It’s a hot, hot Monday in June, so what better way to spend the day then on a cool porch, in a shady hammock, or in the air-conditioned library with an iced beverage, your writing implements, and the prompt for Mix ‘n’ Match Week #5?!
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini is a 7 week writing challenge for anyone who needs a little boost, a little inspiration, or a little encouragement to get writing. . . or maybe just a little fun!
You get to write your own story, enjoy and be entertained by everyone else’s stories, and get yourself in the running for some awesome prizes (please see the end of the blog post for a list of all the prize goodies which continues to grow!)
To be eligible for the prize drawing you must enter all 7 weeks.
For a full description of the challenge, to read the Week #1 entries, or to add your Week #1 entry, please go HERE (Week #1)
To read the Week #2 entries or add your Week #2 entry, please go HERE (Week #2)
To read the Week #3 entries or add your Week #3 entry, please go HERE (Week #3)
To read the Week #4 entries or add your Week #4 entry, please go HERE (Week #4)
Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #5 for Week of June 7:
So far we’ve played with character needs/goals, writing a cumulative story, a picture prompt with random words and a secret, and turning songs into stories with themes! 😊 This week, we’re going to have fun with concepts!
Kids have a lot to learn about the world, and picture books can be education disguised as entertainment 😊. Think Z IS FOR MOOSE by Kelly Bingham, MOUSE PAINT by Ellen Stoll Walsh, and ROUND IS A TORTILLA by Roseanne Thong.
For this week’s challenge, choose a concept from Column A and a setting from Column B and write a 100 word concept story for kids in which you utilize the setting to show your concept.
| Column A – Concept | Column B – Setting |
| Shapes | Halloween |
| Colors | Beach |
| Numbers/Counting | Farm |
| Alphabet | School |
| Time | Car Trip |
| Place/Location (in, on, above, under, around, through, etc.) | Circus |
| Emotions | City or Country |
| Seasons | Amusement Park or County Fair |
| Weather | Supermarket |
- Stories can rhyme or not – totally up to you!
- You can go under or over 100 words if you want to – also totally up to you! – 100 is a guideline
- If you’re deeply inspired by a concept or a setting that isn’t included you’re welcome to use it, just please say what it is at the top of your entry – the purpose here is inspiration and to get you writing!
- For simplicity’s sake (and to aid skimming readers who might be interested in a particular thing) please say which concept and setting you’re using at the top of your entry along with your name, word count, and title if you have one.
Can’t wait to see what amazing, creative things you guys come up with this week!
So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!
Ready, set, WRITE! 😊
(And remember, for full details on the 7 week challenge you can check HERE)
Check out the Week #5 stories!
F Is For Fish Farm – Candice Marley Conner
The Reason For Seasons (At The Beach) – Laura Bower
Go To The Beach And Find. . . – Erika Romero
Circus Countdown – Sue Lancaster
ABCs Of Abstract Art – Christine Alemshah
What Color Is Fall? – Jen Subra
Toucan Counts His Berries – Marty Findley
Weather Check – Dawn Young
The Colors In The Farm – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
One Fine Bluebird – Rose Cappelli
Road Trip! – Erin Cleary
Wise Willie Wonders Where – Susan Schipper
On My First Easter Party – Ashley Sierra
Senses Dance At The Beach – Lyn Jekowsky
Roller Coaster – Barbara Renner
Alphabet Road Trip – Aly Kenna
A Trolley Full Of Feelings – Elenore Byrne
It’s Time For The State Fair – Joyce Uglow
They’re Coming! – Jill Lambert
The Colorful Car Trip – Deb Sullivan
Are We There Yet? – Marta Cutler
The Number Line – Colleen Owen Murphy
Five At The Fair – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
Are We There Yet? – Leslie Degnan
A Win At Walmart – Sara Kruger
Circus Opposites – Lauren Scott
Runaway Stroller – Allison Strick
Ghost Crabs At The Beach – Susan Summers
Ups And Downs – Jeannette Suhr
Sleepytime ABCs – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
I’ll Grocery Shop For You – Bru Benson
Weather Or Not – Marta Cutler
At the Beach – Marty Bellis
Counting the Colors of Sunset // Contando los colores del atardecer – Hannah Roy LaGrone
Farm Time – Robin Currie
Halloween Alphabet – Sally Yorke-Viney
Alphabet Road Trip – Deb Buschman
At Grandma’s House – Sarah Meade
Not The Only One – Amy Leskowski
Beach Day – Katie Schwartz
At The Beach – Sarah Hawklyn
Monday Mornings – Padgy Soltis
Farm Life – Michelle S. Kennedy
Seasons Market – Linda Schueler
Untitled – Lauri Meyers
Roller Coaster – Nicole Loos Miller
Ten Little Sea Creatures – Mia Geiger
Head Down Under And Count To Ten – Dianne Irving
The Halloween Seasons – Brenna Jeanneret
“Is It Halloween Yet?” – Ashley B. Pedigo
I Simply Cannot – JC Kelly
PRIZES & PRIZES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!
When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who complete the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, suggesting them for school visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
⭐️ Picture Book Critique from Penny Parker Klostermann, the lovely and talented author of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT (Random House 2015) and A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE (Random House 2017)
⭐️ 30 Minute Q&A with Penny Klostermann
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique OR Query Letter Critique (Winner’s Choice) from Jennifer Buchet, debut author of LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork/Spork May 11, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book MS Critique from Jen Raudenbush, agented writer of picture books, middle grade, and poetry. (Represented by Natascha Morris of The Tobias Literary Agency)
⭐️ 30 minute Zoom chat about anything industry related (manuscript, query letter, best practices for querying) with Becky Scharnhorst, amazing author of MY SCHOOL STINKS (Philomel Books, July 6, 2021)
⭐️Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Audio Recording by author and poet Sarah Meade Sarah will do a written critique of your manuscript and include an audio recording of her first read-through of the manuscript. The audio recording is to help the author hear how the story flows and/or where a new reader may stumble when reading aloud.
⭐️ Webinar: How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro by author and editor Alayne Kay Christian
⭐️ A copy of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Writers, donated by Nicole Loos Miller
⭐️ A personalized signed copy of SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL (MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 2021) by Candice Marley Conner
⭐️ Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Class (any month)
⭐️A copy of A FLOOD OF KINDNESS by Ellen Leventhal
⭐️A copy of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
⭐️A copy of THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT by Penny Parker Klostermann
⭐️A copy of SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey
⭐️A copy of BINDU’S BINDIS by Supriya Kelkar
⭐️ Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness
Susanna Leonard Hill 
POSTED FOR MIA
Ten Little Sea Creatures
By Mia Geiger
70 words
One little octopus swims in the sea,
two little swordfish say, “Can’t catch me!”
Three little cuttlefish play hide-and-seek,
four little seahorses try not to peek.
Five little lobsters crawl around a reef,
six little tigerfish glide past a leaf.
Seven little squids sail through a breeze,
eight little dolphins enjoy a big squeeze.
Nine little pufferfish dive in the deep
Ten little sea creatures . . . nod off to sleep.
POSTED FOR DIANNE
Head down under and count to ten
By Dianne Irving
Numbers/counting
Country/Australia
One Kangaroo hopping in the sun
We started with one and just begun
Off to the zoo let’s count to two
Emus running past
Let’s count them fast
One, two
Can you see three Koala Bears sitting in a tree
Count with me
One, two, three
Four Fairy Penguins playing at the shore
They swim in the water
One, two, three, four
Five Laughing Kookaburra’s singing all together
One, two, three, four, five
They sound so clever
Dingo’s chasing each other and playing tricks
Let’s count them at once
One, two, three, four, five and six
Seven Wombats sleeping in their den
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
It looks like heaven; shall we count them again?
Tasmania Devils spinning and spinning
Are there 8? Quick let’s count them and shut the gate
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight
Look at the Wallabies hopping all around
It’s time to shine while you count to nine
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine
Platypus swimming and playing with their friends
Can you count them?
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
That was fun, let’s do it all again
This one took me a while to think of concept but ended up being really fun!
THE HALLOWEEN SEASONS [WC 190]
January, February, and March are winter months. The temperature…“There are costumes and candy and…did someone conjure a cold wind? I’m really cold.”
It’s cold because we’re talking about snow and ice and cold weather. Sorry, Little Witch, there are a few seasons before we get to Halloween.
After winter comes spring, April, May, and June. Flowers start to grow, animals…” Like black cats and purple bats come out to play and…did someone spill a potion or something? My feet are all wet and muddy!”
That’s just rain Little Witch. You’ll have to be patient a bit longer.
July, August, and September are the summer months. We go to the beach…” Hey, where are all the leaves and jack-o-lanterns?!”
Sorry, Little Witch, summertime is for going to the beach, swimming, fireworks, and ice cream.
The last season of the year is autumn; October, November, and December. Little Witch, would you like to tell them about autumn?
Little Witch?
“Oh, no. You go ahead, I’m going to wait here for summer to roll around again! I think I want to be a sand-witch from now on.
Oh, for beach sake!
“Is it Halloween Yet?”
by Ashley B Pedigo (390 words)
The first day of November, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and shows us the turkey decorations on the front door.
The first day of December, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and takes us to the tree lot to find the biggest, greenest one.
The first day of January, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and gives us white paper and scissors to cover the windows with paper snowflakes.
The first day of February, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and brings us to the kitchen to make chocolate covered strawberries for the neighbors.
The first day of March, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and packs us all up for our first picnic of the new year.
The first day of April, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head, then we put on our rain boots to go splash in the puddles.
The first day of May, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and pulls out our swimsuits and goggles tog et ready for summer.
The first day of June, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and sends us outside to eat popsicles on the porch.
The first day of July, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and takes us out to see our grandparents, who take us to see a carnival with a parade and fireworks.
The first day of August, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head and takes us to get schools supplies and meet our new teachers.
The first day of September, we go ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?”
She shakes her head, but takes us to the beach for one last time this year to fly kites and build sandcastles.
The first day of October, we start to ask Mama. “Is it Halloween yet?” But then we see skeletons and jack-o-lanterns on every porch, and the leaves are painted gold and red. It has to be Halloween!
But Mama shakes her head. Apparently, Halloween isn’t until the end of October. I can’t wait!
I work in a library and find it fascinating that our halloween books are actively checked out through the year. This one would be so popular! I can easily visualize adorable illustrations to accompany the scenes you described for each month.
I Simply Cannot
By JC Kelly
(WC: 95, Options: Emotions/Beach)
The drive was long
The sand is hot
There’s too much to carry
I simply cannot.
The waves are too big
The water is too cold
I cannot go in there
I’m not nearly so bold.
There’s sand in my swimsuit
And lotion in my eye
The sun is so bright
It’s making me cry.
My sand castle collapsed
The seagulls stole my treat
I lost my favorite shell
And the sand burned by feet.
What? It’s time to pack up?
Please say it isn’t so?
I’m having too much fun,
I simply cannot go!