My Best Friends

By,

 Sarabeth

Mrs Reid’s 3^rd Grade Class

My BFFs are Kailey, Sarah, Madilyn, and Kalleigh.

And so the story begins one day at recess.

All of my BFFs are with me and we start to play a game. 

I’m the EARTH and Lily is the SUN.  Kailey is the RED PLANET,

Sarah is Saturn and Madilyn is Pluto. 

Kalleigh is an ASTEROID and we all talk.

I love all of my friends.

Kailey is kind

Sarah is nice

Madilyn is sweet

Kalleigh is a great reader

My friends and I all have something in common

And we have great adventures together.

The Stone Princess

By,
IzabellaMrs Reid’s 3^rd Grade Class

          Once upon a time, there was a castle in the woods and a little girl named Lizzy lived there.  She was a Princess. 

          People always asked why the Princess lived in the woods, and the Queen would tell them, “Because she loves the woods,” but the truth was that the evil King cursed the girl to get revenge on her mother. 

          The was that if she were to ever leave the woods, she would turn to stone.  One day, Lizzy did step out of the forest, and just as the curse stated, she turned immediately to stone.  The next day her mother found the statue of Lizzy and quickly had her brought to the castle.

          Hundreds of years passed and Lizzy remained a statue until one day a prince found the castle.  He went inside and founf Lizzy as a statue.  He kissed her and she turned back into a human.

          After one year of dating, they got married and lived happily ever after.

3^rd Grade

By,

Antonio

Third grade is the best grade of all.

I’m so glad I’m in Ms. Reid’s hall!

3^rd Grade is the best, as you can see,

Where everyone lives so happily

In 3^rd grade you get to do some art,

And you also get super smart!

Going to third grade is a pretty good call.

I’d rather be in third grade than any grade at all.

Peaceful Times

By: Christian N.

Mrs. Grant's 5th Grade Class

Baby ducks swimming on the lake,
Bees buzzing, pollinating flowers;
Dew drops laying upon a plant's leaf:
And people laying under a peaceful tree.

Thunderstorms

By:  Alaina

Long ago, there was an old man named Broze who moved to a new village. People tried to make him feel welcome by offering him crops and flowers, but Broze screamed and turned the people away. The Creator saw Broze and was not happy that he screamed at others when they tried to give him gifts.

The Creator thought about what he should do, and then he created a woman named Martha to talk to Broze. Martha was sent to Broze’s wigwam and she tried to reason with him about being kind, but the talk didn’t work. Martha told the Creator what happened and he was not pleased.

The Creator thought of a new plan, which was to kill Broze’s crops.  When Broze heard this plan, he said he wouldn’t care if that happened. The Creator was so mad, he killed Broze’s crops anyway, but Broze still didn’t learn to be kind or thankful.

Next, the Creator sent Martha to tell Broze that he would give him one more chance to be kind to others, but Broze just ignored Martha and slammed the door in her face. The Creator saw that Broze was being rude and disrespectful to Martha so he grew even angrier until he finally snapped.  He brought in rain and created a yellow strike called lightning.  He wanted his voice to be heard so he created a booming sound called thunder and when the Creator merged rain, thunder, and lightning, it created a thunderstorm. So, the Creator summoned lightning to hit Broze’s wigwam and he started to scream in new languages like Algonquian and Yaquina.  After a while, The Creator started to feel sorry for the way he was acting and decided to make his point with kindness. So, he said he would spare Broze’s life if he would agree to be respectful and kind to others. Broze agreed and was never cruel or mean again.  He was always kind to people and learned to be thankful for his life.

      So every time Native Americans see thunderstorms, they are reminded to be kind to others and be grateful for others’ generosity.

How the Northern Lights Came to Be

How the Northern Lights Came to Be

By:  Dakota, Madison, and Mika

One late afternoon, in a village covered with heavy snow, there was a girl named Layla who had a very bad argument with her family in her round, icy home.  They didn’t agree on Layla’s desire to hunt with the men because it was against her religion. Layla ran away to clear her mind, but she was absentminded in her thoughts.  She soon realized she was lost in the dark night. 

  

            As she went through the thick, fluffy snow she saw five totem poles. Layla begged the five wise totem poles, “Please lead me back to my village with some source of light.” The totem poles responded, “We will lead you with 1,000 oil lamps and no more.” As she got to the last oil lamp, she tried to carry it with her, but the oil lamp was too heavy and she fell down.

Next, she met a fox named Max. She made a deal with him when he said, “I will give you a box of matches if you allow me to walk with you on your long journey.” They had seven matches and used three. They both stopped to take a break to get a drink. As Layla was getting a drink, Max ran away with the last four matches. Layla turned around and saw the fox running away with the matches in his jaws. She was running after the fox, but Layla could not catch up with him. Layla was so upset she cried very hard.

As Layla was sitting, she sobbed to the god Tiki, “Please, oh please, give me one more chance and lead me home.” The god used his powers and caused the Northern Lights to shine brightly over her head. The Northern Lights lead her home to her village where Layla’s family reached out their arms to hug her. “I’m so sorry for disobeying my family and religion,” said Layla.  “We forgive you,” the family replied.

In conclusion, whenever Inuit people see the Northern Lights they are reminded to obey their religion.

Who Makes the Wind?

By: Autumn

Once there was a man named Howler. He lived with his wife, Saya, his son, Anthony, and his daughter, Tulip. They lived in a little hut by some small hills. The hills were surrounded by trees and bushes. It was peaceful there, except for an old, selfish woman named Foxarora.                                                                                                                                                                    

One day, as Howler and Anthony were sharpening their spears, Tulip came running up to them and handed Anthony a small, brown object. It was a dead bird. Tulip told them what happened: the bird had eaten all of the raspberries, so Saya killed it out of fear. That night, the family prayed that the birds would go away. As they slept, Cloudonius, the sky god, rained down on the land. He had hoped to wet the birds’ feathers so they would stop eating the people’s food.

The next day, news of the birds had spread to the selfish, old woman, Foxarora. She laughed and mocked,” They should get a cat to eat the birds!” That night, as Anthony and his father were coming home for dinner, Saya ran out. “Have you found anything to eat for dinner?” she asked.” No. Why?” asked Howler. “Have the birds come back?” he asked softly. Her answer was, “Yes,” so the family had to eat the few leftover squirrels they had been saving for winter. That evening, they prayed that the birds would go away again. Cloudonius heard them, and made thunder, hoping to scare the birds away. That did not work either.

The next morning, when Saya was on her way to the market, she passed Foxarora. Foxarora said,” Where’s your little birdy?” She laughed and walked away. That night, Tulip anxiously watched her mother cook. So far, there hadn’t been any more birds. Then there was a sound like a howl. Saya shivered. “What was that?” she thought. “Ah! The gods must be trying to blow the greedy birds away! Hurray!” shouted Tulip. And the birds disappeared.

So now, every time Cloudonius sees a bird, he makes the wind to remind them not to be greedy. The birds never bothered the family again. As for Foxarora, she never bothered them again either, and nobody knows why.

Dinosaur Facts

By: Brody N.

·        When dinosaurs ruled the Earth there were carnivores (meat eaters) and herbivores (plant eaters).

·        The Brachiosaurus eats plants.

·        T-Rex teeth are sharper than a shark’s tooth.  They are meat eaters.

·        A triceratops horns are used for fighting.

·        Ankylosaurus’ have very hard heads.

·        The pterodactyl can fly up to 67 miles in one hour.

Letter to Patricia Reilly Giff

Dear Patricia Reilly Giff,

            Dreaming was very hard for me until I read your book, “Wild Girl.”   Your words moved me to start believing more in myself.  Your book led me to know that I have a voice, and I should use my voice to stand up for and support what I believe in.  In short, your story really changed my vision of myself and the life I plan to lead until I die.

            Your book, “Wild Girl” inspired me to move on from the past and let go of my regrets.  I was weighted down by my poor choices, hasty decisions, and uneducated beliefs.  Only when I finally let all this go, did I feel free to really know, understand and accept myself.  Your main characters words and actions truly taught me how to be me and not anyone else.  Since reading this book, I am making much better choices.  I don’t always get in trouble and I know how to control myself better.  When I feel the need to do or say something, I don’t feel pressured or afraid.  The words you gave your book character helped me to understand that everyone is not going to make fun of me for what  I might do or say.

            While I read your book, I thought to myself that people are too worried about what they look like, talk like, and all the rest.  People are consumed with the fear of what others think of them.  The people I meet everyday never let themselves feel free.  Many days, I feel surrounded in a world where people live in fear of being rejected and never know the feeling of self-acceptance.

            Emotions, images and memories were flowing through my head as your book took me on the journey of Lidie’s life.  I could feel the freedom you felt while you rode your horse.  I imagined that I was right there with you.  Reading each and every word as I flipped through the pages, I developed a new picture in my head where I was always with you.

            I came in touch with many emotions as I turned the pages.  I experienced happiness, sadness, determination, and many more emotions on a very personal level.  The emotions I went through were endless and I understood why your words impacted me so strongly.  Your book moved me and changed me because I saw myself in the eyes of your characters and through those words, I slowly began to carve out a hope for my life.  Hope that includes accepting and loving myself.

            So many memories came back to me as I read your book.  One especially hurtful memory that came to me was the memory of being in third grade and being teased for having braces on my teeth.  Many kids passed hurtful comments and some even physically pushed me around.  I didn’t talk much that year because I was so embarrassed.  My lack of communication with my peers led them to believe that I was stupid.  I realize now that if I had just accepted myself, everything would have been quite different.

            I am forever changed, and I am grateful.  I now think of myself as a wonderful girl.  Your story taught me to be true to myself and to always be me. 

            As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Be you, everyone else is already taken.”

                                                                                    Thank you for helping me be free,

           

                                                                                    Kylie M

Letter to Suzanne Collins

Dear Suzanne Collins,

           

            At a time in my life when I was jealous of my little brother for practically everything, I checked out your book, “The Hunger Games” from the local library.  At first glance of your book, I thought, “Man, this book is long, and I might not even like it, either.”  But the pages turned and turned with ease and as I neared the dramatic conclusion of the life and death games, I realized that this book impacted me socially, politically, and spiritually.

            This book has taught me a lot of things.  First, it taught me that sometimes rules need to be re-considered and even bent.  Some things are not black and white.  Second, it taught me that sometimes people will trick you to get what they want, like my little brother.  He has been known to lie and say things like, “Dad wants you to make me cereal.”   Your book made me take time to be more aware of who I should trust and that trust is earned, not given.  President Snow is an example of one of those people who play tricks and lies, not for the sake of others, but for himself.

            Panem’s government is very different from our current government.  Their country is divided into 12 districts.  This is quite different from the world I have known.  Your writing has taught me to feel empathy for countries whose leaders are tyrants, like President Snow.  The president you describe escaped my acquired knowledge of adults, and my belief that adults actively choose right from wrong.  Your writing made me grateful for our American way of government that is established “for the people, by the people.”

            Sometimes situations require rules to be broken.  By breaking the rules, sometimes it forces others to think more about the rules, question why, and stir change for the benefit of all.   Like Katniss, sometimes people are forced to break the rules to bring awareness and change.  There hope is not only to make things better for themselves, but for others. 

            Some emotions that arose in me were sadness, anger and empathy, as I became more and more involved in the lives of your characters.  Knowing that some eat well and live spoiled lives while people in neighboring districts are poor and hungry made me feel all of these emotions.   I realize now more then ever that I am very lucky to live the life I have.  I could not imagine myself at ‘the reaping’ or watching a family member being selected for ‘the games.’ 

            I really enjoyed reading your book!  It aroused many emotions inside of me and now more than ever I know to appreciate life and never take it for granted.

            Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and sharing with you how your novel impacted my life.

                                                                                                            Your thankful reader,

                                                                                                            Ericka H.  

Letter to John Green

Dear John Green,

            In your writing, I came to understand that there is so much more happening in every person’s life than I may ever know. We all have a history, and some of us are blessed with a future, but none of us last forever.  Your writing also inspired me to be more curious about the world and question more about the things that I see and hear, especially when I don’t understand.

            I have a lovable cat that always puts a smile on my face.  Just like anyone else that has a pet, I love my cat and never want to see him die.  Reading about Gus’s life and untimely death helped me really understand that no matter how much I love my pet, he is going to die one day.  I do not want my cat to ever die, but your words helped me to understand that death is a part of living.  I will one day have to face the pain of the loss.  You also taught me to make the most of the time I have with those I love, so I plan to spend as much time as I can with him before that day comes.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                Jaden

Letter to Jeff Kinney

Dear Mr. Jeff Kinney,

            “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” changed my feeling about reading.  While I thought reading was a waste of time and a big bore – I learned that reading can be a wonderful, fun, fulfilling experience.  Additionally, your story helped me think about and understand more about who I am and who I want to be. Some would say that is a big claim, especially considering the catapult in my change was inspired by a book with such a whimsical title.

            Laughter is a wonderful and powerful thing.  I enjoyed not only the chuckle and snicker laughs, but also the slap your knee, “bahaha” out loud with tears rolling down my face kind of laughs.  Beyond these laughs, I think that you sent messages in your book about morals and values.  I know you made me reflect about my own.  I have grown socially from reading your work.  I know this because at one point in my life, all I wanted to do was sit at home and play video games. Your words helped me to understand two important messages.  The first is that playing video games all the time is not living a good life, it is wasting one. The second is that building relationships with my friends takes time, commitment, and trust. 

            Your book also impacted me politically.  At school, we are asked to make many posters in support of this and that, to be hung up in the halls.  Your book taught me not to hang just any posters at school without truly learning about and believing in the cause.  After all, true integrity starts with building a clear understanding about what I believe in and why.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                Michael

Letter to Robert Munsch

Dear Robert Munsch,

            At a time in my life when I felt lonely and depressed, as if everyone I knew just blatantly ignored me, I turned to my bookshelf.  There, I came across your book, “Love You Forever.,” and I sat in my room alone and read your words.  Your story both broke my heart and made me cry tears of joy.  You inspired me to write this letter to let you know how your story impacted me socially, politically and spiritually.

            When I was merely six, my mother would read your book to me.  Hearing the story made me feel safe and loved by my mother.  As I got older, my mother started working nights shift and did not have the time for me that she once did.  My father‘s work required him to get up early, so most days he went to bed early.  The only other family member remaining was my brother, and he was “going through” his teen years and didn’t have time for me either.  Most times, I was on my own.

 As I got older, I started reading chapter books.  I viewed picture books with only 20 pages or less as baby books that were pointless.  I was wrong.  Your story has the strength to change lives.  It sure changed mine.  Even though I have had your story read to me a hundred times, reading your story that day for the first time by myself helped me to better understand life, living, coping, and making the most of the time we have.  I came to understand that my family is the most important thing in my world.  I also know that I am not alone.  Although things get busy, my family always has time for me.  You helped me to understand that time with the people we love has an end.  You encouraged me to spend all the time I can with my family because I won’t know when it is our last goodbye. 

When I think of kids that are six or eight years old, I know they usually spend time with their families.  I also think that is probably not the case with most teenagers.  Usually all they want to do is hang out with their friends.  This is why when I read your book I thought about my brother.  He spends little time with our family and prefers time alone in his room.  This both saddens me and motivates me to not become an average teenager. 

Time moves on, people come and go.  Your story taught me the importance of holding on to the people I love as long as I can.  I take this empathetic stance on not only my family, but for people of all walks of life.  This allows me to try and understand all people, even if they have different opinions and beliefs.  Thus, the love shown in this book has taught me tolerance and to accept all. 

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                                Audrey