My Dreams Are Hopes

You’ll absolutely love the poems and stories authored by the fourth-graders in Ms. Maag’s class at Boone Elementary School!

Stuck on You

I am a piece of tape.
I don’t feel important because
I don’t have many jobs.
One of my jobs is to stick
things back together.
How boring—all year long I stay
in the same place holding a poster.
I hear students arguing about friendships.
I wish I could stick them back together!

Donna Pierce

If the Earth Was a Moon

If the Earth were a moon, what would we do?
We’d float in the sky—oh, how high we’ll go!
We would go so high in the sky, we’d see aliens.
Oh, how we’d go, we’d go really high, but maybe it’s best to stay down low.
Low, low, low. Oh, how we’d go.
Yes, maybe it’s best to stay down low.

Lillian Vasquez

Little Monster

I sneak through your walls
And have little claws
No, I’m not a dog
But tiny as a frog
And smelly as a log
I have a tail
I make noises: wale, wale
I’m in your trash
I move in a flash
I’m hairy and furry
I have little ears
Yes, I’m a fear
What can I be?

Ihsan Suarez

Clean Environment

Clean up the ocean.
Clean up pollution.
Buy products that are less harmful to the environment.
Clean up trash.

Edison Sadler

Earth Day

I can pick up trash
Leave a bowl of water outside for the animals
So they can have water
And leave a berry outside so they can eat food
I love animals and I love when I see them
They are so cute
I would love to take care of a bunny, a guinea pig, a dog
I have a hamster
My mom has a dog
We have a cat
Animals are the best

Bella G. Hernandez

The Life of a Jacket

I am a jacket. I am grey with a blue zipper and blue pockets. My life is quite the racket. On a cold winter day, I feel a cold rush of air. My person’s hair falls in my face. We step inside the door of a place called school. It’s actually quite cool. My normal day starts here. We walk to the cafeteria, a loud BEEEEEP rings out and something is placed on my shoulder. It felt like a boulder. ZZZiiiiippp! We go outside, she takes me off, and I’m left alone again.

The years pass and it’s spring, summer, fall, then winter and spring again. But wait, I am being lifted up into the air! I’m being carried to a box with the words “Lost and Found” on it. I wait in the darkness again. A light peeks out of the roof of this prison. A hand reaches in and grabs me. It’s her! My human! But wait, she looks different. She’s taller, older.

A child walks up behind her and asks, “Is that my new jacket, bwig swissy?”

She answers, “Yes, Marigold. Yes it is.” The child jumps up and grabs me, unzips me, and puts me on. We walk out and it’s hotter. Oh, no! It’s summer, that’s a bummer. I’ll never be worn! I might be torn by Moren, their dog.

Willow Fischer

What am I?

Hi, I’m Ranira. I love swamps, lily pads, and flies and mosquitoes too. They’re so delicious and nutritious for me. I love the rain and humid and rainy nights. My friend and I joined a choir, and we sing our hearts out. I get lots of exercise hopping where I please and, as I said, my name is… RANIRA! By any chance, do you know who I am? If you want, I’ll give you more clues. I’m green and want to jump to the moon! During the day, I drink, eat, and hop! Oh, did I mention I love flies?!

Grace Phipps

Argh?

Hello, I am white with red
I die every day or just get whapped in the face
I get hit once, but that’s not enough
My friend is a bat
But not a cap
I wish I were used every day
Or possibly for a game
I have bigger dreams than to be left in a yard to die
What am I?
It’s obvious
(A baseball)

Chris Mota

I Am a Leader

I am a leader
I am a civil-rights giver
People judge me by my skin
I am treated badly
I can’t eat at many restaurants
What am I?

Bella Brewer

Life as a Christmas Tree

I’m a Christmas tree
I stand tall out of my box
Oh, yes, I’m here
Year by year
I go in, I come out
Oh yes, you’ll see ornaments and presents
Oh yes, they are good
I bring people joy
Oh yes, I do
Every year, I smell those good, tasty cookies and milk
Oh yes, these kids are happy and joyful
I hope and dream to come again
Oh, yes, another joyful day will come again

Bella Bocanegra

Clues

I am something that hops away
Sometimes I like to play
I like to be in my mod
Or is it a pod?

I can hop higher than anything
Do I really have to rhyme with a thing?
I do not like my fears
They really hurt my ears

I have milk in my pouch
What are you doing? Ouch!
I like my prey
But not my predators

I love my boots
But I could be in de ja vu
Could you please tell me
What am I?

I gave you all my clues
Even though I like my shoes
Do you want me to tell more?
Oh my, oh Lord

I will tell you I jump high
Just high in the sky
And one more clue
What am I?
Thank you

Tilley Wooten

Life as Snow

I am white and cold.
I am solid, but liquid.
I am designed and small,
and when I have friends I am powder.
I can even make an angel.
I like wars with small, white balls.
I can be made into a man with a carrot for a nose.
Also, don’t taste me when I am yellow.
I come in the winter.
I go in the spring.
What am I?

Richard Hudson

What Am I?

I am a tiny
TINY thing
That makes that stuff
That humans inhale to survive

Some weirdoes think I don’t exist
Because they can’t see me
Well, the truth is
I’m not tiny
I’m microscopic
Can you guess what I am?

Ryan James Hamer

Frog

If I were a frog, I would be a green frog so I could walk up to Shrek and pretend to be his swamp. If he notices me, I will scream in his ear and then run off to a puddle. I see a duck, oh, I’ll jump on his eye. Oh, he was a pretty nice guy. Oh, what is this? I seem to be stuck. I must have been the duck. But I thought I was the frog. Look again, it was the log. I see something huge. Oh, what could it be? Is it you or is it me? Well, let’s see. I’ve finally found a stick. The stick is very thick. As I walk to the pond, I carry my wand and cast some magical spells. I turn around and hear a familiar sound. Oh boy, that sounds like me. I look in the lake. Oh, this was a mistake. What shall I do? Is that Shrek? No, it can’t be. He just got shreked, but I thought he made that up. I go back home on my big stone and I wonder what’s on TV? Well, I don’t have a TV, so it doesn’t matter. I’ll just go grab my ladder and climb up to my bed hoping this is all in my head. I dreamed about a bird, or is that kind of weird? Nope, not for me. I woke up in a cup, yep, a cup, and then I woke up in a tree. How could this be? I soon woke up in my real home. Excited to be back in my own place. I really needed the space. Is that a rat? Nope, that’s a cat. Looks like I have to go. See ya, Shrek. Oh wait, that was a donkey. Oof!

Lilian Mamaril

I’m Gael, I am Blank

I am fuzzy and furry
Probably have holes
My day is great
I’m warm and snuggly on my owner’s head
I see what they see, smell, touch, and taste
Wear when it’s cold, please, or I am a waste
My dreams are hopes
My hopes are dreams
I just wish to be worn on the head
My fears are frightening and also very scary
My fears are summertime
The worst time of all
Nobody wears me, but one… me!

Gael Rawlings

Slush

I am soft and I go everywhere
I get slept with and I feel warm every day
I sit on a bed every day and sometimes on the floor
In the morning, my owner wakes up, goes downstairs, and leaves me behind
I am scared of the dog and the cat because they could chew or rip me
I hate being on the floor
I hope to get buddies or more friends and not get chewed by the cat or dog
I hope to not get stuck in the car on the floor

Davian Jack Frost

Maybe You Can Spin the World

Check out the amazing poems and stories written by Ms. Maag’s fourth-grade students at Boone Elementary School.

Flying No More

I was flying,
Out there in the jungle, I sang
Forever Free,
That was what I thought then,
I thought I was free,
I thought I was happy.
There he was,
Sweaty as an ocean,
Copper bullets,
Ready to kill,
I already saw the lives he took,
Too slow to run from the lead-filled terminators,
I flew away,
Farther and farther,
Thinking I was safe,
I heard a BANG.
The bullets pierced my wing,
Pierced my soul.

I fell,
Lower and lower,
I woke up,
Clutching my wing like it was gold,
I couldn’t run,
I couldn’t breathe.
Why?
Why me?
I was never free,
What I thought was home,
Was just a hiding place from evil,
Life is just a big game of hide and seek,
But the seeker has to find you sometimes.

For me,
It was now.
My body was lying there,
Dead,
I am at rest,
Finally,
I will be,
Flying no more.

Atlas Castro

The Egg That Never Flew

Close your eyes and imagine this: A man was walking. He saw an eagle’s egg. He looked at it for two seconds, put it in a chicken’s nest, and walked off. A few months later, it hatched and acted just like a chicken.

One day, the eagle looked up and saw another eagle. He asked, “What is that?” The chicken answered, “Oh, it’s an eagle, but you’re never going to be like him.” So, he died a chicken when he was meant to fly.

Nobody is in charge of you. You are you, and you have to shape your life. Nobody else can. It’s just you, because you are meant to fly!

Jasmine Aung

Death Desert

As I walk along the steaming hot,
crystal clear sand,
I get blisters on my feet.

I watched the day turn to night.
I found a cave for shelter.
As the moon rose, it got colder.
I was finally able to sleep.

I suddenly woke up with a start.
I jumped!
But it was only the screeching of a bats’
cry of hunger.
Hopefully.

Morning came and the day grew hotter
and hotter, but I was still in the cave.
Then I heard something,
something big coming for me.
I got up and ran.
I could hear it coming faster and faster.

Its feet were like thunder pounding the ground.
I look back, and it’s just a big, giant fox!
I run as fast as I can.
Only then I didn’t know
that nothing survives here.

Then everything went blank.
I could hear nothing.
I saw nothing.

And in a second,
I was gone from the world.

Sophie Owensby

Ocean Dying

Once was beauty
Now so black
Once was living
Now so dead
Once was new and blue
Now so polluted and grey
I give you waves, I give you paradise
But all you give me is trash and ice
I give you fun
You give me hate
But you turned that all around
You did not make me frown
With all your help, we could make me new and cool
Just pick up your trash and try not to pollute

Jazzlyn Hepburn

All About Clown Fish

I want to be a fish.
I want to be a fish because
they can breathe underwater
for a very long time.
I would want to be a clown fish
because they look cool and
I like their colors.
They’re orange and white.

Nathan Jackson

Fortnite

I went to sleep and dreamt about the new Fortnite.
Then I heard  knock at my window.
I looked out, and this time the bunny yoga class
was learning the floss.
In the morning, a bee was in my room playing,
swarming around my Baby Alives.
I climbed down from my bunk bed and watched
the toy heroes, but then I heard a crunch.
I looked out the window.
There was the Flex Seal Man dancing.

Clarey Warstler

The Water

I think people should get in boats
and pull out all of the trash they see out of the ocean.
They should make a law about not polluting the ocean.
I also think it should be illegal to hunt for fish
in the seas, rivers, oceans, and lakes.
I also wish that fish would have more babies,
so there would be more fish in the ocean.

Xavier Aleto

I Guess

never felt the feel of her
like the rest and rest do see
never met who gave life
even though it was to me
never knew why they made
what they knew they couldn’t keep
why oh why did they save me just to plunge
me down in the deep
I guess that I must look like her
so maybe she looks like me
or maybe she looked ‘cause time will tell
but for now a guess is all I can be

Asa Wilson

The Real World

Imagine one day
You woke up
To see the small world in front of you
With no idea about what troubles
You might experience next
Maybe you can spin the world
Travel to a country filled with amazing wonders
Make your own city
Make relationships
Start a war
Trouble your land
Defend it
Try to fix it
Oh no…
You’re drifting into the real world
You’ve woken up
You want to go back
To fix your mess
But it was just a dream

Jake Napolillo

Did You Know?

(Truth or Not?)
Aliens, oooh,
were found on Mars.
I bought the new dirt in Fortnite from Target.
Baptise is a color.
I am a person.
Ali-A is not click bait.
Yellow is actually green.
Gnomes live!
This guy lives.
Guardians of the Galaxy is real.
Wow Guy is actually Freddie Mercury.
Queen = Beatles (just to anger Asa).
Teletubbies is my favorite show.
Roblox won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Times-Up Guy is an astronaut.

Tommy O’Leary

The Beginning

A squirrel runs along a pine branch in a lush, green forest.
An acorn falls to the ground.
After days of rain and shine, a small sapling shoots up.
Its tiny leaves reach for the sun.

Liam Thomas

He is the High

God is my shield
God is my rock
God is the roof that keeps me on top
I am brave
I am bold
I will love Him ‘til I’m old
Love you, God
R.I.P. Jesus

Anthony Joseph Basden Jr.

It’s the Hard Shark Life for Us

Sharks, like me, are very endangered.
Hunters catch us and make us feel sun-hot anger.

We live our lives in peace and fun.
But when they take us away, it’s like we’re in
a Sharpie-black room looking for a key to freedom.

It sucks, it’s sad, it’s the tip of the marker.
There’s nowhere to go as the light gets darker.

The light fades away like a blowing dust.
So it’s time for God to take me, it’s upsetting,
but He must.

This is it. It’s time to say goodbye
to all our friends and family,
but why, just why?

Gabriel Chavez

Pizza Party

I scored 85 million points in football.
I got to the champion league.
My team won.
We went to Pizza Hut and I ate 85 pizzas.
I was so fat.
My team was fat too.
So when other teams tried to stop us,
we ran over them and won.

Marlon Quinn Hardeman Jr. M2

Coral

A coral reef lives long.
I am one hundred years old.

In my life, I have watched baby fish
and their mothers get caught and suffocate.

I watch people illegally kill whales of all kinds.
I watch them suffer and slowly float to the bottom of the reef.

A tiger shark got killed going up to a boat out of curiosity.
I watch sea turtles get ripped from the sea with other fish
and the fishermen just take it all!

And now because of the consumer,
I went away too.

Sadie Schaeffer

True or False

I play Pub-G
I have H 1Z1
I have Minecraft on PS4
I have Star Wars battlefield
I won Fortnite twice
I watch Teletubbies on cable
I have been gnomed
I have eaten cheesecake
I have real throwing stars

Lucas Hardy

The Pickle

Once I was eating a pickle, and out of nowhere it came to life.
I screamed and dropped the pickle and it summoned more pickles.
They turned me into a pickle.
Now I am a pickle brother for life!

Jack Beck

Is My Brain Rotting Yet?

My parents say I have to have
a limited amount of screen time.
But I don’t care if my brain rots!
It’s fun, and parents always say:
just try to have fun.

Mae Rooni

The Squirrels Nuke

Today… is a great day for a dog!
Look outside!
The big oak tree!!
I’m pretty sure there are 100 squirrels.
Let’s go get some squirrels!
Bang!
What is this?
An invisible wall?
Well, I guess I’ll just watch cartoons.
*Nuke launches.*

Finnley Bridges

Excelling in Amusement

Meet the incredibly talented, knock-your-socks off writers in Ms. Barrett’s class at Boone Elementary School!

I’m From

I am from my couch with End Game on
I am from a hospital with hugs
I am from Hawaii
I am from Game Stop
I am from church
I am from loving dogs
I am from going to Dallas
I am from Tanya and Angel Flores
I am from video games
I am from P Terry’s
I am from two worlds: my grandma’s and my mom’s

Jaiden Flores

Invasion

It was a day as dark as a bottomless pit, but the day didn’t start like this. Let’s start from the beginning. It was a day like any other. Sadie is drawing, Birb’s as good as good can be, Archer and Arlo are goofing around, Juan’s sleeping and the teachers are as smart as can be. They are talking about learning and teaching on the chalkboard, but there is a scary, green flash at the window! ALIENS!!

Everyone is scattering around the classroom and screaming. They are running around like a bunch of ants! Here comes the army. Get ready for World War III. Here comes the general and he’s about to give a command. “Throw the cheese!!!”

Ten minutes later, here comes Mrs. Barrett. “Back to work everyone.” Oh well, I guess I gotta get back to work, but the school is destroyed. Here comes the principal, “Everyone back… to… school? Well, now that the school is destroyed, I might as well retire. So, I am no longer principal, which means this is no longer my mess. Good day and, Archer, you’re in charge. Oh, I can already tell this is going to be a treat.”

Jacob Guzman

Life of an Arlo

I am from a loving family and very dangerous battles.
I am from a happy, healthy mind and the morbid sense of humor belonging to a dark soul.
I am from the heat of Texas in July on fire.
I am from very nice friends in the sun.
I am from the Stockstill name and related to whoever made the National Anthem.
I am from a yippy yippy yi yippy yippy yay – who’s wishing you a happy birthday, yeehaw!
I am from Lynns and Russells.
I am from high technology on the screen or computer.
I am from Tex-Mex and Louisiana.
I am from two worlds: Chuy’s and planet Earth.

Arlo Stockstill

Animals

Save the pigs like the pigs save your hunger!
Be sweet like the honey bees make!
Raise your voice to save the animals—like wolves, howl!
You can be as bright as a parrot, believe!
Hunt for bad people like they hunt for their dinner!
Be groovy like the sea turtle Ms. Jena saw in South Padre!
Raise the roof like a giraffe would do if he enters the room!
Be comforting like panda faces!
Go with the flow like snakes crawling up your warm pants!
Be great like the Great Apes!
Fly away when you get angry like birds fly away when someone steals their food!
Let people use your things like trees let you use their paper!
Mark your territory like my dog does to my shoe!
Don’t be dull like panda colors!

Naomi Ross

This is Where I am From

I am from an old Christmas light waiting to shine and a cat scratching my face.
I am from a new blanket and raindrops falling on my hand.
I am from the hospital in the month of June.
I am from the Apple store waiting for me to come back and buy something.
I am from my warm house.
I am addicted to my phone and friendship.
I am from a Christmas cookie getting pulled out of the oven.
I am from Ashley, Peter, Adam, Delilah, Serenity, Avery, Lisa, other Ashley, Amber, John, Erica, Liliana, Emma, Kayla, Izri, Alyssa, Lili, and Heaven.
I am from my jokes that aren’t even funny.
I am from any Tex-Mex food ever.
I am from two worlds: the moon and stars to Jupiter through Mars.

Cylah Riffle

Rhinos are the Best

Rhino’s horns are hard as a tree.
Rhinos are mean as sharks.
Rhino’s horns are sharp as a shark’s tooth.
Rhinos are grey like the elephant.

Juan Gloria

Silly Sally

There was a girl named Sally. She was driving on a silly street. The street was slick, slippery, and slimy. Sally was on her way to a silly slumber party. She wore a sweet sweater and some shiny shoes with some swirly pants. Her hair was silky, swirly, and smelled like sweets. When Sally got there, she really wanted to go swimming in the sun. So she put on her shiny bathing suit. She was also super hungry, so she ate some silly and sweet cookies. When she was done swimming, she put on her soft and silly PJs and went to sleep.

Amari Martinez

Did You Mean…

Andelin is above average amiableness
Altogether her accomplishments are aimless, but almost always awesome
Absurd excelling in amusement advances actual accomplishment
Ambitious accommodation to accomplish all accomplishing accomplishments
Acorns actual acknowledgement makes Andelin wonder how ambitious acorns accomplish lists and excel with amazing acorn cheek marks
Approximately 800% of arithmetic is assertive and arrogant, but is good at paying attention on the right attire to wear while attacking attractive avocados

Andelin Foxhoven

Car Crash

BOOM! “AAhhhh! My leg! Ahh!”

“Dude, it’s just a game,” his brother said.

“I know it is. I just want it to be realistic. You’re being too realistic.”

“Okay, well, go to sleep. It’s nine o’clock and you have school tomorrow.”

The next day…

“Get your backpack, eat your breakfast, and let’s go!”

In the car driving…

“Stop texting and driving,” the little brother said.

“You’re going to do it at some point,” the big brother said.

“Well, that is bad. That’s what I learned at school.”

“Wait, what is that… ? AAhhhh! Mom, look out!” BOOM!!!!

Erick Campos

Me

I am from pools and dogs in my room.
I am from TVs in my house and phones in my hand.
I am from Mississippi, and Texas is where I was born.
I am from my Xbox, where I hang out most.
I am from my home that my mom and dad enjoy.
I am from Minecraft and penguins and hedgehogs.
I am from Easter and Halloween parties.
I am from Laura and Charlie.
I am from video games that are really complicated.
I am from watermelon and ramen noodles.
I am from Mississippi, on my grandma’s dock, thinking.

Fenex Boyd

Cheerios

Cheerios
Cheerios
Cheerios
I see the Cheerios
I see the Cheerios
I smell the Cheerios
I smell the Cheerios
I save the Cheerios
I save the Cheerios
I consume the Cheerios
I consume the Cheerios
The Cheerios is yum
The Cheerios is yum
3-D Cheerios
2-D Cheerios
4-D Cheerios
Cheerios
Cheerios
Cheerios
doot doot doot doot
Cheerios
Cheerios
Cheerios
*weird scream*
Enlarger to show detail

Sadie Dedeaux

A New World

I am from me (Lala), black hair, seventy-two years old (I mean twenty-seven years) and my trees and a garden that never grows.
I am from my big, blue, king-size bed and my sweet nunchucks.
I was born at St. Davis Hospital in Miami, Florida.
I love hanging out at the bike park.
I am from me and my old, brown house.
I am our secret reputation as kids.
I am from skipping middle school, high school, and college.
I am from the twins—Lauren, Lorence—the other twins, Andre, Andrea, Lala, and Lolo.
I am from iPhones.
I am from chicken wings, hot dogs, and Pizza Hut.
I am from two worlds: the kid and cool world with my elementary friends and senior citizens with other people taking care of me.

Lauren Smith

The Claw Machine

One day, there was a rainbow. Then it got eaten by a dog that was blue named Jeffrey. Every day, Jeffrey spent $20 worth of quarters on a claw machine. He was trying to get this dog bone for weeks, but he couldn’t get it. Then one day, a pigeon came out of nowhere and broke the machine. Then he got his dog bone. He figured out that it was a squeaky toy, but it was just as good.

Jeffrey commentary read in a British accent: Well, blimey, mate. We got a cheeky buggar here, we do, we do. Well, pip pop cheerio. God save the queen!

Noah Rodriguez

Aardvark

Aardvark eats an atom on an apple about to abort an acorn while on a bridge
While an acrobat eats an aquatic fish with an ace of spades
Aardvark has an account on an active obsession with access to an accessory
An aardvark on an acute angle is about to adapt an address
Aardvark is about to admit his accident with an advanced adjective
Aardvark has an addiction to being an acrobat
Aardvark likes to fish while on an acorn
This has to adjust to an activity, aardvark

Archer McCombs

I Finally Know!

I am from the great-grandfather clock in my living room and the old, dusty piano sitting in my garage.
I am from my phone sitting on my bed and the computer I got for my birthday.
I am from the St. David’s South Hospital and the old, rigid mountains where the town of Orden resides.
I am from the tree that hangs down on and over my house.
I am from Boone Elementary School, where I write you this poem.
I am from all the inside jokes me and my friends make.
I am from my mom, Lori, my dad, Matt, and my brother, Zachary.
I am from the Internet, where you can do whatever.
I am from the cheesy sensation of pizza and the yummy goodness of Blondies.
I am from two worlds: the soothing comfort of my grandma’s house and the learning environment of school.

Kayla Van Orden

Lone Wolf

When a wolf hunts, he’s as quiet as a mouse
He’s calm like the air
Waiting for the perfect time to strike…
BOOM!
He strikes like a snapping turtle
He’s as terrifying as a lion
He’s as fast as a cheetah
WHOOSH!
And when he strikes…
It’s the end (read softly)

Nicholas Frayre

Rain Forest Animals

We are all here wasting away,
Getting hunted down like a cat and its prey.
There are many of us and I’ll list a few:
Ocelots, tree frogs, and leopards too.
We are turning into dust like some trees do.
Our habitat is destroyed.
Waah!!! Boo hoo!!!
Our homes are dead as a rocks.
There is nothing we can block.
Think about it next time you go to the store.
Before you get the latest hardwood floor.
Where did the wood come from before?

Samantha Ramos

I Have a Dream That Is to Be Read

Welcome to incredible poems and stories created by the fourth-grade writers in Ms. Barrett’s class at Boone Elementary!

The Pizza Rolls

I am pepperoni pizza rolls.
When I bake, all the cheesy stuff gets in the pan.
I hope to get eaten.
I love the sauce and bread on top of me and I like it next to me.
My archenemy is pizza.

Tristan Buford

The Soccer Game

I am a soccer ball.
I am white and black.
It is fun to get kicked around.
It is fun because you go high in the sky.
As I go in the sky, I can see the crowd cheering loudly.
They want to see if I’m going to make the goal.
I make it.

Nathan Anderson

What Protects Me

My grandma protects me
As you can see
She passed away a long time ago
I try to go through it alone
But I can’t and I break down in tears
It sounds clear, but it’s not
And now my fear is to die
But die in my sleep like my grandma did
So, yeah, that’s my fear and what protects me
Now you know how I feel when I’m crying
And you know why I’m crying

Victoria Berron

Oatmeal Tale

I am oatmeal.
I am steamy, hot, and moist.
I am sitting in a pot.
I am apple and cinnamon flavor.
You put me in a bowl and eat me with a spoon.
I don’t want to get eaten by people.
I have a bully in my pot.
His name is organic oatmeal.
He has a nasty little taste.
Soon I will fall in the trashcan.

David Aguilar

Fun Time Freddy

I’m Fun Time Freddy.
I’m white and pink, and I have a bonnie hand.
My face is in fourths.
I have a bunch of teeth.
I trick people and scare people.
I am scared of the puppet master.

Daniel Perez

Save Our Turtles

Save the turtles every day and night.
Save the turtles and be sweet and nice.
Save the turtles so they can lay their eggs at night.
Save the turtles so they can be alive.
They live on the beach.
Then you will see sea turtles in the breeze.
Give them shade.
So they can go to the waves.

Amira Castilleja

Black Cat

I’m a cat and I’m a black cat.
I give bad luck and I like cat food.
I’m not nice and I love my day.
I don’t get a lot of owners, but I scare people.
I hope that I get a lot of owners and get more food.
I like and dislike dogs, bad people, and pet school.

C.J. Barberena

Lonely Dumb Daisy

I am a lonely, dumb daisy
In a dungeon of King Weed
No escape with no friends and family
If only I could reach the golden key
If only I could feel refreshed by rain
Even if I could, it is still not enough for me
I am the lonely, dumb daisy
I only hear other prisoners clinging the prison bars
If only I had a car
I am the lonely, dumb daisy
Please hope for me to escape

Carcyn Reever

What I’m Scared Of

I feel like my family is going to pass away quickly.
My family and my dog protect me.
My dad is going to teach me self-defense.
My family is not always going to be there.
Poisonous stuff scares me.
Do not eat it or drink it.
I’m scared of being taken away from my family.
I know my family will be there to protect me.

Joshua Taylor

Hi, I’m a Candy Cane

I’m like a coral reef
Sometimes red and sweet
As a honey bee and little insects fly on me
Because of the sweetness
I’m so straight with a hook on my top like an elephant’s trunk
I’m so colorful like a colorful flower
Before someone gets me
I have a plastic wrap around me like a toy wrap

Delilah Granados

Books

I am a book
I can open and close
I can be read
I can be any color
I have a title
I am square shaped

I see people
I smell other books
I hear people talking about me
I taste people’s hands when they touch me

I have a dream that is to be read
I have a hope to not be thrown away

I have a dislike, which is to not be thrown around
I have a like that is to be taken somewhere

Caitlyn Marie Barberena

I am a Lemur

I am a lemur
I jump from tree to tree
To and fro
Back and forth
I am fuzzy and grey
But I’m also white, orange, and black
I taste fruit and feel the tree branches on my feet
I want to eat all the fruit ever
I am a lemur

William Elliott

I Have No Fear or Talisman

Nothing to fear
No way for protection
I have no real fear
Some things are creepy
But that’s just it
There’s nothing I can feel
Some things may make me feel warm inside
And that’s not really protection
But that’s just it
There’s nothing I can feel
There’s nothing more
Nothing less
I have no fear or talisman

Sadie Higgins

Math and Mass

Today is Earth Day.
Our theme is saving animals.
I picked the giraffe because he knows a lot of math.
He doesn’t like reading, but he likes eating.
He loves eating leaves that have a lot of mass and are green as grass.
He hates eating red meat.
When he eats meat, his feet stink.
He’s really happy when he doesn’t have stinky feet.
He does math and knows about mass.

Alfonso Rodriguez

Giraffes

Giraffes, their necks are long as a pole.
Their population is like a big hole.
Their colors are so bright and delightful.
They’re almost as bright as a light cool.
The yellow and brown pleases the eye.
Why are they going extinct, just why?

Jordan Freeman

Baby Shark

In the water you can see my leathery fin coming towards you
Sharp teeth chewing fiercely like a cheetah
You decide to swim away, but I am faster
I swim to the surface of the water that is bright as blueberries
I am just a baby hammerhead shark
You feel relieved that I am a baby shark
So you feel my warm fin and say
You’re not as cold-hearted as I thought

Savannah Haenning

The Life of a Bee

I’m nothing much, just a honey bee
I work as hard as a factory worker
My honey is sweet like sugar
I feel as happy as a bunny playing in the forest
When I go back into the hive, the queen is proud of me
I hear all the bees working like construction workers building a skyscraper
I dream of becoming the next queen
I’ll bee the best bee queen this hive has ever seen!

Isabella Marie Fagan

My Little Blossom Tree

The little blossoms are as pink as bubble gum
The trunk is as strong as Hulk
The leaves are free in the wind like a bird flying high
It soaks up all the water in its roots
Then the snow falls
As cold as the Arctic Ocean
And my little blossom tree’s blossoms fall to the ground
My little blossom tree’s blossoms are grey like my grandpa’s hair
But my little blossom tree will be back in the spring

Annika McCloskey

Scary Nights and Comforting Creatures

Dear Reader,

Caution: The following works comprise a collection of voices and visions waiting to reach out, suck you in, and never let go. From fancy ketchup to zombies in tutus to spring-ready accessories, the works in this line-up are as eclectic as the students who produced them.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of exploring and creating with Ms. Williamson’s fourth-grade students at Boone Elementary School. Each week, we speculated, debated, and laughed as we discussed the essential elements that make a piece of writing compelling, and, above all, matter. I believe each of the following works embodies those traits, and I feel lucky to be in the company of such expansive imaginations.

So, sit back, relax, and prepare to be dazzled by some amazing creative works. Tread fearlessly, but carefully—they might bite.

Amanda Scott
Badgerdog Teaching Artist

 

How to Sell Ketchup: A Fine Food for Fancy People

Rated number one by food tasters around the world! This ketchup is made with real tomatoes, not Franken-food. What’s more, it’s even a good stress reliever. Just squish the packet in dangerous, scary, or other questionable situations and all your fears will disappear! Don’t wait any longer! Now’s the time! Grab your own fancy ketchup packet today. Available at a fast food restaurant near you.

Tiernan Hunt

Kevlar Comb

Combs are the best way to keep your hair looking both fine and divine! They’re unbreakable—like Kevlar for your hair! Who wouldn’t want one?

Marcus Trevino

Alvin and Theodore

One day I went to get a haircut. As I was sitting there in the bright barbershop, I thought to myself, Wouldn’t it be nice to have a pet? While I was on my way home, I thought of the perfect pet: a hamster. That’s it! I’ll adopt a hamster!

The next day, I drove to PetSmart and stared into the glass cases housing hamsters, ferrets, and kittens. I spotted a hamster with large black eyes and was immediately in love. The placard next to the cage read: “Chinese Dwarf Hamster.” How exotic, I thought. I had to have it, but I didn’t want it to be lonely, so I decided to snag the hamster it shared its cage with. I filled my cart with all the necessary supplies for my new friends: a cage, water bottles, colorful toys, and flaky hamster food.

Back home, they looked comfortable and happy. The only thing left to do was name them. After a while of thinking, I came up with the only names fit for these two friends: Alvin and Theodore.

Caleb Amayo

Dizziness

It was a dark and stormy night when I fell out of my bed. I got up so I could wake up my dog. I wanted to sleep in his doghouse, figuring I’d feel more comfortable there. But then I heard something odd, something that sounded like a clown. Sure enough, a clown jumped out of the shadows and squeaked his large red clown horn at me. Naturally, I was extremely scared, so I ran the other direction toward the kitchen when a zombie popped out of the pantry wearing a tutu, of all things! I scrambled toward the bathroom and thought I was alone and safe. But then I heard a ghoulish sound from the shower: it was Frankenstein! We looked at each other and both screamed! I dashed out of the bathroom toward my sister’s room, where I spotted crazy Elmo! He started following me as I rushed to get away, but then I crashed into two dancing dolls with eyes as large as the moon. My head was swirling and I started seeing visions. Chicken wings, crying babies, choirs singing. In my haze, a robot dog came barking down the hallway after me. So, of course I ran as fast as I could before spotting the Cookie Monster who yelled, “Cookie, cookie, cookie!” after me as I sped past toward my bedroom. Nowhere was safe. I burrowed into my bed. A few seconds later, the TV mysteriously flicked on, and on the screen appeared the cast of Sesame Street. Slowly, I watched as the head of King Elmo rose at the edge of my bed, and came closer, closer, closer.

Dyson Hall

The Swag Dogs

I have two female dogs and two male dogs. My family likes to call them the “Swag Dogs” because they have a lot of attitude.

They are all very soft but smell very, very bad. My dogs are all unique. I have a Pug, Chug, Chihuahua, and Maltese. Pancho, the Chihuahua, sleeps with me. But one day he died. Magically, he came back to life. It was a miracle, and the Swag Dogs were back together once again.

Sidnee Amador

Jeffery the Zookeeper: Dun! Dun! Dun!

Once, there was a zookeeper named Jeffery. He was a very rich man, and his house was made of gold and cost more than one million dollars! He also loved animals and even had his own bobcat.

One day, Jeffery saw something in his bobcat’s cage. It was shiny and glittery. Jeffery had to have it. The bobcat was nowhere to be seen, so Jeffery crept into the cage, hoping to retrieve the treasure. But Jeffery did not see that he had been wrong all along: the bobcat was still in the cage.

To this day, nobody steps foot in that cage.

Cali Reever

Fight for the Husky

I really want a Husky. I’m trying to persuade my parents to let me adopt one. I mean, who wouldn’t want a Husky? Who wouldn’t want a fluffy, blue-eyed cutie?

I deserve a Husky because I would take good care of it, attending to all of its needs. I already have two other dogs, so I’d convince my parents that they’d also need a new friend.

I’d make my case and seal it with puppy dog eyes. In my fight for the Husky, I’d be victorious.

Lilly Besa

We are Always Happy

My sister is four years old. Sometimes we are mad or sad. But most of the time, we are happy. When I’m sad, she gives me a hug and a kiss. Sometimes my sister and I are mad or sad. But if we stick together, we’ll always be happy.

Marina Tapia

The Switch

There is a photo of a man and his cat. However, what you see is not what is because the man in the photo is the cat, and the cat is the man. The man’s mustache is his whiskers, and the cat’s whiskers are his mustache. They’ve switched bodies.

Since that very first day when the man spotted the cat roaming around his neighborhood and decided to take him in, he knew they would switch bodies. The cat loved it; it loved being human. So they lived like this forever, switching bodies back and forth, between feline and human.

Coryn Rodriguez

The Nightmare

My friend and I were at my house playing games and having a great time when things got… freaky. First, the lights started to flicker, which made us run upstairs and hide in my closet. Sitting quietly together, I suddenly realized it was Friday the Thirteenth. In the shadows of the closet, everything took on a dark red hue, like the color of blood. Then we saw as a hand slide into the closet and slowly feel around. I closed my eyes and hoped it wouldn’t find us. But I never opened my eyes again to see.

Declan Perez

Spring Rose Hairclip! By Hair Clippie Co.

Today we have a limited-edition hairclip for the spring season. But this isn’t just any old hairclip. This gorgeous accessory features a prominent magenta rose that will match any party dress you pick out to dance the day or night away. You’ll be the blossom of everyone’s dreams. But this offer won’t last, so get yours today! Be the beautiful bloom you always thought you could be!

This has been brought to you by Hair Clippie Co.

Izzy Gonzalez

Giants

– ¾ after Shel Silverstein’s “One Inch Tall”

If a humans were one-inch-tall, pools would be oceans.
A shoe sole would be a deep, dark cave.
A dollhouse would be a mansion.
I don’t think being one-inch-tall would be so bad after all.

Joshua Hernandez

The Scary Night

It was a dark and stormy night. Tod was in the bathroom when the lights started to buzz and the door suddenly swung open. It was my mom. I was comforted at first, but then I noticed she looked different. She didn’t look like herself. Her eyes widened and her mouth turned into a triangle. She let out a long cackle, and then, poof—she vanished.

Rey Goff

Animals Reign Supreme

Speak all the languages of the world or talk to animals? I’d go with the latter.

I’d rather be able to talk to animals because I could joke with them. We could trade tricks and laughs all day long. There’d never be a dull moment.

If I could talk to animals, I’d also be able to help them when they’re hurt or in need. I’d know how to help them if they were sick.

In the end, aren’t we all the same, anyway? Aren’t we animals, too? If I had to choose, I’d rather talk to animals. How about you?

Jaiden Valadez

Look At My Imagination, Not My Room

Have you ever wondered how to make pickles dance? Well, it’s easy if you follow the steps provided by one of Ms. Barrett’s morning students. Just hire a DJ named Nolan, who plays “hip-hop, rap, or retro music.” And don’t forget the pool for pickle swimming. I love how this group of fourth-grade writers found inspiration in Sandra Cisneros’s “My Name” to imagine the sensory details of their own with colors of “dashing red or a deep blue” and “a fresh chocolate smell.” When we explored places in our writing, rooms emerged that were so clean “I can run as fast as a cheetah.” Other rooms were so outrageously messy, they “smelled like death and bad breath, overrun by ants, stinky cheese, and rotten peas.” I’m grateful for the invitation to write with Ms. Barrett’s fantastic, fun, and fearsome writers.

Terri Schexnayder
Badgerdog Teaching Artist

My Room Is So Clean

My room is so clean I can fit ten very large people in it. I can run as fast as a cheetah in there without stepping on anything. You won’t find noisy toys or LEGO—absolutely nothing is in my room! It is so neat, one billion people can squeeze in the space.

My spotless room smells like roses and tastes like a crisp apple. It is so quiet that you can hear the wind blowing through the trees. That’s my clean room!

Edward

How to Make My Dream House

Have you ever imagined creating your own dream house? Let’s plan and make one together with these materials:

• Chocolate Hershey kisses, the best on earth
• Sweet Tarts for the bedroom door, located on the fourth floor
• Pink bubble gum for a slide
• Blue bubble gum for the elevator
• Snickers and Milky Way bathroom—tub, sink, and even the tile
• Nerds are the windows

Maybe now you can make your own? I am going to build mine right now!

Mya

My Magical Name

My name is Preston.
Take away the “n” and it’s “Presto!”
I love my name.
It’s like the color red and the sound of the ocean.
My name is so magical with its fresh chocolate smell.

Preston

The Best Dream House

Let me tell you about the most amazing dream house ever! Once you have heard about it, you will want to live in it and probably build your own. It’s actually a humongous structure, called the Party Palace, in which a very petite person lives. You see, the story goes like this:

Little bitty Amy shopped for houses, but did not find any she liked. For example, she found a one-room with only one bed, and that was too small even for her. So she designed her own from granite and rhinestones. Inside there was a pool of green Jell-O and a chair made from a really large gummy bear. Amy’s bed squished when she climbed in, because the pillows and mattress were marshmallows. With the softest turquoise blanket, she slept so well!

In her dream house, Amy also had a flat screen TV, where she could watch “Jeopardy” all day long on her favorite spot—the cotton candy couch. There was a hot tub with warm, melted chocolate in her house, located behind Niagara Falls. Listening to the sounds of water tumbling down, it’s the best place in the whole wide world!

Vivienne Authement

My Name is Maya

Do you know what my name means? Well, I will tell you. It’s like a vanilla donut, and it makes me feel as happy as sunshine cupcakes and rainbows. My name is Maya.

Maya is a nice name. It smells like a daisy and tastes like cookies and creamy ice cream. My name is a pink color and cute as a puppy doll. My name is mostly perfect. Maya means hope.

Maya Barrientos

My Icky Room

My room is so dirty, I can’t see the floor.
It’s so dirty, I can’t find the door.
The toys are stacked up so high,
I think they already touch the sky.
My room is so messy, it looks like a maze.
Somebody help me—I’ve been in here for days!
The closet is so full, it’s going to blow.
What should I do? Where should I go?
It smells like old gym socks and stinky feet.
Plus, I lost my cousin Pete.
Please call for help!
There’s an avalanche of slimy kelp.
Oh, no! My closet exploded!
My shoes flew so far away; I think they are in France.
My room smells like death and bad breath, overrun by ants,
stinky cheese, and rotten peas.
Won’t someone just rescue me? Please!

Ameris Basden

My Enormously Neat Room

My room is so clean I can fit California in its space. Last week, I even held a football game in my room—the Dallas Cowboys won, of course! I once held a party in there and 1,000,000 people of all ages came and there was room left over for more.

When Queen Elizabeth visited for lunch, she complimented me on my room’s tidiness. It is so shiny, even the sun thinks it’s too bright. My room smells as if millions of roses lived in there. It tastes like a chocolate ice cream sundae. Hey, are you planning a superstars concert? Well, my bedroom is the place to rent! And, I promise, an event in my room will be an unforgettable evening.

Ava Contreras

How to Make Pickles Dance

Have you noticed those big, fat green things in jars? Have you ever imagined the pickles dancing? Well, I have, and I have seen them come alive at night! So, now, I will share with you some pickle-dancing tips. Be sure you get the regular, big fat green kind.

1. Play hip-hop, rap, or retro music.
2. Turn the music up very loud!
3. Create a disco room.
4. Hire a DJ named Nolan.
5. Make sure you have plenty of Coke and cherry soda.
6. And don’t forget the Minecraft video game.
7. Order ten Domino’s Pizzas with ranch on the side—enough for 100 people and pickles.
8. Build a backyard pool for pickle swimming.
9. Remember the pool table with colorful legs.

So, now you know how to make them dance. Have fun watching the pickles dance and join in!

Nolan Edward Espinosa

I am Stuck!

My room is so dirty that toys are everywhere, climbing the walls and hanging off the roof! If you dare to enter my room, you must be a doof. You will trip and fall on your face, then roll down the hill of toys, hit the wall of dirty clothes, and disappear for the rest of your life.

Don’t stand in one place in my room, or the monster with no face, which hides under my floor, will get you! My room is so sickening that if you want to sleep with a blanket, you will have to dive deep to find one. And don’t go into my closet. If you open the door, one billion toys will jump out at you, pushing you through the floor and into the underworld. Hey, maybe while you’re down there, you will find the other toys I have been missing!

Oh, no! There’s my old friend Logan hidden under my LEGOs. Well, I should say my enemy now, because he just knocked me out!

Chase Foley

How to Ride and Handle a Unicorn

Have you heard the expression “somewhere over the rainbow?” Unlike this idiom, finding a unicorn is a real skill you can learn! Let me show you how to accomplish this with these simple steps:

• Find your unicorn, usually somewhere over the rainbow. (Now, I mean literally!)
• Tame it by feeding it a silver carrot, more than likely found in the same spot where you found your unicorn.
• Once the unicorn has finished its meal, hop on its back. I promise, it won’t throw you off because it is your friend now.
• But, remember, whatever you do, don’t put a saddle on it!
• Gently grasp its rainbow horn so you can communicate telepathically, steer, and accelerate extremely fast.
• If you need to break through a wall, unicorns provide many weapons to do this—explosive barf, laser eyes, laser horn, and the rainbow of death, to name a few example.
• Use your psychological connection with the magical creature to use any of these.
• Eat a mint and offer one to your smelly unicorn, too.
• When your unicorn gets hungry and runs out of silver carrots, just spray paint your baby brother.

That’s how you find, ride, and handle a unicorn. Go out and discover one for yourself. And good luck!

Emmett Foley

How to Build Your Dream House

Let me explain how to build your dream house. Personally, I would prefer one made out of vines so I could swing throughout the living room and kitchen with all the power in the world! But, let’s get back to how to build it.

First, gather vines from Madagascar and make sure they are stuck together with gummy worms for the maximum strength. Be sure and get enough for all ten stories of your house. Plan on not having a floor—only water—so you are forced to swing around your house. (Plus, by moving around this way, your mom can’t tell you to stop climbing all over the walls!)

Another thing, remember to put the correct type of crocodiles in the water, so you can swim with them. You know, the dark as night ones. Take care of them and feed them some chocolate milk and nothing else.

Don’t even think about adding an elevator. You will be carried up to the top by a roller coaster when you get tired of swinging on vines. The last thing I recommend when you are designing your own dream house is to flavor it with a rosy smell.

Uma Green

My Messy Room

My room is so messy that whenever I open my door, everything falls out like an avalanche of colorful fabrics. I have to clean up with a bulldozer before I can go in—it happens every time. Maybe I should get a tow truck to pull it all out. When I finally enter my room, it smells like wet socks and rotten eggs. Once, I was stuck in there for a month, I passed out twenty times!

My room is so disgusting, my friend Logan went in and never came out. His mom and dad called the cops, and luckily they found his body! But then we had his funeral in my room and it stunk even more like moldy cheese.            

On to the next subject, when the zombie apocalypse hit, and they came into my room, the smell was so terrible, it killed them! I hid at the top of the house with a can of Febreze to save myself.

JonPaul Lara

Life is My Name

My name is like the number five, one of the most beautiful numbers.
A dashing red or a deep blue color.
A bright star or a dull planet.
A light in the sky to lift you up.

M, Meaningful
I, Interesting
K, Kind
A, Amazing
H, Hope
Mikah, a name to be crowned.

It tastes like rich, dark chocolate
and smells like homemade chicken soup.
A beautiful flower sprouts my name.
It is so fascinating, like prehistoric dinosaur bones.

A name derived from the culture of Saudi Arabia, a land far away. My name—all because my grandfather’s company desired educated workers. So he came to the U.S. to attend college and stayed. His story lived on through my Aunt Sara and my father Jamil. Later, I was born and released into the world along with my name, Mikah.

Mikah Muhaisen

Monster Room

My room is so messy, it’s like a monster is living in here, breathing out dog poop. There is chunky pizza on the ceiling. It smells like a thousand shards of old milk are hitting my nose. My eyes water as if lemon juice was squirted into them.

One time, my Shih Tzu entered my room, piled so high with soiled laundry, he disappeared. He was actually pulled into a black hole below my bed. When I step on the trains on my floor, it hurts my feet as if I were crunching on 1,000 pieces of glass. Slimy fish stick to my shirts and pants, and I discover 1,000,000 pieces of chewed gum all over my room, too. Whenever I say, “Fine, I will clean my room!” and tidy up, it is back to its filthy state within two seconds.

Brianna Perez

How to Build Your Dream House

Let me give you some tips on how to build your dream house. For me, I would start with gumball candy for the door and gingerbread for the base of the house. Add some delicious Hershey chocolate bars for the roof, which is eight feet into the air. Now that the outside is built, let’s go inside and see what we can create.

How about blue cotton candy for your bed? And silly string for the carpet, sugar cubes for stairs, and, best of all, slushies for the wallpaper?! The water flowing in the bathroom can be Coke, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, or some other soft drink you prefer. And your bathtub is made out of Mentos, and it’s so large it looks like an elephant’s. Your house smells like hot popcorn and sounds like people crunching and munching on delicious food.

Pretty amazing dream house, right?

Sofia Pezzi

How to Train Your Tiger to Dance

Let me think. How would I train a tiger to dance, to spin around, even talk properly to humans? Here are some suggestions:

First, find the perfect tiger at your local zoo because they can be easily trained.

Next, gather together ribbons and spin them to show him how to twirl. Play a song by Michael Jackson—tigers just love him!

While you are training your tiger, be sure and give him some chores, such as mopping the floor and washing the dishes. Tigers eat a lot, and you want yours to contribute to the household expenses.

Okay, back to training. Always cheer him on by clapping your hands. Teach him how to move his hips by feeding him a hot taco. And, to instruct the tiger on how to talk, just say, “Hi!” and he will answer you back.

Final tip: Don’t ever distract your tiger while he is dancing. He can bite.

Jakenzie Murphy Vargas

How to Dig a Hole

Holes are crucial to life. You need them to build basements, to hide from tornadoes, and to hold water, among other things. Here is how to build one. First, make a list of what you will need:

• 1 long shovel
• 1 short shovel
• A backyard
• Sticks and leaves
• A poker face

Let’s get started! First, dig a shallow drop with the short shovel. It should be about one foot long and one foot deep. Second, go inside and eat lunch. Digging short, one-foot holes is so tiring! Third, go back outside and dig the hole about two feet deeper with the long shovel. Nice work. Now, you will need to clear out the hole with the short shovel—it’s more precise. (I hope you have a backyard because we are not throwing dirt into the street!) Toss your dirt all over your yard, but keep watch for the hornet’s nests. Remember I told you to get a poker face? Put that on now because you are going to need it soon. Next, take your sticks and cover the top of your hole. Finally, hide your sticks with grass and leaves.

Bring your brother or sister outside and have them stand close to your hole. Using your poker face, trick them by saying, “Hey, if you stand right here, you can see a bird’s nest on the top of that tree.” Guide them to the spot where your hole is. When they fall in, laugh as much as you want and walk away. Did this help you build a hole and also learn how to prank your siblings for the next time they do it to you? I hope so!

Dorsey Warstler

Arrow Maker

I am an arrow maker. Cold stone and wood. I get respect from warriors and myself. Arrows are speedy and agile—going with and against the wind. It feels powerful to make the weapon that shoots from a bow. A bow without arrows is useless, but arrows alone are still strong with an ability to kill ducks and deer.

Feathers for accuracy fall from the clouds. Added to the arrows, they help to make a straighter shot. Now, there are rifles, but I do not make bullets. I keep my culture and continue to make arrows to protect my tribe and to be the best Fletcher in this colony. If my name were Taylor, I would be a clothes-maker. But, true to my name, which means “arrow maker,” I have a passion for making them. Fighting the Europeans off on charging horses. Indian. American. European. Texan. Brave. Western. Southern. Fletcher.

My name is Fletcher Wilson.

Fletcher Wilson

Abundant Like Grackles in the Trees

You know those rare moments in the classroom when learning an important writing skill actually becomes fun? Well, for this workshop at Boone Elementary, those moments were about as rare as grackles in an Austin springtime. The writers of Ms. Texeira’s class demonstrated that although writing is a useful skill, it is also an art, in the sense that regimented exercises and the memorization of rules never quite get at the source of good writing. These writers proved to me over and over that they know how to tap into that source, which is rooted in a passion for creating and the perpetual rediscovery of the imagination’s capabilities. The following pieces are examples of what happens when the writing skills students are expected to master for a test—such as being detailed, explaining ideas using examples, and describing events in chronological order—develop out of writing’s least emphasized requirement: fun.

Adam Edelman
Badgerdog Teaching Artist

My Season

I’m in a nice blue tent with my best friend Luke, and we’re camping in the dark, scary, droopy woods! Luke and I were scared to death, alone and freezing. We had very little fire left and only the seven marshmallows that kept me warm while Luke was lying down. With the thin branches falling, we didn’t know when we were going to get out of the dark, scary, droopy woods!

About twenty boring, scary minutes later, a gray car showed up, and Luke and I knew who it was… my mom.

Michael Breydan Alva-Green

Gaga Ball

Gaga ball is a sport. The rules are that if you get hit in the foot by the ball, you’re out. If it hits you above the knee, you’re still in. No wall jumps either. Wall jumps are where you jump away from the ball on the wall of the pit you are playing in. You can only touch the ball with your hands!

And why I like Gaga ball is because one time we were playing it, and Brandon was the best player. I had almost got hit by the ball, but I jumped up. Not a wall jump, though! And I took the ball and I got Malak out. Then, I got Breydan out, and Brandon got Sebastian out! And so on. I was in the final round, just me and Brandon. Then I dodged the ball and got Brandon out! I had won the game!

Paxton Antognini

The Unicorn Planet

I was fast asleep in my warm, cozy bed. I heard a big bang. I woke up so fast. I slowly and quietly walked outside without waking anyone up. I looked around and saw a deep, big, black hole. I fell in, straight down. I fell down, down, down, as fast as a cheetah. It was pitch black in there. I finally landed and saw a whole bunch of unicorns. The unicorns were playing like kindly little children. I got to ride on one of them. They were as kind as a koala. They felt like soft and cozy clouds. I played with them for a little while. Then it was time to go. The black hole came again, and I said goodbye. I came back to my house and was in my cozy bed. Finally, I fell fast asleep. I had a dream about that wonderful unicorn planet.

Aubry Arispe

The Invisible Girl

I would be invisible because I could sneak around the house and eat donuts. It would be really fun and tasty. I would be so happy, and the best part is: my parents would never find out.

The second reason is that I would be a pro at hide-and-go-seek. No one would ever find me. It would be so fun. I am sure you would like it too.

The third reason is that I would become a magician. I think I would be very good at it because I can turn invisible. I think all the kids would love it. I am sure you would too. I know I would. This is why I would be invisible.

Gorgeous Sahlin

Why Do You Love Fourth Grade?

The reason I love it is because PTA paid for fourth graders to have… Badgerdog. Badgerdog is a class of all writing. Each class has a teacher. My teacher’s name is Mr. Adam. Sometimes he lets us write funny stuff, how we feel, and serious stuff. He sometimes lets us play games with him. We each have a folder to hold all of our papers and writings. He only comes on Mondays. When we write, if we are stuck, he helps us. He lets us either call him Mr. Adam or Adam, he says it’s our choice. I love that he treats us all the same. He never makes us uncomfortable. We all feel safe with him.

Ava Diaz

How to Make the Absolute Best Sandwich Ever!

First, you get the ingredients: bread, hot fries, peanut butter, a plate, a drink, and a napkin.

Then you get the two pieces of bread. Put one on the plate and set the other one down. Put peanut butter on the piece of bread on the plate.

After that, you put the hot fries on the bread with peanut butter, and put the slice with nothing on. You get your napkin and choice of drink.

Finally, you take a bite of the scrumptious sandwich and enjoy!

Brandon Alvarez

Best Sandwich

Ingredients: Spicy cheese, Italian bread, cooked bacon, cooked hamburger meat.

First, get your bread and cut it in half. Take the spicy cheese. Now, get the cooked burger. Put the burger and bacon on. Then put the cheese on. Heat it up in the microwave, then cook it for thirty seconds. When it beeps, BOOM! You’re done.

Morgan Montgomery-Cafferata

Fly

I would rather fly than turn invisible because then I would be lonely. Also, if you fly, it would be nice, and you would make a new friend from a different country. It would be cool if you could fly and turn invisible. You would see lots of good views,  and you could fly, for example, to Hawaii, or you could be in Texas and you could fly to a cozy place. So, that is why I think flying is a good way to travel in the air.

Malak Omari

I Want to Write About a Forest

I want to write about a forest. The grass was poking through the beautiful snow. And it was awesome. Some leaves were still on the trees. The sun was rising, and it smelled fresh and it was quiet.

Valerie Ramirez

Math!

Do you love math? I do! I love math more than everyone. Math is my favorite part of fourth grade.

I love math a lot because this year I got 100% on the math benchmark, and I felt so happy! This year I learned geometry and it was so fun. I studied very hard, and then I got an A on most of my tests. Also, I learned a lot of multiplication and division. I got a good grade on my report card and my parents gave me some money for it. I am now really good at math.

Everyone should learn math. I love it very much, and it’s my favorite part of fourth grade. I can’t wait to learn more math in the future.

Luke Robertson

When I Had to Use Persuasion

One time I had to persuade was when I tried convincing my mom to let me go to my friend’s birthday party.

It was going to be at Blazer Tag. The first thing I said to convince my mom was: “I’ll clean the whole house!”

My mom said I could go without cleaning the whole house and only cleaning my room. But then my mom said, “I won’t be able to drive you there because I’m going somewhere, so how are you going to go?”

I wondered, “Maybe I can ask my older sister since she has a car.”

My big sister agreed to pick me up after the birthday party. I just couldn’t wait to go to Blazer Tag with my friends. Sadly, my brother couldn’t go, but at least he had a phone to entertain himself!

I really enjoyed spending time with my friends. After that, I learned that when you convince someone, try to convince small, then go big!

Hillary Rodriguez

I See the Chocolate

I see the chocolate, dark as the night. I see lollipops acting like trees and Jolly Ranchers on the ground. I see candy canes bright and shiny, standing like flowers. Every house looks like a ginger bread house. The light blue sky is made of blue Airheads. But I always want to eat those rivers full of… Nutella!

Angel Villegas

EPSON DSC Picture

The Trampoline Park

The trampoline park is cool. You can do flips. The most fun thing about it is dodge ball. I had my birthday there before. My family and my friends from school, we all started to play dodge ball. I smelled food. I saw people jumping. Sometimes I heard music. And the music was awesome. When it was time to leave, I felt MAD. The reason I was mad was because I wanted to stay!

Johnathan C

When I had to Convince Someone of Something

So, one time I had to convince someone was when I wanted to get a video game, but my mom wouldn’t let me get it. She said it was too expensive. But then I said I would pay the money back if she got it, and guess what? It worked! I really didn’t expect it to work.

Another time I had to persuade someone was when I had to persuade my cat to play with a laser toy. But of course, she’s a cat, so she didn’t. So, I played with it to show her. And she played with it! It worked!

Derek B

How to Make the Best Sandwich Ever!

To make the best sandwich ever, first put some Nutella on the top. Then, put some peanut butter inside. Next, put in some chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, and strawberry ice cream. Last but not least, some caramel syrup. Then spread it on the bread on the top. Put it in the oven to make it heat up and—oh, some mustard! Now you’re good to go.

Sasha R

Remodeling the Imagination

You will never be bored in Ms. Barrett’s afternoon class. These writers fight aliens from Jupiter and fall from their beds into magical and creepy worlds. With the help of Shel Silverstein’s “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out,” they create bedrooms that are so messy, devils shoot “stink bugs at [them] from eighteen miles below” the bed. You will discover so many wonderful ideas when it’s time to remodel your home. By simply adding an elevator, you can travel out of your house to “Mount Olympus so [you] can talk to Zeus about creating world peace.” I loved the enthusiasm and imagination I encountered every time I entered the classroom. Congratulations to these writers on their amazing stories!

Terri Schexnayder
Badgerdog Teaching Artist

The Aliens Are Coming!

Wow! Did you just hear about the alien attack that’s going to happen this Friday? I better form a team of courageous alien-hunters, so we can save the world. I sure hope others believe me, because the first ten people I asked at the Super Heroes conference just said, “No! Aliens aren’t real!” Next I went to Target and found some brave individuals who agreed. “Yes! We believe in aliens!” Whew! (Maybe they just said that because they were annoyed at me for begging to join them.)

Okay, at least I now have my alien-fighting team together.  First, we must purchase alien-sucking machines and train my army how to pull in multiple outer space creatures all at one time. Hmmm, we sure need guns—any suggestions out there? Great idea! I hadn’t thought about getting them from a military surplus store.

We are equipped and ready. Let’s go suck up some aliens!

Jayden Besa

In My Delicious Room

In my room
there is no broom,
but neither are there LEGOs.
Rather, rules to follow and things to learn.
Pieces of paper, but not to burn.
With a closet so big, it sucked me in.
In my room, it smells like strawberries,
and the desk tastes like raspberries.

With a blanket of cotton—3D, not 2D—
I am floating on a cloud, eating cotton candy.
Pillows to overlap my bed, covered with animal stuffies.
In my room, there are teacher supplies—staplers, scissors, and sweets
(no one will be suspicious as to why I have such treats!).
My room is pink and edible like watermelon jelly.

Bella Chu

My Awesome Name

My name is delicious and savory like unicorn poop, which is ice cream.
My name is the color of a very bright rainbow.
It is like cupcakes with sprinkles and a scent of sugar.
My name feels like soft pillows,
making the sound of breezy winds mixed with fiery lava bubbles.

When I say my name, chocolate bursts with flavor into my mouth!
My name is sprinkle ice cream cookies.
I am Soraya Contreras.

Soraya Contreras

My Room Is So Messy

My room is so messy,
I don’t know what to do!
Oh, I better clean it
very, very soon.
I get home from school
and walk into my room. Aggghhh!
Rats and bats, cats and hats.
Oh, no. What do I do?
I need to clean my room
very, very soon.

The next day, my friends come in
and then walk right outside
like a flash before my eyes.
I promised them I would clean my room—
they trusted me it was safe to go in,
but Fred and Ted wear masks to be sure.
“I did my best to clean my rotten, yellow-smelling room!” I cry.
They walk out again—darn, I really tried!

I am playing on my phone.
My mom moans and drones, “Clean your room!”
in the worst tone in the world.
“No way!” I mumble to myself. “If you don’t want to see it,
then I will just throw you in.” Bye, bye!

Nikki Dominguez

My Name

I’ve always thought the name James sounded calm
like a peach tree in bloom.
When I say it, the taste of fresh
summer strawberries stays on my tongue.

James Doerr

My Dream House

Dreams, houses, and dream houses. What would yours be like? For starters, mine is an exact replica of the Empire State Building, but with a twist on the interior. For example, I have an elevator leading to Mount Olympus so I can talk to Zeus about creating world peace.

My dream house includes a cinema room with a lifetime of supply of chocolate and Harry Potter movies. The bedroom wall is blue, reflected through with fish tanks located on every side. I have some weird stuff, like a roomful of unicorns. There’s even a space in which I worship my pets by hanging plastic heads of them all around. I add a room made of diamonds as sparkly as my dog’s eyes! The chair is made of jewelry, and there is plenty of space for my dazzling earrings. Finally, my walk-in closet is 1,000,000 miles long and contains giraffes and mountains of sneakers.

Everyone who visits, gets a pair of earrings and a quail. Now that you have my incredible ideas to build a dream home, the sky’s the limit!

Alice Dorning

My Name

My name is a proud and wealthy country.
It is silk on my cheek after the end of a bad day.
It tastes like peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream
and sounds like an ocean of joy.
It smells like bacon sizzling when you first wake up.
It is a rainbow of the sweetest colors.
The beautiful name of Britain.

Britain Emerson

My Squeaky Clean Room

My room smells like a big bottle of air freshener (even though I don’t use it). When I touch the floor, it feels like a big pile of smooth snow. I just love looking at my room because it is so beautiful and tidy. When I taste my room, there is the flavor of flowers for some reason. When I listen to my room, it sounds like the wind rushing against my ears. My classic, clean room!

When people come over to visit, they are so jealous of how spotless it is. They always say, “Your room is as fresh as a new strawberry!” When I look at the walls of my room, I imagine gazing up into the sky—there are cloud stickers all over—like the ones in “Toy Story.” I love my room. It’s so neat.

Tony Gil

My Room

In my room, there are two million LEGOs all over my floor and another three million in my drawers. It’s like I am swimming in a sea of clothes; there are so many shirts, skirts, pants, and socks piling up and tumbling out of my closet. They are like my best friends because they hover over me.

When I lay down on my pink bed cover, the soft chocolate brown blanket eats me as I try to go to sleep. I sink into another dimension of time and space where there are rainbows and unicorns spitting out sprinkles. It’s an amazing valley of dark green grass. I am sad when I have to leave, but I have school tomorrow. I must return to my messy room.

Faith Guerrero

My Name

Hi, my name is Elijah, but you can call me Eli. It came from the one the creator of Marvel named his daughter. Yes, my name began with a girl! Here is the rest of the story.

My family thought I was going to be a girl, and my dad really liked the name Eliza. But, when they found out I was a boy, they decided on Elijah. Elijah stands for “having fun” in Iranian. I live up to my name when I am playful and laugh a lot. My name sounds like the inside of a seashell and tastes like chocolate-covered strawberries. It smells like a heavenly aroma. Elijah feels like a soft marshmallow. This is my name, and I love it!

Elijah Hadivincheh

Dirty

My dirty, dirty room is as smelly as a person who has not showered for years! It is full of slimy footprints from my sister coming in and out. Nerf guns, big and small, plus piles of dog fur cover my poor floor! There are so many holes in my bed that devils are shooting stink bugs at me from eighteen miles below.

When my friends come into my room, they get stuck in my ugly, claustrophobic closet. Even my sister got stuck on the ceiling and then fell into a black hole, once because there was so much dog slobber in my room. Those devils just laughed and laughed in the worst way possible way when that happened! Even I felt a little happy over that.

My room got so dirty, so disgusting, that I turned devil-like. My face turned dark red and my voice got very deep, and I laughed in the worst way.

Malachi Jensen

Dancing Jelly Sandwich

Do you want to learn how to make a jelly sandwich dance? If you want to, you are going to need a lot of materials. So, here’s the list to write down:

A dance floor, two pieces of bread, some jelly, a radio, the sandwich’s favorite song (anything with “sandwich” in it works) and record player, a video camera, some googly eyes with a black marker, and two paper cut-out arms. Also, book an empty room as big as a gymnasium.

First, glue the googly eyes on the front of the bread. Now, you have to draw any kind of smile. Install the dance floor in the empty room. Next, smear the jelly on the two pieces of bread and slap them together. Add the arms to the sandwich. Turn on the music to “Peanut Butter Jelly Rock” and watch the sandwich go! It may seem weird to see it rise up and dance on his hands for hours, but you’ll get used to it.

Ian Kelley

Timmy vs. Adam

I’m feeling a little “Timmy” today. Yup, let me tell you why. First of all, my boring real name is Adam. Anyway, Timmy means total awesomeness, but Adam means weird cat farts! Timmy tastes like rainbow jelly beans topped with awesome sauce. But Adam tastes like absolute seriousness. Timmy smells like a room full of peppermint candy. Adam smells like lazy gorillas.

I am feeling like Timmy, but Adam will have to do for the next thirteen years.

Adam Napolillo

The Gift

Everyone has a gift. Some people can understand animals, but not the way I do—because I really understand them. It all happened this year on March 23. It was a regular day, or so I thought! My mother, who named me Maria, passed away when I was five. She always talked about the animals she loved.

I had noticed she wore a blue and purple jewel around her neck whenever she talked with our dog Sidney. I never knew what that was about, but after she passed away, I saw the precious stone in her room. I took it for a good luck charm and went to the park with my dog. While sitting under a tree, admiring my jewelry, it started to glow. I gazed into it just as my dog walked up to me.

“Let’s go, boy,” I said to him.

“Yea, sure, cool. I am tired anyway,” he responded.

I looked so surprised when he talked, and so did my pet!

“How can you talk to me?”

He looked very puzzled. “I don’t know.”

I looked down at the necklace and realized the power it had, and what my mother had known. I knew then that this would be my future to talk with animals.

Bianka Perez

In My Room

In my room, there is a mess.
It is filled with toys and board games,
such as “Sorry” and “Don’t Break the Ice.”
With five million Nerf guns and one million LEGOs
and Xbox 360 video games, I can’t find anything!
I get trapped in my own closet—
my jackets grab me, pull me in, and hold me down.
Clothes everywhere—on my bed, floor, couch,
even on the ceiling fan.

My room is so dirty that it smells like overflowing trash.
My stuff gets sucked into a black hole
and I go with it into the dark abyss with flames.

JJ Sanchez

Aliens Are Coming

Oh, no! It’s actually happening—aliens from Jupiter are attacking this Friday! I need you to join my group of fantastic soldiers. Bring your lava guns, lasers, and evil unicorns that fly and use hard rock-solid Skittles. There is so much new stuff you can also use today, such as super-duper alien detectors. We are going to also need flying mattresses to sleep on way above the ground.

You can contact me any time at MattiIsAnAwesomeSurvivor@gmail.com. I will keep you posted on the approaching alien invasion. Stock up on all the things we will need: weapons, beds, food, animals, shelter at the IFLY Home, and a lot more. I know! I will also put up a big sign with my phone number: 123-456-7890.

Come on, people! These aliens are more dangerous than Godzilla. Plus, they do not have the most amazing fashion sense and are my least favorite color—greenish yellow. Let’s get them!

Matti Serhus

How to Train Ms. Gilman to Dance

Let’s say you are a nine- to ten-year-old, and you are in a school called Boone Elementary. You have a teacher named Ms. Gilman, and she needs help on the dance floor. You are the complete expert. So, what do you do?

I can take you through the steps.

First, you will need to buy her a sparkly tutu and leotard from Target. Next, find a very large room, such as the White House. Oh, you may lose all your money paying for that—sorry! Now, go buy yourself a fluffy, pink, jewel-studded tutu with any money you have left. Drive Ms. Gilman to your huge space and ask her to put on the tutu. No doubt, she will ask, “What do I do?”

“Let me show you how to lean and dab, lean and dab,” you explain.

Suddenly, she says, “Oh, it’s Sunday, and I have to go to school!”

You laugh, because there is no school on Sunday. “Man, you crack me up, Ms. Gilman. Now, let’s get back to that dance, shall we?”

Nomia Stilwell

A Robust Sense of the Absurd

Ms. Texeira’s class was one of the most enthusiastic groups of young writers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Whether we were writing odes, silly stories, or convincing personal essays, these writers approached every task with enthusiasm, imagination, and a robust sense of the absurd, testing the limits of their imaginations and supporting each other as writers and readers. I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as we enjoyed writing them together!

Emily Beyda
Badgerdog Teaching Artist

Tacos

Tacos, oh tacos, you’re so sweet
But you smell like my Dad’s feet
You come from Taco Bueno
Which rhymes with my friend Deino
Sometimes I eat you on Christmas Eve
Which is my Dad’s worst pet peeve
Tacos, tacos, wait a second…
You taste like my favorite cereal, Sock-O’s!
Tacos are my favorite snack
And sometimes I sneak them in my backpack
Burritos and tacos are brothers
But they come from a different mother

Tyler

Ode to Trees

Trees, you give everything life
You provide shelter and air for the earth
Oh trees, you give everything life
You give life to the frogs on the ground
And the birds in the sky
Oh trees, you give everything life
You give life to us humans
And life to all animals
Oh trees, you give everything life
You start as a seed, and you grow over the years
And after a while, you whither and die
But just know that you give everything life

Emma

Burgers

Oh burger, you are so yummy.
With your lettuce all out, you look like a shining emerald.
And the meat is sooo nice, like chocolate.
(Um, although that is a different food. Oh, well.)
Your cheese is like the shining sun, so brave and so melted.
Ketchup like blood, red spilling everywhere.

Lee Ana

Little Soft Paw

Once upon a time, there was a really, really fuzzy little girl. Her fuzz was thick, so she was always warm. Her Mom called her My Little Soft Paw. My Little Soft Paw went on an adventure to stop King Ding-a-Dong. He lived at the bottom of the deep blue sea. He wanted the little girl for her fluff. One day, he captured her and stole all her fluff so that when she came on land, she would be cold in Canada.

Owen Ball

The Secret is Bob

Bob was an ogre, and he wanted to get more ugly, so he took his teeth out. Bob tried to eat a sandwich. When he bit into it, his gums bled. Two hours later, he was in the hospital and he was dead. Four hours later, his Mom called and she said he was in trouble again.

Anthony

A Riddle

It comes from a tree
It’s black and it’s brown
It falls on the ground
You can eat it
It can be cracked open
It is healthy to eat
It has a stem
It grows on a tree

Layla

Ode to Paper

Oh paper, a shade of white
Like wings to heaven, or freshly fallen snow
You are as soft as silk
And you contain millions of thoughts, like the Milky Way
You bend at soft, crisp angles
You are the start of a scribble, morphing slowly into beauty
You let pens skate across your smooth, soft surface
You can become anything
There is no limit or rules for what you can do
From a big, rough tree you become new, perfect sheets
You contain almost every thought
An entire person, room, house, mansion, country, planet
Can be contained in the midst of your pages
You make dreams come to life
Oh paper

Amity Blue Rogalski

Lotus

Oh lotus, you are beautiful in and out
You make me warm like the sun
You are so pretty as you glide across the water
Making a beautiful swoosh, swoosh
All things are drawn to you
Because you have the most beauty in the pond
With your bright colors
You are down to earth
And are a gentle soul
Oh lotus
Oh lotus

Ava Henderson

Mother Nature

Mother Nature, you are beautiful
With birds on your trees
Deer on your grass
Wolves on your rocks
Fish in your rivers
The rain and your puddles
Your beautiful flowers on your branches
I love that when I’m in your woods
I can hear the deer running
The birds singing
Your beautiful cracks when I step on your branches
The waterfall splashing
I love you, Mother Nature

Hayden

Ode to the Vulpix

Your icy tail is so cold I start to cry
Then your tail is like crystal stars in the moonlight
And with a tad of glow, too
I see an ice stone, and I bring it close to you
Then you evolve into Ninetails
Your tail is like snow
You move like crystals
And you still have that crystal gleam

Marcello

The Beast

A beast had soft fur and smelled like nothing. It had no taste and saw nothing because no one had been able to see if. If someone had, they would be killed instantly by its big claws. So, stay away from this furry creature. It is very nasty smelling, and everyone should hate this thing. That was how we met the monster.

Matthias

A Riddle

I see people running. I feel a football. I hear people yelling. I smell sweat. I taste water. Where am I?

Christian

Ode to Football

Ode to football, the thing that creates a lot of friendship
When the laces grip your fingers, you feel a light shining inside of you
When you let go of the ball, it soars through the air like a beautiful bird flying through the sky
When you make a touchdown, you feel a magical sense inside of you
You feel the ball celebrating with you, too
A football is like a magical creature that was once an angel
When you open the present, and you see the ball gleaming with joy, you are that way too
When you watch your team win, you feel like nothing can stand in your way
When you read a football book, you get sucked into the book and feel as if you’re playing football
Football is an amazing game that’ll never change
Anybody can play football, and anybody can enjoy it
If your team ever loses, it isn’t the end of the work
Because there’s always the next game
And you’ll play ever better than before
Ode to football

Gene

One Crazy Day

I watched the sun illuminate and called 911 and said, “Hey, 911, can you open my soda?” I’ve been going to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza since I was three years old.

Sebastian

Ode

The song of the heart
The warmth inside
The magic within
The magnet to it
The happiness and joy
The comfort for sadness
The one that you feel closest to
Why, my darling,
That is love

Feel the power of the magic
Feel the golden aura shrouding you
Compassion and Kindness
With your heart in it
The despair when you leave
The electric shock of exhilaration when you come back
The dream you have every night and day
What people call a dream come true
Why, my darling,
That is love
As the arrow pierced your heart
You think differently
The longing to be with them
Your spirit glowing bright
The longing to say the words
I love you
But you still hold back
For the fear of loneliness
And ruining the moment
Why, my darling,
That is love

Be kind to yourself and be happy
Don’t hide yourself
Replaced by someone unknown
Be happy and calm
Honest and real
Steady and smart
Old but fresh
Why, my darling,
That is love

Love is not enough enough to say
For it is not describing your spirit
You feel complete and whole
Finding your missing half
It’s quite an adventure
Through good times and bad
But as long as you’re together
You need no more
Why, my darling,
That is your whole

Simone Owensby

Lilly’s Pizza Adventure

Once there was a beautiful girl, and her name was Lilly. She was very hungry, and she was in the mood for some pizza, so she was on her way to the Pizza Palace, until she stopped by this little girl riding a hoverboard. The little girl said, “You can never have pizza!” Lilly was very confused. So, while the little girl wasn’t looking, Lilly ran into the pizza shop then she ordered her pizza. Right after she took a bite, the pizza started to dance, but she didn’t care.

Leia

A Mountain Memory

I’m in the mountains. I see snow and ice. My friend is cooking ribs on a barbecue inside our cabin. I feel happy. I am on vacation with my friends and family. You can sit by the fireplace.

Evan

Ode to the Book

You’re full of amazing words
and always make me happy

Your pages are different in size
But they are always rather flappy

Different types of genres
Historical or fiction

But what makes you my favorite
Is that you are my addiction

Brightly colored titles
Like a rainbow in the sky

Amazing pictures on a page, on a page
No, this is not a lie

But when I see the words “The End”
I feel kinda down

But when I remember I have more books
I no longer have a frown

Charlie

Ode to Dandelion

You start as a seed in the wind
You flutter across the sky
‘Til you land in soft, moist dirt
And your roots go down deep
You grow into the earth
Then your seed opens
And your stem goes up
For the first time, you breathe the fresh air
Your leaves open in the sky
A puff ball is there
And the winds will come again
To plant new flowers in the ground
So they may bloom
And then the seeds are gone
But you still have more life
As your buds open up
I see a beautiful yellow glow like the sun
And amazing in your glory
You are magnificent and calm
Yet filled with energy
You may be so small
But large
Even so
Everyone who looks at you is happy
I thank you for everything
Your beauty and grace
Dandelion

Kiana Leon

Splashing in Creative Waters

This six-week class with Ms. Vega’s students at Widen Elementary School got churning right after the STAAR test storm passed, and I saw these students’ writing as a sigh of relief, a dive back into the creative waters to frolic and play. Many of the students selected the final piece they wrote—poems inspired by Nicanor Parra’s “Mummies” to be published here. It was a culminating activity that blended together the three craft elements we focused on—utilizing vivid verbs, selecting specific and significant details, and arranging writing in some sort of energetic order. All of the work here represents the true spirit of these kiddos—a playful pulse breathing life into their readers and back into themselves. It has been a true joy working with them!

P.S. I want to give a special thanks to the wonderful poets / educators Katelin Kelly and Katie Pryor for their help with this class.

Tyler Gobble
Badgerdog Teaching Artist

A Tiger’s Life

One tiger wades in the
lake of water.

Another goes west through
the dark forest.

Three tigers climb a big tree.

One tiger gets a fever
because it’s allergic to beavers.

All tigers hunt for food
but one tiger’s not in the
mood.

One tiger runs through the
forest because he’s won the
race.

The tiger who won the race
gets hunted by the mean hunter
with a big mace.

At the end of the day, all
tigers go back to their dens.

Rodolfo S.

Shopkins

One Shopkin is lighter than
the other.

Another Shopkin sings until
he drops the word.

The other one is really crazy until
he gets out of the box.

One Shopkin named Chiqui
Chocolate is sweet like
a donut.

Another one just wants
to be the queen.

All the Shopkins have
a lot of actions.

America G.

Look at a Unicorn

1. You can see a unicorn farting rainbows.
2. You can see them falling.
3. You can see the power.
4. You can see them white.
5. You can see them in a story.
6. You can see their rainbow horns.
7. You can see them eating.
8. You can see them running away.
9. You can see them chasing people.
10. You can see they’re just rough stuff.
11. You can see them stepping at people.
12. You can see them drinking gas.
13. You can see them at school.
14. You can see them at your house!

Marco C.

The Crazy Shopkins

One Shopkin jumps with a jumping
rope to the big and colorful store.

Another Shopkin throws a small
pink ball into the store and
gets in trouble.

Some of the Shopkins run all
over the store and start screaming,
jumping, rolling, and doing handshakes.

All of the Shopkins go to the
store and have a big party in
the store without permission.

Until a few of the Shopkins
start leaving and the other
Shopkins keep partying in the
store.

Until all the Shopkins leave
and the big store is messy and dirty.

Natalie Z.

Puppies

One puppy is biting
the fat pillow. Another one
is sleeping in the woods with
the spooky noise. Some were
eating and others were full and
fat. All celebrated their second birthday
with a big pool and fun.

Graciela P.

I Remember

I remember when I wanted to be the only child, so I stabbed a fork in my sister’s head. It was hard.
I remember I was trying to flush my sister down the toilet but her head was too fat, so it didn’t fit.
I remember when my friend tried to kidnap me. Her name was Arelis.

Fabiola

Puppies

Two puppies are pulling
the rope until it breaks.

One of them is eating
all the food while all the
other puppies are starving.

One of the puppies is
playing in the park until
it rains.

Ariadna V.

 

Minions’ Worst Day

One Minion eats a banana.
The other Minions are crying.
All the Minions are filled with sadness.
A big package is delivered to the Minions.
The Minions stop crying. They stand up.
All of Minions go to the package.
They all open the package and there are
2,000 bananas. They all get five
Bananas each. They are happy
And they make a celebration of
Happiness.

Omar R.

McDonald’s

One McDonald’s has a park.
Another has a Ronald
McDonald’s Society and chants
Big Macs, Big Macs! 

Two have a big McDonald’s
balloon.

And the last one has Ronald
McDonald yelling CHICKEN
NUGGETS!

Christian B.

How I Lost My Puppy

I remember when I had a little dog.

I liked to play with him until my parents
told me that they were going to sell him
because he ate something gross.

Then it was Friday and some people came
and they sold him. I was really sad and I was crying.

Kayla R.

Un Unicornio

1. Yo estaba en la casa de mi abuela y vi unas flores que eran bonitas y olían bien.
2. Yo fuí a un palo que tenía muchas manzanas y estábamos comiendo y estaban ricas.
3. Yo fuí con mi mamá y pasear donde había mucha llueve y esta ve jugando.
4. Mi familia y yo fuimos a pasear al parque y está vimos jugando mucho.
5. Yo había visto muchos árboles y montes y había un unicornio.

Lester

The Puppies

One puppy is talking on the phone
Another one is running
and another one is
playing. The other one
is eating. And the last one
is sleeping. And the very last one
falls from the stairs and cries.

Adriana

How I Scare

I remember when we
saw a movie and we got
in the closet because it was
about a girl in a closet.
My friend heard something because
She was by the closet and
we jumped on her. She
did not talk to me
for three weeks.

Dayana T.

The Owls

One owl flies in the air.
Another owl is hunting the mice.
Some owls are sleeping and
others are playing.

All the owls go to sleep.

Another owl flies to
the ocean and catches
a fish.

One owl is dancing
in the air with another
owl.

Fabian F.