The In Just Spring Contest!
Hurray! It’s here!! The In Just Spring Contest!!! And so timely, because I’m really ready for spring and it doesn’t seem to be obliging just yet 🙂
The Contest: Write a children’s story, in poetry or prose, maximum 350 words.
The story must be about something that really says “SPRING” to you – something that really makes you feel that spring is here! It can be nature oriented – the robins or geese returning, eggs hatching, flowers blooming, baby animals being born, bears waking up, sunshine or rain, etc. It can be holiday oriented – St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, April Fools’ Day etc. It can be school oriented – the spring pageant, spring vacation, the spring talent show. It can be activity oriented – picnics, bike riding, baseball – anything at all that makes you think spring.
The only other requirement is that the last line must be “[Character Name] knew Spring was really here!” or “[Character Name] knew Spring was here at last!” (You can also write in first person if you want – e.g. I knew Spring was really here…. and present tense is fine too.) I’ve given the rhymers amongst you a choice… but if you can’t make either option work with your rhyme scheme you have permission to tweak it slightly as long as the essential meaning stays the same.
The story must be about something that really says “SPRING” to you – something that really makes you feel that spring is here! It can be nature oriented – the robins or geese returning, eggs hatching, flowers blooming, baby animals being born, bears waking up, sunshine or rain, etc. It can be holiday oriented – St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, April Fools’ Day etc. It can be school oriented – the spring pageant, spring vacation, the spring talent show. It can be activity oriented – picnics, bike riding, baseball – anything at all that makes you think spring.
The only other requirement is that the last line must be “[Character Name] knew Spring was really here!” or “[Character Name] knew Spring was here at last!” (You can also write in first person if you want – e.g. I knew Spring was really here…. and present tense is fine too.) I’ve given the rhymers amongst you a choice… but if you can’t make either option work with your rhyme scheme you have permission to tweak it slightly as long as the essential meaning stays the same.
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between Friday March 15 at 12:01 AM EDT and Monday March 18 at 11:59 PM EDT, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list on this post which will remain up through Tuesday March 19 (no new post on Monday March 18). If you don’t have a blog but would like to enter, please copy and paste your entry into the comments here. (If anyone has trouble commenting, which unfortunately happens, please email me and I’ll post your entry for you!)
The Judge: My lovely assistant and I will narrow down the entrants to five finalists (or possibly a couple more if we get a lot of entries :)) which will be posted here on Wednesday March 20 (no WYRI that day) for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed at midnight March 23 and the winner will be announced on Monday March 25.
The Prizes!:
The First Place Winner will get the chance to put one of his/her picture book manuscripts in the hands of editor Laura Galvin of KidsBooks for a read and comments! (and who knows? she might love it! :))
If we get more than 20 entries, prizes will be give through 3rd place. 2nd Place will receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate, and 3rd place will receive his/her choice of the craft books listed below.
Should the winner happen not to be a picture book writer or for some reason not want to show his/her work to an actual real live editor at an actual real live publishing house, he/she will receive a $25 gift certificate to Amazon and a choice of Writing Picture Books: A Hands On Guide From Story Creation To Publication by Ann Whitford Paul, Writing With Pictures: How To Write And Illustrate Children’s Books by Uri Shulevitz, How To Write A Children’s Book And Get It Published by Barbara Seuling, The Writer’s Guide To Crafting Stories For Children by Nancy Lamb, or 2013 Children’s Writers And Illustrators Market by Chuck Sambuchino, and the editor prize will go to the highest placed finisher who wants it.
Here is my sample, squeezing in just under the wire at 348 words:
The First Place Winner will get the chance to put one of his/her picture book manuscripts in the hands of editor Laura Galvin of KidsBooks for a read and comments! (and who knows? she might love it! :))
If we get more than 20 entries, prizes will be give through 3rd place. 2nd Place will receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate, and 3rd place will receive his/her choice of the craft books listed below.
Should the winner happen not to be a picture book writer or for some reason not want to show his/her work to an actual real live editor at an actual real live publishing house, he/she will receive a $25 gift certificate to Amazon and a choice of Writing Picture Books: A Hands On Guide From Story Creation To Publication by Ann Whitford Paul, Writing With Pictures: How To Write And Illustrate Children’s Books by Uri Shulevitz, How To Write A Children’s Book And Get It Published by Barbara Seuling, The Writer’s Guide To Crafting Stories For Children by Nancy Lamb, or 2013 Children’s Writers And Illustrators Market by Chuck Sambuchino, and the editor prize will go to the highest placed finisher who wants it.
Here is my sample, squeezing in just under the wire at 348 words:
That’s Better
As soon as the hockey rink opened in November, Charlie shot out the door with Dad to go skating.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
Charlie skidded to a stop.
Mom pulled a hat down over his ears. She wound a scarf around his neck. She slid mittens on his hands. “That’s better.”
Charlie didn’t think so. “I itch,” he complained.
Mom shrugged. “No warm clothes, no skating.”
That was a no-brainer. Hat, scarf, and mittens stayed on, and Dad and Charlie went to the rink.
When the first snow fell in December, Charlie raced outside to build a snowman.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
Mom pulled the hat over his ears, wound the scarf around his neck, and slid the mittens on his hands. Then she zipped him into his winter jacket and stuffed his feet in clunky boots. “That’s better.”
Charlie didn’t think so. “I’m hot,” he complained.
“You won’t be when you get outside,” said Mom. “Now scoot.”
Charlie scooted.
In January, when the deep cold gave the snow a perfect icy crust, Charlie sped out to sled.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
Out came the hat, the scarf, the mittens, and the boots, but this time Mom bundled him into his snowsuit. “That’s better.”
“Mo-om,” said Charlie. “I can’t even walk!”
“You can stay in and help me fold laundry,” Mom offered.
“Hmmm,” said Charlie, “maybe I can walk,” and out the door he shuffled.
All through February and March, for tobogganing, fort-building, and snowball-fighting, Charlie could not get out the door without every inch covered in warm clothes.
“I’m tired of winter,” he said.
Then the days got longer. The sun got warmer. The snow melted, and one day there were robins on the lawn.
Charlie opened the door and the air was soft and warm.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
“Please, Mom,” begged Charlie. “I don’t want all those clothes.”
Mom smiled. She put his baseball cap on his head and handed him his ball and glove.
“That’s better!” said Charlie. He hugged her and laughed. “Now I know spring is really here!”
Now. I KNOW you can all do better than THAT – talk about circling the drain! – so take heart and get those stories posted! I can’t wait to read them! 🙂 Don’t forget to add your post-specific link to the list below so that we can all come read your stories and feel like spring is coming! The list will stay up through midnight Tuesday March 19.
Good luck! 🙂
And please remember to check the comment section! There are already entries there from Linda, Jill, Pat, Marie-Therese, Nancy C, Jenny, Doris, Nancy M, Kimberly, and Lizzie. (You may have to scroll down aways…)
And please remember to check the comment section! There are already entries there from Linda, Jill, Pat, Marie-Therese, Nancy C, Jenny, Doris, Nancy M, Kimberly, and Lizzie. (You may have to scroll down aways…)
Susanna Leonard Hill 
A sweet story, fun contest and great prizes! What an opportunity to have a manuscript review. You're awesome, Suzanna!
Thanks, Iza 🙂 I hope lots of people will take advantage. It seems like a great opportunity to me. Too bad I can't compete for my own prize 🙂
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A sweet story, fun contest and great prizes! What an opportunity to have a manuscript review. You're awesome, Suzanna!
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I LOVE that! It's funny! 😀 I am going to post my entry later 🙂
You're far too kind, Erik 🙂 And yay! I can't wait to read your entry! I shall look forward to it eagerly 🙂
Susanna, I adore your story! My Mom was one of those who constantly overdressed me and my sister in the winter so I sympathized with Charlie's annoyance. 😉
I was telling Catherine Johnson how very excited I am to be entering your contest for the first time! So excited that I actually gone it done early…very unlike me. LOL!
Have a wonderful weekend!
CONTEST ENTRY POSTED FOR LINDA at http://www.lindaboyden.com
Where Is Spring? (73 words)
By Linda Boyden
Snow again?
Big flakes, little flakes,
swirl and spin.
I’m done with snow.
Where is Spring?
Brrr, again?
Fat coat, boots and cap.
Wind that stings.
I’m done with Brrr!
Where is Spring?
Rain again?
Gray sky, raindrops plop.
Thunder wins.
I’m done with rain.
Where is Spring?
Sunny day?
Bluebirds, yellow buds,
barefoot grass?
Hurry outside:
Spring’s here at last!
Yay! Nothing says Spring like shedding hat, gloves, and itchy scarves for a baseball cap and mitt.
Quiggle's Search For Spring ends on a happy note too!
I hear Linda on the “Brrrrr's” 🙂
Hurray! Spring! Longer days! Daffodils! Robins! In Just Spring Contest!
I have to run out right now…can't wait for this afternoon so I can read all of these wonderful entries…thanks, Susanna, for doing this.:)
Oh Susanna – I love your little story! Esp. because I am gonna have to put on a hat and mittens to go out today! argh!
Breakfast Time for a Hungry Bear
When Bear awoke from a long winter’s sleep, he poked his head outside his den; he expected spring to whack him on the nose. But all he saw was white. Snow. Everywhere.
Bear clambered out of his den. A faded sun hung high in the gloomy sky. “The woods seem to be stuck in winter,” Bear thought.
“No smell of grasses in the air.
And it’s breakfast time for a hungry bear.”
Then Bear saw a rainbow in the distance and he plodded through the snow until he came to the rainbow’s end.
The bright rainbow colors were flowing into a swirling pool. Bear stuck his paw into the pool and raised it to the sky. He painted the faded sun yellow, and the air grew warm.
Bear placed his paw into the pool again and painted the sky and the river blue. The ice melted and the river began to flow.
Fish began jumping and orioles began singing. Bear painted them orange.
Bear dunked his paw back into the pool and painted the trees and grasses green. A flock of bunting birds flew from the trees and Bear painted them indigo.
Bear dabbed again and painted a field of red tulips and yellow daffodils.
With a dainty stroke of his paw, Bear painted yellow and violet patterns on fluttering butterfly wings.
Bear climbed a pine tree and settled on a thick branch to gaze at his colorful handiwork. A swarm of bees buzzed his nose.
“Mm, mm, mm.
I smell honey in the air.
It’s breakfast time for a hungry bear!”
A beehive hung above Bear’s head. He stood on the branch and stretched and stretched, but he could not reach the hive. Then Bear slipped. Kerplop! He landed softly on his back among the daffodils.
Grateful to Bear for melting winter away, the bees dropped a sweet, golden piece of honeycomb into Bear's hungry mouth.
“Mm, mm, mm.
Wintertime is in the past.
Spring,” sang bear, “is here at last!”
This is delightful, Jill! I can feel that warm sun… even though it's currently 18 degrees outside my window 🙂 I love all the colors – so springy 🙂 What an original idea!
Thanks, Sue! I hope you're entering with a story of your own 🙂 And you and me both on the hat and mittens – it's 18 degrees here this morning!
Hurray! Hurray! If only it were just a tad warmer here so it felt a little more like spring 🙂 I love having all these wonderful stories to look forward to reading. Yours is so touching 🙂
Glad you think so, Nancy! Can't wait to read Quiggle – what a great name! 🙂
I'm so glad you're excited and that you entered, Teresa! I can't wait to read your story! I'll be over as soon as I finish wading through my inbox! 🙂
Thanks for doing this Susanna! Here's my entry.
SPRING Word Count: 151
by Pat Haapaniemi
Up squirmed the worms from their homes in the ground,
Inching along never making a sound.
Down plopped the ducklings in puddles to play,
Splishing and splashing on this rainy day.
Under the leaf with its dainty wings dry,
Butterfly hung looking up at the sky.
Over its web stretching fuzzy legs out,
Spider watched raindrops fall gently about.
Into their hives for the afternoon showers,
Bees dreamed of nectar in blossoming flowers.
Out of the earth waking up from the rain,
Blades of green grass were appearing again.
Raindrops and clouds disappeared without trace.
Sunshine and blue skies smiled down in their place.
Spreading her wings gently butterfly flew.
Bees dreamed no more. There was now work to do.
Spider inspected her web with most care.
Worms found their homes to have no water there.
Ducklings fluffed feathers to dry in the sun.
Another new season of spring had begun.
Thanks for entering, Pat! This is terrific! I love all the up… down… over.. under… etc, and the change from rain to sunshine – really lovely! I'm feeling spring 🙂
Susanna…your story is precious! I love that in the end, the boy 'steals' his mom's expression, “That's better!” I know how my kids hated putting on hats and scarves.:) And I also remember that when I was a child, my mom would always ask me where my gloves were…in my pocket, I would reply. Oh, she would say, I guess the gloves are keeping your pockets warm. 🙂 So I can totally relate!
I'm ready too!
My favorite line is 'Spider inspected' – terrific!
This has the wise touch of a traditional indigenous creation story!
Hee, hee! -Love the thoughts coming to mind with your story, Susanna. Of one little rascal undressing before I could finish with the other! Thanks for that! And for prompting me with another great contest. I was just telling my friend how safe I feel here; entering your contests helps build up my confidence to submit elsewhere!
Linda, this is lovely…'wind that stings' makes me really feel it! I'm tired of 'brrrrr' also.:)
Perfect! Your story transported me back to the WI winters I experienced as a child … and NOT wanting to wear my boots and carry shoes to school … then being SO glad I had them for recess. Maybe you knew my teacher and/or mom?? Fun, fun, FUN!!
What a great way to introduce a lot of prepositions; plus, the poem is really terrific too! It put a smile on my face. 🙂
You've written a dreamy and delightful fantasy, Jill, and the line “he expected spring to whack him on the nose” cracked me up!
This is lovely, Pat! So many great images of spring…I love the 'out of the earth waking up from the rain'…reminds me of walking outside during a sun shower and sticking out my tongue to catch the raindrops.:)
What a unique story, Jill! I love that Bear is painting spring into his world! And 'the woods seem to be stuck in winter'…oh my goodness…that says it right there…just how we all feel sometimes at the beginning of spring. 🙂
I know 🙂 Winter got a whole lot easier when they could dress themselves 🙂 I'm so glad you enjoy the contests – I loved your entry! – and glad if it feels safe and helps give you the courage to submit elsewhere! 🙂
I guess I feel a little nostalgic for the days when I had to bundle my littles up to take them out in the snow… although it was a challenge getting them all dressed without someone undressing while I was dressing someone else… and there was always the one who, after 2 minutes outside, had to go to the bathroom 🙂 I have never liked hats and scarves – they make me itch 🙂 – so now that I'm a grown-up I never wear them 🙂
I'm glad if the story had the ability to transport 🙂 I certainly had my share of knock-down drag-outs with my mom over clothing, and then with my kids 🙂 The thing I hated most that my mom made me wear was rubbers! Oh how I hated them! Give me rain boots any day over those awful stretchy clunky ugly things 🙂
Fat coats, boots an cap. So many great images.
I just love the 'hold it mister,' line. i can so see you saying this with a smile!
It's funny you should think that 🙂 When my son read this story he said, “Hmm… this sounds awfully familiar!” 🙂
Linda, Wonderful poem. Love your images!
It's Spring!!! This is on my radar…I am all a twitter and a jitter about March Madness…I think my creativity is taking a beating!
I do have an idea with notes as of this morning. I am hoping to get it from idea to story. The titles in the links sound adorable and I can't wait to read them, but I am going to read later and work on writing for now!
I did read yours, Susanna, and, as usual, your example is adorable and creative!
I know you're crazy with March Madness, but it would be fun if you managed an entry – yours are always a joy to read! 🙂 I was afraid to look and see who won your match – you or Carrie – so unfair that you went up against each other in the first round!
There's still 2 1/2 hours to go…still neck and neck! Yes…I wish we wouldn't have gone against each other! She's my bud:-)
Oh gosh! Nail-biting for you both!
I love the image of the butterfly, dry under the leaf, looking up at the sky.
This would make a beautiful picture book. Lovely imagery all the way through.
I love the repetition and the slight changes in it as the poem (and spring!) emerge!
Pat, your poem is full of beautiful images of spring. I love the change from rain to sunshine so the nature creatures can begin.
Yes, I immediately thought of a a creation story, as I read your entry. Very unique story.
Like emerging story of spring and the repetition. I especially liked the image of “barefoot grass.” Lovely entry.
Susanna, your story was packed with so many images and memories of winter moving into spring. I remember my mother using “mister or missy.” Great repetition line to introduce the next adventure. Great story. The ending was clever.
I'm glad you liked it, Pat. I loved yours too! And hey – you got your own link up – how did you manage?
I have to say that while I couldn't leave a comment on Eriks posting I thought his story of the melting snowmen was fabulous.
Susanna I love your story. I'm having fun reading some of the stories in between writing for class. By the way, I'm writing about you Susanna in an internship class: People Who Influence Your Creative Spirit. Please don't be angry, Susanna if I can't get a story up by Monday.