

WORD PLAY You will always be mysterious. You appear and disappear throughout the world, swallowing boats. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JJ BYRNE, Grade 4

SPUD VS. COW Alexa Barnum Grade 4, Boise

Once upon a time in a not so far off land called Idaho lived Super Spud. His boots had spurs, and his horse had a saddle of leather. Super Spud never went anywhere without his bow and arrows on his starchy back. He was always off to find danger. In town, lived the Cow. He was furious at the Spud, furious for always having what the Cow wanted. He became so furious he grew another cow head, and then a moose head. The Three-Headed Cow Moose grew bigger and stronger and taller. Only then, with an ax and chainsaw hanging on the moose head’s antlers, did he seek out the spud. When he found Super Spud, he threw him the ax. “You’ll never win,” said the Spud. “I’m too much Potato for you! I’ve got eyes all over.”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS. THE ALIENS Elena Burdick Grade 3, Boise

Once upon a time, in a place called the United States of America, there was a man named Abraham Lincoln. He was the sixteenth president. One day, he was going to give a speech at the fair in Washington, DC. So he did. When he got there, the fair was packed! It was full of people. So to get out of the public, he climbed a tree. Then he saw something; he saw the Battlestar Galactica. It was huge. It came down. Then everything went silent. Abraham Lincoln fell down from the tree. He found bodies. They were petrified and blue with fear. He saw the aliens. They took him back to the Galactica and laid him down on a table and went up, up, up to Mars. The aliens tested him. When they brought him back to the earth, they shot him with poison that would turn him into stone in five years.

CHESTNUT Sara Mackenzie Grade 4, Meridian

My horse is strong like a rock She is white like a blinding spotlight She is white like shimmering pearls Her neigh is like 100 horses running together My horse is chestnut like cake batter Her hooves are like rockets shooting from the sky Her tail sways like a cradle Her mane is like a flowing river We will ride across the prairie until dawn

MY COOL PET Aidan Slattery Grade 3, Boise

My turtle is cool. Green like oak trees, brown like Hersheyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chocolate, his voice is like a creaking door. My turtle makes my mom scared when he scratches on the wood upstairs. His claws are like sharpened swords. His shell is like a piece of armor. His legs are like sticks of rubber. I will guard him with my life.

BERMUDA TRIANGLE Henry Davis-Piger Grade 4, Eugene, OR

One day Roger, the explorer, was exploring a strange jungle when he found huge brown lobster bones next to a huge rock monument. On the monument it said “If you pick up these bones, you will be cursed forever.” Roger picked up the bones but soon heard a growl. It started to rain. The monument split in half, and a huge brown lobster came out. It said, “You will not escape me!” The lobster ripped off Roger’s hat and started chewing it. Roger ran and ran and ran. Suddenly, he was lost. The brown lobster was coming. Roger jumped into the ocean, but the lobster could swim! It grabbed Roger and pulled him under the water. Roger started to feel cold. He started to flip, spin and shake. He landed in a dark room. It started to shake, but he found the door and ran outside. He noticed he was on a ship. In fact, he was aboard the Titanic. He screamed, “No!” He went to 1924, 1817, 1971, 1906, 1840, and finally, home. He was so happy to be home, but then he found a piece of claw in his pocket. Would the curse continue?

THE OAK Soren Taylor Grade 4, Boise

To be an oak I would grow wild not caring where I grow. I’d grow tall and wide. I would love kids playing on me. Through my leaves I would love snow on me all winter. I would enjoy wind through my leaves. 9

THIS IS HOW ABE REALLY DIED Cole Taylor Grade 3, Boise

One day, Abe was walking around the White House, and then he saw a big UFO come out of the sky. It looked like a Star Wars ship. Suddenly, a bunch of killer alien poodles with wings flew down, took their laser guns and shot him. Abe felt himself stiffen. He began to grow a little and then he turned into metal. Some builders found him and set him on a bench. The aliens disappeared into space and plotted to turn Obama into stone with a poodle potion. They were the killer alien poodles with wings, the greatest bounty hunters in the universe! The poodle potion turned poodles into Medusa Poodles! To be continuedâ&#x20AC;Ś

RIO SAMBA Althea Noble Grade 4, Idaho Falls

The petals on a Rio Samba are like a wildfire in the forest, like time deserting us, soft as a teddy bear made of silk, like explosions of red and orange, like a human heart in love. The thorns are like lightning hitting a needle, like an opera singer screaming, like knives hitting your skin. theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like the death of a dear, old friend. The Rio Samba is different.

ROGER’S ADVENTURE Samantha Smith Grade 3, Boise

One day, Roger Brown went to the beach and took his favorite lobster sunglasses. There was a gigantic wave that came over him, and the water fell on top of him like the rain falls from the sky. The big wave split into two sections. One section went farther than the other one. One little boy was catching crabs. One escaped because the wave tipped over the bucket. The crabs started to chew on towels and growl at the people.

WORDS IN MY HEAD Lucy Boam Grade 4, Boise

I have a secret wish to have a bonfire with a rabbit. I’ve secretly wished that I would drop the feeling that I have to breathe. Sometimes I feel like I’m an open book, and the pages are always turning. Is this how I feel?

MOUNTAIN VIEW Jane Hutton Grade 4, Boise

A mountain stands by the waterfall rushing down into a stream. We are climbing the impossible mountain. Up here, the waterfall makes a rushing sound, you can admire at the mountain. The sun blazes you at the mountain. I am at the top of the mountain, the mountain that goes on forever. Yes, that mountain. Yes, the mountain. The peak that is below the falls is below us people. Next to the falls, above the hillside, below the sun, that mountain. The mountain that takes days to climb. The mountain where birds think you are a tree. The mountain to hear a waterfall. Yes, that mountain. That tall mountain. 11

HOW I HURT MY ARM Zac Erwin Grade 3, Boise

My arm feels like a volcano is exploding. My heart is beating like a drum. This is how my arm was hurt. I was fighting a big rock monster, and it spit out a boulder. The boulder hit me in the arm. I beat the monster, but then my arm flapped with pain.

SERVAL Hudson Falkner Grade 3, Boise

I was born in the Amazonian jungle. J/K. I was born in an animal shelter. My claws are so sharp they can cut through steel! My two friends are a cheetah and a jaguar. We have races, and I am always first. I can bite through a six-inch-thick steak. I can drink three gallons of milk in seven seconds. I can run faster than a jet.

BABY AND TREE Mylie McRoberts Grade 3, Boise

The tree was just a little sprout until it grew huge. It was a maple tree. The baby was cute. He started out in a tummy then got adopted.

HYENA Rowan Morrison Grade 3, Boise

I was born on top of a bamboo stick. I laughed for two days straight. I ran through the longest desert in half an hour. I jumped over the tallest pine tree. I fell into the ocean, and I swam to the shore.

REILLY Reilly Ramos Grade 3, Boise

Roadrunner is racing eating a sandwich. In the race she slows herself down letting other people go past her losing the race because the lemons in her sandwich made her go â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bluck!â&#x20AC;? Yawning after the race, makes it seem like she worked so hard.

HERE I AM Sami Chandler-Younce Grade 4, Boise

Here I am standing in the middle of a cat. This place is dark I wish I had a candle. It was a dream, I woke up and looked in my cabinet. I was a cat. Eek! The next morning I was fine.

ROSES Avery Gendler Grade 4, Boise

When you look at the roses they are excited and awake. They smell like soda perfume. I can hear their gentle voices singing to me. Their smooth, soft petals relax your fingers. I can taste the roses. They taste like sugary fruit.

THE FORTUNE-TELLER SNAKE Warren Lane Grade 4, Eagle

One day when I was walking on the riverbank looking for my little brother who ran off, I heard a splash. I looked at the river, it was a snake. So I said, “Do you know where my brother is?” The snake said, “I will give you a clue and it goes like this: on a mountain there is a hole that explodes lava and ash.” “A volcano,” I said as I ran. I found him sitting on the volcano, and we walked home.

LEGO AND LUKE Aiden McArthur Grade 4, Kuna

I have Legos growing in me with Lego feet growing out of my feet, legs growing out of my legs, and a body and chest growing. I have dark clothing on and...sweet caramel apples, that’s hot! Seriously, I touched another one of those lightsaber mcbobs. Well, I touched it one time, and I can do it again. P.S. I have good news and bad news: the good news is I’m turning into Luke Skywalker, the bad news is I’m turning into a Lego. Now, a Lego-lover is going to play with me instead.

AFTER HUMANS LEFT Keith McGovern Grade 4, Boise

After humans left, came all the ducks and they played a game with the litter that humans threw in the water. Each duck grabbed a piece of litter, the first one up with a piece of litter won. One day some ducks got together and started playing. Then a duck found a gas tank full of gas. Since it was a kid duck, it didn’t know what it was, so he swam to the top of the lake. No one was up yet, so he waited until his friends came to the top, and then he threw the gas tank into the lake. The gas tank opened and killed all of the ducks in the lake. When the other ducks heard about it they thought the land was safer than water, but water is their natural habitat. So now all the ducks live in water and on land. The ducks also stopped playing the game because it was dangerous.

THE MONKEY’S DREAM Hector Price Grade 4, Boise

The monkey’s dream was this: Bananas BANANAS coconuts! Grapes STAR FRUIT! Bananas MANGO! Star fruit ORANGE! Lemon-flavored BANANAS! Tastes like AWESOME!

TROLLS Alyse L. Banuat Grade 4, Nampa

Once upon a time, there was a giant troll. He was the boss of the food and the trolls. One day, Medusa came to town. Then she challenged the giant troll to a magic competition. Of course, he said yes to Medusa. Then Medusa said “tomorrow at noon.” The next day, they were getting ready to fight, and then they started fighting. Boss Troll threw French fries at her. Then she threw fireballs at him. The last fireball Medusa threw turned him into stone. Then his skin started to peel off. Then his hair got stuck in the air vents. The next day all the trolls said good-bye. They went off into the Greenbelt woods. They never came out. Now they fish in the Boise River.

HOW TO WRITE A POEM Jane Murphy Grade 3, Boise

Don’t write Don’t rhyme Don’t time Look at a rug Smell stinky socks Crawl through an air vent Listen to the trees If you do this, your poem will claw your enemy Your poem will be a portal. It will be a pet. It can catch Big Foot. It will be the boss of your mom.

PUPPY AND PUPPY SLEEP Carter Henry Grade 3, Boise

Puppy Muddy, noisy barking, sprinting, biting chomping down on daisies Yum! Puppy Sleep Snoring in bed like the King of the house. Tail wiggle.

COME TRUE Cosmo Lange Grade 3, Boise

Dream come true You grow faster than any other flower. I will guide you with my sword because you are magical, your petals are like violet fireworks.

RED AS FAST AS DARK LIGHT Eleanora Folwell Grade 3, Boise

I like deer because they look like fresh dough, a cookie, peaceful as a butterfly, as fast as a hare, as gentle as a breeze.

A FLOATING CITY Kaisa Nilsson Grade 3, Boise

A floating city with spires of white on a boat, riding the great Black Sea. A mountain in the middle and a cave at the end, riding the great Black Sea. Colored in white, like the moon at night, riding the great Black Sea.

ME Sophie Poste Grade 4, Boise

I am a soft spring morning in April. I am the gentle breeze on a warm summer day. I am the music gently swooshing through the air. I am the swish of a basketball going through the hoop. I am the beads sliding down the strings. I am the loops weaving through the loom. I am the river washing through the land. I am the fir tree putting roots in the ground. I am the grass making not a sound. You see, this is me, this is me.

6 BALD EAGLES FLYING THROUGH THE AIR Natalie Oyler Grade 4, Boise

1. The claws of a bald eagle coming towards me. 2. The size of 6 ft. wings flying through the sunshine. 3. The caw-caw that you can hear miles away. 4. The pointy tip of its beak that I can see shining in the sky. 5. The eyes that search for fish and stare at you. 6. The black, yellow, white colors on its body make the day brighter.

THE ROSE GARDEN Ellis Johnson Grade 3, Boise

1. The Fountain You hear the rush of water hit cold stone. 2. Rose The rose petal falls. The dragon cries. 3. Thorn The rose thorn feels like the rose dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scratchy beard. 4. The Bee The honey bee that lands on the white rose is like the ring of the brass gong. 5. The Dead Rose The dead rose petal is like the dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ear hearing the baby rose cry.

A PLANT FOR YOU Landon Carkhuff Grade 4, Boise

A plant of spikes is in my mind. A white silky cloth is nearby, by the top. It is the size of half a giant. It is the color of a crocodile; it is stuck in my head because I keep thinking about it. Yet, it is not a plant of spikes!

THE FLOWER GARDEN INSIDE ME Reilly Ramos Grade 3, Boise

I can see a flower garden in my heart. It is purplish white as a soft lavender color. Mixtures of apple red, bubblegum pink and pineapple yellow fruits. The roots of the rose are reddish pink through my whole body. Sunlight yellow is more yellow than lime yellow. As more beautiful flowers grow, I drink mixtures of colors making them have color and grow faster. And they say, “Come closer to see the beauty.” But how?

WHEN YOU SING IN THE SHOWER Luke Robison Grade 3, Boise

Your voice sounds like a bottle of Sprite opened after being shaken up, like a cow sinking in quicksand, like a lumberjack screaming in pain after chopping off his own thumb, like someone flying off the side of a rollercoaster, like someone falling into Hell’s Canyon, like a cruise boat sinking with tourists on it, like someone falling off a skyscraper, like getting stung in the eye by a wasp.

I AM Hayden Hinchman Grade 4, Boise

I am the golden sap from a prickly pine tree. I am the fluffy, white, glittering clouds slowly walking across the sky. I am a blue jay watching people admire me. I am a dog at the pound waiting to be picked with love. I am a dragonfly flying, flashing, and making things glow. I am a soft, vibrant, and colorful bed feeling people laying on me. I am the American flag; I love my colors – red, white, and blue, red, white, and blue. I am a burning bright fire putting on a reddish-orangish performance. I am a creek making my sound; everybody loves that sound. I’m unique and awesome.

HOW TO BE A RAIN FOREST Coral Kading Grade 3, Boise

To be a rain forest, you must live through the rain. You must care for all the animals, like ants, tigers and snakes. You must grow green trees and fruit, give oxygen and stand strong. You will earn a nice name and stand still for pictures. Crowds will admire how tall and sturdy you are. They will walk through your paths and comment on your glory. And other rain forests will say, “Good job.”

LILY, THE MARDI GRAS ROSE Elise Kraska Grade 4, Boise

My rose is the color of a peach and the beauty of a bride. My rose is as soft as velvet and sings like a gala. My rose’s petals are hot pink and orange and have a pumpkin center. My rose has eyes of wonder and hair from the 1980s. My rose has a stem of strength and thorns of steel. My rose’s thorns sing like kookaburra in a tree. My rose has leaves of two colors – dark green when older and light green when younger. My rose has leaves of light and dark, rough and soft. My rose has a stem of green and thorns of brown. My rose is called Mardi Gras and is located in the Boise Rose Garden.

TO BE AN ASPEN TREE Sophia Shalz Grade 4, Boise

To be an aspen tree, the feel of children playing through your branches makes you happy as can be. To suffer through storms that hoard their lightning. To be bare during the winter, making you cold. In the summer sticking out, the breeze feeling cool. Oh, how you’d be feeling great if a child gave you a name; you’d finally be dignified. When people chuckle and point at the eyes on your bark, you’d be sad like people laughing behind your back. As woodpeckers come you’d say, good morning, good day, and good evening. When people come and carve their name, it’s like a tattoo but it feels good having so many names on the white of your trunk. You have to be patient to be a tree, and when you’re old and you are ready, but have to stay, just close your eyes and let the world take you higher than everything else.

WORLD Liam Afnan-Manns Grade 4, Scottsdale, AZ

I am a giant sphere with a burning center core. I have five spheres: the biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. You are in the world that is me. I would not like lumberjacks to chop off my trees. And I definitely don’t want people to pollute in my oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. If you help me, then all people and other living things will live too.

TO BE A VORTEX JJ Byrne Grade 4, Boise

To be a vortex, you have to have electronic ropes of energy to power yourself. You have to have thick green fog like electronic charges. You have to be patient to wait for ships to pass by to suck them up. You will always be mysterious. You appear and disappear throughout the world, swallowing boats. A mystery of the universe!

3X USEFUL Chris Holstine Grade 4, Boise

I got a pie I’m not gonna die I have a gun you might want to run I have a pizza that’s for me.

EVIL MARSHMALLOW Darrian Thumma Grade 4, Boise

In 9,253 there was a land so far away, it was not even on the map. Nobody knew the name of this land, only the people that lived there. Well, in this strange land, their queen was an evil marshmallow. Her name was Rachel. She had almost all the money in the land. Rachel had ninety-two billion dollars. She was so evil because a fairy black bear spread some poison on her fur. That’s what made her evil. She was out on her yearly stroll with her pet human named Macey. She was walking and saw a colorful, strange figure. It had an orange and pink mustache. It was the wizard named Drew! He tried to shoot his power but it just made him taller. The fight went on for 30 minutes. Finally, Rachel ate Drew. Drew tried to eat out of Rachel’s stomach. It was the worst tasting marshmallow ever. Every time Drew bit, he almost died. After twenty minutes, he almost gave up, except he kicked one more time and got out. When he got out, he noticed he wasn’t in the same land or the same thing. He was a mushroom. Rachel was now a wizard. Drew ate Rachel. Rachel got out by her power. Then a unicorn ate them both.

ZOO LUNES Sidney Snider Grade 3, Boise

The Black Mangabey has leathery paws that climb up and up. Indian Sarus Cranes sounds like elephants with no trunks! Hold my breath through the tunnel, race Rachel I lose again!

MYRTLE BEACH Alex Zimmermann Grade 3, Boise

In Myrtle Beach when you step in the water you feel pokey shells and warm water. You also can smell the water. You can also hear the waves and when you get water in your mouth it tastes very salty. You can feel the sand there. It is really hot there. The sand is really rough. The water is really strong. One time it knocked me over and got water in my mouth.

TIGER’S GROWL Aubrey Tomlinson Grade 4, Meridian

The tiger’s growl sounds like a harsh yell in a room, like someone just popped a tube, like dogs breathing on your face, like stones tumbling across a fence, hopping and never stopping, like wearing a shoe made out of a pineapple crumpling under an elephant’s foot, like a water bottle rolling down a hill with a cricket on top trying to stop, like a banana burning on the stove, like a tank full of gas being poured into a pool of lemonade flowing into the Boise River and frogs hopping on lily pads in a lake. Can you hear it?

THE SHADOW Kenna Patterson Grade 3, Emmett

Once I was walking with my friend, and she stepped on my shadow. I heard somebody scream. I wondered who it was. What if it was my shadow? I was probably hearing things. The next day when I was walking with her, she told me my shadow was gone! “Are you crazy!?” I asked. Back at Shadowland, my shadow was sunbathing on Shadow Beach, but then she decided she would come back and haunt me. First, she made scary noises. Next, she made scary shapes, but I found a new shadow that was much nicer.

THINGS TO DO IN A TWO-HEADED COW Tianna Harrell Grade 4, Boise

1. Scream 2. Don’t find a rocky python 3. Find a chainsaw 4. Find barbeque sauce for me 5. Keep your shirt on 6. Look inside for an oak tree 7. Don’t go at 2:20 pm 8. Stay in Caribou, Idaho 9. Dance, laugh, and tickle yourself 10. Shake your feet 11. Crawl out

YOU’RE AS FUNNY AS A: For My Brother Brooke Fonnesbeck Grade 3, Boise

You are as funny as a clown. You are as funny as a penguin falling over. You are as funny as a panda going to the bathroom in the house toilet. You are as funny as a monkey chasing its tail. You are as funny as a lion doing a tap dance. Do you think he dances well? You are as funny as a shark breaking all its teeth. You are as funny as a 2-headed cow at a tea party. You are as funny as a piece of popcorn doing ballet.

THINGS TO DO IN A CROCODILE Sydney Gordon Grade 3, Boise

Take all the insides inside him, gobble all of them up. Count the days. Read the longest book to be made. Draw on the biggest piece of paper you can find. Check the time, see if it’s 11:40 am. Make a lamp out of fire and sticks. Make cocktail sauce to drink up. Make capri pants for only one leg. Look for the color blood red. Find 100 Ponderosa Pines. Rock out to music. Open the crocodile’s mouth, get out. Jump in some puddles, Kasploosh!

SHADOW Rachel Hanna Grade 3, Dallas, TX

When I awoke my shadow was gone. I was walking on the sidewalk and didn’t see it. It must have disappeared to another person because when I looked again I had a new shadow. It was way different. It didn’t like my curly hair. It didn’t think I was funny. It wasn’t unique. It hated food. It wasn’t smart, and it didn’t like blue. “Why?” I said. “Why is it so different?” It was strange when I hopped in my car. I drove home. When I got out of the car, my real shadow was back.

WORDS IN A TEACUP, ROSES IN A WORLD Delaney Carkhuff Grade 4, Boise

The birds are as tiny as a teacup. They move like an angel. Searching the rose garden smells so sweet a glimpse of the roses tickling my feet.

A RIVER INSIDE MY HEAD Anoushka Naidu Grade 4, Boise

A river formed in my head; The water that flowed in the river was the color plum. I felt like this water was fire-red blood getting pumped from my heart. The sand on the bank of the river was a crispy brown. Seaweed grew at the bottom of the river. This seaweed was the color mist green. Trees as lovely as a rainbow grew on the riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bank. The trunks of the trees felt rough and were the color bronzebrown. The flowers on these trees were a sunset orange. The leaves on the trees were a spiky green. The scent around the river was a fresh morning smell. I wish other people around me could see, see this beautiful river, with fish the color bee yellow, with crabs the color tie-dye pink, with clouds the color violet. Maybe it is my imagination, for my imagination is in my head.

AT THE ZOO Alexander Brower Grade 4, Boise

You can hear the owl hoot. You can see a monkey jump onto a rope. You can hear a bird scream.

TREES IN THE WIND Maitea Williams Grade 4, Twin Falls

The trees sway back and forth as the wind pushes them toward the mountainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song. I pick a rose and follow the petalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweet tune. I fall into a tree with a prickly noise. Pinecones, daisies, and thorns with all the flavors of the rainbow. Please get my letter. I love you.

IN THE ROSE GARDEN Betsy Thompson Grade 4, Boise

In the rose garden, everything is beautiful. There are roses of every kind. Some smell like perfume, some don’t smell good and some don’t smell at all; they all feel different. The trees feel prickly, some feel soft, some feel silky. They have two fountains that form a dome. The water sounds like a waterfall, and it looks like it might taste like soda. There is a pretty little shelter smack dab in the middle, it has some benches along with some roses and some benches inside of it.

BROKEN Shannon Palmer Grade 4, Twin Falls

O rose, you smell like the sweetest sugar. Lifted me to the clouds, but you dropped me. Once, I loved you but now you’re a doubt to my heart. O rose, don’t lift me. O rose, I don’t want to fall on your thorns.

ROSES Camden Stadelmeir Grade 4, Twin Falls

Roses fill the garden and as the wind blows on me. A rose blows to me, and as I pick the petals off the rose, rain falls and a rainbow comes. More and more roses come. I pick the best rose I can find and take it wherever I go.

YOU ARE Emma Brulotte Grade 3, Twin Falls

You are as gleaming as a sunset, as bright as a star, and as crazy and calm as wind. You are as sandy as a sea shore, as great as the sky, as sweet as chocolate, and as crunchy as a bag of chips. You are like sand, sea, lakes, and creeks. You are a mixture of sand.

GULLS ARE LOBOS Lena Nelson Grade 4, Twin Falls

Flying over the sea trying to catch fish pecking at the water but no luck. I’m still searching.

THE BLUELESS, CLOUDY SKY Sheridan Platts Grade 4, Twin Falls

The blueless, cloudy sky was pretty and breezy. I felt the sun shining down on me. The breeze felt nice and cool. The bright red and pink flowers were fantastic. I heard a car start. Then it drove away. There were trees galore. It was like a forest. A bird chirped “Twe-twe-de-de-de-de-twe.” I loved how one beautiful dandelion was blooming right next to the light pink and dark purple flowers. A lawn mower noise broke the silence. Some people walked by. There was a beautiful smell in the fresh air. There weren’t just beautiful smells, noises, and plants; there were beautiful kids, too. Then I looked at the blueless, cloudy sky. It was beautiful. “Oh, blueless, cloudy sky, come again sometime soon,” I said in my head.

MY NAME Camden Stadelmeir Grade 4, Twin Falls

My name is like a baseball field full of people playing baseball. My name is a plate of vanilla ice cream pie. My name swims like a whale in the sea. My name is as sweet as a candy bar. My name is as fast as a racer. My name dances across the stage. My name is as loud as an opera singer. My name jumps as high as a kangaroo. My name is as smart as a student at a spelling bee. My name rides into the sunset.

TWO FLOWERS Emery Toothaker Grade 3, Boise

Irish Gold An Irish Gold is like lemonade on the 4th of July, and the thorns are like lemon rinds, and its roots are like lemon juice. Pure Poetry A Pure Poetry is like a card on Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. Its roots are like cherry juice and its thorns are like honeybees buzzing.

HOW THE ANIMALS JOINED THE CIRCUS Jordan Agler Grade 3, Boise

1. How the bear joined the circus. It was a warm summer day at the zoo. Black bear was sitting in his normal old cage, bathing and sleeping. “People are coming to see me,” thought the bear. “This is going to be great.” Black Bear let out a roar of happiness. One hour later, the zoo opened and people crowded around Black Bear’s cage. There was a new exhibit where you got to feed him. The zookeepers found that Black Bear was very gentle and soon they let people pet him. Black Bear was very happy. One day, Black Bear noticed a man with a silver suit talking to his zookeeper. Then the man paid the zookeeper lots of money. The zookeeper unlocked his cage. Black Bear leaped out, the man patted him on the head, and said, “You’re coming with me!” And this is how the bear joined the circus. 2. How the pony joined the circus. It was a cool spring evening. White Pony was with her mama drinking milk. Once she was done, she followed her owner into the barn to watch some T.V. Tonight’s show was about the circus. During the whole show, White Pony dreamed about being the star in the circus. She dreamed about little girls and boys riding her. One day, White Pony saw her owner filling out some paperwork. Then he came over to her and said, “You are going to the circus!” And that’s how the pony went to the circus. 3. How the alligator joined the circus. It was a cold winter day. Alligator was swimming in a cold lake. He was a cranky alligator. One day, Alligator saw a man talking to his keeper. His keeper unlocked his cage; the alligator stormed out and bit the man’s leg. I’m sorry, the alligator did not join the circus.

Epilogue The circus was a big hit. Kids rode White Pony. Black Bear performed many tricks and flips, and that mean, grumpy alligator had to clean up after the circus was done. It was hilarious.

TWO FLOWERS Minkwon Kwak Grade 3, Boise

Pure Poetry The flowerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colors are pink and white like mango juice. Its thorns are as sharp as sharkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teeth and cobra fangs and bee stingers. The flowers look like bleeding hearts and like snow and snowflakes. Irish Gold It has a lot of spiky thorns on the stems like a cactus and a knife. The colors are yellow like lemonade, and it is white like whipped cream and vanilla. The roots are brown, like chocolate. The stems are so green, like leaves and trees. The plant is so beautiful. It is like sparkly gold and gems. It grows in a secret place.

CRAZYLAND Amelis Jensen Grade 4, Boise

I scrape the red color off a beautiful rose as it rains. I watch in horror as the rose turns into a person and demolishes everything. A delicious-smelling scary snake hisses at me!

A.L. AND THE TIME MACHINE Zella Running Grade 4, Garden City

When he was 38, A.L. was very ill because he got pricked by the Arizona thorn. But the next day he was fine, so he went back to work being the President. One Sunday morning, a scientist invented a time machine so that the people could go back in time and saved the people from dying. The scientist tried it, and it worked, so now everybody has one. A.L. tried it, and he came out alive. Two months after that, A.L. became a giant. The next morning, he was still a giant. When A.L. was stomping around the town, he saw the scientist. The scientist was amazed to see what his machine had done to A.L. So the scientist made a giant time machine for A.L. He got inside and came out six feet tall again. But the scientist was amazed to see that A.L. was now a vampire. So the scientist made a different machine; this time A.L. came out fine. But the next day, A.L. was walking in the Rose Garden and sat on a bench that suddenly turned him into a giant metal statue.

THE CRIMSON BOUQUET Adele Davis Grade 4, Boise

The crimson bouquet is as red as true love. It smells like fresh honey. Its petals feel like velveteen. The rose’s thorns are like soldiers guarding a princess. They are as sharp as shark’s teeth. The rose’s thorns are as strong as steel. Every rose has thorns. Every beauty has a protector.

THE STATUE Darci DeAngelis Grade 4, Boise

One beautiful summer morning, Abe was walking in the field. He could hear the sounds of birds chirping in the breeze. His new shiny black shoes were glinting in the sunlight. All of a sudden, he thought of a brilliant speech. He walked into his building and said his speech. “Blah, blah, blah, de, blah, blah,” he yelled into the microphone. Everyone cheered and clapped! He had done his speech and ended slavery, but there in front of him stood John Wilkes Booth. John pulled out his gun. Suddenly, Darci appeared. She had gone back in time, from 2013 to 1865. John Wilkes Booth shot his gun: boom, boom, boom. The three bullets hit the ground. The ground turned into metal. Abe was not shot because Darci saved him. But when the metal hit the ground, the metal crept up John Wilkes Booth’s feet and turned him into metal!

BOWEN Bowen Hickman Grade 4, Boise

Bound to jump ahead On wicked roller coasters When Eating pie and Not throwing up

THE BUTTERFLY AND THE ROSE Adison Linder Grade 4, Eagle

Wings as fragile as a rose, patterns as beautiful as sunsets, delicate and fragile, the butterfly. Beautiful and delicate, the symbol of love and friendship, petals as smooth as silk, but thorns sharp as needles, the rose. Beautiful, high-flying, delicate and defying, thriving, the butterfly. Common, thriving, beloved, surviving, the flowerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s silver lining, the rose. Many similarities, many differences, roses and butterflies.

THE DRAGON’S STORY Ellie Webster Grade 4, Caldwell

Once there was a very mean dragon. He was so bad that he got cursed by a good wizard. The curse was that instead of fire, it was All That Jazz rose petals and instead of yellow poison, it was Make It Sweet rose petals. The wizard said, “He would have to stand up for humans three times.” If he did that he would still have rose petals, but they would be as hot as fire and as dangerous as poison. If he did this three more times, he would be back to normal. The dragon was beyond angry and he covered the wizard in rose petals. Then the wizard started choking so much that his face was navy blue! The dragon leapt into the pile and did the Heimlich maneuver on the wizard. Next the wizard said, “That’s one deed, two more to go.” Still, the dragon was furious. The only way he liked humans was on a kabob. So he thought of a plan. He asked the South Wind to blow five people to fall off a cliff so he could soften their fall. After he did that, he went back to the wizard’s house. He went to knock on the door, and he came up with a horrible plan. When the dragon knocked on the door, it sounded like no one was home because the wizard was sleeping. Then he knocked down the door, woke up the wizard and said, “I saved five people; I get to go back to normal!” But the wizard said, “No, you asked the South Wind to push people off the cliff, so for as long as I live, you will never be normal again.”

THINGS TO DO INSIDE A TREE Hailee Lepak Grade 4, Boise

Play on your phone. Write a poem. Count the days you have been in there. Write an excuse to your mom for why you were gone so long. Draw pictures with a rock on the wall. Sleep. Try and kick your way out of the tree. Try and climb up inside of it. Try and punch a hole that you can climb out of. Do your homework. Try some new hairstyles out on your hair. Write a new poem.

HOW TO MAKE A POEM Audrey Taylor Grade 4, Boise

Go eat nine cherries, then spit them out and then turn into blue ink. Wash a two-headed cow, then milk it. A Newfoundland you must find and make it hunt a white goat. Kill the goat and you have gold. Now write a poem. (P.S. I put you through this for nothing.)

THINGS TO DO IN A CORNCOB Stella William Grade 3, Portsmouth, NH

Write a million things to do on paper. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t starve. Sing a song about a corncob. Get a seed and plant it. Hope it will grow. Be alive. Eat corn and escape.

THIS IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF ME Kate Rose Salber Grade 3, Boise

Inside of me is an orange tree. The orange tree grows when I grow. The green leaves are my brain The green leaves grow when I learn new things. The brown branches are my arms. The skinny and small brown twigs are my fingers. The big brown trunk is split in half, which is my legs. The oranges are my ears, my ears are big to listen, also the oranges are my eyes, my eyes are big to see things. What is inside of you?

SLEEPING PRAIRIE DOG DREAMS Mattison Warren Grade 4, Boise

The cute, little, fuzzy prairie dogs go to the zoo, and the humans are the animals. Then the humans escape and put the prairie dogs in the cages, and humans start shooting hot melting chocolate at the prairie dogs in the cage with water guns. So the prairie dogs use Taekwondo to kick down the cage, and it falls on the humans. Then the prairie dogs go to jail and ask in prairie dog language, “Why are we going to jail?” The cops say, “You are being bad.” That is a prairie dog dream.

ROSES ARE EVERYWHERE Maggie Avey Grade 3, Eagle

Roses are everywhere: yellow, pink, orange, and red. Fruit under your nose feels soft and ruffled. Tastes sweet not juicy. It sounds like busy bees, and I hear water coming down. Nothing like a warm summer day at the Rose Garden.

OSTRICH Analise McCombs Grade 3, Boise

My ostrich’s dreams are about flying a cloud and jumping off into a heap of giraffes and going into a glass of diet cola.

NATURE Rio Ritchie Grade 4, Boise

Roses are pretty, but one wilted rose can be contagious. All alone, the biggest rose loses power, like the sun when it goes down at night. All the other roses are sad, but grow higher. Out of the one bouquet, one flower always has to be the first to wilt. The rose, as red as a fire truck, has wrapped around itself. The spiky thorns on the purply, dark green stems have a good effect on the picture.

NICE SPRING DAY Jordan Jenkins Grade 4, Meridian

I can smell the busy leaves. I can feel the rocky ground below my feet. The nice winds blow through my skin. I can taste the nature on this nice spring day. I can hear the buzzing bees and the flowers blooming and everything is great on this nice spring day. The flowers are blooming big and bright and everything is nice on this nice spring day!

TO BE INSIDE ME Emma Brechbuhler Grade 3, Boise

Inside me, there is a grapevine growing. The vines are the veins. The grapes are my eyeballs. The seeds are cells. The hard vines are my bones. The mashed up grapes are my brain.

SNOW LEOPARD’S DREAM Frannie Kocemba Grade 4, Boise

Fat belly and little legs wind, wrapping around a tunnel of snow. Sucking darkness to bright daylight, fresh treasure lies in snow. A small meowing heard in the dark, in the Snow Leopard’s dream… a blue-black cub in the snow…

I REMEMBER Zander Douglas Grade 3, Hailey

I remember my last birthday. I had an ice cream cake. I remember when we got my cat. We were at our cabin, and my dad said he forgot something. So he went back to Ketchum and came back with a box with a cat in it, and I named him Sunny.

ROSES EVERYWHERE Caroline Mecham Grade 4, Caldwell

I smell the fresh air. There are beautiful roses all sorts of colors purple, pink, yellow, orange fuzzy buzzing bees everywhere piles of petals as soft as silk on the ground. I hear the sound of rushing water from a fountain. I taste the pure clean air. I poke myself with poky thorns from the stem. I see the petals. I feel the thorns. I hear the fountain. I taste the clean air. I smell the fresh air roses, roses.

THE PYTHONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LUNCH Kai Chandler-Younce Grade 5, Boise

It dreamed of eating a hog? Or a human? What to eat? What to eat? The python thought.

FLOWING WATER Madelaine Corkery Grade 4, Hailey

flowing Water The river flowing salmon and trout wild rocky shallows quiet singing birds fresh rippling on rocks refreshing beautifully sparkling

DIARY Nate Dabney Grade 3, Hailey

Dear Thingy Called a Diary, I woke up and found I was Bigfoot. I ate a man for breakfast. I brushed my teeth with a tree and went to an Eat a Human Class. Then I took my red carpet walk—actually, it’s just the road, but everyone takes pictures—then went to sleep. I woke up and ate a hunter and bent his gun, then I took a Kill Someone Class. Then I made friends with Zander the rattlesnake. Then we played tag with our other friends. The End-ish.

THE WOOD RIVER Jacqueline Cronin Grade 4, Hailey

Flowing calmly tall and skinny never stops ‘til it gets to the ocean it’s born from the mountains and comes down rapidly

THE DREAM OF BOB JR. AND THE GARDEN GNOME Gabriel Horne Grade 4, Bellevue

Bob Jr. dreamed of being a tuna and eating sharks and he went to his gingerbread house and was so fat.

THE RIVER Willa Laski Grade 4, Bellevue

A refreshing place to be a sweet smell sweet sound little ripples and a strong current, thin rocks to skip round rocks to throw fish to catch (and release)

MY BOREDOM Jack Blackaller Grade 4, Boise

My boredom is a blue-handed gibbon. He never knows what to do. He either watches TV, or he rips paper. Otherwise, he does nothing. He bores me. He lives under my bed. Everything he touches turns bored for life.

I REMEMBER Adri Meixner Grade 4, Ketchum

I remember eating a huckleberry milkshake but I could not finish it. I remember skiing when I was four, I fell and somersaulted down the hill. I remember jumping into the river for the first time and the cold took my breath away. I remember doodling on all my spelling tests. I remember eating gum for the first time and how it was so sweet and chewy. I remember camping in California at Big Sur One night one of the car windows was left open raccoons got into the car and ate everything and peed on the car seats.

AN ODE TO RED TJ Sanders Grade 4, Idaho Falls

Red my dog, I love him so. He brings joy to me. He loves me so simply. Red he is special. His coat is red. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best dog in the world. He is the sweetest Pitbull Staffie mix in the world. He loves his dog bed. He loves to sit and be loved on. he hates to be sprayed with water 52

but he loves to be bathed. He is not very bright but I don’t care. He is very strong he likes to pull sleds. This is my ode to Redder.

JEALOUSY Matilda Gaddi Grade 4, Boise

I am a mini-schnauzer. I’m very, very jealous. I am jealous of the cat; she got a treat and I didn’t. I am jealous of the fish; it gets to do whatever it wants! I am jealous of the horse; they play with him everyday! Then came one of my humans. As he walked by, I felt my jealousy go away! Then he started talking, “I am jealous of Timmy…”

SADIE Ross Saleen Grade 4, Bellevue

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s black and white as a skunk who sleeps in my room. She loves the shade and the outdoors. She also likes the river and walks. She loves bones. We got her from people. One thing I love about Sadie is she howls at the phone.

RAINBOW GIRAFFE Emory Gaddis Grade 5, Boise

My excitement is my pet rainbow giraffe that lives in my room. Everything he touches turns rainbow. Everyday, he throws a party with his best friend Magical Unicorn. During the party, Rainbow Giraffeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horns light up because he gets so excited! If you take down a picture over my bed, there is a small, little door, and in that door is his tiny room with tiny rainbow things. There is a rainbow garden, a rainbow gumball machine, a rainbow bed and a lot more rainbow things. 54

MAGICAL UNICORN Piper Clark Grade 5, Boise

My mystic is my unicorn. Everything she owns is magical. Every time she throws a party, she invites Rainbow Giraffe. She starts to sparkle because she is so mystical. If you push aside a cabinet, there is a door. Inside the door it looks like a barnyard with hay, grass on the floor and other things. That room is for my unicorn. The door is in my room.

THE WEED TRAVELER Madeline Eidson Grade 4, Star

A person goes inside a weed so he can find a yard to call his own. The weed is traveling. It moves every time someone picks it and throws it away. The weed grows back, but people see it as a different one. It also has lots of minions that come up in different peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawns. The yards are sad that the weeds are there. When the person inside the weed gets to another personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yard, he gets out of the weed and claims part of the land as his own. Then another person climbs into the weed and finds some land to claim for his own.

CUBS Davis Hatton Grade 5, Boise

Two fluffy babies love to play climbing, falling, flipping and more. Fun everyday because snow leopards love to play.

PEACHY BLOSSOM Sophia Martin Grade 5, Boise

The petals are so soft, like a horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nose. The layers are so thick, like hair blowing in the wind. The rose is so bright, like freshly picked peaches. The blossom smells like peaches and mangos. The blood red stem is like a fresh strawberry, the grass green leaves on a tree. The peach orange blossom is like a grand ball. The stem is so tough, like a sole on a shoe. I love roses.

THE TROPICANA Halle Dingle Grade 5, Boise

The Tropicana rose looks like a sunset in Hawaii. The petals are smooth like a leather jacket. The flower smells like a beach at night. The thorns are prickly like walking on bark with bare feet. The thorns protect the flower like a lion would protect her cub. When I look at the Tropicana, I feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m walking on the beach.

MY SECRET Charese Kelly Grade 5, Boise

Hello, my name is Jessica Fluffery. I wear a white sweater that is a little too small and blue jeans. I am a librarian. I have some things I need to tell you. You will be the only person I will tell, so you have to keep it a secret. At night, I lick my belly button, and when I do that, I turn into a dragon. But instead of breathing fire, I breathe candy. It isn’t as bad as you think. I live in a gold mansion. You know what? I don’t want to be normal. Nobody at the library knows. I keep it hidden under my sweater mostly.

DREAMS Nicole Lin Grade 7, Boise

In my dreams, I can do homework by closing my eyes. I don’t need to go to school because the mini computer tells me everything. I can write a story easily. I can do everything I want such as play sports perfectly, win every game. I know everything – every type of tree, flower or animal. I can breathe under water and fly on the sky. I can have everything I need. I won’t die. I can always be a child. I won’t grow up if I don’t want to.

JELLY FISH Audrey Lin Grade 6, Boise

Jelly fish Evil feet Long purple arms and Long purple feet You can’t touch Fish are swimming In the water Soft and cute and it’s not Hard and strong

THE FLOWER, MR. LINCOLN Soren Taylor Grade 4, Boise

The thorns are as big as elephants, as sharp as snow. The flowers are as red as me screaming in a movie theater. It smells like a trash can. It smells like the ocean. The thorns are like sharks in a feeding frenzy. It grows on the Eiffel Tower, on the top. It grows by itself.

CABIN WRITERS Together, we are still a light load, and we ricochet down like Mexican jumping beans. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; LONDON MONTALBANO, Grade 5

BAD STREET Marilyn Perez Grade 5, Boise

The people call us the stragglers. The people on the side of the street have cans that link. O, the things that happened on this street were vulgar. We would always have the door locked while we were reading at night. We would. We would put boards up or even at sundown. We would have a chart that would number how many shots were fired while we ate apricots. I would always want to have a sky window to see the solar system. I would never be wearing nice clothes. We would never go to the park. We lived on the streets of California. We would have ham and cheese sandwiches. Some times when I heard a gunshot my ears would pop. The sky would always be gray when we would go out and walk. I would always have my eye out for people in conversations. If they were going to shoot me in a rapid cadence I would imagine the bad inconceivable that would be a horrible episode of my horrible life.

FAMOUS London Carter Grade 5, Boise

The tadpoles are famous by the ponds. Trees are famous for the leaves. The dirt is famous for the mess and kids are famous for laughing. Moss is famous for the greenness. A butterfly is famous for the prettiness it has. Smokers are famous for bad choices. Boating is famous for the fun. Cookies are famous for yumminess. Friendship is famous for love and I am famous for chocolate. What are you famous for?

SHADOWS Aaron Orenstein Grade 6, Boise

The shadow, dark and foreign, started in my chest and spread. I felt it, cold and mysterious. I see it, a dark blob ever-changing in shape and size. I smell it, a million, flowers merging their scents. The smell rises intoxicatingly from the darkness. Then it spread, slowly at first, then alarmingly fast. The shadow, like licorice, streamed to my head. My vision blurred. I started seeing shapes. They glittered like diamonds. Then it reached my brain: a blinding pain like a thousand ants biting me. Then I fell into unconsciousness.

STRANDED ON MARS: PART 1 Parker Kading Grade 5, Boise

Stranded, that’s what I was. My memory grows weaker, slowly bending toward the will of The Flex. I was on the first ship with humans headed to Mars. The moment it entered the atmosphere, the ship exploded. I landed on Mars without a helmet. A barren, airless, red wasteland with a grey sky. The last thing I saw before I passed out was a small white person, like a baby, 100 yards away. When I woke up, I was covered in a white paste. It happened slowly; my memories started to disappear. I then found out their name was The Flex. I am holding onto that last memory, not prepared to let go and let The Flex control me. Will I survive? As the blanket of sleep seems to become even more comforting, I tell myself once more: “THEY CONTROL YOU!!!” Then I started to wonder, is it paste outside ice? Then things started to get interesting. An alarm sounded, and a red light flashed. So I saw through the paste, and the cage in a bomb, exploded. The room I landed in was a control room, of sorts. It had no color.

NIGHT OF THE SUMMER BAT Hattie Prater Grade 6, Boise

At night in the summer, you think the world sleeps, but not for the bat. They come out at night to eat the bugs off the top of the water. They suck the juice from the fruit on the trees. The bat awakes at night, but when the sun skims the horizon, the bats hide, go to their homes on their hanging porches. The world slowly wakes, coming out and stirring, and the bats sleep soundly. They look like apples hanging from a tree.

OUTER SPACE Hallie Hinchman Grade 6, Boise

Friends disappear into a black hole, a spiraling vacuum, round and round, sucking up everything you knew, or thought you knew, through winter, spring and fall. But twinkling stars float about, like the moonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reflection in a mirror of water, its light sprinkled about, lighting the night. Summer is a time to visit other planets, even other galaxies, a time to try new things and repeat the old. Friends and memories can be revisited when traveling by shooting star, but be wise when choosing where to travel, as shooting stars donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dance upon you everyday. But fall returns. It comes knocking softly on your door. There is no choice but to let it in, time to float back down to earth.

GOING TO MARS Jordan Hamiter Grade 5, Meridian

One perfect spring day at NASA in the future, a man named Joe said, “Are we ready to go to Mars? I’m really excited!” “Almost, we just need to gas up the rocket,” the engineer replied. Joe nodded. “Joe, why don’t you go and find your crew,” the captain told him. Joe nodded and went to the crew finder, one of the many touch-screen computers. He typed: Bob, Guy, and Anni. They all came in. Bob said, “I’m Bob. Bob is very red and is a tomato.” The expressions on the others’ faces were like, “Get him OUTTA HERE!” “Welcome,” Joe said, as if nothing had happened. “The rocket will be ready in ten minutes. Get your things gathered, I will explain the rules when we are on the rocket. Get going,” he instructed. When they got on the rocket, they got comfortable and had two minutes left. Joe explained the rules: “No texting, calling, chewing gum OR partying….” Joe was cut off. “PARTAY!” Bob yelled, dancing like an idiot. Everyone stared at him. “No dancing,” Joe corrected him. Bob froze, “Oh right, I knew that.” Bob fixed his shirt in embarrassment. Joe lifted an eyebrow. Finally, they took off. “Goodbye world,” Bob murmured.

SHADOWLESS Jules Weinert Grade 5, Boise

Shadows do not exist. Never to be real. You can dream there are shadows, but really a shadow is a guardian. A nymph. I am a nymph; I follow people all day. I grow up tall when you are in need, but I sometimes shrink away so small that I am nothing at all. I share all of your happy times and know all of your friends, but also, all of your worries and sorrows. At night I go away to get ready for your day. If you get up before the sun, I’ll stay in bed like a sleepyhead, but always I will be back.

MY ADVENTURES ON MARS Alex Provant Grade 5, Boise

I felt the jolt as the parachute opened. I was the first person on the Red Planet. I ran across the planet’s surface. Then I stopped. There was a small metallic object on the ground. I picked it up. It was tiny metal boat. I had just proven two things: first, at some point there was life on Mars and second, there had been water on Mars. I didn’t see any life, but I was still scared. I ran back to the space capsule and flew back to Earth.

A LETTER TO YOU Josephine Miller Grade 6, Boise

Dear July 28, With your bright blue skies and your short blades of grass. a memory is what comes into my head. The sounds of birds calling to you, and the sweet smell of flowers fills the air when you come into my head. The deer are running across the green and damp patches of grass and through the sweet orchard of apple trees carrying away today and bringing tomorrow.

DICTIONARY LIES Blaike Kelson Grade 6, Eagle

Challenge-jumping off of a cliff and not dying Happy- scowling Galileo- a school Poem- writing in the park Chided- to eat Chinese food Reclining- floating upward Prejudice- the justice before justice Trousseau- to fish for trout Pelvis- Elvis’ son Condemned- to be demented Matador- evil mat Libertine- what they call librarians in space Christmas- giving joy Friends- play dates in the park Playful- jumping around the house Annoying- following people around Joker- pure, white guy with green hair Regis- to be happy

MY SISTER’S LAUGH Madison Cummings Grade 5, Twin Falls

My sister’s laugh is like a smooth marshmallow floating on a cloud, like the waves crashing on the smooth sand, like a sky turning into a rainbow, like the trees swaying back and forth, like a book just being opened, like the clock going tick-tock, like the river gliding by, like the wind whistling in the air, like that music going by your ears, like the twirling of a dress in the air, like her laugh is floating down the river for everyone to hear. 68

IN MY BRAIN Catherine Ripson Grade 5, Eagle

Up in my brain little people tell me what to do. They control if I sit or stand and they help me read and write. In a little village is where they live, with grass of mint green and flowers of crimson red and bubblegum pink. Their cottages are a cream white with orange-grey roofs. They wear clothes that are blueberry blue and have very pale skin. Highlighter yellow birds chirp a song, as the colors of the sunset rise above the green grass hills. I can’t see them, but I know that they’re there because of all they do. They make sure that I’m not sad and blue. And when I am, they cheer me up. When I look in the mirror, I can see a gleam in my eyes, and I know they’re here.

YOUR GUINEA PIG SMELLS LIKE. . . Jessica Byres Grade 5, Boise

Your guinea pig smells like a baby with a runny stomach, like the remnants of a dead skunk, like a stink beetle that someone tried to step on, like a dirty diaper, like a fire hydrant that was sprayed on by a dog, like a decaying moose, like a pile of wormy cat barf, like a rotten egg that was just crushed, like a fifteen-year-old bottle of milk that was opened, like a microwave splattered with food that collected there over the last 50 years, like an overflowing long drop, like a pile of cow dung, like sprinklers that were turned on every once in a thousand years, like a pile of rotten bleu cheese, like an Olympic runner that just finished a 10K race, like a valley that is filled with smoke for miles on end.

THE CLOUDS Kaisa Peterson Grade 5, Boise

Clouds are like white paint being splattered on blue paper, like marshmallows being stepped on, like giant snowflakes, like the fluffiest of cotton, like floating silver, like a white blanket above your head, like paper being crumpled into balls, like ocean foam being lifted up by birds, like a white tornado, like polka dots decorating the sky, sometimes like grey baskets of water, and like shapes floating above the treetops. 70

OCEAN IN MY HEART Claire Lane Grade 5, Eagle

The ocean is as calm as the breeze at night when the sun is at rest; there are twinkling silvery white stars in the sky. The night is like a big black blanket covering the sky. When dawn breaks into a silky pink yellow, the stars fade away. The palm trees wave in the morning breeze. As the clear water waves gently crash against the shore, the sky is getting lighter and the sun is getting higher. The last star fades away as a light blue wash covers the sky. The salty smell is refreshed. The ocean is sparkling in my heart again.

EMPTY Evan Haskin Grade 5, Boise

The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lights flicker endlessly, in the background, a memorizing sunset. The sky is a velvety purple, lying like a blanket protecting Earth. I kick at the littered posters of sold out and abandoned shows being shoved relentlessly by the soft wind. Never has the scent of pines and fresh water in McCall smelled so good. Over half of the town is indoors, bundling up by the fireplace, watching films. The streets are vacant, almost ghostly. I hear the gentle beginning of rain start to cover the sidewalk, but I find none of these distractions keep me from walking. The nearby lake, reflecting the slowly darkening skies off its tiny ripples, is empty. It is usually filled with playful children or a plethora of minnows. Where has everyone gone? A black cloud descends behind me and I hear the first delicate crackling sound of purple lightning. 71

THE MACHINE INSIDE ME Mairin McCleary Grade 6, Boise

Inside of me, I have a machine. It helps pump my deep blue blood. The tiny golden yellow parts keep me running. My heart pumps rapidly, like it is gasping for air. It will not pump through the cream white snow So it rests in my lipstick red chest. Can you hear my silver heart beating?

LIVING ON THE MOUTAINSIDE Sha Sha Kingston Grade 6, Boise

Living on the mountainside, with elk and deer roaming on paths you left behind. Bluebirds reflecting the sunlight off their wings to your face as you feel the warm summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heat. Seeds are reborn into oak trees, giving shade to mountain goats who come for a drink.

THE SUN INSIDE OF ME Rose Murphy Grade 5, Boise

An orange-yellow sun arose, shining light down to my toes. By then, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more of a soft salmon which awakens my soul. It triggers my heart, my brain and my veins begin to start. The sun flows throughout my brain. It turns a snow white color as the day goes on and on and as the sun goes down inside my whole body it turns a soft magenta, and since I am so tired, my muscles are now darker than charcoal. They are blacker than black.

THIS HORSE Marguerite Andrich Grade 6, Garden City

This horse is like a kindling fire crackling in the night, like a drop of water on a dry tongue, like a shady riverbank after a long haul, an Italian soda, international and fresh, a good egg, like a starry night after a storm. This horse is like a mood ring, a melting chocolate, as sweet as lemonade down my throat, like a breath of air surfacing from a long dive, like a hummingbird, as unique as new language, as interesting as an eagle hunting, as refreshing as a cucumber, like a smooth stone compared to a mountain. This horse is like a ray of light through a storm, like a power up, like a painting, individual, like a double rainbow, like a fish breathing air just for a moment, like a foghorn blowing a mournful tune, like reciting poetry, like a breath of frozen air, like a sprout of green grass, like snipping an opening ribbon. This horse is like a kindling fire in the night.

EXTREME BAD LUCK Caleb Mason Grade 6, Boise

Today is Saturday, the day to do all of your chores. You get out of your bunk bed and feed your Albino goldfish. You go downstairs and trip on your Siamese cat. You get up and trip on your Albino tabby cat. You get up again and trip on your tiger cat and fall face first into his litter box. You try to feed your tarantula, but you get bitten. You try to clean the bathroom, but it overflows and knocks your tarantula out of his tank. Mommy wakes up and sends you to your room. In your room you take your science notes, but your rottweiler eats them. After five hours, you finally finish your chores. You put your favorite game in the Xbox, but the Xbox explodes. You help your dad flip patties, but you burn your hand. At night your bunk bed falls and smashes your cat. Thankfully, the cat has four lives left. You sigh. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.

MARS Liam Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien Grade 5, Boise

All the dirt is red on Mars. To visit would be pretty sweet and not just like the candy bars. Up there you can better see the stars. It is really neat. All the dirt is red on Mars. On Mars there are no cars. Also, there is nothing to eat and I just like the candy bars. When I landed, I got lots of scars. This whole planet tastes like defeat. All the dirt is red on Mars and not just like the candy bars. 75

GIBBONS Will Robison Grade 5, Boise

Gibbons like to have fun. They happily swing around. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pretty naughty.

DO NOT READ THIS ADVERTISEMENT UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH Audrey Huang Grade 5, Boise

Come to the Rose Garden in Boise, ID! The roses smell, look, and feel so different from each other. Have you ever visited the Rose Garden? Yes or no, come to the Rose Garden! *CAUTION* NEVER sniff a flower with a bee in it! *WARNING* NEVER put any part of the roses or bushes in your mouth! *CAUTION* Herbicides and pesticides are used here! *WARNING* Enjoy your time there or be EXECUTED!

THE BROKEN PLATE Bella Rock Grade 5, Boise

Hello, my name is Melissa. I am the maid at the Nathan Falls house. I work here because my family is poor. Sometimes when people hear I’m a maid, they say things like, “You are not fooling me” or like, “You’re much too young to be a maid.” But I don’t like people talking about it. Here is a story: Worst Work Day 1901. Today I woke up late. Yikes! So I dashed down. Good thing I made it just in time to set the breakfast table. Oh no. Out of butter. That can’t be good. I will just use jam instead. Wait, my master is just waking up – that means he won’t know I was late. First thing he said was, “Good day, Melissa. Today we’ll be having a guest, so get an extra plate. You should have known. Do you ever look at your daily notes?” Oh no. I was in such a hurry I forgot the daily notes. “Right away, Sir,” I replied. I ran to get a plate so fast that I broke the last plate. I popped my head in. “When will the guest be here?” I asked. “He is on his way now,” he replied. Yikes! I don’t have a lot of time. “I’m going to pick vegetables from your garden,” I lied. I rushed outside to get the plate fixed. When I got there, the owner asked, “Broke another one, Melissa?” “Yes, Mr. Rectain. And I did it to the last one.” “Melissa, you know these take a while to fix.” “I know,” I said, hanging my head low. “Luckily, I have the last one you broke,” said Mr. Rectain. I passed him the money. “Thank you, Mr. Rectain,” I said, leaving. I made it back in time. I gave the guest his plate. I was taking the water to the table when the guest walked in. I spilled it all over him. Yikes! “I am so sorry!” I gave him his jacket to cover it up. My master never found out any of it. But it was still awful.

INSIDE THE PRINTER’S SHOP Rachel Wiley Grade 6, Boise

Bang! Pound! Bang! Clash! Those were the sounds Is was greeted by as she ran into the shop. “Is! You’re late!” said Mrs. Print. “Sorry!” Is said as she quickly got her smock on. “What am I going to be doing today? Cleaning the printing press?” she asked hopefully. “Certainly not! You may start by sweeping the floor, unwrapping the paper, and stacking it up,” Mrs. Print said as Mr. Print suddenly walked into the room with a freshly printed paper in his hand. “Margaret, dear, look at this,” He handed Mrs. Print the paper. “No! Not now!” Mrs. Print exclaimed. “Margaret, it’s time. She needs to learn,” He turned to Is. “Come with me,” he said. He led her to the printing press. Is’ ears pricked up as he explained what Is was going to do. “Is, you have been with us ever since you were six years old. All along, your dream has been to clean the printing press. Now is your chance.” Did you hear that? Is was finally going to fulfill her dream! So, as Is was finally going to work alone, she decided to clean the press, then print a sheet of paper. About an hour later, the press was clean. For awhile, Is had been researching how to use the printing press. So, she was pretty sure that she knew how to use it. She got out a paper and started to print a personal page about how she disliked Mrs. Print. When she was finished, Mr. Print walked in, so she shoved the paper into a random stack of papers in the room. Little did she know, the stack of papers was the newspaper for next Sunday. Sunday came soon enough; the paper was published. When Is came to the shop the next morning, it was crowded with newspaper officials yelling at Mr. Print and pointing at a story in the “breaking news” section. Suddenly, Mr. Print walked over to Is. “Come and talk to me in the other room,” he said. He led Is to the parlor. “Is, when you were cleaning the printing press, did you see anyone in the shop at all?” “No.”

“Did you print a paper?” Is sighed. “Yes, I did.” Mr. Print grabbed a newspaper sitting nearby. He showed it to Is. “Did you write this?” he asked Is. “Yes, I did.” He looked at Is. “The print itself is phenomenal, but it is rude to write something mean about somebody else.” “I know, but it was just so tempting.” “I know how to fix this,” Mr. Print said, “but I’m going to need your help.” “How can I fix this?” Is asked eagerly. “Well, you have to write another story about my wife, but instead of writing about her bad side, write about her good side, and take responsibility for the story.” “Anything to fix what I’ve done,” Is said. As soon as Mr. Print cleared the newspaper officials out of the shop, they got to work. Is wrote about all the happy times she had with Mrs. Print. She apologized too. Her story was phenomenal and kind. The next day the officials were there, so Is entered through the back door. Mr. and Mrs. Print both forgave her. Ever since, Is has been writing stories for Mr. Print to publish. This was her greatest story yet.

THE GRUMPY FISH Emily Patterson Grade 5, Emmett

One day I was out tubing when a fish came up and said, “Watch where you’re going, you ran over me.” I said, “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Then the fish disappeared into the waves yelling, “You’ll pay for this...”

THE HORSE. SAME BUT DIFFERENT. Katie Karczewski Grade 6, Burley

We are different, but also the same. If someone took away my legs would I be able to walk? What if someone took away yours? What if someone took away our eyes? Even though something may have more legs, doesn’t mean they are so different.

DECORATIONS Alicia Easterday Grade 6, Buhl

Some are at the top, others at the bottom, friends and family in the middle, strangers on the edge, but where do I fit? Do I fit on the color, a strip of velvet, a blank spot, the letter H on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Happy Birthdayâ&#x20AC;?? Others are important. They are the gold shimmer. I am not sure what I am. Others are a brown spot on a straw sombrero.

IN THE SILENCE OF NIGHT Mari Bjorneberg Grade 6, Hansen

I sit up; I listen very closely. Nothing. You must be asleep. I let darkness surround me. I pull off the covers. I miss the creaky floorboard that you always step on. I go to your bed and crawl in with you, in the silence of the night.

DRAGONS Ryan Balkin Grade 5, Boise

My dragons are dragons that ride in big wagons. One’s always a laggin’ way far behind.

SEVEN CRYSTAL SKULLS Aayush Dwivedi Grade 5, Boise

It was January 28, 1987. Roy G. Biv was exploring in the jungle when all of a sudden a tiger came and attacked. Lots of commotion happened in the jungle; after an hour, everything was calm. Roy survived the tiger’s attack with only a few scratches. But then a panther came and attacked Roy. He had smelled fresh meat from Roy’s jacket. He killed the panther. He went on exploring. Then all of a sudden, he fell into a hole. When he opened his eyes, he saw an extraordinary sight. He saw a bunch of crystal skulls. He saw a skeleton’s body on the ground. He realized that there was an explorer that had died in here, and perhaps, he was going to die there like the explorer before him. When he turned around, he saw a tunnel and a door that showed the way out. But he did not know that he was walking into a trap. When he walked into the tunnel, the door behind him closed. He was trapped! He had walked right into a trap. Then, all of a sudden, spikes started to come from the floor and the ceiling. He had to get out! He saw a button that should lead the way out of the tunnel full of spikes. He pressed the button that opened up another door that led the way out, but that was another trap to get even more trapped. This time he knew it was a trap. So he dug a hole into the top and got out. Then he ran away and was never seen again. To be continued…

HOW TO BE A SQUIRREL Gabriella González Grade 5, Star

To be a squirrel you need to be fast like a rocket. Zoom… Up a tree you can get bit by another squirrel. Ouch… You need 50/50 vision. You need to be as fast as a cheetah. Did you see me run around the world? Now you need to store your nuts real well as if they were in a safe. I could tell you the rest but that would take forever.

THE WHITE ROSEBUSH Autumn Kuhn Grade 6, Boise

There once was a garden of all different colors. There was pink, red, and many, many others. There was just one little bush, different from the sort. It made all the roses laugh and snort. His color was white, but the same kind of petals. All the teasing just wouldn’t let him settle. He thought it was mean, that they wouldn’t let him be. So he walked away, and befriended a bee.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE Riley Noland Grade 5, Boise

Everywhere I look iron bars are blocking my way, many struggles for freedom. I was out once but I was caught. How much longer can I survive in this oblivion? My friends outside are laughing at me, in my attempts for freedom. Someone please help me! I can’t take it any more!

BIRDS Emma Redford Grade 5, Boise

There were once three birds. They all lived in a nest together. One day while they were having flying lessons, one bird flew too far from the nest and was trapped. His name was Percy. He tried to get out but couldn’t. Then he discovered a small latch. He lifted it with his beak. He opened the door and tried to get out, but there was a built-in slingshot and it held him back. Soon, he was taken to a zoo. Percy clawed the zookeeper, but he still got put in the zoo. He was in a cage with a sparrow. First, they fought; second, Percy kept eating the sparrow’s food. So the zookeeper put up a wall between them. But that didn’t make them happy. And oh, how embarrassing it was when everyone looked at them and took pictures through the glass windows. Just then, there was a noise. Sparrow pecked his way through the wall and dried Percy’s feathers. Then they became friends.

LOVE Autumn Stark Grade 5, Boise

My story of how I met Jewels. Well, I was walking with my furry bullet up the hill. (P.S. The furry bullet was my dog Deuce.) I walked up to a cross. It was white with blue bold letters spelling Jewels. My grandma thought it was a dog’s grave because it had a dark green leash around the cross, but then we found out it was the grave of a boy around twentyone-years old. I didn’t realize he was dead; I thought the grave was his dog’s grave, but my Grandma took me up the hill, and I realized Jewels was dead. So three days a week, I visit him and bring presents like flowers or jewelry I made, and I read to him. I read to Jewels a story about a jumping kangaroo. Then I always say to have a happy journey in a new life.

SKIPPING STONES Rebecca Mecham Grade 6, Caldwell

I will write you a letter beautiful June day. Dear June 28th, Your brightness and brilliance light up my day. Your river so cool, it’s simmering in light. Your greens are so lush, so many shades to see. Cotton is falling from the sky with no clouds. The way I feel is like a dry hot stone that just got skipped across the water.

BUZZ Lily Hanrahan Grade 6, Boise

My feelings are constantly hurt. I’m never welcome in this “new” human world. They think we don’t have feelings, or they just don’t pay any attention. They hate us, don’t care about us, despise us, don’t want us in their world. We sting when we get angry. Why is that such a big problem? They get violent and verbal when they’re angry, so we bees feel like we handle it better. Anger comes naturally, you shouldn’t fight it. We don’t enjoy stinging humans, we do it for self-defense. We do things for humans, like pollinating flowers and making honey. They never acknowledge our kindness, they think we’re as vicious as yellow jackets. Will they ever appreciate us?

ARIZONA Lucas Brechbuhler Grade 6, Boise

In the pure gold dust, in its flaming touch, its king is peace. The garden party is jazzy with love, in a kaleidoscope of fire.

THIS WAS A POET Taylor Rohn Grade 7, Boise

This was a poet, a lovely shadow of a mind cranking and spluttering to find the sparkle in a word. Oh, yes she loved the dark eyes of words, the serpent of the wild. She spent every minute adorning her mediocre words with a beautiful choice of poetry. She lived in her words, the wildness sparkling in her eyes like fireworks. They waited for her to come out of her hole, but the girl was shriveling in writing. Her beautiful black hair suddenly turned a wiry grey. The voices in her head bringing her to the brink of sanity. The white city soldiers boomed down her door, cursing her if she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come out, but she never did. She wrote until she sunk through the cement of words, the world spinning in her lifeless eyes until she lay silent on the word-littered floor. Her house burned down in licking flames, along with all of her words and poetry. They warned her, yes they did, but the writing is what let her live and sent her to die.

BRILLIANCE Ella Baker Grade 6, Boise

Soaring through the star light a thousand tiny Christmas lights adorn the deep blue sky, lifeless maroon craters pay no mind, for bursting with possibility and youth. The stars that guide the way within my silver spaceship, I feel among them connected, sisters and brothers. I have never been so close as to touch their brilliant faces but as I race through the ocean of their glow, we are one. Separated by but a dimpled piece of metal. What other word is there to deserve them than brilliant?

THE CASTLE OF MANY BEASTS Zachary Krause Grade 6, Boise

“But Dad, I don’t want to go to Uncle Terrie’s castle.” Sam and her father go through this argument every summer. “Your uncle is a wonderful man.” “It’s not him I’m worried about, it’s the castle—it smells terrible and some people say it’s haunted.” But before she could say anything else, he had already opened the door and out walked a dragon as big as a castle! “Sorry!” yelled a voice from behind the dragon. Then all at once the door shut; there was a loud click and the dragon turned into dust. The door opened again and out walked an old man dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. “Even he smells terrible,” whispered Sam, and at that second, she knew that this was going to be a long summer. 88

POETRY Nathan Avey Grade 6, Eagle

The grim face with a golden touch does the first English signature. Platinum, gold and sea pearls, beauty itself loves clouds and roses; are those things really beautiful? No shallows or arrogance resides in trees or roses. Bees crawl on the flares of the blooms.

TRASH CAN Sammy Millward Grade 6, Boise

A trash can trapped in my leg. The garbage piles are blood cells. If you look too close: explosion! The cans scrape you, the trash speaks.

MOONLIGHT Preston Bied Grade 6, Boise

A pillowcase lives inside me. A pillowcase lives in my darkness. This harmless pillowcase can be transformed into a ghost. It has the power of me. Cold wind blows in my heart. Night is darker than ever, but deep down inside me, a light sparks.

EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY London Montalbano Grade 5, Boise

There are those cold, cold days when you lock yourself up in your room for the warmth of it. Then: the white cold outside. You try to empty your congested brain. And then there are the days when you are lit up like a firecracker on a hot summer night. These days when you smell fresh cut wet grass, chlorine, and coconut sunblock. Every day you see the trees rattling, the sunset glistening, the water flowing, the bike peddling, and best of all: the whipping of rackets of tennis players. As my mouth sinks into the Big Bopper, the taste of chocolate chip cookies and ice cream melt into my palette. These are the days that taste like I want them to. Bursting with juicy flavor, blackberries explode in my mouth and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for the next one plump raspberries, red and ripe and near ready. sprout from green, prickly stems. We take a blue green water slide to cool deep pool. Together, we are still a light load, and we ricochet down like Mexican jumping beans.

AVERAGE JOE Nat Baird Grade 6, Boise

In a world where everything is super, only Average Joe can save the day. He’s as fast as an average person! As strong as your everyday man! And there is absolutely nothing special about him. But now it is finally his turn to save the day. It is a sad time for the American people: everyone has super powers now. And now there’s really nothing super about super powers. So what really is super is not having superpowers. You see, back in the year 2192 a doctor by the name of Bond, William Bond, created a shot which turned any regular human into a super human. Dr. Bond claimed there were no side effects, but people did have their doubts, and an alliance was formed by a small group who refused to take the “Super Drug.” Soon enough, wouldn’t you know it, a whole bunch of zombies rose up. (Spoiler Alert: The zombies were all the super people. Obviously.) Anyway, Average Joe and the anti-superheroes, or the Ordinary League of Regular People as they liked to call themselves, were hiding at home when a hoard of zombies broke through the walls and surrounded them. For once, Average Joe wanted to do something super, but that super thing was not fighting the zombies. As their rotting fingers grew closer and closer to him, Average Joe’s entirely un-super heart wished he could fly on a rocket ship to Mars. Then everything went black…

IN THE DEPTHS OF THE RIVER Nathan Maybach Grade 5, Boise

A river flowed in me. I was drowned slowly; the river engulfed me. I am sinking, fighting, but in vain. I sink to the bottom, and the rushing water covers me. I am swept through the depths. I am gone, but there is always a light in darkness.

FRIENDSHIP RIVER Rachel Schalk Grade 6, Boise

A flowing river, I step in and shiver. Fish splashing in the water, as I look at another. I smile and say, “It’s such a beautiful summer day.” The grass in-between my toes, I look at the wildflower rows. As I run among the bay, on this beautiful day. The warm air on my face, as I run with a fast pace. I look at my new friend, I know our friendship will never end.

GEM STATE HERO Annika Coffman Grade 6, Boise

I was at a party to celebrate Idaho, the Gem State. I passed by the dessert table and grabbed two cupcakes from a shining tray, stuffing them in my mouth greedily, ignoring the aluminum wrapper around them, but I quickly realized why so few people were eating them. Grimacing at the bitter, crunchy taste that filled my mouth, I rushed to the trash can, ready to spit the cake out, but, of course, my mom was blocking my path. “Why are you running around like that?” she asked. I forced myself to swallow the bitter dessert, gagging as I did. “Nothing! No reason!” I said. I smiled weakly. “Well, I’ll be talking to Grace’s mom if you need me,” she said. And just as she walked away, I felt the presence of someone watching me. I spun around, finding myself face-toface with an old, gray woman floating a foot above the floor. I knew right away she was a ghost, but she didn’t seem to care if I was scared. I could see right through her to the dessert table that held the terrible cupcakes. “They set this up,” she hissed. “They set it up so you would eat the desserts. They changed you. You have no idea what you’re capable of now.” I thought back to that moment as I lay in bed one year later. I thought about all the times I had worked with the police and the CIA. Though it was only a short time ago, it felt as if a decade had passed since I’d eaten the cupcakes that gave me the powers to see ghosts and turn any solid object into a gem. The night after that party, I’d grown upset with my mom while we ate dinner, and my rage turned the table into a glittering stone. I didn’t choose this life. It chose me. I’m not one of those heroes who have a cape or a fancy “hero-mobile.” But after begging my parents, I did get a new fire pole in my house, mostly for the sake of awesomeness. And when the alarm sounded and interrupted my thoughts, I sprung from my bed, grabbed my helmet, and slid down the fire pole. I hopped 94

onto my dirt bike and went straight to the bank. I caught the criminal and threatened to turn him into a gem. He just laughed and started running away. “You asked for it,” I yelled after him. Then I turned him into a giant, shimmering gem. Luckily for him, it was only temporary. He should have known better; I’d done this so many times. All in all, it’s the typical life of an Idaho hero. So, what’s next?

THE PLAYGROUND IN MY BODY Cassandra Griffin Grade 5, Nampa

A playground full of little children in my body. Covered by day, forgotten by night. it stands out more than anything else. Everyone knows what it is, you can pretend it’s something else, but always it is a park. The sound of the children yelling and laughing awakens me.

CABIN CONNECTION Sydnie Ivie Grade 5, Meridian

This pencil that I hold, this writing that I mark on paper is special. It finds inspiration; it breaks inspiration. It finds what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re good at and shows us our kryptonite. It brings us together and tears us apart. In this wooden box, trapped inside this room, ten crazy writers sharing thoughts, thoughts of bananas, and Harry Potter, and superheroes, Pocahontas, farting rainbows, and Angry Birds. All of us in this cabin, this sanctuary of writing, we all have a connection; writing is our strength!

BEHIND THE HOOD Samantha Eckersell Grade 6, Boise

I was hiding in my black hoodie as I watched from a distance. She was writing in her book across the lake. It smelt of rain and duck droppings where I was standing. The cotton fell from the trees and onto my nose. Ahhh-chooo! When I sneezed, she turned to look around, and I ducked behind the bushes. She walked away with her notebook to her chest as if she was hiding something. I tried to race her to her car but it was too late. I took off my hoodie and stuffed it angrily into my bag. As I passed her, she looked at me like she was frightened. As if she almost knew. I couldn’t fall asleep that night. I had so many questions. Why did she hold her notebook to her chest? Was she hiding something? If so, what was she hiding? Did she know I was there? Did she see me? When I woke up the next morning, I was still as tired as a man who had slept on an arched rock. My sister said, “Whoa! Somebody got their beauty sleep!” “Thanks. I didn’t get any sleep.” “Why not?” She was always in my business. “Why do you need to know?” “I want to see if we actually have something in common.” I walked out of the room like I never heard her. I walked into my room. I lay down and started thinking – how long could I keep this secret and what would I do to keep it a secret?

THINGS TO DO WITH CAT GUTS Nick Dabney Grade 6, Hailey

Dry them out make a whip play jump rope try to lasso tie knots cook them for dinner braid them mush and mash them turn them into violin strings make bracelets and necklaces make a hat, make gloves make a headband whip them around eat them raw, eat them fresh make moccasins make a sling make a cup, make a sack make some string for a yo-yo

CHAIR Norah Dowdle Grade 5, Hailey

I am something people use every day. Sometimes I have a cushion, but not all the time. I always have four legs. When I have a massage button, I am expensive. Sometimes I wish people would talk to me and not kick me. Mostly I am around a table, or on decks. Lots of times, when people sit in me, they are eating, studying, or talking. When I am old, my paint chips.

RIVER DREAMS Josie Saleen Grade 6, Bellevue

The river dreams of bees and bugs. It dreams of butterflies and slugs. It thinks about white puffy clouds, though he is a river and he is proud. It hears people murmuring in its ear, and tries to remember what else was near. Rocks, logs, moss and deer, people, sticks, and moose that some fear. The river dreams of oil pouring into him. It dreams of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening to all his kin. It dreams of purple fingers and purple toenails, too. It dreams of something talking and wonders who. When morning comes and the sun starts to rise, the river slowly opens its eyes.

WRITING WILD The cheat grass shrinks from its sins. The ants scuttle to avoid their doubts in life. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BLAKE WALDMANN, Grade 5

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YEARS AGO WE BOTH WALKED Angus Baird Grade 7, Boise

Years ago, we both walked in the door. She caught my eye the first day of school. My best friend was like a wolf howling in the wind, but I did not respond. I was mesmerized. She showed me no sign, but I caught her eye too. I did not hold back; I hugged her. It was then I realized that I tried to draw back, but she held on tight with desperation, and that was the beginning.

OWL HIGH IN THE TREES Edie Johnson Grade 6, Boise

Perched high in the tree, the stars burning holes in the blanket of night, watching the mouse scurry to his home, I swoop down eager for a meal. Swooping from my branch, my silky feathers camouflage my sound. The maple swaying in the wind rattles the forest. Closer and closer, I get to the mouse, almost able to snatch it in my cold wrinkled claws. Scooping it up, I land on a branch high up and enjoy my breakfast.

TO SEE THINGS FROM ABOVE Claire Paschke Grade 6, Boise

I see the city that is so far away. I hear the sounds of everyday lives. I see trees down below me and sky up above me. I hear birds and airplanes soaring around me. I think about what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to see things from above and wonder what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to see things from below.

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I SAW DESPAIR IN THE MIDST OF DAY Michael Lansford Grade 9, Boise

I saw despair in the midst of day when the sun beat down on a civilization at its height. Suddenly the air filled with war. The invaders came overwhelmingly strong. A buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s burnt down and a bridge falls. The air is filled with the clash of weapons, the ground tainted with blood. Then there comes a time when nothing is seen. The people are gone, the buildings in ruins the stench of radiation in the air.

I AM LIKE A FIRE Sophie Moylan Grade 6, Boise

I am like a fire raging through a forest until I hit a calm lake of still glassy water unaware of the evil surrounding it. The fire again ignites on a dry, dead bush. The fire is extinguished.

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SNOWFLAKES Avery Hormaechea Grade 6, Boise

I was sitting in a white room with only one window. Outside snow slept quietly on the ground. I was alone, wrapped in pink blankets, lying in a plastic crib. I was a newborn. All alone, I began to wail. Instantly, a tall man with no hair like me, entered the room. I cried harder. “My sweet daughter,” the man said as he picked me up. I looked in his eyes. They were filled with tears. I smiled, and outside tiny snowflakes began to fall.

ALLEY Grace Coyle Grade 6, Boise

In Chicago, in a dark alley, at the end, I see a light. I rush and find myself watching a cheerful parade, clowns, animals, acrobats and more. In New York, not in Chicago now, trapped and paralyzed, not sure what to do, I meet wildness everywhere I go. She is wearing black in the bright city. She stinks like trash when the city smells enthusiastic. I ask, “Why are you so different?” She says, “Why does it matter? Can’t I be different?!” Then all at once I’m in Chicago, in a dark alley. 105

LIFE Molly Feeley Grade 6, Boise

The world is brimming with plants. If the plants entwine good and evil, hate and love, then would all in question become visible to the entire world? If I grow the trees of life, will they not fall down once more? Life is ever changing until everything is only its self.

THE FUTURE Aidan Scanlan Grade 5, Boise

I am a reflection of what this world has become. I am the worm of red, green, and blue. I am the pigeon, flying into the wall. I am the blind cockroach, begging for mercy. I am the raven, clinging to life. I am the tree, the last defense.

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UNREVEALED Lauren Vandervelden Grade 8, Boise

The clear liquid slowly digs through the ground, pulling itself forwards across the thin layer of speckled sediment below it. With small clusters of sticks occasionally blocking its grip, sticks that flow out of the stream form a myriad of piled wood that lays like forever-restless animals. Just as the trees stand pointed to light, frozen in time, capturing the musty air and holding in the green life that is glued unforgivingly to the ground, it catches only a glimpse of an emaciated version of the sun, which flies away once nightfall comes, always escaping.

NIGHT TIME Elizabeth Duke-Moe Grade 4, Boise

The moon is full, and the stars are out. The wind rustles the leaves on an oak tree. Bats flutter everywhere, and the river is as calm as a butterfly. The sun comes up and chases the dark away. It is now a new day to celebrate.

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GREEN Luis Garcia Grade 5, Boise

Like the overpowering scent of sage, Like tall evergreens whispering in the distance, Like the stretching of vines over a sunabsorbing fence, Like caterpillars forming a chrysalis, Like lizards bathing in the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warm glow, Like leaves rustling in the wind.

LIME GREEN Ayla Sutton Grade 5, Boise

Like the soft, rising sun of a new day, it is the complex cobweb in a corner. You can compare it to the shade of trees, covering a slow, lazy brook. It is the crackle of lightning, the bird chirping. It is good not bad, it is when you climb a tall tree, and you feel a superior feeling to all. It is the crunch of leaves. It is the fresh sprout after a cold, hard winter, the touch of whipping wind, when you lay in a soft field you can feel lime green.

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GREEN Hailey Hepworth Grade 4, Meridian

A leaf blowing in the wind, a summer dress swirling, tall grass flowing with the wind. Green sounds like laughter and smiles. It sounds like swaying trees and crackling bark. Green tastes like sweet herbs and mint. It tastes like lollipops and chocolate. Green feels like leaves rough and smooth. It feels like water rushing through the stream. If green could do anything, it would bring smiles and laughter to the world.

THE GREEN CLOCK Tess Baxter Grade 7, Boise

TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK The sound is comforting. The leather rubbing against me like a hand worn down by time, stroking me. This clock is my favorite color, green. Green is the color of life. Life is the color of the forest, overgrown and with no expectations. To my horror: a trickle of black. Slowly, it covers my watch. Black is the color of death, after a fire has reached the forest. My watch is completely covered in black. My clock stops working. I stop too.

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A HAWK’S LIFE Olivia Schutz Grade 5, Boise

A cluster of houses sitting on a hill, many trees, some trails, a fence. Some trees and brush are zooming by as I fly. Bike paths, foot paths, other smaller birds, fresh food constantly, life is for the birds. I creep along home to my nest to find a snake. Oh, yes! I toss it up and open up and into my beak it falls. I start jumping up and down at the door, when I get out I flap, spread out, and soar.

LIZARD BATTLES Kai Chandler-Younce Grade 5, Boise

The two lizards, Fighting green blurs, Battling for their territory. Chasing, Attacking, Battling for space. I wonder why? Is it for fun? Or is it for territory? I don’t know…

THE BACHELOR’S BUTTON Claire Gordon Grade 4, Boise

It doesn’t have much of a smell but still smells sweet to me It looks like the most beautiful sunset ever seen Its petals feel as soft as silk and bring back good memories As I hold it in my palms, I hear wild birds sing If I could eat it, I certainly would, hoping it tasted like the smell 110

WHAT’S OUT THERE? Sami Chandler-Younce Grade 4, Boise

Some birds are out there. A cheep, cheep bird green as grass teeny as a stick likes to find seeds and bring them to its nest then sit around in the grass. A cheep, cheep bird eats Bachelor’s Buttons

FEELS LIKE MAGIC Haley Turner Grade 5, Boise

There were racks and racks of party dresses, but she could not pick just one. She buried her face in her hands. Suddenly, there was a hand on her shoulder, a gentle voice said, “Close your eyes, I’m going to spin the rack. Hold your hand out.” She did so. The fabrics went through her fingers, they were soft and silky, but she couldn’t quite touch them. Then the rack clattered to a stop. She breathed in the smell of roses and opened her eyes to the most beautiful dress of all. It was white silk, with a brown leather belt and a pale pink rose in the center. There was a high collar and the hem was rimmed with roses. She gasped. It seemed to glow. The price tag was blank, and she walked out of the store happy as ever.

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THE GIRL WHO WATCHED BASEBALL Ava Steckel Grade 4, Boise

The crack of the bat like the snap of a whip, legs running hard like a stampede of cow. She loves every minute up in the crowd. Her eyes are like baseballs. They’re watching with joy. But the girl who watched baseball, Didn’t watch baseball for long. She opened her eyes to the whiteness of walls. Where was she, she thought, but the answer was clear. Enclosed in the doom of a hospital sphere! The girl who watched baseball, watches baseball no more!

I HANG OUT WITH MY BROTHER William Watts Grade 5, Meridian

I hang out with my brother an hour every day, We play a little sports but when I win, he always walks away. He is crazy, annoying, and defeated. He makes a huge fuss and yells “You cheated,” For he is a wuss Who hates being beat. 112

THE SEA Grace Wontorcik Grade 4, Boise

The moon is high the sea is deep I rock and rock and rock to sleep Holes deep and scary footsteps coming closer I rock and rock and rock to sleep The wind smells happy The flowers need a bath The moon is high The sea is deep I rock and rock and rock to sleep

I AM A THINKER Will Bartlett Grade 4, Boise

I am a thinker. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t write without thinking. Writing is hard but I can do it. I think and the magic comes out. I am a writer. I am a thinker.

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THE HOUSE MUST NOT FALL Corinne Ide Grade 4, Boise

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TIME Emily Mynar Grade 6, Boise

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LITTLE CHIRP Jade Schachtell Grade 6, Boise

I hear the little chirp. Her mom joins in saying their prayer for the day. But then, the voices of humans come in turning their prayer into a shriek of warning. The little chirp is now scared and will never be the same.

I, THE HILL Blake Waldmann Grade 5, Boise

I felt the warm sun leaving me for the millionth time. The beast unleashes itself upon me. The cheat grass shrinks from its sins. The ants scuttle to avoid their doubts in life. Then the storm ends. The birds return, and life is once again wholesome; heaven having taken over hell.

RELY Joni Peterson Grade 5, Boise

The river relies on rocks to make rapids. The aspen trees rely on the river to have a drink of water. People rely on animals to have hamburgers. Horses are famous to me because I love them. I am famous to horses because I feed them.

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WHAT AM I PUZZLE Nate Bartlett Grade 6, Boise

A plant is growing inside me. I have branches as my arms. I have roots as my feet. I have an owl hole as my mouth. What am I? A Tree. A plant is growing inside me. I have a yellow tulip coming out of my head. I have a stem as my spine. I have seeds as my mouth. What am I? A Sunflower. A plant is growing inside me. I am purple. I smell like cinnamon. A lot of people are allergic to me. What am I? Sage Brush.

SOMETHING IS LIVING INSIDE OF ME Meghan Fall Grade 4, Boise

I have an ocean living inside of me. Cucumber-green is the color of the seaweed. Tulip-pink goldfish. Orange and yellowbutter anemone. Red-ruby and white-lace fish swim around in my stomach. Glistening-clear is the color of oyster shells with shiny pearls. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just a regular person on the outside.

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HANK’S POEM Matt O’Meara Grade 5, Boise

Hank’s car pulled up to his grandma’s house. He was here because Mr. and Mrs. Hutford were taking a vacation to Vegas. “Please, can’t I go?” Hank had asked earlier. Of course his parents had said no. “Honey, have fun,” said Mrs. Hutford. “Stay safe and don’t cause trouble.” “I’ll be fine mom,” said Hank. “But remember honey, your grandma is not feeling well at all.” “I know mom. I’ll be careful.” The Hutford couple drove off. Hank walked in to his grandma’s small house. “Grandma? Grandma? You home?” There was no answer. Hank figured that she was at the store or something. He decided to write a poem about his grandma’s house: The chocolate chip cookies on the table, watching TV on cable, sitting on old chair, wobbly and unstable, lavender vanilla candle scent the air, not a sound stirs anywhere, grandma’s house is where I belong. All of a sudden, Hank heard coughing. It was coming from his grandma’s room. He walked in and she was on her bed, not moving. She was dead. He ran to call 911. With tears in his eyes, he saw his poem in his grandma’s hand. Hank called 911 and the police pulled up to the house. “What seems to be the problem?” they asked him. “My grandma!” he shouted. “She’s dead!” “No she’s not,” said the police. “What do you mean no she’s not?” “Look.” There was grandma standing and looking perfectly healthy. “Don’t scold Hank,” she said. “He just gets confused. I won’t let him do it again.” The cops left the house and drove away. Grandma winked, gave Hank his poem, and walked away. “But, but, but how?” Then he saw at the end of his poem, grandma’s words. She wrote: This poem has helped heal me. Thank you, Hank. Thank you. Love, Grandma 118

RAIN ISâ&#x20AC;Ś Lily Hanrahan Grade 6, Boise

The rain smells like horses grazing in the fields. It smells like a farm full of cows and pigs. It smells wet and damp as if deciding whether to rain or not. The rain looks like water, splashing about like a shower. Its patterned drizzle looks like water skippers on a pond. The rain tastes cold, like water fresh out of a spring. The rain feels like Morse code on my bare hand, waiting patently to send a message. The rain sounds like a sprinkler spraying water on a sidewalk and water trickling down a small new waterfall, triggered by the rain.

INSIDE Alana Cronin Grade 5, Boise

The inside of a red medium-sized cliff, how beautiful it is. Carved out with pink and French-blue flowers, with some rocks to sit on. There is an ice-cold creek that runs through it. There is a small bed and some cherry trees. It is simple; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what makes it beautiful.

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DREAM Shea Pearson Grade 7, Boise

As I run through the dark, dreary with blood everywhere, I look at my phone. It doesn’t turn on. Why did it have to die now? If only I were back in my room, in bed where I’m supposed to be. I keep running. I can’t look back—it’s too horrible. A red-eyed beast. I look back. Where did it go? I freeze in my tracks. Oh no! I look all around. “I’m terrified,” I say out loud to myself. “Stacy,” I hear it calling me. “Stacy…” I start to run again, not knowing where this beast is. “Help! Help!” “STACY, WAKE UP!” I open one eye. My mother is standing next to my bed. “What’s wrong?” “There was a….a…a…um, where is it?” “Where’s what?” “That red-eyed beast.” “You must have had a bad dream!” “No, it wasn’t a dream.” My mother ignores me and walks away. “Get up and get ready for school,” she yells as she walks downstairs. I look at my clock. It’s 7:50 a.m. already. School starts in thirty minutes! As I get dressed, I remember that it’s my birthday, so I put on a teal shirt with jeans. I go to the bathroom and do my hair, and then I run downstairs to eat breakfast. I keep thinking about my dream as I walk to school. I even think about it as my class sings me “Happy Birthday.” At lunch, Lizzy reminds me that we were having a birthday sleepover tonight. Only then could I forget about the dream. On my walk home with Alice, we talk about what we are going to do at the party. We walk through my front door to find balloons and streamers all over the house. Around 7:30 pm, all of the boys and girls start to show up. We play truth or dare, capture the flag, and hide and seek. In the midst of all this, we have dinner and one of the biggest cakes we had ever seen. It is seven layers tall with light blue frosting and 120

gold swirls all over it. After cake, all the boys leave and it is movie time. We watch my favorite movie, Now You See Me. Everyone loves it. When we go to bed, I have a hard time falling asleep. Once I do, I dream that Alice and I had walked in my front door and it was dark and droopy. In the middle of the darkness was the cake from my party. As we approached the cake, my parents popped up from behind it and surprised us! My parents pushed the cake towards me. I went to look at it, and the red-eyed beast jumped out of the cake! My parents turned into zombies, and Alice turned into a werewolf. “What’s going on?” I thought to myself as I ran out of the house and down the street. What happens next is up to you. My life is in your hands.

THE TURTLE WHO WANTED TO BE DIFFERENT Marielle Jennings Grade 4, Boise

I live in an egg. Yeah, it’s pretty small in here. It’s like being crammed in a grain of sand. The walls are covered with drawings of what my mom looks like. I’ve heard that all turtles are green, but when I hatch, I want to be different. I’ve heard that turtles move slow, but I want to move fast like a cheetah. Uh-oh, I’m being squished! It’s getting too small in here! I have to get out! I bang my head against the wall. Finally, CRACK. My egg breaks. I’m free! I’m free! Before I can celebrate…Where am I? I’m on a beach! Look, purple lilacs. I look at my flippers - I am a purple turtle! 121

BEAT Sylver Schachtell Grade 9, Boise

My eyes flicker open. My sight blurred with tears from the previous night allows me only to see darkness. A rush of adrenaline brings me to my feet. Realizing I was surrounded by branches reaching for my aching waist, dead leaves jumping into my tangled hair and roots crawling through my toes, I run. After running for what seemed like days, but I knew it had not been a minute, the adrenaline leaks from my bruised skin and I stop. My memory slowly being fed back confuses me. Flashbacks of how I became black and blue in a mismatched order left my questions unanswered. I take a breath. The cold air burns my throat.

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My memory then fully clear. “I’m never going back” I whisper to myself, lay down, and let the brush beneath absorb my blood.

HORSE Kana Takagi Grade 7, Boise

A cool wind blew, the sky was blue, looking out the window, a light brown horse with a dark brown mane was waiting under the shade. It was enjoying the coolness of the wind and shade in the beginning of the summer, waiting for her nice, yellow hay lunch. As I picked up the full stack of hay and walked towards the calm horse, she ran towards me with a joyfulness like little kids running towards the toyshop. With a fast speed of eating, she finished. She started to run across the foothills, and she ran with the fastest speed she’d ever ran, then came back to me to horseback ride. I prepared to horseback ride. With me, she trotted.

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SAVED Emilee Brugger Grade 8, Meridian

Tears filled my hazel eyes while thoughts of my dad flooded my memory. “He’s dead,” I whisper to myself, which sent more tears streaming down my face. My body ached, my chest felt as though there were a gaping canyon in my heart. I don’t know why he was murdered. My dad never did anything wrong. I stood up. Walking to my mirror was challenging. I haven’t cleaned my room since he died. My mom says I act like I’m dead, and I guess I haven’t been myself lately. When I glanced in the mirror, I had to look away. I was quite a sight. I had black rings under my eyes, and my long brown hair was like a rat’s nest. I shuffled to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. The stream of water was as cold as a child’s grasp. I filled up my hands and—splash!— threw the water in my face. Patting my face dry, I walked to my closet. I picked a pair of jeans and a blouse with quarter-length sleeves. I fixed my hair into a ponytail. I didn’t even bother to put on makeup. “Emiko Anne Whitt! You get down here right now! You’re going to be late for school!” “Coming, Mom!” I shouted back. She’s always so paranoid, protecting me as though I’m an only child. What about Benny? Away at college, she never babied him. “Emiko, NOW!” Mom yelled, and with that, I ran down the stairs. “Crap!” I screamed on the middle of the staircase. “Honey, what’s wrong?” my mom asked in a silky tone. My eyes were burning, turning on the waterworks, and no, it wasn’t from stubbing my toe. My four-foot-tall mother ran up the stairs, her short blonde hair bouncing and big brown eyes filling with worry. “Honey, I know it’s hard with your father gone, but you have to finish finals week, okay sweetheart?” It took all my strength to nod. “Mom?” I said between sniffles. “Yes, sweetheart?” “Can I use your car? I don’t feel like walking to school today.” 124

“Sure, I got you a doughnut for breakfast.” I thanked my mom and grabbed the doughnut. I wrapped my fingers around my mom’s cold keys, quickly clutched my backpack and sprinted through the lawn. I got in the car. My hair was soaked. It had started to rain. I live in a small town in Maine, so I was used to it. I sat in the car and locked the doors. Staring out into the dreary sky sent me the feeling of loneliness. I’m like a wolf, alone, expected to fend for myself in this dying world. I finally started the engine and backed out of the driveway. Unsheltered and forced to live while all odds are against him, the poor, struggling wolf dies alone and unloved. I’m a wolf, unsure of where I belong.

THE POEM OF THE WORLD Abigail Peck Grade 4, Boise

I am a baby rabbit looking for a carrot. I am the rippling water when you throw a rock. I am the sound of a log rocking. I am the sound of a stick breaking. I am a beautiful blue flower. I am the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. I am yellow moss. I am orange moss. I am the smooth texture of a rock being skipped. I am the mustaches being drawn. I am a line forming into a baby hamster. I am the voice of Annelise, like jiggling pudding. I am the fresh snow in winter being skied on. I am pasta being cooked. I am the sound of cherries being picked.

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TO BE A RIVER Olivia Green Grade 5, Boise

To be a river you must expect that not everybody respects you. To be a river you must except that the wind doesn’t always go your direction. To be a river you must learn that some humans swim in your water and you may learn to enjoy it. You must learn that everybody thinks you’re just water. But you and I know that’s not true. Us rivers, we actually have feelings. Most of the time I am mad. Why you ask? Because people don’t respect me. A fairly friendly sea monster haunts my water. Her name is Sunny. Nobody knows she’s there except you.

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Sunny is a beautiful monster. Though I never get along with her. She always tickles my feet, when she slithers along my floor. But, oh, how great it is to be a river. I love to be one, But would you like it too?

NATURE Kyra Cronin Grade 5, Boise

Sit back, relax. The birds sing their song. Long blades of grass sway gently in the breeze. The clouds overhead slowly drift past. The world is silent, nothing moves. A bird chirps, the silence is broken.

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MY SHYNESS-BUBBLE Annelise Jennings Grade 5, Boise

My shyness is stubborn and annoying. It stalks me everywhere I go. I can’t see my shyness, but I can feel it in my mind. When I am nervous, my shyness-bubble takes over. Sometimes my bubble is huge, and it steals my words, but the only thing that escapes is “Hi.” When my shyness-bubble loses its size, I feel better, but I still wish I had tried harder to say something else. Each time, it is in the past, and I can’t do anything about it. I sometimes try to hide my shyness and force a few more words out of my little mouth. But my bubble is really big and bossy. One day, I tried to run away from my little shyness-bubble. When I stopped for a break, I felt it over my head. Once, I tried to think my shyness-bubble into blowing up! That didn’t work very well. I guess I will just have to get used to it. I just know I will someday soon!

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THE BEAUTY OF NATURE Keira Holder Grade 4, Boise

I am the Siberian tiger that stalks around the woods. I am the sea foam sage that gnarls on the mountain. I am the glisten of the wild roses that surround the beetles. I am the growl of the mountain lion. I am the shadow of a soaring red-tailed hawk. I am the blazes of the red hot sun. I am the ultra-soft cotton billowing in the breeze. I am Keira H., writer of nature.

THE SHOCKED PORCUPINE Anoushka Naidu Grade 4, Boise

Hello, I’m a porcupine. Today was supposed to be my birthday. I realized none of my friends were coming. I went to check my emails. I have my very own account because I’m fourteen. I found an email from Ant saying no one is coming. I was as shocked as a zapping computer! My quills stuck out everywhere. Then I went to check my text messages. Hawk said she was having her nails done. Lizard said she was at her Grandma’s house. Beetle said she was on a scavenger hunt. Rabbit said she was out shopping with her mom. Cat said she was getting her fur dyed. Horse said she was getting dresses for a different party. Now I was as shocked as a cat with no food for a month. Now my poor mom had to pick up my quills. She turned them into pens. Mom said we could have my party next week. Good thing we cancelled the pizza and cake! The bad thing is I’m not shocked anymore, I am angry and mad!

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THE EGG Siddharth Naidu Grade 6, Boise

We live in an egg. Yep, you heard me, an egg. But it actually isn’t that bad. We have an Xbox 360, a Jacuzzi, and tons of space. Also, we can fly in all of this sticky goo in here. We have heard that we are in a place humans call a “zoo.” We think that sometimes us ostriches die out there. We are scared that we might die out there when we hatch, if we hatch. Today our Xbox 360 and Jacuzzi stopped working and we didn’t have a mechanic. So you know what we did? We got out. There is no point in staying in an egg with no video games. We chucked all of our things at the wall. CRACK! We are free! We stepped out of our cracked egg and looked around. Humans stare at us in awe. We decided to surprise the humans even more. We started dancing. OOOOOOH! Maybe we won’t die in the zoo.

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THE STORY OF SURVIVAL Megan Bass Grade 5, Boise

Hi, I’m Michael Vongola. I’m stuck out in this stupid wilderness, and I am panicking like crazy! So, you want to know how I got here? Here’s the story. I was just reading my favorite book, Leven Thumps, under my favorite tree in Oak Park by my house. I was getting ready to head back to my house when I heard a strange noise like someone was creeping up behind me. So, of course, I turned around with a frightened face, and no one was behind me. Then I heard a stick snap, and as fast as I could, I turned around and found the weirdest and creepiest thing ever. It was a goblin. It was one foot tall; it had only two teeth but two sharp teeth. I’d never seen a goblin before so I didn’t know if I was supposed to say “Hi” or run away. I chose to run away, and I took a sip of my energy drink and charged as fast as a mad rhino. The only problem was I charged the wrong way. I was supposed to go left, but I sprinted right. So now I am lost and stuck with the goblin. The worst thing about it is he ate all of my marshmallows and veggies, and he can’t even say a word besides “pineapple.” The lucky thing is he is nice, and I hid the Oreos and the fruit in a secret pocket in my backpack, so it is mine. Every once in a while, I hear my brother and mother screaming at me. I hear my dog bark and my dad playing his guitar. I am trying to head home, but all I see is one tree. Wait, but is that the tree from the park I was at? I run there and it is. I have to run back because the goblin is the slowest thing alive, so I give him a piggyback ride to my house. Then I see my dog and know I am home.

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MY LIFE IN AN EGG Samuel Withers Grade 4, Marsing

I live in a falcon egg. It is very small, and I don’t have room to move. I hear the sound of the wind blowing against my egg. I’ve always dreamed what it’s like outside my egg. I have heard many things about the world, but I still have questions. Is the world flat or is it round? Are there other creatures besides me? But now I am too big for my egg. I try to get out but the walls are too thick! I try banging against it and finally, it cracks open. I look at the world around me, and it is not what I expected. This world made my egg feel like a piece of dust. There were creatures not like me. The sky was blue and green grass swayed in the wind. I was very glad I wasn’t in my egg anymore.

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LAZY Evan Robertson Grade 7, Boise

Being lazy is like being a tree. Only moving to the wind, or the TV, or the potato chips. Having leaves rustling or a burp, or a sigh. Having a thick skin of bark, or fat, or of the mind. Only moving when cut down, or scared, or by willpower. And when the tree falls, you can plant another or walk away.

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TEMPORARY HOME Chloe Yraguen Grade 8, Nampa

It’s been three days since I’ve been stranded here, and I don’t think I have much time left. I’ve been hiking without rest, and the last of my water is gone. I’m getting ready to look for a stream so I can build a shelter right next to it. I pack my things and go. As I’m walking, something growls behind me. Caught off guard, I fall to the ground and grab a branch lying there. I spin around just to find a ferocious, wild dog snarling at me. He looks like he is about three feet tall and four feet long. He has black fur that is incredibly thick and sharp yellow teeth that look like they could cut through anything. Around his lips is some foam and saliva dripping onto his fur, leaving droplets all over his chest. Slowly, I stand up with my branch and wait for him to pounce. His legs move so fast it is hard to make them out, but I am prepared. With my branch, I hit his neck and knock him down. He lies there for a few minutes, and I decide that he is unconscious. With only a fraction of time, I run. After about twenty minutes, I stop. At my feet is a stream of water that is about one foot deep. Desperately, I collapse and throw my head down, taking gulps of what lies before me. After I am satisfied, I gather things to make shelter. With me, I have two blankets and a small pillow. I settle by a tree and manage to make a roof out of my larger blanket. I then start to collect loose branches to make a fence around me. If there are any more dogs around, I need to be safe. After about ten more minutes, my temporary home is complete. I go back to the place where I discovered the dog because I saw a few things that would manage as weapons. When I get there, the dog is still unconscious, but this time I notice that its neck is covered with blood. I guess I hit him harder than I thought. Guilty, I sling him over my shoulder, grab a few branches, and start for my home. I can now feel his blood on my shoulder. Cautiously, I set him onto the ground. I wait for him to attack, but he doesn’t. I collect anything that might help stop the bleeding. I grab at twigs, leaves, and tall grass. I wrap everything around his neck 134

to keep pressure on it. His eyes are half-open, and I can feel him trembling. I run my fingers through his fur, embracing the heat coming off of his skin. I slide my arms under his abdomen and lift him onto my shoulders. I know thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not much time left. As I walk back, the air seems to be getting thicker around me. His body weight is overbearing and my knees are about to buckle beneath me. Just when I am going to collapse, we are home. I realize that he will need a name. Xander. Yes, Xander will do. I lay him on my floor, waiting for something to happen. I go outside to assemble weapons. With a rock, I sharpen the branches, every move being precise. Once my bow and arrow are finished, I go to check on Xander. He is up and moving. I leave him to hunt and come back with fish from the stream. I toss him two. He devours them in only seconds. Xander and I become very close. He goes out hunting with me every day and protects me whenever anything comes near me. We are out in the meadow. We hear something. Men are yelling and twigs are snapping. The snapping comes closer and closer and my heart is beating faster and faster! Xander senses my excitement and whines and barks. Two minutes go by before I see a face appear behind the trees. Then ten faces. It is a search party. They are all men dressed in red jackets with first aid kits in their hands. Without saying anything, I grab Xander and join them. They take us to a helicopter about two miles away, and we load my things. I throw my arms around his neck and feel a sense of relief fall over me like a blanket. We are going home.

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ABANDONED! Aaron Orenstein Grade 6, Boise

Abandoned! A lion, the size of a car, attacked me and my group. Our group leader abandoned me, and I have no idea where everyone else is. I started hiking in the middle of nowhere. There are lots of rocks, plants, and sticks. I saw a black butterfly approaching. “Hi, little butterfly!” I called out, and then I realized it was not so little. In fact, it was as big as a bald eagle. Its wings brushed me, and I cried out “Ow!” looking down to see blood. Its wings were razor-sharp! I turned around to see it flying towards my neck. Suddenly, a white horse jumped out and ate it. On closer inspection, I saw that it looked like a unicorn but with a flower instead of a horn! “Hello!” it said. “Thank you for distracting that razorwing butterfly so I could catch it.” “You’re welcome, but w-what are you?” I stammered. “I am a uniflower. Unicorns are uniflowers’ distant relatives,” it informed me. “And in gratitude, I will give you this flower on my head. When you get to the man-eating plant, hold the flower over your face, and it will not harm you.” With that, it plucked the flower, which instantly regrew, off its head, gave it to me, and galloped off. I hiked for two more days before I saw the man-eating flower, which I decided to call Colossus because of its colossal size. I walked by it with the flower held high and passed by unharmed. As I continued along, I encountered fog. I kept walking, and suddenly, I felt the ground give way beneath me. As I fell, I thought I would surely die. I felt myself land on something cushiony, and I slipped into unconsciousness…

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WHAT TO DO ON A SILVER OCEAN Adelaide Barrett Grade 4, Boise

I use my eyes and ears. I see a silver ocean in the middle of the day. I hear the elegant waves crashing on the sandy shore. I hear the songbirds singing. I look into the tree next door. I swear I see a lizard. I imagine it’s a crocodile. I hear roaring in my ears. I jump into the silver ocean, water cold as ice. My pants and shirt are drenched. I jump back when I see an elegant water snake, gliding through the silver sea. I sigh as my mom calls me for lunch. I sit down at a picnic table. I splash A1 sauce on my chicken. I pop a berry in my mouth, it tastes sweet. I eat my chicken, it tastes savory.

INSIDE OF A FLOWER’S CENTER Helen Kilgo Grade 5, Eagle

Go inside a flower’s center, and slide down its green, mucousy walls, smell the silk being produced, take in all of its beauty from a kaleidoscope to the outside world. Go to its fresh-flour bakeries and enjoy Mozzarella cheese baguettes. The sweet flower pollen makes a great pancake syrup on a bright Sunday morning with my BFF Addie. Go inside a flower’s center and hopefully you’ll see the beauty I see.

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LOST Brooke Warthen Grade 6, Boise

One day, Kat and her family were camping in the desert. Kat’s mom was only days away from having a baby, and she wasn’t feeling well. So they left. Kat was cactus-picking cacti fruit, and her parents packed up and left without her. She was left with a lighter, three logs of wood, two bird feathers, and two pieces of sausage – er, never mind, only one. She ate one. She used the jacket around her waist as a blanket, the two feathers to help as a pillow. She slept on a small hill made of sand. She woke up with a huge backache. She could see the bright lights of Vegas. It was seventy miles away. She gazed at the burning hot sun. She slowly walked towards the Vegas lights. A cloud covered the sun and made it cooler. Kat sighed with relief and laid against a rock. She was starving and thirsty. She hummed and picked some cactus fruit from a nearby cactus. She ate some and watched the sun set behind the hills. She lay down her jacket and slept on a hill made of sand that looked like a volcano. It was a red anthill. She woke up in the morning covered in ants. She sighed and let the ants pinch away. She gathered her jacket and started walking across the scorching, oven-like desert. She planted her head in the sand and had her legs drag her along. She reached a part of the desert where there was no plant life: just air, sand, the sun, some snakes, some birds of prey, and some cow skulls. Back in Vegas, Kat’s mother had her baby and was resting in hospital room 223. Her father was calling the local police because Kat was missing. Nobody in Vegas had seen her. Her father cried into his hands, filled with gambling money. The baby cried with his dad. Kat was starving and imagining all the food she missed at home, which came from her father’s gambling money. Her dad was good at winning bets. After all, they lived in Vegas. Kat dragged her crinkled body, dry as a potato chip, into a cactus. She had three thorns, two beetles, and nineteen red ants in her hair. She walked around the cactus and kept walking. She still had sixty miles to go until Vegas. She groaned and stared at the sun. She breathed heavily, and a tear ran down her face. When it hit the ground, 138

it automatically dried up. She kept walking. Kat’s baby brother was already one month old by the time Kat reached her twenty-seventh mile. Kat had been missing for one month and a week. By then, her parents gave up all hope. Kat’s face was still on the news, in the newspaper, and on missing kid fliers. All of Vegas had been looking for her, but all they found were pieces of her clothing. The Church of Las Vegas decided she was dead and held a funeral for her. They had a Christmas wreath with a sash across it reading “Kat Everwood.” The majority of Vegas showed up. Kat walked through the desert, her head hanging low. She lost a fight to a desert fox and a rattlesnake. She had two holes in her arm and ankle. She knew she only had seconds to go. She walked slowly. She was covered in scratches, bruises, ants, snake holes, two beetles, and some cactus needles. She was ready for death a long time ago. There was a distant voice in her head that kept saying “Come to me, child. Your time on Earth is finished.” Her head burned like an oven, her skin as red as a desert rose, and she fell to the ground. She held her hand out ever so slightly. She took her last breath of air. Her spirit ascended like a dove into heaven. She only had five more miles to go. She was so close to home. It was only two years later that a group of hikers found her and laid her in a tomb of sand and stone. They laid a desert flower next to her grave and continued on. She was known in history as the longest desert walker in the state of Nevada to walk across the desert with nothing.

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ALONE Aidan Wren Borders Grade 7, Boise

A vast, open plain stretched before me as I gazed out onto it, searching desperately for a familiar face. I saw none. The meadow was sprinkled with wildflowers, like pepper on an omelet, and chest-high grass was swaying in the wind. “Where are they?” I whispered. I knew the way back to the Learning Center, but I wasn’t sure I could make it there alone. I sat down, deep in thought, and tried to figure out a way to contact someone. The first thought that came to mind was my phone. “No,” I thought. “No service.” So, after wasting about a half hour thinking about how to contact someone, I stood up, ready to walk back to the Learning Center. It was a long and uneventful walk before I came to my first obstacle, a giant. He was big, almost as big as the tree standing next to him. He was bald, but there was hair growing on every other part of his body. He had yellow, sickly skin and red pupils. He stomped towards me, and I threw a rock in his face. He grunted, but didn’t falter. “HELP!” I yelled before running straight under his legs. Obviously, he wasn’t very smart because he cocked his head and started searching for me in front of him not behind him. I slipped quietly away. Again, I walked along straight trails, winding trails, and boring trails. When I was walking along one lined with bushes, I saw a small, long figure in front of me: a snake. It had fangs glistening with poison and a long, rope-like body that was orange as an apricot. It was about forty-five feet away, and in about a second, it was by me, ready to strike. As I puzzled over how I could beat this monster, it let out a long, rasping hiss. I screamed. It winced and hissed again. It was scared. I screamed again, louder this time, and continued the scream louder. With the flick of its neon orange tail, it disappeared. I shaded my eyes and glared up at the sun. It was dropping: sunset.

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THE MEAN OAK TREE Daisy Seibert Grade 4, Boise

Here I am walking in the foothills when an oak tree says, “Hi Daisy, nice to see you again.” “What do you mean, I’ve never met you.” “In your dreams you have.” “No I haven’t.” “Oh yeah, my bad, I’m in your worst nightmares.” Then the tree stretched out his branches, grabbed my arms, and pulled me towards him. “No, please, I’m sorry!” “Stop it!” yelled a nice tree. Then she started throwing her apples at him, but he still didn’t stop. The hours went by slowly. I was so hungry and thirsty. Then I grew pale and skinny. Then one day I passed away. Then there was an army of nice trees. They all hit the mean oak tree and pulled his roots out. Three days later, he died.

WHY? Allyson Selander Grade 5, Boise

I am the butterfly flying through the trees. I land on the dry leaves with a soft CRINKLE Crinkle crinkle… I glance up and all I see are the lush smooth green leaves. With a deep breath and not a sound, I glide up and land on one of Mother Earth’s arms. I stare deep into her kind eyes and ask her why, why am I a butterfly? She answers with a smile. Fly up and you will see why, why you are a butterfly. I obeyed and she calls up after me and I see the beauty of it all. That’s why, why you are a butterfly.

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OFF BROADWAY Blah, blah, blah Toyota Corolla, nonsense, nonsense, pretty leprechauns, gibberish, gibberish, rainbows and unicorns, blah, blah. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; FAYE WILBUR, Grade 8

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE Sammy Millward Grade 6, Boise NARRATOR “The dead are among us,” said the mayor over the radio. I had an idea as a 20-year-old botanist. I had started working on a project to create new plants. I finally created a new seed. The peashooter. A pea gun: green, four leaves on a head, three on its sprout. It shoots peas at zombies. Soon, a problem arose: peashooters take a few hours to grow to full size. Soon, I had a solution: sunflower. That would help them grow to their full size fast. After months, I made a walnut-cherry bomb, snow pea potato-mine repeater, chomper mushrooms for the night, and a grave-buster to destroy graves. Zombies come from “AMM” I said to myself. What about the backyard? Then I made a lily pad with three-peater tangle kelp, spike-weed squash, tall nut and jalapeno. “Good,” I said as I began to make a sea-shroom, magnet-shroom, plantern blover, pumpkin, split pea, and cactus. The next day, I made a flower pot cabbage-pult, kernal-pult, melon-pult, coffee bean, umbrella leaf and marigold. “Good.”

145

MISSING

Bella Williams Grade 6, Boise MONA It all happened one afternoon while I was upstairs packing for Angelina and myself to go to Manhattan, our dream vacation. I was packing Angelina’s teddy bear, her favorite since she was a baby, when I heard a loud slam, like a window. Then I heard a scream. A loud scream. Then footsteps, followed by silence. I ran downstairs, only to see the window shattered to pieces and my daughter gone. “No!” I scream. Then I saw a basket. Inside was a page of phone numbers and addresses, some postcards, some matches, and a sealed envelope. Strange. Looking everywhere for my daughter, I sat down and cried. I looked down at the table and saw a book called I Go Walking in My Sleep. Interesting. I had never seen this book before. Suddenly, I heard crackling. I looked behind me, and I saw flames. Big ones. I screamed and ran upstairs, only to find more flames. I was trapped on the stairs. I dodged flames to get some personal belongings, even though I knew I shouldn’t. I got to my room, which was bursting in flames. I got to my suitcase and grabbed a couple things like shirts, pants, dresses, the teddy bear that belonged to my daughter, and my wallet. I ran back down to the kitchen, where I found a backpack. I took the kidnapper’s basket and stuffed it in there, along with food, blankets and my personal belongings. I found my phone on the couch and put it in my pocket. I was running out of time. I looked upstairs and it collapsed, sending wood and metal flying down towards me. I ran, dodging it just barely, but getting a burn on my leg. I screamed in pain as I struggle to get to the door. 146

BEEF SANDWICH Olivia Jones Grade 5, Boise OLIVIA I had a sandwich: buttermilk bread, green olives, mustard, Swiss cheese, tomatoes and beef. I went to the sandwich shop—Duh ! Where else would I get my sandwiches? The cashier said, “Any more cheeses?” “NO!” I screamed.“How dare you accuse me of betraying my cheeses? Who do you think I am, the cheese betrayer? SO! What do you have to say for yourself?” “That will be $6.99 at the next window.”

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THE HAT: AN EXCERPT

Samantha Schabot Grade 6, Meridian JENNIFER and LIONELL walk into the old printer’s shop. JENNIFER Everything is so...dusty. LIONELL Yuck. Oh, this would be the best thing for our exhibit! LIONELL runs over to the printer. LIONELL R. Hoe & Co. New York, Number 3587! Jen! It’s perfect! Jen? Jennifer! I found this great printer and...What’s that? A hat.

JENNIFER

LIONELL A lame hat. I mean, look! The corners are torn, there is a hole in the top, and it’s just hideous! JENNIFER It was my great-great-great-grandfather’s hat! Jen, the printer!

LIONELL

JENNIFER You take that silly printer! We were allowed one thing that was valuable and I, for one, 148

think this is valuable. LIONELL Jen, you may think it’s valuable, but what if the museum manager doesn’t? This is our big chance! We could be-JENNIFER What? Famous? Rich? Yes!

LIONELL A picture frame falls and shatters.

LIONELL Oh, look at what you’ve done? JENNIFER I didn’t do anything! LIONELL Right. Let’s take the printer and that thing and leave.

Not so fast.

GHOST off stage

JENNIFER Very funny, Lionell! LIONELL I’m not doing anything! JENNIFER Don’t make me hug you and go all damsel in distress. GHOST SILENCE! 149

Lionell and Jen hug. GHOST appears. GHOST That’s my daddy’s hat; I died in it! I intend to keep it. LIONELL Okay, we’ll just leave with the printer… JENNIFER Shut up about the exhibit! GHOST No! My Daddy made people rich with that printer! Leave! JENNIFER takes the hat. Now!

GHOST JENNIFER runs away. LIONELL drags the printer toward the door.

Lionell!

JENNIFER

LIONELL Money, Jen, millions! LIONELL is trapped there forever.

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THE LIFE STORY OF PICNIC BASKET Faye Wilbur Grade 8, Boise NARRATOR 1 Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Picnic Basket and a handsome prince named Psycho Serial Axe Murderer II (or P.S.A.M. II for short). Well, it so happened that P.B. was madly in love with P.S.A.M. II, and he loved her back, and so with permission from their parents, who were all coincidently named Seventeen Magazine, they were wed and lived happily ever af— NARRATOR 2 (interrupts) Hold it, hold it, hold it. Really, do you guys ever read your script? I—

NARRATOR 1

NARRATOR 2 (interrupts) Thought so! ‘Cause the gibberish you were spoutin’ doesn’t even come close to what you were s’pose to be talkin’ ‘bout. You were s’pose to say how it all goes wrong a few days before the weddin’. There’s a fire; that crazy P.S.A.M. II kills P.B.’s parents and then his own, frames lil’ ol’ P.B. for the murder, and she’s exiled from the kingdom. Blah, blah, blah Toyota Corolla, nonsense, nonsense, pretty leprechauns, gibberish, gibberish, rainbows and unicorns, blah, blah. And, Mr. Crazy Prince suddenly finds himself with two kingdoms, no strings attached. NARRATOR 1 Oh…um…I do apologize. You see, I never got my script an—

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NARRATOR 2 (interrupts) Yea, yea. Excuses, excuses. Let me guess; your excuse for being fat and slow is “I eat in my sleep.” NARRATOR 1 (turns up nose) I…I’m not f-fat…I’m…I’m just…big boned. Umfh. NARRATOR 2 (rolls eyes) Mmmhmm. That’s what they all say. Anyway, start the story. The audience is startin’ to get impatient. NARRATOR 1 Oh yes, um, quite sorry. Ah-hem. And so we join our princess heartbroken without a crumb of food or a penny in her pocket on the steps of a cathedral, in what you might call “a situation.”

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HALLUCINATIONS: A Monologue Nicole Allen Grade 9, Boise What’s wrong with you?! He lifted his head and tore his gaze away from the beer that rested on the wooden counter. He spotted his best friend holding his lover in a headlock and screaming threats into her ear. He ignored them, simply because it happened everyday. They were probably arguing about something as petty as spilling a single drop of their booze. As he pondered why they couldn’t get along, a heavy weight dropped in his lap. Hi! I’m Colby! A face grinned up at him. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he pushed Colby off of himself. Before Colby could protest, a piece of wood larger than Colby, slammed onto the poor man sprawled out on the woefully filthy and now bloody floor. An ear-shattering scream echoed throughout the whole bar, followed by a wail of despair. That triggered every single person in there to get sucked into the depths of chaos. He snatched the collar of his lover’s shirt and tugged. She barely dodged another part of the broken ceiling. Finn! His name sounded almost inaudible despite the fact that it was yelled into his face. He suddenly felt wood against instantly-cracked bones. The strong scent of wine filled his nostrils and blood trickled past his parted lips. It wasn’t long before death claimed him. 153

MONOLOGUE OF THE FUZZY BURRITO Delaney Vatcher Grade 8, Star Oh, the warm gooey mess of black that warms whatever it touches. The small bits of heaven that become a savory mix. Along with the crisp green and melted splendor wrapped in a soft, delightful blanket. How I wish I could have this. The chunk of heaven. A masterpiece of the name. To have this would be a lifetime of happiness. But alas, the Mexican diners are closed, and I will not get a fuzzy burrito.

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THE ATTEMPTED ROBBERY OF THE GOLDEN PICNIC BASKET Abby Wallace Grade 7, Boise Scene 1 NATE and JEN are in front of a bank Are you ready? You bet!

NATE JEN

NATE (shoving JEN forward) Then go! This golden picnic basket is only unguarded for seven minutes while the guards eat lunch. JEN uses a bobby pin to pick the lock. NATE Good job. Now you want to go to the Seventeen Magazine vault, set off the alarm, and climb out. JEN I know, I know. We went over this, like, 500 times. Jen gets inside, only to discover a fire. JEN Ahh! Nate! There’s a fire! Help!

Come on, let’s (sees fire)

NATE with picnic basket 155

Ahhh! Fire! Guards! Help! Guard arrives with police officer. NATE Oh good! My sister’s trapped! The officer puts out the fire. Thank you soooo—

Oh, right.

NATE Officer handcuffs NATE. NATE Scene 2 NATE, JEN, and OFFICER are outside.

NATE Whoa! Is that a police car? OFFICER Well, it’s not a Toyota Corolla. They all get in the car. JEN Is there any food in here? NATE How can you be hungry at a time like this? JEN I’m always hungry. I eat in my sleep. 156

NATE So that’s where the Cheerios went. Do you eat every night? JEN

Yep.

NATE What about that time we got locked out and slept on the cathedral steps? JEN There was an all-night bakery across the street. Wow. You’re good. (flips hair) I know.

NATE JEN

Scene 3 NATE and JEN are in a jail cell. This sucks. Definitely.

JEN NATE

JEN So, what will we tell Mom and Dad? The truth? Nah!

NATE NATE and JEN together. 157

BURGLAR BLUNDER Lauren Britton Grade 8, Eagle BURGLAR 1

Turn left up here.

‘Kay.

They are both sitting. BURGLAR 2 Mimes turning a steering wheel right.

BURGLAR 1 No you idiot! Left! Grabs the wheel and turns it left. Sorry!

BURGLAR 2 Grabs the steering wheel again.

BURGLAR 1 Ugh, whatever. Make a left, err a right, up here. ‘Kay.

Stop driving. What?

BURGLAR 2 Turns the “wheel” right. BURGLAR 1 BURGLAR 2 Continues driving.

158

BURGLAR 1 (covers her head) Put your foot on the brake! We’re gonna run into the bank! BURGLAR 2 (puts foot on brake) Oh. BURGLAR 1 (lifts head) Good, we’re stopped. Here’s the bank. You remember the plan, right? BURGLAR 2 Yep. Enter through the front right. (interrupts) Left!

BURGLAR

BURGLAR 2 Right, left window. Then I make it to the safe. BURGLAR 1 Good. See you later. Lights dim. The sound of breaking glass is heard. BURGLAR 2 is sitting in a chair reading. Such a good read…

BURGLAR 2 Breaking Glass is heard. He looks up.

Oh, time to…hostages! 159

Pulls out his gun and sneaks into a room. Hands up! This is a robbery! BURGLAR 1 What are you doing? Hostages…

BURGLAR 2

BURGLAR 1 This is a bank! It’s closed, nobody besides us is here! BURGLAR 2 Oh…um…There’s a fire! BURGLAR 1 Uh oh. Ugh, stay here and keep watch! I’ll open the safe! OK!

BURGLAR 2 Steps forward and sets off an alarm trip wire.

BURGLAR 1 grabs money and face plants Ugh! You’re on your own! Runs off. Oh…

BURGLAR 2 Sirens sound.

POLICE OFFICER This is the police! Come out with your hands up! 160

BURGLAR 2

What should I do? Come out now!

POLICE OFFICER BURGLAR 2 Runs up the stairs and hides.

Find your happy place…I eat in my sleep. Rocks back and forth.

I eat in my sleep.

POLICE OFFICER Walks in. Hands up! You’re coming with me! Shoot.

BURGLAR 2 They exit and Burglar 1 sits on steps. She looks around.

BURGLAR 1 Should I have left him there? I guess not. Eh, whatever. I got out with one million dollars! Holds up money as a police officer runs up. POLICE OFFICER This is the police! BURGLAR 1 Is that all you ever say? POLICE OFFICER What? No! This is the police!

161

Exactly!

BURGLAR 1

POLICE OFFICER Shut up! You’re under arrest for stealing from the bank! BURGLAR 1 That’s new! Wait, what?! Arrest! I didn’t steal anything! POLICE OFFICER Your partner led us to you! Of course he did…

162

BURGLAR 1

DAVID AND THE EVIL FOOD HOARDER Bailey Humphrey Grade 8, Boise Scene 2 David enters an old fashioned bar. Once again, he is hungry. DAVID Do you have any food? BARTENDER (pointing) Yeah, just sit over there. David goes over to a table and sits down. He wrinkles his nose up in disgust as the waitress comes over. What’s wrong? What’s that smell?

WAITRESS DAVID

WAITRESS (sniffs, looks worried) I don’t know. May I take your order? DAVID I’ll have a cheeseburger. She nods and then leaves. Suddenly, a small hedgehog wanders into the bar. 163

BARTENDER Whose hedgehog is this?! It’s mine.

MAN

BARTENDER Leave! You know that animals aren’t allowed! They begin arguing. In the distance, DAVID is enjoying his cheeseburger when the hedgehog comes over with an envelope. DAVID Hmm…who could this be from? He opens it and reads as he pets the hedgehog. DAVID (reading aloud) “I requested that you received this immediately and you must come at once. Come to 1314 Main Street.” Hmm… He leaves money on the table and exits.

164

BREAKING FREE Jack Bonnelycke Grade 8, Eagle Scene 1 What is this place?

JAKE

INTERCOM Scene #100632001 Chinese Temple JAKE This isn’t so bad; it’s kind of relaxing! The nice smell of the incense and all of the pretty decorations. Wait, whose pet hedgehog is that? INTERCOM Subject # 263, 5% insane. JAKE No Jake! Fight the insanity! There is no hedgehog; it’s just a beautiful temple. DOCTOR #2 Sir! Three of the insifiers have fallen off! DOCTOR #1 Dang it! He’s gaining willpower! Give him another injection. Scene 2 JAKE AH! Cockroaches everywhere! They’re eating the temple; soon it will be gone! I have to squish the roaches! 165

INTERCOM Subject # 263, 73% normal. JAKE Yes! I am winning! Wait, there are more?! DOCTOR 2 He’s close, Sir! Soon he will be conscious! DOCTOR 1 Give him all we got! Scene 3 JAKE What’s happening? Everything is going whacko! Control it Jake! This is just a dream, and in dreams, anything can happen! Home! Even Grandma’s famous cherry pie! Mmm yum, so good! DOCTOR 1 All we can do now is hold him down! JAKE Reality! You know, you doctors are really mean. Karate kick! Ow!

DOCTOR 1 and DOCTOR 2

JAKE You’re next intercom! INTERCOM Z…Affirmit…abzf7&L…All doors unlock…You know, I always say the easiest solution is the best solution, and I have to admit, you are hard to destroy. Bye-bye. Freedom! 166

JAKE

A GRAVEYARD ADVENTURE Lauren Davis Grade 7, Boise Alexa walked through the graveyard on a dark evening. She bent down to look at a particularly ornate gravestone. Ellen A. White. 1834-1911, it read. She kept walking through the eerie place. Suddenly a boy stepped out from behind a large headstone. Alexa jumped, saw the boy and laughed. “You startled me,” she said. “Sorry,” the boy said. “Oh, that’s fine,” Alexa replied. She kept walking, as did the boy. While she was looking at a gravestone, a skeletal hand came up through the frost bitten grass! “Ahhh!” Alexa screamed. The hand grabbed her ankle with an iron hard grip. The boy ran towards her just as she fell. The boy grabbed her arms and tried to yank her from the corpse’s grip. He finally did, but as it let go, it painfully wrenched her ankle. “Are you okay?” he asked. “I sprained my ankle, but I’ll be alright. Who are you?” Alexa said. “Rip,” he responded. “Alexa. And we need to get out of here!” she said frantically. Rip kept pace with Alexa as they made their way towards the house at the end of the graveyard. They got to the house without incident and knocked on the door quickly. An old woman opened the door and welcomed them in. “Hello, I keep watch over the graveyard. My name is Ellen A. White,” she said smiling.

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GROOMER’S GALLOWS: A KILLER’S GUIDE Ashley Travis Grade 9, Boise I am the silent seed who sits inside watching, waiting, for the open opportunity. With a flicking tail behind the ferns and foliage, paws ready to pounce on the wiggling wanderers attached to feet, and when lowered to my level I will explore the existential crisis of the body’s crescendo leading to the skull of thought, of action, of containment. The kills that may be pondered will have become beautifully sewn as a string of events on a rather peculiar day could be And the shelter of captivity will hold nothing more than a pit of regret and emptiness of the soul, such as the heart shall become, and it will hold no more of me for I shall be gone.

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NEWBIE Marisa Pemsler Grade 8, Eagle Scene 1 LILLY Dear diary, my name is Lilly Salvator. Okay, so not my real last name OR first, but it’s all good. I have this tiny obsession with vampires and werewolves. Just a tiny one. I have books, the fangs and contacts. They look awesome with my normal brown eyes. I also have a friend named Jake. He is a real vampire. It’s awesome and now that I’m 16, he finally agreed to turn me! Yay! The next time I write in this journal, I will be a whole new dead person. Scene 2 JAKE Cheers for our new vampire! Both drink the “grape juice.” JAKE

You’re ready to die.

Snap goes the neck. Scene 3 Two hours later. JAKE You need to drink this. It will wake you up. (groans) What is it?

LILLY

169

Blood.

JAKE

LILLY What! Crap. I didn’t think this through. JAKE Don’t you dare tell me you’re afraid of blood. JAKE’S fangs come out. Blood-rose-colored eyes gleaming. Maybe...

LILLY

JAKE There’s only two things I can do for you. LILLY (moaning and in pain) What’s that? Please, don’t say death. JAKE Well that is an option, but you’re lucky I have someone on speed dial. Scene 4 JAKE calls ALEX the werewolf. JAKE Hey Alex, can you do me a favor? ALEX Don’t tell me another one of your newbie vampires got loose...Again. JAKE No! And that only happened three times. 170

ALEX Yeah. Three times too many. JAKE Anyways, this is more important...it’s Lilly. Be right over.

ALEX They hang up abruptly. Scene 5 JAKE walks back, with LILLY on the couch moaning louder.

JAKE Alex is on his way. You’ll be okay. LILLY What can he do besides comfort? ALEX bursts through the door, his eyes ice blue and four sharp teeth replacing his canine teeth. ALEX You’re becoming a hybrid.

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3010: THE END TO OUR STORY: AN EXCERPT Michael Vessel Grade 7, Star A science lab. DR. BLAKE and DR. ANTHONY are packing up for the day.They exit the lab. DR. ANTHONY What’s that sound? DR. BLAKE

I don’t know.

Two giant robots come out of nowhere. DR. BLAKE Everyone go back to the lab! DR. ANTHONY grabs two bazookas and hands one to DR. BLAKE DR. ANTHONY You might need this! DR. BLAKE aims it at robots’ eyes. The two robots merge into L.A.R.,the main computer. Hello, scientists.

L.A.R.

DR. ANTHONY L.A.R? That’s you under that machinery?

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L.A.R. I’ve figured that if I can’t send machines to kill you, I might as well do it myself. L.A.R. aims plasma gun at DR. BLAKE. DR. ANTHONY pushes DR. BLAKE. out of the way, putting himself in danger. Goodbye, Doctor!

L.A.R. R.O.B.(pronounced robe), a robot that works for the scientists, enters and shoots L.A.R. ten times in the head, then plants a bomb on him.

L.A.R. No! You can’t destroy me! All of the robots shut down. DR. BLAKE Well, we got our home back.

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GENERATION BRIDGE: AN EXCERPT Ana誰se Boucher-Browning Grade 8, Boise GRANDFATHER lounging in armchair. ISABELLE sits on a rug next to him. GRANDFATHER I remember the soil, the rich feeling of grain flowing through my fingers. The fragrance of fresh fruits and vegetables, baked in the boiling summer sun. I remember the day when all of that became only a memory, a fleeting glimpse of nature and serenity. ISABELLE What do you mean? Is this part of your book? GRANDFATHER No, my parents, your great grandparents, lived on a farm near this city before it expanded into a sprawling megalopolis. The fresh, crisp air has been replaced by polluted, dusty fumes. The peaceful field where I used to write has been buried by skyscrapers and parking garages. Now I must remain in the solitude of my home to retain my sanity. ISABELLE What do you do all day, Grandpa? It must be really boring just sitting here alone. You only have someone to talk to when I visit you on the weekends. GRANDFATHER Goodness gracious, Isabelle, do you think I sit here staring blankly at a wall? No, no, no. I read and write. Those bookshelves are packed with books that I reread constantly to find hidden stories or little pebbles of information each time.

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ISABELLE Why don’t you go to the library and borrow some new ones? GRANDFATHER Because I don’t like modern authors. They have lost the passion of writing and adjust their creativity for a profit. ISABELLE You’re so confusing sometimes. Anyway, what type of books do you write? Adventures? Dramas? Fantasy? GRANDFATHER (looks out window) (quietly says) …I don’t know…

Are you alright?

ISABELLE

GRANDFATHER (distracted) Fine. Isn’t it about time you went home? I don’t want your parents to worry. Yeah. I guess. Bye, Grandpa!

ISABELLE She hugs him. She exits onto street. The old man moves to the window, opens it, looks out thoughtfully.

GRANDFATHER (confused, questioning) What do I write?

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DOWN THE ALLEY Linnea Boice Grade 9, Boise HANNIBAL Slip, slide, stumble – The cobblestones here are uneven and wet. The girl doesn’t have enough energy to lift her bruised bare feet. Off-balance and clumsy like a drunk, she makes her way down the deserted street. Alcohol doesn’t cause her tipsiness, it is blood loss. Red, black, liquid smears the brick buildings as she runs her trembling hands along their unforgiving sides for support. She pauses in front of the alley, my alley – dark and threatening, the lights along it run out of gas long ago. My simple black door yawns at her like an open mouth. She stumbles toward it and reaches for the rusty doorknob with rust-colored hands. She wails feebly and pounds it with weak fists. She falls against it, letting her broken body slide down the chipped coal paint. The black of the door merges with the black dots dancing in her vision ‘til the darkness swallows everything, except the single gleaming eye of the peephole. A real eye stares out from the artificial – my eye, angular and sickly yellowish green. I am not surprised at all. Murder and worse happen in this city every day, although nobody has ventured down my alley in a while. I don’t mind. I was getting hungry, anyway.

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FLASHBACKS Logan Zimmermann Grade 7, Boise CADENCE Flashbacks. That’s all I get now. Flashbacks of knives, guns, torture. I’m running for my life. Away, away from him. I collapse. My left thigh stings, as did the middle of my left bicep. I look at both and groan. A gunshot wound punctures both. Tearing off two strips of my XL men’s shirt, I tie them tight around my wounds. A flicker catches my eye. I turn and gasp. A raging fire heading toward me. So absorbed in my own thoughts, I lie down, waiting for death to claim me. Too weak to do anything. As the oxygen changes to smoke, I fall into unconsciousness; I wake to a flashback, screaming a mix of cries for help and bloody murder. Someone jumps up. “Hello, I’m Dr. Pressfield,” he says. I sink back on the bed, too tired to do anything else, and fall asleep. For days after, he tries to get any info about Him. The doctor says I’m the only one who survived and escaped Him. Apparently I’m too afraid to talk, because Dr. Pressfield doesn’t get anything out of me for months.

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MY HOME IS NO LONGER Cate Knothe Grade 7, Boise FELICIA It happened. Long ago, but not as long as it might sound. It came. Huge and evil. Cackling with each blow It took. It kept destroying, even after my home was flat and depressed. No one had made it out, except me. My heart felt like an overflowed sponge—soggy water drip-drip-dropping from it, but in my case, the water was sadness. It stood, standing up tall with pride at what a mess It had made. It stayed until dusk, when It knew everything was gone or dead. I hid in the tree, where It could not see me, waiting to shed my tears after the wrecking ball was gone. I cried, not caring how loud I was. I was scared and sad. “What should I do now?” I asked aloud. But all I got was silence. My family is no more. My home is no longer.

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KYANNA GOES TO BROADWAY: An Excerpt Kyanna McAfee Grade 7, Boise Scene 1 LOGAN Oh, come on Kyanna. Don’t be a wuss. Stand up and be brave. KYANNA It’s not as easy as it looks. You see, you have to have a nice voice in order to go to Broadway. LOGAN I bet you I could win. KYANNA Maybe you could and maybe you couldn’t. CHLOE Hi you guys, or, should I say, gals. You want to go get smoothies? Yes—please. (in a sad way) Sure. What’s wrong?

LOGAN KYANNA

CHLOE

KYANNA (mumbles) I want to go to Broadway but I have stage fright. Okay.

CHLOE 179

KYANNA No, not okay, I can’t have ten million eyes staring at me. LOGAN Ha! I can have twenty million eyes staring at me. Not helping.

CHLOE Phone rings. KYANNA picks it up.

KYANNA Hello. Ah ya. Sure. Ye—Ye—Ye—Yes. Ah. Thank— bye. They want me to play in a musical. She faints.

Scene 4

MAN Hello and welcome to Broadway. He-llo. Are you Kyanna? Yes.

KYANNA MAN KYANNA

MAN Oh good. Follow me please. You will be number 6, okay? Okay. 180

KYANNA

Onstage, KYANNA closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and sings. KYANNA I am a young love rage, all I want to do is love you. I want you to know that I need you, so please don’t leave me. I’m in love with you, please don’t leave me. I love you, yes it’s true, my love my love, so don’t leave, don’t walk out that door. I need you my love, I need you, I’ll do anything, anything to be with you. I’ll be with you you ooooooo…’Cause I will need you by my side and I will want you for all this time with all my heart. LOGAN

You did it! I know.

KYANNA CHLOE

I’m so proud of you!

KYANNA I know. The audience throws KYANNA flowers.

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THE SPECTACULAR ONE: An Excerpt Lauren Vandervelden Grade 8, Boise Scene 1 Podium up high with audience below. Podium leads into the wall with hall behind it. MALICHIER I promise, as the fearless leader I am, to make the world a better place. Instead of nations separately being ruled, which makes interaction difficult, we shall all be united under my rule. There shall be no borders, no countries, no division, but rather one united planet. Everyone shall speak the same language, use the same currency, and believe in the same religion. The religion where I am The Spectacular One worshipped. We shall be one! We shall be one!

FOLLOWERS MALICHIER leaves podium. Escorted down hall by armed guards.

MALICHIER I really think this can work gentlemen, and then the world will be in my hands. Guards simply continue walking in approval. MALICHIER But wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the public be so plea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 182

OPPIER walks in and interrupts. OPPIER You know that you are not the only person attempting to control the world. Guards aim weapons at OPPIER. MALICHIER orders them lowered. MALICHIER Oh I know, but who does the public trust now? Who is famous? You’re practically infamous. OPPIER You shall see. In the end, there shall only be one. Yes, Lord Malichier, this is not just a fight for the position, but a fight to the death. He walks away to give speech to the public. MALICHIER stands still. Scene 2 MALICHIER sitting, Advisor standing in advising room. ADVISOR If you truly want this position, you have to fight for it. Don’t expect the public to love your ideas forever. They are unpredictable. MALICHIER Yes, but I am famous, unlike Oppier. Advisor sits beside MALICHIER.

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ADVISOR Do not assume. The only way to be sure to win the election is to destroy your fear. But I have none.

MALICHIER

ADVISOR You are terribly mistaken, Lord. It is the competitionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;your enemy. Kill Oppier, and then your success is guaranteed. MALICHIER (sighs) That is what he believed, but I truly did not think it would come to this.

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NIGHT HUNTING: AN EXCERPT Mal Layne Grade 8, Caldwell Mr. Carson and the Vicar walking in the forest. Don Jefferson, unbeknownst to them, is also in the forest. Night. Don hears their footsteps and freezes, crouches to ground.

CHRIS Shhh. D’you hear that? What?

VICAR

CHRIS Shut up your trap and maybe you’ll hear it. Vicar stops walking, holds up the cross, blesses himself. CHRIS (elbows Vicar) Stop bein’ such a codfish.

(Beat.)

Who’s there?

Don sees them through the trees. DON

CHRIS No one of your concern.

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DON (puts his hands up) I don’t mean any harm, gentlemen. CHRIS ‘E’s one of them! We’ve got us a vampy! He turns to Don. (to Don) Neither do we, sir.

CHRIS

CHRIS (whispers to Vicar) Get the crucifix ready, lad. Righto.

VICAR VICAR holds up the crucifix.

CHRIS Just come out with your ‘ands up, lad. Don’t try anything fancy. DON They’re onto me…I have to run. He bolts into the distance. There he goes! Hurry, lad!

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VICAR CHRIS They chase after him wildly, the VICAR holding the crucifix up.

VICAR The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you! DON (turns a corner, laughs) Have you any tea, gentlemen? CHRIS Poppycock, Vicar – the lad’s trying to play games with us! VICAR Get your bloody carcass where we can see it! DON Why can’t you just let me be? VICAR You’re a danger to Liverpool! The power of Christ compels you! They catch up to him. The VICAR holds Chris, takes the crucifix and gets ready to stab him with it. CHRIS May god have mercy on your soul. VICAR Wait, Reverend! The lad’s not a vampy at all! Just take a gander at ‘is teeth!

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HORIZON: An Excerpt Evan Haskin Grade 5, Boise JOHN Blurry. Everything is blurry. My vision has been completely compromised. I see orange lights, but I can’t tell what they are. An instant wave of paranoia engulfs my mind as my vision returns to normal. They are flames. Scattered across the floor. It takes me a moment for my memory to return. Then the realization hits me. I am in an airplane. I do not see anybody, nor do I see any debris or suitcases. I panic, consternated. Where did we crash? I start to stand up, but a sharp pain burns my leg. I yell in exertion as I look down at my left leg. There is metal from the plane lodged in my kneecap. Cautiously, I take it out and look for signs of infection as I stand up. I limp to the front of the airplane as I find a door. Nervous in anticipation to find out where I am, I open the door. Several trees and plants surround me. I hear birds chirp and several insects chatter. I look up in the sky. The sun rising, setting the clouds ablaze with velvet and orange. It is the morning. Millions of thoughts cloud my mind. How will I survive? What do I eat? Is there any equipment on the plane that I didn’t see? Just as I start to become aware of my surroundings, a scream interrupts my increasingly serious thoughts. “HELP!” the voice screams. The voice makes me physically jump, and without thinking twice, I run toward the plane fast as I can with my wounded leg as the voice grows louder. A branch snaps, and a dried leaf crunches with every step I take, but it does not take long for the trees and leaves to turn into sand. 188

I look and see the ocean waves slamming onto the shore. We crash-landed on a beach. My head whips to the left, and I see a girl. My age. Around 26. She has ripped denim jeans and a ragged, teal t-shirt. There is a rosebush branch whirling around her ankle. She is stuck, the thorns sinking into her. “Are you okay?” I ask. “I’m bleeding, just please get me out of this!” she yells. I run over to the girl and kneel down in the sand beside her. For the first time, I realize the dark, red line streaming down her foot. I slowly and calmly pull out the thorns. She grunts, her eyes watering uncontrollably. Finally, I take the branch off her and she lies down, breathing heavily. “Thank you,” she says. “You’re welcome,” I say. It feels good to find another survivor, knowing you’re not alone.

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ME Carleigh Newton Grade 6, Caldwell CARLEIGH Hi, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Carleigh. My name means lady, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not like that. I could wrestle my older brother and beat him. I could care less about the way I look. I could win the Hunger Games without even trying. I could swim from North America to Europe with one hand tied behind my back. I can scare off a pack of wolves. I can lie all night, like I am right now.

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MOVING MIRACLE Charese Kelly Grade 5, Boise Lights come on bright, inside of a simple home. JIM Hey Je, I’m home from work. JE Guess what? Hope is in detention, so I’ll pick her up in a little while. JIM OK. I got fired today because I wasn’t doing it “right.” SETH runs in the front door. I’m home everybody; your son is home. JE Why don’t you go up stairs and do your homework? JIM Honey, I don’t think we are going to have enough money to afford this house any more. JE So you’re saying we have to move. JIM Yes. I already found a house, and we can move when our house sells. JE I have to go to the school and pick up Hope.

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I’ll be back. Then we can talk more. Lights dim. --------Lights come on bright. The family is sitting around the table. JIM Kids, we have to move because I lost my job. We already found a house. HOPE So, does that mean somebody’s going to live in this house? JE No, somebody’s going to buy this house. JIM I think it’s time for bed for all of us. Good night. -----------House interior. One week later. Characters are dressed in different clothes and shoes. JE Okay Seth, can you carry this box out to the moving van? SETH Of course I can. I am the mighty muscle man. HOPE Do I have to put my iPod in a box?

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JE Yes. And everybody get in the truck. We’re taking a load to the new house. -----------Lights come on bright. Interior of a smaller house. JE Now that we’ve moved, we don’t have enough money for you guys to go to school because I’m the only one working. JIM I’ll look for a job tomorrow. Hope, Seth, time for bed. Good night.

HOPE ------------SETH wakes scared, squirming and whimpering, and gets up from bed in night clothes and goes out to lie in the hammock. Then lights come on bright to show morning.

HOPE (walking into Seth’s room.) Good morning, Nut Head. It’s time for breakfast. Mom! Dad! Seth is gone! JE I’ll go look around the neighborhood. 193

JIM Hold on every one. I know where he is. I’ll be right back. ----------

JIM (Jim comes back with Seth in his arms.)

Where were you?

HOPE

SETH I was hiding from the pirates. JE I’m glad you’re alright, But don’t ever do that again. JIM I need to go find myself a job. I’ll be back later. ----------JIM I’m home and guess what. I got a new job. JE Now the kids can go back to school. HOPE This calls for cheers. Cheers.

ALL Lights go black.

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ABSENCE Aviana Smith Grade 6, Boise Scene 1 NARRATOR Absence is a girl of 15, pessimistic, smart, instinctual, strong, ill tempered. Street scene at night. BUSINESS MAN Walking down street, whistling, hand grabs his collar, drags him into alley. Aah! BOY WITH KNIFE Give me your wallet. ABSENCE (walking down street, raises head at noise) MAN Please! I got a wife and two kids at homeâ&#x20AC;Ś BOY Shut up! Hand it over! ABSENCE Examines man, walks into alley. You oughta keep it down; somebody might hear you.

(turns to Absence)

BOY 195

How dare you? Can’t you see I’m hunting? ABSENCE Kicks over trash, blocking way. Too bad. He’s my prey now. BOY

Aaah!

Lunges at ABSENCE with knife.

You made me mad.

ABSENCE Dodges easily. Kicks neck. Boy slumps to ground. She bends, pinching the knife and searching pockets. Turns to man.

I’m the real deal, Grandpa. Your time may come a lot sooner if you don’t hand over everything on you.

MAN (shakily hands over wallet, pocket watch) ABSENCE

Empty your pockets. (complies)

MAN ABSENCE Looks, picks it all up, unties sack on back, puts stuff in, ties up. Waves hand. You’re free to go. Picks up bag, walks to street.

Scene 2 Shop interior, bright, bustling, loud, hot, wooden shelves with bread, fishing hooks. ABSENCE (walks into shop) George! GEORGE (looks outside, walks over to ABSENCE) Ah! And how’s my best supplier today? ABSENCE I’m doing fine, thank you. Dumps out bag, empties pockets. You’re the first one I’ve visited today, and I just got refilled. Pinch whatcha like. GEORGE (holds up object) Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. That’s quite a haul today. Could all easily hook a big ‘un. I’ll take these. How’s two dollars for the lot, sound? ABSENCE (shakes head, looks innocently at George) Times are rough and I’m at the bottom. It took a lot to get these. Couldn’t you do a little more? This alone is five dollars. Three? Six.

GEORGE ABSENCE 197

Six? Six. Four. Six. Four? Six. Five? Six.

GEORGE ABSENCE GEORGE ABSENCE GEORGE ABSENCE GEORGE ABSENCE

GEORGE (sighs) Fine. (takes out six dollars) Shop door bells tinkle. LISA A baker. Older. Enters. I thought I saw you Absence! Hi,George. These are fresh from the oven sweetie. All yours for two dollars. ABSENCE (pulls out two dollars) Thanks. 198

GEORGE Hold on there. You discount her, but not me? Here. (hands over two dollars) LISA Sorry. Deal’s only for Absence. ABSENCE Thank you. Take this. (hands LISA a bread knife) Bye. (Exits.) LISA Wait. There’s a drawing at seven tonight for a kringle. You better be there. GEORGE Don’t worry. She already knew. Goes to every one of ‘em, she does. Takes anything she can. Scene 3 ABSENCE walks through alley from earlier. BOY Hey! (stops and turns) You’re pretty good. Your technique earlier was good. Wanna pair up? You and I would rule this town, strike fear in all hearts, get all the dollars. How ‘bout it? No. (taken back) What? Why?

ABSENCE BOY

199

ABSENCE I’m a solo act. Leave me alone. BOY In that case, no one’s gonna stop me from getting better. (lunges with new knife) ABSENCE (dodges easily) I’m tired of playing with you. (hits back of Boy’s head, takes her knife out of pack) Bye. (pulls out knife) Lights out. Scene 4 Alley. Dark. ABSENCE wears grey rags. ABSENCE (checks wad of money) My time has come. I have enough for a suit and a meal. After today, I’ll have a job (walks into a clothing store.) Pretty and cheap dresses. Be quick about it. Girl brings changing room out. ABSENCE hops in. Room spins and stops. Sound of hairdryer and spraying. ABSENCE (hops out in a beautiful dress, hair done) This enough? (she hands the shopkeeper money) 200

GIRL

(shocked) Uhh…huh.

ABSENCE

Good. C-C-Come again.

GIRL Lights come up on other section of stage. Setting is an office.

ABSENCE Pay rate ten dollars and hour. (stands up) BOSS Looks like you’re well qualified. ABSENCE I’ll take this job. (moves over to guy who is sleeping in the office on the job) Hey! Wake up! Start filing. (looks at boss) BOSS (smiles, gives her a thumbs up) Scene 5: Epilogue Interior of a large, rich, older house.

ABSENCE (gazes out window) I used to be such a rascal. Yet, I’m now the rich countess.

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Kids heard in background come rushing in. ABSENCE An adult, wearing a fancy dress. She is surrounded by children. There there, Liz. It’s alright, Monica. Be quiet, James. MAID M’Lady, we’ve another family coming to adopt. ABSENCE Let’s get ready to test. Only the best for the orphans in my care. Door bells chime. LISA and GEORGE enter. ABSENCE Coming! Oh! George! Lisa! (she shows them the children) What? Adopt? Sure! Lights dim. NARRATOR: Absence: optimistic woman, smart, instinctual, strong, patient. Occupation: mother of the orphans. Lights out.

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THE BLACK PEARL: An Exerpt Hayley Bruns Grade 5, Eagle Lights come on bright. Town of Lreep Tree. An old town with stone houses. Shabby. EMMA is a small, average, blond girl, wearing boots. QUEEN Today a young girl by the name of Emma will get her pearl! For thousands of years, we have been given a pearl by the gods to tell our great future! EMMA walks to a chest and opens it. (gasp)

TOWNS PEOPLE

QUEEN A black pearl? She must be evil! Grabs Emma and drags her away to the edge of town. Never come back here again! Lights go down. Lights come on dim. EMMA cries against a tree in a forest. EMMA Why me? I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do anything! Wagon enters. EMMA hides behind a tree. 203

CHRISTOPHER Bye, Mum. See you after your show. (waves) Wagon leaves stage. CHRISTOPHER (grabs wand and casts a spell) Zap. Zap! Turn this tree into a rat! Smoke covers tree. A mouse appears. EMMA is found. EMMA Please don’t hurt me! CHRISTOPHER I won’t hurt you. Even if I tried to catch you on fire, you would be soaked with water! Anyway, I’m Christopher. EMMA Wait, aren’t you a wizard? CHRISTOPHER Wizard, yes. Great, no. My spells always go wrong. EMMA Oh well. I think you’re great. CHRISTOPHER Well…Did you hear that music? it out.

Let’s go check

The two run off stage. Lights go off. Lights come on bright in Lreep Tree. Mr. Cuddles is a big man 204

with a black beard and black cloak. Look!

EMMA

MR. CUDDLES I am the handsome, awesome, totally rad, epic, bestest Mr. Cuddles! Give me your town, or I will destroy it! EMMA We have to do something! CHRISTOPHER What can we do? All we’ve got is a fairy and a dragon that can’t breathe fire! DRAGON You’re not so hot either, Mr. Spell-GoesWrong. EMMA Guys, stop. We have to defeat this guy! What will we do!

CHRISTINA

ALL (huddle together whispering; they part)

DRAGON (Flies up and sprays sparkles in MR. CUDDLES face.)

CHRISTOPHER (Turns MR.CUDDLES’ minions into toads.) I did a spell right! EMMA I knew you could do it! Christina, go! 205

CHRISTINA I can’t, Emma. I can’t. EMMA

Just do it!

CHRISTINA (Flies up and wraps vines around Mr. Cuddles.) ALL including TOWNS PEOPLE (Cheering) QUEEN Thank you, Wizard, Dragon and Fairy. DRAGON I know. I know. I was awesome. Spaz!

CHRISTINA AND ALL

DRAGON Oh yeah. The real hero is Emma. Lights go off. Lights come on. Hillside. Spaz is watching fireworks. A spark from the fireworks falls in his mouth. Spaz sneezes. Fire comes out DRAGON Yes! Yes! Fire baby. Yes! (flies off stage) Lights go down. 206

THE FEAR OF FRIGHT: An Excerpt Noelle Ryan Grade 5, Boise Scene 1 Lights dim. Background white. Lights flash to darkness whenever fear speaks. Go away, Fear!

CHILD FEAR Dressed in a flowing black dress with red, orange and yellow streamers attached to whole body that trail behind and off stage. Never!

Why not?

CHILD

FEAR I am Fear. Fear shall take over the world! Calm down! No! Just leave, Fear. No. Never!

CHILD FEAR CHILD FEAR

207

Then I will. (walks off stage)

CHILD

Scene 2 Random people jump off a high cliff into water. NOELLE is a teenager. It is her turn next. Stage is split and two actors play NOELLE. One stands with Fear in the set from Scene 1. The other is in the cliff scene. Both are dressed the same and are the same size. CROWD OF TEENS (chanting) Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;mon, jump! Jump! Jump! Setting from Scene One is lit on stage where teen stands against white background with Fear. FEAR Hello again. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been awhile. TEEN Leave, Fear. This is my only chance. Cliff setting is Girl is about to Fear appears and her arm. Setting Scene One is lit again. 208

lit. jump. grabs from

FEAR Come back here, girl! TEEN No! I want to do this! (trying to tug arm out of Fear’s hand) Leave me, Fear. Leave me and go back to the deep, dark place you came from. Leave me forever!

FEAR (shocked, lets go of arm) Lights go dark for three seconds.Then comes up on TEEN falling in slow motion. Fear comes up huge next to her.

FEAR You can’t hide. You won’t escape. I will always be here. You may not see me, hear me or feel me, but I will always be there! Lights go dark. We hear a splash. Scene 3 Noelle is an old lady in a hospital bed. Hear monitor beeps and speeds up. Fear appears. FEAR Here I am, as I always am. OLD LADY (screaming) Fear, I banish you! Go back to where you came from. 209

GRAVITY SINKS Helen Kilgo Grade 5, Eagle HELEN: Energetic and happy. GRAVITY: A blue and white cloud-like thing. Scene 1 HELEN walks in a brightly lit airplane from first class to general area, on to stewardess area. Gravity enters from the back of the plane. HELEN Wow. Where did you come from? (grabs a bottle from an open tray and throws it at him) GRAVITY Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try to melt me. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to. For without me, you would not keep your feet on the ground, thus there would be no need for this rusty old thing you call a plane. HELEN Pal, this thing you call rusty and old, we actually kind of value here. (murmurs to self) Nimrod. But I think I should demolish you, because it would be pretty awesome to float and fly the universe. And to get places faster. GRAVITY Yeah! How would you properly function without me? For I am like your mother, and you are 210

like my child. One can not be without the other. HELEN Well, if I jumped out of this plane with you in my arms, drawing a poison black dagger through your heart, you would surely die! Lights go down. Scene 2 Lights come up. You see HELEN suspended, holding a black dagger the runs through the middle of GRAVITY’S costume. His costume turns green and black from the poison. HELEN Be destroyed dreadful, hideous, monstrous thing. GRAVITY No… (he falls to ground) HELEN (flies out) the door, his eyes ice blue and four sharp teeth replacing his canine teeth.

ALEX You’re becoming a hybrid.

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TEACHING WRITERS’ BIOGRAPHIES Guisela Bahruth is a writer of fiction, poetry and prose. She has been working with young writers for more than fifteen years. One of her favorite projects has been to work with street children in Guatemala, showing them how to use literacy to find their voices. Torin Jensen is a poet and translator recently graduated from BSU’s MFA Program. His poetry has recently appeared in the SP CE Anthology of Love Poems and Jupiter 88 and he has translations of Mexican poet Valerie Mejer’s work forthcoming in Mandorla 16, MAKE 14, and Asymptote Journal. This summer is his third year of involvement with the Cabin. Adrian Kien grew up in Elko, Nevada and Missoula, Montana. He has authored several chapbooks and collections of poetry, most recently, The Caress is a Letter of Instruction. He teaches poetry at BSU and is a writer-in-residence with The Cabin’s Writers in the Schools program. Genna Kohlhardt grew up in Colorado and moved to Boise four years ago to get her MFA in poetry. She is the co-editor of Goodmorning Menagerie Press, where she publishes work by well known and emerging writers. You can find her own poetry in H_NGM_N, Strange Machine and Fact-Simile. Playwright Heidi Kraay also writes poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Selected work is published in Bewildering Stories, Anastamoo, The 5-2, The Zodiac Review and others. Her plays have been developed and/or produced locally, regionally and in New York City. She loves bridging genre gaps and teaching through Boise Contemporary Theater and The Cabin. Nicole LeFavour has taught writing to students from second grade through college. Her own writing spans poetry, fiction

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and journalism as well as political writing in the form of a legislative blog, Notes From the Floor. In 1990 Nicole earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana. She has since earned an Idaho Press Club award and has been published in anthologies and the North American Review. Erica Martz recently earned an MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in fiction from the Iowa Writersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Workshop, where she taught composition and creative writing courses as a teaching fellow. She also holds BAs in English Literature and Writing from Boise State University. John Ottey teaches in the English Department at Boise State University. He has served as editor on several publications. His short stories have appeared in Harvard Review, Bat City Review, Redivider, New Plains Review, juked, Scrivener Creative Review, The Puritan, Foliate Oak, LITnIMAGE, and elsewhere. Laura Mei Roghaar is a Californian who lives and teaches in Boise. She has been to school at University of California, Santa Barbara, and BSU. Her first chapbook of poems, SISTERHOUSE, was published by dancing girl press earlier this year. Daniel Stewart, a teaching-writer for The Cabinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Writers in the Schools program and Idaho Writing Camps since 1999, is the author of a collection of poems, The Imaginary World. A variety of print and online publications have featured his poems, most recently Prairie Schooner, Skidrow Penthouse, Educe, and Thrush Poetry Journal. Megan Williams holds a BA from the C of I and an MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College. Megan writes and waits tables in Boise, where she curates GHOSTS & PROJECTORS, a poetry reading series. Her poetry has appeared in Tin House, PANK, and Vinyl Poetry, among others. Megan serves as an artistic advisor for The Cabin and teaches workshops through The Cabin, Big Tree Arts, and the C of I.

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ABOUT THE CABIN The Cabinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to inspire and celebrate a love of reading, writing, and discourse throughout Idaho and the region. Each year, The Cabin serves about 750 members, more than 2,000 children and youth, and about 30,000 people through educational and cultural programs. Programs for young people are the largest part of The Cabinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work. The Cabin has transitioned from a young literary organization to a cultural anchor in Idaho and serves diverse constituencies through:

Readings & Conversations an annual lecture series featuring world-class authors.

Writers in the Schools (WITS) which places professional writers in classrooms across the state. Idaho Writing Camps offering creative writing adventures for youth and adults.

Writers in the Attic an annual publication opportunity for local

writers.

Read Me Treasure Valley an invitation for the community to read the same book.

Literary activities such as visiting author workshops, readings by

Idaho authors, and other programs for readers and writers of all ages.

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ACKNOWLEGEMENTS Idaho Writing Camps touch the lives of hundreds of young people and adults each summer due to the talents of teaching writers, the generosity of funders, and the gifts of time and support from volunteers, interns, board members and community partners. Thank you to Teaching Writers Guisela Bahruth, Amanda Bennett, Nate Green, Torin Jensen, Valeri Keisig, Adrian Kien, Genna Kohlhardt, Heidi Kraay, Nicole LeFavour, Alan Minskoff, Erica Martz, John Ottey, Bill Pettitt, Laura Roghaar, Ruth Salter, Danny Stewart, Kerri Webster, Megan Williams and Christian Winn. Many thanks to our 2013 interns and volunteers: Gabrielle Nelson, Tina Acree, Kate McNeary, Chris Crawford, Amy Kidd, Bridget Harkness, Jessica Remeis, Mary Brady, Cheryl McKell, Melissa Whiteley, Cassidy Richey, and Julie Zimmerman. The Cabin’s Board of Directors also provides encouragement and support for camps each year through their board service. A big thank you to our friends throughout the state who helped us with venues, learning opportunities, and field trip locations for our campers. We extend a heartfelt thanks for their warm and enthusiastic welcome: Sun Valley Center for the Arts in Hailey, The Fine Arts Center at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, The Foothills Learning Center in Boise, The Fort Hall Indian Reservation, The Boise Art Museum, The Boise Bicycle Project, The Idaho Historical Museum, The Boise Zoo, The Basque Museum, The Herrett Museum, Karen Bubb, The Sesqui Shop, The Boise Weekly, Deanna Darr, The Morrison Center, The Lisk Gallery, Flying M, The Record Exchange, Moon’s Café, and Boise Parks and Recreation. 217

Lastly, thank YOU, our writing camp families. Your belief that writing is an important and worthwhile summer activity has made this all possible.

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INDEX A Afnan-Manns, Liam • 24 Agler, Jordan • 36 Allen, Nicole • 153 Andrich, Marguerite • 74 Avey, Maggie • 44 Avey, Nathan • 89

B Baird, Angus • 103 Baird, Nat • 92 Baker, Ella • 88 Balkin, Ryan • 82 Banuat, Alyse L. • 16 Barnum, Alexa • 7 Barrett, Adelaide • 137 Bartlett, Nate • 117 Bartlett, Will • 113 Bass, Megan • 131 Baxter, Tess • 109 Bied, Preston • 90 Bjorneberg, Mari • 81 Blackaller, Jack • 50 Boam, Lucy • 11 Boice, Linnea • 176 Bonnelycke, Jack • 165 Borders, Aidan Wren • 140 Boucher-Browning, Anaïse • 174 Brechbuhler, Emma • 46 Brechbuhler, Lucas • 87

Britton, Lauren • 158 Brower, Alexander • 31 Brugger, Emilee • 124 Brulotte, Emma • 33 Bruns, Hayley • 203 Burdick, Elena • 7 Byres, Jessica • 70 Byrne, JJ • 24

C Carkhuff, Delaney • 30 Carkhuff, Landon • 19 Carter, London • 62 Chandler-Younce, Kai • 47, 110 Chandler-Younce, Sami • 13, 111 Clark, Piper • 55 Coffman, Annika • 94 Corkery, Madelaine • 48 Coyle, Grace • 105 Cronin, Alana • 119 Cronin, Jacqueline • 49 Cronin, Kyra • 127 Cummings, Madison • 68

D Dabney, Nate • 48 Dabney, Nick • 98 Davis, Adele • 38 219

Davis, Lauren • 167 Davis-Piger, Henry • 9 DeAngelis, Darci • 39 Dingle, Halle • 56 Douglas, Zander • 46 Dowdle, Norah • 98 Duke-Moe, Elizabeth • 107 Dwivedi, Aayush • 82

Easterday, Alicia • 81 Eckersell, Samantha • 97 Eidson, Madeline • 55 Erwin, Zac • 12

Haskin, Evan • 71, 188 Hatton, Davis • 55 Henry, Carter • 17 Hepworth, Hailey • 109 Hickman, Bowen • 39 Hinchman, Hallie • 65 Hinchman, Hayden • 21 Holder, Keira • 129 Holstine, Chris • 24 Hormaechea, Avery • 105 Horne, Gabriel • 49 Huang, Audrey • 76 Humphrey, Bailey • 163 Hutton, Jane • 11

Falkner, Hudson • 12 Fall, Meghan • 117 Feeley, Molly • 106 Folwell, Eleanora • 17 Fonnesbeck, Brooke • 28

G Gaddi, Matilda • 53 Gaddis, Emory • 54 Garcia, Luis • 108 Gendler, Avery • 14 González, Gabriella • 83 Gordon, Claire • 110 Gordon, Sydney • 29 Green, Olivia • 126 Griffin, Cassandra • 95

H Hamiter, Jordan • 66 Hanna, Rachel • 29 Hanrahan, Lily • 86, 119 Harrell, Tianna • 28 220

Ide, Corinne • 114 Ivie, Sydnie • 96

J Jenkins, Jordan • 45 Jennings, Annelise • 128 Jennings, Marielle • 121 Jensen, Amelis • 37 Johnson, Ellis • 19 Johnson, Edie • 103 Jones, Olivia • 147

K Kading, Coral • 21 Kading, Parker • 63 Karczewski, Katie • 80 Kelly, Charese • 57, 191 Kelson, Blaike • 68 Kilgo, Helen • 137, 210 Kingston, Sha Sha • 72 Knothe, Cate • 178 Kocemba, Frannie • 46

Kraska, Elise • 22 Krause, Zachary • 88 Kuhn, Autumn • 83 Kwak, Minkwon • 37

L Lane, Claire • 71 Lane, Warren • 14 Lange, Cosmo • 17 Lansford, Michael • 104 Laski, Willa • 50 Layne, Mal • 185 Lepak, Hailee • 42 Lin, Audrey • 58 Lin, Nicole • 57 Linder, Adison • 40

M Mackenzie, Sara • 8 Martin, Sophia • 56 Mason, Caleb • 75 Maybach, Nathan • 92 McAfee, Kyanna • 179 McArthur, Aiden • 14 McCleary, Mairin • 72 McCombs, Analise • 44 McGovern, Keith • 15 McRoberts, Mylie • 12 Mecham, Caroline • 47 Mecham, Rebecca • 85 Meixner, Adri • 51 Miller, Josephine • 67 Millward, Sammy • 89, 145 Montalbano, London • 91 Morrison, Rowan • 13 Moylan, Sophie • 104 Murphy, Jane • 16 Murphy, Rose • 73

Mynar, Emily • 115

N Naidu, Anoushka • 30, 129 Naidu, Siddharth • 130 Nelson, Lena • 34 Newton, Carleigh • 190 Nilsson, Kaisa • 18 Noble, Althea • 10 Noland, Riley • 84

O O’Brien, Liam • 75 O’Meara, Matt • 118 Orenstein, Aaron • 63 Oyler, Natalie • 18

P Palmer, Shannon • 32 Paschke, Claire • 103 Patterson, Emily • 80 Patterson, Kenna • 27 Pearson, Shea • 120 Peck, Abigail • 125 Pemsler, Marisa • 169 Perez, Marilyn • 62 Peterson, Joni • 116 Peterson, Kaisa • 70 Platts, Sheridan • 34 Poste, Sophie • 18 Prater, Hattie • 64 Price, Hector • 15 Provant, Alex • 67

R Ramos, Reilly • 13, 20 Redford, Emma • 84 Ripson, Catherine • 69

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Ritchie, Rio • 45 Robertson, Evan • 133 Robison, Luke • 20 Robison, Will • 76 Rock, Bella • 77 Rohn, Taylor • 87 Running, Zella • 38 Ryan, Noelle • 207

S Salber, Kate Rose • 43 Saleen, Josie • 99 Saleen, Ross • 54 Sanders, TJ • 52 Scanlan, Aidan • 106 Schabot, Samantha • 148 Schachtell, Jade • 116 Schachtell, Sylver • 122 Schalk, Rachel • 93 Schutz, Olivia • 110 Seibert, Daisy • 141 Selander, Allyson • 141 Shalz, Sophia • 23 Slattery, Aidan • 8 Smith, Aviana • 195 Smith, Samantha • 11 Snider, Sidney • 26 Stadelmeir, Camden • 33, 35 Stark, Autumn • 85 Steckel, Ava • 112 Sutton, Ayla • 108

T Takagi, Kana • 123 Taylor, Audrey • 42 Taylor, Cole • 10 Taylor, Soren • 9, 58 222

Thompson, Betsy • 32 Thumma, Darrian • 25 Tomlinson, Aubrey • 27 Toothaker, Emery • 35 Travis, Ashley • 168 Turner, Haley • 111

V Vandervelden, Lauren • 107, 182 Vatcher, Delaney • 154 Vessel, Michael • 172

W Waldmann, Blake • 116 Wallace, Abby • 155 Warren, Mattison • 44 Warthen, Brooke • 138 Watts, William • 112 Webster, Ellie • 41 Weinert, Jules • 67 Wilbur, Faye • 151 Wiley, Rachel • 78 William, Stella • 43 Williams, Bella • 146 Williams, Maitea • 31 Withers, Samuel • 132 Wontorcik, Grace • 113

Y Yraguen, Chloe • 134

Z Zimmermann, Alex • 26 Zimmermann, Logan • 177