Philadelphia Stories: Publishing Local Writers & Artists
Caroline is a 10-year-old student at Tatem Elementary School in Collingswood, NJ. When Caroline gets older, she hopes to be a scientist or a veterinarian. Her advice for writers and artists young and old: Mistakes are not always the end. They are the bloom of new ideas.
Sofia Mia Duran Ureña is in 5th grade at the Waldorf School of Philadelphia.
So, I was at home watching television, and I was using my Magic Finger to get some pretzels — lots and lots of pretzels — and then my dad came into the room.
Wait for it! Wait for it! HE was a pretzel! I was about to eat him when I locked myself in the closet. I heard a creak, and I fell through the floor into a portal. I closed my eyes.
When I opened them, I was in my neighbors’ car and they were turning into pretzels, so I jumped out the window and found myself surrounded by pretzels. Everyone was a pretzel!
The buildings were pretzels, and even the trees were pretzels with pretzel leaves. I ran into the pretzel forest. While I was running, I saw Hunter, my friend. I said, “Hi, Hunter. Why are you running?”
“Why else?” he said. “The pretzels!!!”
Then we heard a snap. Hunter yelled, “Jump!” as we dodge a falling half-pretzel, half-tree thing. And then we heard a call that sounded kind of “pretzelly.” It also sounded kind of “sistery.” (That is just our point-of-view. Hey, don’t judge us — judge our sisters.)
Just then we saw flying salt, and I say, “Well, hello to you!”
Our sisters appeared, but they were pretzels. Hunter and I both swung our fists and sliced them in half. I jumped in to eat them, but missed. Hunter had pulled my arm and swung me into the dirt as the trees shot salt at us.
It was a mad forest! Hunter and I ran for our lives, just as things were about to get salty! We were blinded by salt, which quickly covered us completely. We tried to navigate through it for help, but it was too late. We were trapped!
That is, until our friends Josh, Elliott and Lev arrived and dug us up. We were all in for a wild ride! We ran through the forest, jumping quickly so we wouldn’t sink. Lev told us a pretzel weakness — it’s another pretzel. He also told us the secret so pretzels can’t detect you — you have to hold a pretzel up to them. Good to know!
We went to my house and sneaked into the kitchen and got one pretzel each. Just as Lev was about to get his, a pretzel jumped through the window! My dog, Henry, barked once, but before he could bark a second time Hunter sliced the pretzel in half.
“Good one!” I said.
But we were surrounded, so I yelled, “Jump!” as a pretzel went flying under us and knocked down a wall of pretzels.
“YYYeeeessssss!!!!” I yelled. “Come on!” I yelled again.
We all ran out the door. I tripped over a rock. “Mmff,” I said.
I kicked the rock, and it bounced off the wall and hit me in the head. I yell, “Arg, you deadly rock!” But Josh told me it was a form-crystal.
“A form tile?” I asked.
“No, silly,” he says. “A form-crystal. It can turn one thing into another.
“Sorta like me and my finger?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“Hey! Maybe it can change everyone back!”
“Yeah!” Elliott yelled. “Now you can find out!”
I point the crystal at a rampaging pretzel and say, “Photosynthesis!”
The pretzel turned back.
“Yes!” I said. “This thing works!”
“How did you know to say that?” Lev asks.
“It told me to,” I said.
“What told you to?”
“The crystal, you mindless person!” I said.
“Come on!” Josh says. “We’ve got some humans to fix!”
Jason Kraus is a Grade 2 student at Myers Elementary School in Elkins Park, PA. He loves to play with Legos and to write creative stories. He also loves to draw and play the drums.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar eats
So delicious is the leaf
Bite, chew. Munch, crunch. Lunch!
Sunflower
Sunflower gazing
Yellow face up, standing strong
Grinning at the sun.
Leopard
Leopard laps water
Reflection ripples away
Nature’s wet mirror
Caroline is a 10-year-old student at Tatem Elementary School in Collingswood, NJ. When Caroline gets older, she hopes to be a scientist or a veterinarian. Her advice for writers and artists young and old: Mistakes are not always the end. They are the bloom of new ideas.
two pieces fit together
more matches make it better
to complete the puzzle
you have to search for answers
Mairead is a second grader at Rehoboth Elementary School in Delaware. She loves to play lacrosse and basketball, and her dog, Violet.
After the sun has made its rounds
and is slowly drifting to sleep
After the birds and squirrels have joined
the trees that wish and weep
The thoughts all slip away
into the world that lies ahead
Only colors in the distance
The sadness has finally fled
There is nothing to think about
Only things to see and hear
about the world it used to be
when it was without fear
A little temporary peace
before the day begins
A little temporary peace
before the hateful sins
Before the dark shadows come
Before the poison swallows all
There is beauty on the earth and sky
There is simpleness in it all
There is a little temporary peace
A tiny bit to share
A shield to the darkness
that threatens everywhere
The quiet has yet to retreat to its den
The beauty has yet to come to a cease
The tranquility has yet to go over yonder
And there is a little temporary peace
Mira Tensuan-Eli is a sixth grader at Haverford Middle School in Havertown, PA. She enjoys reading, writing poems and short stories, and staring off into space. She prefers quietness or soft music, but can deal with any atmosphere as long as she has an interesting book.
You’re a weird one,
Whisky dog.
You really are strange.
You bark when no one’s out there,
You’re afraid of your own poop,
Whisky doooooog!
The three best words to describe you
Are strange, cute and loving!
Alexandra Murray is eight years old and in the second grade. She likes to read, write, and draw. She enjoys reading the Warriors series and playing Minecraft with her sister, Scarlett. Her jingle is a spoof on the song, Mr. Grinch, and is paired with her drawing of her family’s dog, Whisky. Alexandra produced these pieces at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s 2017 Comic Con event.
Tame the beast
He’s evil
He’s destruction
Tame the beast
Get him while you can
Or you’ll be the one at fault
Tame the beast
My brother is released!
Molly is 10 years old and attends Williamstown Middle School. In her spare time, Molly enjoys playing softball and Minecraft.
So I know what you think —
Three 8-year-olds don’t know black history.
But we know how to write a poem in three minutes.
As we looked up Black History, we found interesting people,
Like Maya Angelou.
Maya was a poet and she fought for civil rights.
Ruby Bridges was brave enough to step foot in an all-white school.
But we’re not just here to talk about heroes in Black History.
We believe you should not judge people by their skin color,
‘cause if you do, you can miss out on knowing a nice person.
If you judge a white person because she’s white,
how do you think that will make things be equal?
Many times, people judge others by their skin color —
But you should always be kind and
judge people by what they say and what they do,
not by their skin.
Kindal Way is a third grade student at Myers Elementary School in Elkins Park, PA. She loves to do gymnastics, sing, write and dance. She also loves to help out in the kitchen with her aunt. Emma Zubairu is a third grade student at Myers Elementary School in Elkins Park, PA. She loves to play the piano and bake with her mom. She also loves to do gymnastics with her friend, Madison. Madison Alexander is a third grade student at Myers Elementary School in Elkins Park, PA. She loves to do gymnastics with Emma and play with her little sister. She also loves to bake with her mom and dad and play video games with her brother.