Monday May 21 – The contest is going strong! 11 links so far, plus 4 or 5 entries in the comment section below! Read! Enjoy! Enter 🙂
Woo-hoo! It’s finally here! The Birthday Contest! Although, due to the busy-ness of April we had to push the contest back to a month that is no longer my birthday, surely someone is celebrating! 🙂 Let the games begin!
For anyone who hasn’t seen the rules, here they are:
The contest is to write a children’s story about a very creative and/or unique birthday celebration in 300 words or less. Poetry or prose, your choice.
Entries must be posted on your blog (or in the comment section of this post if you don’t have a blog) between right now this very minute and 11:59 PM EDT Tuesday May 22. Please add your entry-specific link to the list below (or, as mentioned, if you don’t have a blog and want to enter, just copy and paste your entry in the comment section below.)
If there are fewer than 20 entries there will be one prize. If there are more than 20 entries there will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes! Finalists will be chosen by me and my assistant judge and will be posted for you to vote on Monday May 28. (I’m trying not to skip Would You Read It or Perfect Picture Books, or overload you with extra posts, hence the wait til Monday the 28th, which I realize is Memorial Day so the voting will stay up throughout Tuesday May 29!)
If there are fewer than 20 entries, and therefore one winner, the winner may have his or her choice of the following 4 options. If there are more than 20 entries, and therefore a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, 1st place will get 1st choice, 2nd place will get 2nd choice, and 3rd place will get 3rd choice of the following 4 options:
#1- a PB ms critique by me
#3 – a duo of craft books – your choice of 2 from the following: Writing Picture Books, The Giblin Guide To Writing Children’s Books, Save The Cat, or The Writer’s Guide To Crafting Stories For Children.
#4 – a $15 gift certificate to Merritt Bookstore.
So now, to get the party started, I will share a sample entry. As I mentioned yesterday, my original idea did not pan out and I was VERY pressed for time this week, so don’t expect literary brilliance. And what I mean by that is please don’t throw rotten tomatoes at me!
Hoppy Birthday!
(206 words)
(206 words)
Joey said, “My birthday’s coming! I can hardly wait!
Here’s an invitation. I sure hope you’ll save the date!
We’ll have silly hats, and blowers that make noise like a kazoo!
Balloons – at least a hundred! – orange, yellow, red and blue!
We’ll play games like Duck Duck Moose and Pin The Tail On Cousin Fred.
We’ll have contests to see who can stand the longest on their head!
If you happen to like water we’ve got lots of room to swim!
But if you’d rather climb and hang then try the jungle (gym).
I’m just hopping with excitement for my party – how ’bout you?
After all it isn’t every day that you turn 2!
Mom will make a birthday cake like you have never seen!
Seven luscious layers filled with icing in between!
All my friends will sing the Happy Birthday song to me.
I’ll make a wish and blow out all my candles – one, two, three!
We’ll serve up cake and ice cream by the gallon and the ton.
We’re going to need a LOT to have enough for everyone!
So won’t you please come join your little friend the kangaroo
For my Hoppy Birthday Party at the San Diego Zoo?
So now that you’re filled with confidence about how good your entry is compared to that! 🙂 please add your entry-specific post link to the list below, or copy and paste your entry into the comments. I can’t wait to read them!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Susanna that's awesome and I love the line about pinning the tail on cousin Fred, so funny!
You are FAR too kind, Catherine! I may have to work on his over the next day or 2 so I don't cringe every time I look at it 🙂 Can't wait to read yours!
You always surprise me with your great rhymes, Susanna! Fun!
Oh yours is better than mine Susanna. 🙂
You are being nice, Iza! There is at least one place where the meter doesn't quite work unless you read it exactly the right way 🙂 And the story could use a bit more work too – maybe later 🙂 But I like the idea, and it was fun! Where's yours?! 🙂
I doubt that! 🙂
Catherine Johnson wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
Oh yours is better than mine Susanna. 🙂
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Great poem/story Ms. Hill! I will post mine tomorrow.
Erik
P.S. Poor Cousin Fred. 😦
What a cute poem/story. I have posted under Youngish.
Hi Susanna:
I've posted my poem “Happy Birthday! You're One”.
It's scary entering a contest for all to see. But the important thing is to enter the race.
If the link I added doesn't bring you to my Saturday's blog post, please let me know.
There might be a problem as I have a static front page.
I wish I could pump out a poem as quickly as you did. Loved it!
Happy Belated Birthday!
Tracy
P.S. All the best to everyone who enters.
I know how scary it is putting your work out for all to see, Tracy! Thank you for your courage. I think your story is very sweet 🙂 And you're so right – the important thing is to get out there and enter the race! (The link seems to be working fine!)
Oh my goodness, Delores! Yours is a tear-jerker! So poignant!
Glad you liked it Erik! Can't wait to see yours! (And Cousin Fred doesn't mind… maybe he's turtle and they can tape the tails to the back side of his shell :))
I want to play Duck, Duck, Moose – perfect for Maine! We'll just extend your birthday celebration an extra month this year with the contest. Thank you!
Woo-hoo is right!!!! So excited to see all of the entries, Susanna…thank you so much for hosting this contest! Have to run to work 😦 but I'll be back tonight to read and enjoy. 🙂
I guess Maine would be the perfect place for Duck Duck Moose! You know, I went to Maine and Wyoming in the same summer and I have still never seen a real moose!
… and put up your entry…? 🙂
I've never seen one in Maine, either. We did see on in New Hampshire several years ago. It was taller than our mini van!
Loved your story, Susanna. Loved your cute ending and photo. Thanks for hosting this contest and for all you do.
I submitted my link but am not sure it went out because I got an error message from WordPress and it said to try later. Will you let me know if it published? thanks 🙂
Yes, Clar – your link is up and it works, and I loved your story 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in!
Hi Susanna- Great contest! I had fun writing this one. I don't have a blog (yet) so here's my entry…
Birthday at the Beach
By Carrie Finison
(297 words)
Mom hung up the phone just as Kara finished dinner.
“Grab your jacket,” Mom said, grinning. “We’re going to a birthday party.”
“Whose birthday? We don’t know anyone here,” said Kara. She searched for her jacket among the moving boxes that had arrived, like they had, only three days ago.
“It’s a surprise,” said Mom.
“Where’s the party?” asked Kara, climbing into the car.
“At the beach,” said Mom. “I told you it would be great to live near the beach.”
“But it’s almost dark!”
Mom smiled.
“Will there be cake?”
“Nope.”
A birthday party at the beach, in the dark, with no cake?
At the beach, a small crowd had gathered. Coming closer, Kara saw that the crowd surrounded a rope-marked path from the dunes toward the water. For a birthday party, it sure was quiet.
“Watch that patch of sand,” whispered Mom, pointing. Kara stared through the growing darkness. She thought she saw the sand shift. Then it shifted again, slowly, and then more rapidly. To Kara, it looked like a pot of water beginning to simmer. A small black head appeared, then another, then a flipper, and suddenly the sand boiled over with tiny creatures struggling toward the surface.
“Turtles!” Mom whispered, squeezing Kara’s hand. Dozens of baby sea turtles flip-flopped their way across the sand toward the waves. A woman with a clipboard counted them. The crowd remained still, but once in a while someone stooped to gently guide a wandering baby turtle back to the path.
They’re brave, Kara thought, watching the tiny creatures make their way into the vast ocean, a place they had never been and could know nothing about.
“Happy birthday,” Kara whispered, then smiled at Mom. “I think I’m going to like living near the beach,” she said.
This is awesome, Carrie! I love it! Well done 🙂
Thanks Susanna! I want to play Pin the Tail on Cousin Fred! If you guys want to see moose come to Colorado, plenty sightings – even up close (watch out for the Mamas!). Writing done, I am off to the Digital Book Mobile at our local library – intro day!
Well, come join us any time for a game of Pin The Tail 🙂 And i would love to see a real moose! Can't wait to read your entry! Have fun at the library 🙂
Joey is so cute. I would like to go to his birthday party! It sounds like a lot of fun! Your poem is cute as always! I am working on my entry. I did come up with an idea so hopefully I'll finish it and get it posted soon! I love your contests!
Hoppy Birthday to Roo!
Mine has a meter issue at the moment. I'm working on it, surely to be smoothed out by Tuesday!
You're so nice, Penny 🙂 And yay! I'm so glad you're going to enter!!! Can't wait to see it… and you have three days 🙂
So glad you're going to enter! Can't wait to read it. I'm sure you'll work it out!
Enjoyed your entry. Wish I was going to be around to enter.
Hi Susanna,
My hard drive crashed so I'll have to send the Poem via comment.
Feliz! Feliz! This is My Day
Everyone's gay,
'Cause this is my day.
The pinata tree,
Is ready for me.
Primos and tios,
Ae saying I'm three,
Shouting, “Feliz, feliz,
Come give us a kiss!”
Laughing with Mama,
Laughing at Papa,
Who's dressed as a clown,
And dancing around.
Everyone's gay,
'Cause this is my day.
And the pinata tree,
Is beckoning me.
I'm loving all the entries. I like Joey's birthday party. If this party had a sound track, I think it would be “Jump Around.”
What a fun entry, Brenda! My younger son is a December baby and he had several birthday parties with a pinata. 😉
Hi Carrie…Susanna's contest is great…it's lovely to connect with new (to me) people. 🙂
I love your story…what a great mom…she found a way to help her daughter feel more comfortable in her new surroundings!
I did this morning. 😉 Well, now it is the next morning. 🙂 And I didn't mention that I LOVE your poem…what fun!
Great selection of entries – don't envy your job Susanna! 🙂
Come to Estes Park, Colorado in September when the elk walk down the main street (the town is right outside of Rocky Mountain National Park). 🙂
Next time, Pat 🙂 Enjoy the wedding!
Ouch! Sorry about your hard drive! I hope you can fix it. But so glad you still entered. This is very fun and creative! Thanks for joining in the fun 🙂
That sounds about right, Hannah 🙂 Glad you're enjoying the entries – I am too! And I've been told there are at least a few more coming 🙂
Me either 🙂
Wow, J.R., this is some story! Definitely unique! Poor James! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you, Vivian! I loved yours too 🙂
Vivian Kirkfield (unregistered) wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
I did this morning. 😉 Well, now it is the next morning. 🙂 And I didn't mention that I LOVE your poem…what fun!
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I would love to! Although I have actually seen elk (mamas and babies) pretty up close in Yellowstone 🙂
Vivian Kirkfield (unregistered) wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
Come to Estes Park, Colorado in September when the elk walk down the main street (the town is right outside of Rocky Mountain National Park). 🙂
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Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this, I think it needs to be a full blown picture book!
Thanks, Heather! I wrote this as more of a magazine story but maybe it could work as a PB. Hmmm…have to think about that.
If anyone wants to see a GREAT video of baby sea turtles hatching, there's one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqKi2eUUi0
2 of my kids went to Costa Rica in 7th grade to help patrol the beaches and gather eggs to keep them safe from poachers during incubation – one of the reasons I like your story so much! 🙂
Carrie Finison (unregistered) wrote, in response to Heather (unregistered):
Thanks, Heather! I wrote this as more of a magazine story but maybe it could work as a PB. Hmmm…have to think about that.
If anyone wants to see a GREAT video of baby sea turtles hatching, there's one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqKi2eUUi0
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Amazing! So incredible that you got to see this happen in real life. Truly awesome.
Carrie Finison (unregistered) wrote, in response to Heather (unregistered):
Thanks, Heather! I wrote this as more of a magazine story but maybe it could work as a PB. Hmmm…have to think about that.
If anyone wants to see a GREAT video of baby sea turtles hatching, there's one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqKi2eUUi0
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dhillblog.disqus.com/admin/moderate/To turn off notifications
Oh, the video is not mine! I wish I could have seen it in real life. We did vacation in South Carolina last year near some loggerhead nesting sites, but no, I didn't get to actually see them hatching…I just had the idea for the story and then watched a bunch of videos and read some books to research it.
Ah, well! Still cool to see the video! They're so little 🙂
Carrie Finison (unregistered) wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
Oh, the video is not mine! I wish I could have seen it in real life. We did vacation in South Carolina last year near some loggerhead nesting sites, but no, I didn't get to actually see them hatching…I just had the idea for the story and then watched a bunch of videos and read some books to research it.
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What a fun rhyming story–they're my favourite kind! And a surprising twist at the end, too! Hoppy birthday to the little kangaroo!
I dont have blog.. so here is my entry.
The extra special party. (by Kelly McDonald)
This was my secret party. Mum, dad, little Abbey and me, all snuggled up in my bed eating cake! It was so early that the sun was just beginning to rise. Every year I got an extra special, super doper, secret party. I got extra special gifts wrapped up with ribbons. Nana and pop would come later and give me an extra special gift too, and Aunt Rose, and Uncle Ben. I got lots of special treatment on my birthday. It was because of the date. My birthday is on the twenty fifth. The twenty fifth of December. Everyone crumpled their lips and shook their head in dismay when they heard. The poor child, they would say, clicking their tongues. Oh isn’t it terrible, they would mutter.
I would nod, eyes down, and try not to let me smile show.
So here I am eating cake in bed and getting all the attention. Then at ten o clock, we will fling open the lounge room doors and see what santa had brought for us this year. After that the relatives would come, all making sure they gave me special attention, because it was such a bad day for a birthday. Uncle max secretly slides me a bag of lollies. Aunt Ang slips me a few dollars, to get something special with. I clap with glee as everyone takes time out to sing happy birthday to me and I make my second wish on a chocolate cake for the day. At the end of the day, I take all my special gifts to my room, and place them in their new homes, next to the wonderful gifts my friends gave me on November twenty fifth. The day when I had my birthday party. Happy birthday to me.