Roses are red
Violets are blue
Valentinies rock
And so do YOU!
Whether your characters are bubbling, bouncing, or buzzing with enthusiasm, feeling the consequences of too much enthusiasm, or wishing they could drum up some enthusiasm, the time has come for . . .
The 9th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest
~ for children’s writers ~
The Contest: Since writing for children is all about “big emotion for little people” (I forget who said that, but someone did so I put it in quotes!) and Valentine’s Day is all about emotion, write a Valentine story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone feels enthusiastic! They can be enthusiastic in a good way or a bad way. They can be enthusiastic about a person, an event, an activity, an animal, an art project, a performance. . . anything you like!, or overly enthusiastic causing negative consequences. Sky’s the limit! Just make sure it is clearly Valentine-centered! Think beyond the obvious! Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes someone enthusiastic (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (get it? 2/14 for Valentine’s Day 😊 ) You can go under the word count but not over! (Title is not included in the word count.) If you are so inclined, you are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊 No illustration notes please!
Post your story in the comment section below between right now this very second and Wednesday February 14th by 11:59 PM Eastern. There will be no regularly scheduled posts for the duration of the contest (Tuesday Debut or PPBF), so this post and all of your entries will stay up for everyone to enjoy. If you have difficulty with the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you. If you need to send me your entry, please copy and paste your entry, including title, byline (that’s who it’s by – you 😊 – for example, by Susie Writer) and word count into the body of your email. No attachments – they will not be opened!
The Judging: over the following days, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to around 12 top choices depending on number and quality of entries which will be posted here and voted on for a winner as soon as we can get them up. The winners and Honorable Mentions will be announced a few days after the vote. (I’m not even going to try to hazard a guess on exact dates!)
Judging criteria will include:
- Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
- Creativity in using enthusiasm, and success in making us feel the enthusiasm! Enthusiasm must be central to the story line, not just mentioned briefly in passing in a story about something else entirely.
- Valentine’s Day appropriateness – this is a VALENTINE story and Valentine’s Day must be central to it!
- Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
- Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
- Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 😊
- How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines.
The Prizes: aren’t we lucky to have such amazing prizes donated by such wonderful, generous people!
⭐️ Ask Me Anything Zoom Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Sandra Foreman Sutter, owner and “top gnome” at Gnome Road Publishing, and author of STAN’S FRIGHTFUL HALLOWEEN (Spork, September 2020) and THE REAL FARMER IN THE DELL (Spork, March 2019)!!! Not only will Sandra read and critique your manuscript, you will get to talk and discuss it with her!
⭐️ Access to author/editor Alayne Kay Christian‘s webinars! Alayne is the author of BUTTERFLY KISSES FOR GRANDMA AND GRANDPA (Blue Whale Press, 2008), SIENNA THE COWGIRL FAIRY: COWBOY TROUBLE (Blue Whale Press 2021), THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS (Blue Whale Press, 2020), and AN OLD MAN AND HIS PENGUIN (Blue Whale Press, 2020)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming or Non-rhyming, Fiction or Nonfiction) with written feedback AND a 30-minute Zoom Chat with children’s author Vivian Kirkfield, author of the brand new, about-to-be-released PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, The First Woman To Cycle Around The World (Calkins Creek, February 20, 2024), PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House, 2019), SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books, 2019), FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN (Pomegranate, 2019), MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: THE INSPIRING FRIENDSHIP OF ELLA FITZGERALD AND MARILYN MONROE (Little Bee Books, 2020), FROM HERE TO THERE: INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD MOVES (Clarion Books, 2021), and SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING (MoneyPenny Press Ltd, 2010)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Hanh Bui, author of The Yellow Áo Dài (Feiwel & Friends, April 25, 2023) and the forthcoming Ánh’s New Word: A Story About Learning a New Language (Feiwel & Friends, May 14, 2024) PLUS a signed copy of The Yellow Áo Dài!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming) PLUS Zoom Chat from developmental editor Lou Piccolo! Lou studied English Literature, creative writing and teaching at university in South Africa. After working as an EFL teacher in France for twenty years, she studied proofreading and editing before becoming a developmental editor of children’s and young adult’s literature for independent authors. She is a graduate of Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab – Punching Up Prose With Poetry course and Making Picture Book Magic, the in-house writer for Editions Entrefilet’s language-learning magazine ‘Go English Kids’ for children of 8-12 in France, and a traditionally published author of MG and YA fiction with Burlington Books.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Rebecca Gomez, author of FEDERICO AND THE WOLF (Clarion Books, May 19, 2020), TWO TOUGH TRUCKS (Orchard Books, September 17, 2019), TWO TOUGH TRUCKS GET LOST! (Scholastic, Inc, September 1, 2020), HENSEL AND GRETEL: NINJA CHICKS (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, May 24, 2016), WHAT ABOUT MOOSE? (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, June 9, 2015) and the forthcoming middle grade novel in verse, MARI IN THE MARGINS (Bandersnatch Books, May 2024)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Laura Sassi, author of GOODNIGHT, ARK (Zonderkidz, August 4, 2015), GOODNIGHT, MANGER (Zonderkidz, October 6, 2015), DIVA DELORES AND THE OPERA HOUSE MOUSE (Union Square Kids, March 6, 2018), LOVE IS KIND (Zonderkidz, August 7, 2018), LITTLE EWE: The Story of One Lost Sheep (Beaming Books, February 23, 2021), BUNNY FINDS EASTER (Zonderkidz, February 1, 2022), HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISTMAS CHILD! (Paraclete Press, October 4, 2022), and the MY TENDER HEART BIBLE series (Paraclete Press)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Aixa Pérez-Prado, author/illustrator of CITY FEET (Reycraft Books, January 12, 2023), and OUR WORLD: ARGENTINA (Barefoot Books, October 3, 2023)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique with Beth Stillborn, writer of middle-grade fiction, occasional picture books, fiction for grownups, and poetry, and qualified editor of anything you put in front of her!
⭐️ 30 Minute Ask Me Anything with Rebecca Gardyn Levington, author of BRAINSTORM! (Sleeping Bear Press, 2022), WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW (Barefoot Books, Mar 7, 2023), I WILL ALWAYS BE…(HarperCollins, Spring 2024), and AFIKOMAN, WHERE’D YOU GO? (Penguin/Rocky Pond, Spring 2024)
⭐️ 20 Minute Zoom Ask Me Anything on Indie Publishing with author Kizzie Hutcheson Roberts, indie author of THE ELVES GO MARCHING (Elemental Ink, December 1, 2022), THE EGGS GO ROLLING (Learning Spark, February 16, 2023), and HARPER AND THE RAPTOR RESCUE (chapter book) (Learning Spark Educational Publishing, June 27, 2023)
⭐️ Ask Me Anything Zoom Chat and signed book from Cindy Schrauben, author of THIS COULD BE YOU (Cardinal Rule Press, April 2022) and the just announced HANK’S CHANGE OF HEART (scheduled for February 2025 from The Little Press)
⭐️ Signed copy of KING CAKE BABY (Pelican Publishing, January 23, 2015) from author Keila Dawson
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 birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, recommending their books for school and library purchases, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Now! Put your heart into it and enthusiastically post your entries!
I am filled with enthusiasm to read your stories!!!
Eager Readers: Check out the comment section for all the fabulous entries! 😊
ENTRIES (all entries are linked to take you directly to the comment)
1. The Valentine Nature Show – Sharon O. Blumberg
2. Alexis’s Valentine’s Day Box – Rhonda T. Spear
3. Strawberry Valentine – Brenda Covert
4. Go For The Gold – Mikki McFeve
5. Val N. Tine’s Almost Card Catastrophe – S. Burdorf
6. Love Is In The Air – Corine Timmer
7. This Time It’s For Real – Ian Rodrigues
8. Just One Thing’s Missing – Sarah Parker
9. Waiting For It – Sarah Parker
10. Look Out, Here Comes Honey Bear – Susan Elizabeth Schipper
11. Chocolate – Peanut Butter – Wu, Yu-Cheng
12. Heart Candies From Hank – Mike Flowers
13. Valentine Magic – Kelly Kates
14. Daisy And Macy’s Best Valentine’s Day Ever! – Sarah Meade
15. ValenTOYS! – Sarah Meade
16. Glitter And Glue – Kim Collazo
17. Hurry Home! – Charmaine Langlois
18. Where Ladybugs Sleep – Jessica Russo
19. Tara And The Valentine’s Day Dino Dance-Off! – Ashley Sierra
20. Puppy Love – Jany Campana
21. A Valentine For Vincent – Melissa J. Miles
22. The Spruce Hollow Valentine Spectacular – Kelly Clasen
23. The Valentine Scavenger Hunt – Eleanor A. Peterson
24. Roses For Mom – Laura Wippell
25. Best Friends Forever? – Barbara Kimmel
26. Piper’s Perfect Valentine’s Surprise – Rebecca Tronrud
27. A Sunny Valentine’s Day – Paul Kurtz
28. Something Marvelous – Julie Lerczak
29. They Are Having A Ball! – Paul Kurtz
30. Beautiful, Gorgeous – And Yummy! – Donna Kurtz
31. Thump! Thump! – Donna Kurtz
32. A Perfect Match – Kathy Nimmer
33. Love, Charlie – Kathleen MacEachern
34. A Valentine’s Day Gift – Kenneth Major
35. Something’s Missing – Judy Caldwell Hughes
36. Mike’s Big Valentine – MaryLou Silva
37. Stan’s Valentine Plan – Carla Gullett
38. The Heart Remembers – Julie Lerczak
39. Blake Shakes! – Angela Jelf
40. It’s Valentine’s Day! – Lynn Katz
41. Sister Strong! – Lori Himmel
42. Not So Empty – Amanda Revell
43. Zamboni Valentine – Elizabeth Thoms Charles
44. 365 Hearts – Leslie Degnan
45. Valentines For Everyone – Sharon Korzelius
46. A Stinkin’ Good Party – Glenda Roberson
47. Happy Heart, Open Heart – Pamela Swanson
48. Something Red – Charlie Griffin
49. A Special Valentine’s Card – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
50. R-EEL Love – Ryann Jones
51. A Big Brother, On Valentine’s Day – Kris DeCaro
52. Will You Be My Friend? – Mary Ann Featherston
53. Valentine’s Day At The North Pole – Vashti Verbowski
54. Holding Out Hope – Shuba Mohan
55. Planting Heart Seeds – Becki J. Kidd
56. Everyday Is Valentine’s Day With You – Shuba Mohan
57. A Pawsome Valentine – Priyanka Betrabet
58. Theodore T. Rex Loves Words – Kelly Adamson
59. Tapping Romeo – Sue Ko
60. Bailey’s Perfect Valentine – Katie Lee Reinert
61. Thesaurus Stegosaurus – Lauren N. Simmons
62. Seamus And The Shushing Librarian – CE King
63. A Shadow For Valentine’s Day – Page Pfister
64. The Shape Of Hearts – Melissa Rafson Friedman
65. The Guessing Game – Sharon Goldstein Jackson
66. I Need To Know What Love Is – Emma Sales
67. Val’s Thousand Hearts – Katia Jesson
68. Snow Hearts – Lynn Sandacz
69. What Not To Do To Valentines – Nina Haines
70. A Day For Heart – Ariel Eishen
71. The Dullies – Tom Wright
72. Cactus And Wren – Jessica Iwanski
73. The Best Valentine’s Day Card – Tiffany Hanson
74. For Someone Special – T. Laree Krushensky
75. Game On – Anne Lipton
76. The Biggest Heart Ever – Carly Downey
77. #1 Best Pest – Kelly Adamson
78. Creating Love On Valentine’s Day – Patricia Nozell
79. Bernard Can Do It! – Linda Staszak
80. The Best-est Valentine Ever – Andy Narwhal
81. Cupid’s Redemption – Sharon McCarthy
82. Jellyfish & Butterscotch – Michelle Lee
83. Blue Mouth Valentine – Kelly Pellico
84. Dragon’s First Love – Jessie Raspbury
85. A Little Flower Bloomed – Hanno Zhang
86. Miss Hedgehog’s Valentine Surprise! – Amy LaMae Brewer
87. Rabbit’s Valentine’s Surprise – Marta Cutler
88. A Valentine For Grumpus – Marta Cutler
89. A Date To The Valentine’s Ball – Jennifer Gautam
90. Jelly Belly Finds Love – Ellen Akemi Crosby
91. What Is Love? – Janel Caverly
92. Happy Cheese Day! – Cassy Clarcq
93. Inky’s Valentine – Poupette Smith
94. In The Shape Of A Heart – Lisa Rowe Fraustino
95. Sloth & Moth – Katherine Rea
96. For! The! Love! – Katrina Swenson
97. Elbow To Elbow – Bridget Magee
98. Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates – Jodie Houghton
99. Love Letters – Jana Locke
100. Happy V-ALIEN-tine’s Day! – Vanessa Konoval
101. Rockin’ Around Valentine’s Day – Stephanie Mena
102. A Surprise For Kiki The Koala – Brooklyn Weaver
103. A Monstrous Valentine’s Day – Russell Wolff
104. Pretty Puppy – Stefanie S.
105. Maxi’s First Valentine – Aly Kenna
106. Untitled – Shariffa Keshavjee
107. A Valentine’s Day Gift For Mi Mami – Carmen Castillo Gilbert, Ph.D.
108. Valentine Cake – Penelope McNally
109. Sweetest Day – Darla Christie
110. I Love, Love, LOVE. . . Valentine’s Day! – Anny Chen
111. Twinkie McTwinkle Toes – Katie Dubay
112. Mahjong Matchmakers – Denise Seidman
113. Beverly Bunny’s Valentine Surprise – Lori Bonati
114. A Valentine For Two – Colleen Fogarty
115. Friendship Sings – Amanda Littlefield
116. Baby With A Bow – Katie McNickle
117. Duck And Moose – Julie Hauswirth
118. Flying High On Valentine’s Day – S. J. Barratt
119. Love And Happy Valentine’s Day – Jean Martin
120. Chocolate Stinks!!! – Patricia Valencia Rivera
121. From Andrew D. – Nichole Stratton
122. Infinite Love (And Burgundy) – Sarah Hetu
123. The Lost Valentine – Susan R. Waide
124. Sweet Hearts – Barb Edwards
125. My Cat-Tastic Valentine – Bru Benson
126. The Valentine’s Card – Maritere R. Bellas
127. Lessons – Alice Bianchi-Clark
128. Groundhog Loves His Shadow – Jill Lambert
129. The Perfect Pair! – Lauri C. Meyers
130. Joshua’s Valentine – Marty Findley
131. Sharing Hearts – Marty Findley
132. Harriet Sasquatch Gets Invited – Helen Lysicatos
133. Love Letters – Alison Marcotte
134. The Valentine Pine – Laur Seely-Pollack
135. Finn And Bug – So In Love! – Katie Schwartz
136. Valentina – Adriana Gutierrez
137. Spreading The Valentine Love – Cindy Droker
138. Red’s Blue Valentine’s Day – P. J. Purtee
139. Countdown To Valentine’s Day – Maria M. Sutanto
140. Valentines Castles In The Sand – Nadia Ali
141. The Diaries Of Romeo And Juliet: A Dogdeball Debacle – Deborah Kim
142. Johnny Survived – Nina Haines
143. The Rejection Infection – Cheryl Simon
144. Fox May Eat His Card – Karen Fox
145. Sissy’s Valentine Surprise – Cathy Bendix
146. Quokka Joe’s Quandary – Sally Yorke-Viney
147. The Best Cards – Cindy Greene
148. Something Special – Darcee A. Freier
149. Amira’s First Valentine’s Day – Danna Zeiger
150. Talia’s Valentine’s Day Magic – Danna Zeiger
151. A Valentine Snow Day – Lori Dubbin
152. Love Day Wish – Daniella Kaufman
153. Snip, Snip, Snip – Emmie Werner
154. Valentine Trap – Amy Martinez
155. When Peanut Butter Met Jelly – Angela Martinelli
156. In The Cards – Jan Schwaid
157. Talentines Day! – Jen Keenan
158. A Home For Valentine’s Day – Linda Staszak
159. The Heart Collector – Lucie Nouraud
160. The Rescued Valentine – Jennifer Rathe
161. The Heart Of The Party – Debbie Moeller
162. Cherished Gifts – Erin Bylund
163. I Met Him At Mardi Gras – Kate Chabarek
164. Horse To Heart Talk – Gina Marina Gustafson Faena
165. The Mouse In The (Elephant) Room – J. Buchet
166. Maddie’s Valentine – Lyn Jekowsky
167. A Valentine For Malamute – Jessica D. Phillips
168. An “Ernest” Effort – EJD Thomasville
169. Impossible Love – Katie Mahood
170. Pink’s Shiny Valentine – Christina Shawn
171. Capybara And Bird – Eric Herrington
172. Lovesick – Maria Piñero Pope
173. CII PTD (Cupid) – Claudine Pullen
174. I Lava You – Elizabeth Muster
175. Every Day Should Be Valentine’s Day – Tracy T. Agnelli
176. Birthdays Are Better – Tracy T. Agnelli
177. Bertie Saves Valentine’s Day – Liz Frank Godfrey
178. Short Stack – Jess Freeman
179. A Valentiny Fluffle – Luara Martinez
180. Mel And Nell Didn’t Gel Well – Suhasini Gupta
181. Quokka And Koala – Nicole Garnett
182. Cupid’s Arrow – Angela Steffen
183. Zoey’s Beehive Valentines Show – Hannah Roy LaGrone
184. I HATE Valentine’s Day! – Janet Scratchley
185. Jack And Jill – Pat Finnegan
186. Valentine’s Eve – Nicole Terry
187. No One Is Butter Than You – R. C. Chizhov
188. I Bought You A Roach – Mary Miller
189. The Worst Valentine’s Cookies For The Best Friends – Lmariekey
190. The Biggest Valentine – Judy Sobanski
191. My Transylvanian Valentine’s – Griffin Schultz
192. The Perfect Match – Sarah Elynn
193. Wings Of Love – Nancy D. Riley
194. Cheesed To Meet You – Lynsey Folkman
195. February 14, 2065 – Gina Marina Gustafson Faena
196. Creating A Valentine’s Card Out Of Love And Compassion – Kimberly Zhuo
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Rockin’ Around Valentine’s Day
“It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, Emily. Hurry before the store runs out of all the good valentines,” Sally laughed knowing Emily didn’t have money for cards or clothes.
Emily’s valentines would be different from all the rest….like she was. But how?
“You have a keen eye with a unique way of seeing even everyday items,” Grandma said.
Emily’s favorite hobby was collecting rocks and painting the pictures she saw hidden inside each one.
Emily gathered stones and began to paint.
On Valentine’s Day, Emily presented each rock.
“This stone is yours, Grandma. It’s grey, smooth, and round.”
Grandma laughed.
“Mom your stone is sharp on the edges, like when you check my homework, but gentle in the center offering a perfect place to rest.”
Mom nodded her head.
“Mr. Brown you teach us to think on our own. Your rock is a geode, crusty on the outside filled with crystals of many shapes and colors inside.”
Mr. Brown approved.
“On the largest rock, I painted faces of my classmates. We’re different, but we all work together.”
The students searched the for their own faces.
Sally’s stone is cut like a perfect gem…with a hole where the heart should be.
Sally thought hers was the best. She wondered why there was a hole in the center.
Solid ending here. The harshest criticisms sometimes never land!
True. We all see ourselves differently in that magic mirror 🙂
Posted for Brooklyn Weaver
A Surprise For Kiki The Koala
By Brooklyn Weaver
Word count:178
Kiki the koala lived in a zoo. All week Kiki watched people exchanging paper hearts and candy. A girl dropped a piece of the candy by accident, and it landed right inside her cage. She tasted it.
Kiki said, “Yummy.”
On the other side of the walkway, she saw people in a tent giving out free candy. Kiki could smell the warm sugary scent. Beside the tent there were people gathering, and eating delicious cake and cookies coated in chocolate.
“That looks like fun,” Kiki said.
Kiki wondered if her friends Belle, Kaley, Paige, and Layla had seen the scrumptious food. Kiki’s lunch was soon to arrive, and usually her food was leaves and herbs.
“I have a surprise for you. Happy Valentine’s Day,” the zoo assistant said.
Today Kiki’s food was pink and red. She tasted it, and it tasted like the candy the girl had dropped. Kiki invited her friends over to try her food. They had a party just like the people. No one said that koalas could not have a Valentine’s Day party too.
A MONSTROUS VALENTINE’S DAY
By Russell Wolff
210 words
“RAAAWWRRRR!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!” the monster thundered.
Children screamed and ran from him as usual, but today something felt… off.
Hearts adorned the town, not skulls.
Flowers, not bats.
Babies (armed with bows and arrows, but still), not spiders.
Nobody wore a costume.
What was going on?
He checked his phone: February 14th
“FEBRUARY?!” the monster roared.
He must have overslept. It wasn’t Halloween at all.
But as he looked around, something about the town made his spine shiver:
It was beautiful. Hauntingly.
And he wanted—more than anything—to be a part of it.
He had brought armfuls of Halloween decorations, not Valentine’s, but he was a can-do monster.
He noticed that skulls look almost EXACTLY like hearts.
Bat wings make PERFECT flower petals.
Spiders can hold LOTS of arrows.
And beetles taste JUST like the little candies with messages on them.
(Bonus: beetles flutter!)
The way children stared at his decorations, he knew he’d done a good job.
“RAAAWWRRRR!! HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!” the monster bellowed.
The children screamed and ran again, but now everything felt right.
He stopped spreading love and beauty long enough to add a reminder to his phone. No way would he miss Valentine’s Day again.
And next time, he’d decorate the town with real hearts.
*****
REAL hearts??!! I love how earnest this monster is. And how he has a cell phone. Of course.
Thanks, Kate! I myself wonder if he means paper hearts rather than skulls or… real real? Who can tell what’s truly in monsters’ heads (and hearts)?
Hahaha what a fun concept. The reveal that he had “overslept” was hilarious!
ENTRY POSTED FOR STEFANIE
Pretty Puppy
by Stefanie S.
152 words
“Brush, ribbons, bows. Time to make you beautiful, Valentine!”
Romeo wagged his tail. If only he knew what he was in for!
The brush wasn’t so bad. It tickled as Rose raked it through his fur.
“Now for some decoration.”
Red ribbons danced in Rose’s hand. Chew toys!
“No! Bad boy.”
Not chew toys.
Rose twisted the not-chew toys into Romeo’s fur. They pinched.
“Oops.”
A wad of fur clung to Rose’s fingers. Romeo whimpered.
“Stay still, Valentine. You’ll be so pretty when I’m done with you.”
Rose grabbed something called a boa. She wrapped it round and round and round. Now Romeo could barely move.
Next came the wings. One paw up, then the other.
Elastic bit into Romeo’s sides. The feathers threw him off balance.
“Ruff! Ruff!”
“Now for the finishing touch.”
Romeo scooted away as Rose reached for the red nail polish.
“Come back, Valentine! What about our date!?”
Oh, Stephanie, this brought memories of me trying to dress up our dog when I was growing up. She would have nothing to do it. Made me laugh!
Hahaha! Great POV choice, and very funny ending.
Haha. Poor Romeo.
ENTRY POSTED FOR ALY
MAXI’S FIRST VALENTINE
Aly Kenna
(207 words)
It was Maxi’s first Valentines Day, a day you can make new friends just by leaving special messages behind, his mother told him. People write them on paper, dogs leave them on trees.
Maxi practiced his three-leg stance for the big day, and his aim too. When 7:15 rolled around, Maxi was ready, but Valentine’s Day was not what he expected. White stuff covered all his favorite things and worst of all, it felt cold and made his paws tingle. He trudged along miserably until he came upon a tiny set of footprints. Could it be?
Maxi followed them right up to this cute little black and white critter with the most amazing tail. It was all alone.
Not for long!
Valentine’s Day thought Maxi. He knew just what to do. He got her attention by barking his biggest big-dog bark, then he marked the tree:
‘Be my Valentine!’
But his new friend was a little shy and not very coordinated. She tapped a little dance, spun around and marked Maxi. It didn’t matter she missed the tree and couldn’t stand on three legs. Maxi had to practice a long time to get that right.
Maxi’s first Valentine and he’d already made a friend!
Best day ever.
***
Great unreliable narrator here, balanced with giving just enough information for the reader to understand what’s really UP – or should I say “P.U.!” So funny, and I love that Maxi still doesn’t get it at the end, and gets to walk away happy,
Oh funny. Poor Maxi. Better watch out for that new friend.
ENTRY POSTED FOR SHARIFFA
by Shariffa Keshavjee
Enthusiastic Jupiter, the puppy came from the pound. Jupiter was a Thanks Giving Day gift for Ayla and her brother Rumi. A safe home for an orphan puppy.
Jupiter was settling in. So for half term Ayla could not go to Naivasha for a Valentine’s Day holiday. The Naivasha home only accepted trained puppies.
Aya was very sad.
Then she remembered
‘Sharing is caring ‘
Ayla was now enthusiastic. She asked Sophia’s mum if Sophia and her brother Rayan could come for a sleep over instead.
Fatima was happy, because Sophia’s dad was in hospital and that made her very busy.
Ayla’s mum and dad were delighted. Fun time with cousins.
They built a tent in the veranda, they made heart shaped cookies.
Before they slept under the February moon,Jupiter curled up by their feet, they said a special prayer for the many children who had no tents, nor mums and dads to tuck them in.
Enthusiasm is contagious, everyone was excited and enthusiastic.
On Valentins Day, they woke up to
lovely red roses with a big heart shaped cake, sent by Fatima !
The power of sharing and spreading enthusiasm truly made Valentine’s Day special for Ayla and her cousins creating a festive morning filled with love and warmth.
Ayla’s so sweet to come up with another Valentine’s plan with her cousins. Then they all have fun.
ENTRY POSTED FOR CARMEN
Carmen Castillo Gilbert, PhD
Word count: 201
A VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT FOR MI MAMI
This year I’m going to find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for Mami. I can’t wait to see her face when she opens it!
I know!
A pearl necklace!
“But that’s my gift to her,” Papi says. ––Un collar de perlas.
Time to think harder.
I know!
Flowers! Roses, peonies, lilies!
Mami loves flores.
“But that’s my gift to her,” Abuela says holding up a bunch of rosas.
Time to think harder.
I know!
Chocolates!
“But that’s my gift to her,” my sister, Rosa, says.
Time to think harder.
I know!
A book! What kind of book?
A cookbook or one with many pages and no pictures?
Or one with lots of pictures we can read together?
“But that’s my gift to her,” my brother, José, says.
Time to think harder.
I know!
A plant! Mami loves plantas.
Mami’s sister, tía María, says, “But that’s my gift to her,” tía María says.
Sooo…
not un collar de perlas,
not flores,
not chocolates,
not un libro, and
not una planta!
But how can I show Mami that I really, really love her?
I KNOW!
I’ll wrap myself in Valentine paper and tie a bow in my hair!
My gift is … ME!
Lindo Carmen! What a clever and cute ending.
This is so layered – the search for an individual identity amidst a big family, the need to show love on Valentine’s Day, and a very funny, sweet closing visual! Awesome story!
Such a sweet story. I can just visualize the young narrator all wrapped up with a bow. Priceless.
Love your clever, fun, and cumulative story! It has a delightful story arc with both English and Spanish, while only using 201 words! Well done!
I love bilingual stories, and this one is so especially clever and filled with love as well.
So cute and clever!
VALENTINE CAKE
by Penelope McNally
WC 214
Every Valentine’s Day, Ellie and Dad baked a cake for mom; chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and red sprinkles on top – Mom’s favorite.
Ellie put on her pink and white apron and got out the bowls.
Taking out the ingredients, Ellie had an idea.
“Dad, let’s add chocolate chips to the batter.”
“Sure!” said Dad. “That will be extra special.”
Stirring in the chips Ellie said, “And marshmallows too. They’re gooey, just like Valentine’s Day.”
“Why not?” said Dad.
That got Ellie thinking. The more yummies she added, the more full of love the cake would be.
She added butterscotch, peanut butter chips, coconut and raisins, whirling around the kitchen faster and faster, adding more ingredients by the second; walnuts, toffee chips whatever she could get her hands on. She was a spinning blur of pink and white.
“Whoa, Ellie that’s enough,” Dad said.
Ellie looked at her lumpy, bumpy batter filled to the brim with yummy goodness. Perfect!
Together they poured it into the heart shaped cake pan and set it to bake.
Once cooled, Ellie frosted the cake sky high with vanilla icing, and cut Mom a slice.
Mom took a bite chock full of love and gooey sweetness. Ellie waited.
“Delicious!” Mom declared. “But something’s missing…”
“Sprinkles!” Ellie and Mom laughed.
Oh my 😀 I’d be lying if I said this didn’t ping my sweet tooth! Nice work accelerating the pace as Ellie’s excitement bubbles over and the cake gets more and more chaotic!
I laughed at the end. All those goodies and they still wanted sprinkles.
Hahaha. Cute! My husband and daughters tend to make cookies this way. Why can’t we just have sprinkles?!
SWEETEST DAY
By Darla Christie
WC: 213
“Hi! You’re new, right? I’m Lucy. How lucky are you? Your first day at a new school is Valentine’s Day. Sweet, right? How’s it been? Mine has been INCREDIBLE! Everything is pink, which is my favorite color by the way, and lunch looks fantastic! Aren’t you hungry? I’m starving! You’re pretty quiet. Everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s your name? Did I mention I’m Lucy? I’m named after my great aunt. She was everybody’s favorite aunt, so that’s cool. YUM! Chocolate chip cookies! What’s your name again?”
“Sam.”
“Nice to meet you, Sam! There’s nothing on your tray. Here, try the chili dog. EVERYONE loves a chili dog. Do you like apples or oranges? Here, take an apple. It’s better for your teeth. You definitely want chocolate chip cookies. EVERYBODY loves those! How’s your day been so far?”
“I can’t figure out my locker combination.”
“I know, right? I couldn’t figure out if it was two times to the right, one time to the left, or vice versa. Maybe yours is close to mine. I’ll help you. You know what? I bet your day is going to get better.”
“Yeah, maybe. Hey, Lucy? Wanna sit together?”
“OF COURSE! I’ve got an ENORMOUS group of friends I want you to meet. Hey everybody! This is Sam.”
Really strong voices and personalities here!
Everyone needs a Lucy in their life. So cute!
I Love, Love, LOVE…Valentine’s Day!
By Anny Chen
131 words
I love, love, LOVE…Valentine’s Day!
It’s a special day to show friends and family just how much I care about them.
I have SO MUCH love to show, and SO MANY people to share it with.
But how do I show my love?
Is my love red and pink?
Does it sparkle and shine like glitter?
Or does my love have a taste?
Is it sweet and warm?
Does it smell like the garden in spring?
How can I fit all my love onto a card?
Will the feeling get lost in the mail? Or worse…
Will my love feel too small when it arrives?
I love, love, LOVE Valentines Day!
But I love it more when that feeling stays…
Everyday my love keeps growing, and it never goes away.
I love this idea, and the imagery, trying to find a way to communicate love in a way others can grasp! This could definitely expand into a full PB. Keep writing!
Twinkie McTwinkle Toes
by Katie Dubay
(214 words)
DOG: They call me “Twinkie.” They say I am a “rescue from Puerto Rico” but puh-leeeze. This family would be lost without me.
CAT: A “rescue” from Puerto Rico?
They rescued Puerto Rico from you!
I greet everyone that comes to the door with a song.
I love to make people feel welcome.
It’s called barking, and you are a problem.
I can sing for hours, without any need for rest.
What can I say, it’s a gift of the heart.
It’s simply unbearable.
If one happens to open the door for the Package People,
I will sing them all the way to their truck
as heartfelt thanks for their kind delivery.
So mean, so unnecessary.
When food is being made, I perform the most charming dance.
They call me “Twinkie McTwinkle Toes.”
You look like a fool.
It’s embarrassing.
I can clean a bowl faster than you can say, “ChowTime!”
It’s a labor of love.
You’re a food vacuum, and it’s shocking.
I am House Champion at the game of “Chase.” Just ask the cat.
I love him.
Why me???
I always give my all. If you’re going to love something,
love it with your whole heart, that’s the Chihuahua Way.
Oh for crying out loud.
Get a grip!
(Can someone rescue me?)
Hehehe. Very funny dual-POV. Poor cat 😀
Mahjong Matchmakers
Denise Seidman
WC = 213
Meiling’s Yeye, Mr. Wu and my Bubbe meet us after school every day.
They always smiled at each other.
Meiling nudged me.
Our grandparents seemed lonely, but shy.
“Maybe we should help them become friends.” Meiling whispered.
“Great idea!” I said.
“My Yeye plays mahjong!”
“So does Bubbe, she’s a mahjong maven.” I said.
I turned to Bubbe and Mr. Wu. “Let’s play mahjong at the recreation center?”
“Can we, Yeye?” Meiling asked.
Mr. Wu and Bubbe nodded.
Meiling and I raced ahead.
Our grandparents lagged behind.
We stopped at the street corners for them to catch up.
Excited to see they were talking.
Meiling pulled out a flyer from her backpack. “Maybe they could attend the Valentine’s Day Dance together.”
Once there, Bubbe laid the Mahjong tiles on the table..
Did you know that mahjong is the Chinese word for crickets.” Meiling said.
Mixing the tiles together, it sounded like cheerful crickets chirping.
Chirp chirp Chirp
“Should we go to the dance? I said,
Mr. Wu shook his head “I don’t know how to dance.”
“Neither do I!”
So they joined a dance class.
At the Valentine’s Day Dance. Meiling and I were just friends, but our grandparents were now much more. They even danced each dance.
We high fived, mission accomplished!
Would love to see this expanded into a full PB. Keep writing!
Thanks, @Vanessakaybooks! I am already expanding it.
Sweet story. I didn’t know that mahjong meant crickets. I love to learn fun facts in a story. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Darcee! I love putting fun facts into stories when I can.
Love mahj!
I love mahjong too. Thought it would be a good way to match grandparents.
BEVERLY BUNNY’S VALENTINE SURPRISE
by Lori Bonati
211 words
The clock had struck seven on Valentine’s Eve.
It was bedtime for Beverly Bunny.
“Sweet dreams,” said her mother, while tucking her in,
but Beverly thought that was funny.
She wouldn’t be dreaming — she had other plans.
In fact, she’d remain wide awake,
because she’d decided to stay up all night,
creating a Valentine’s cake!
That sweet treat would be a surprise for her mom!
She was feeling so enthusiastic!
A cake made of carrots and topped with whipped cream?
It would taste just divine and fantastic!!
She switched on her flashlight, crawled under her sheets,
tore open her recipe book,
then flipped to the page that explained how to make
the confection she wanted to cook.
Much later, her bedroom was quiet and dark.
Her clock said a quarter past three,
but Beverly Bunny was not in her bed.
Can you guess where that bunny could be?
She was not in her closet, nor perched at her desk,
she was not in her room at that hour,
but there in the kitchen, right next to the sink,
slept Beverly, covered in flour!
She’d grated the carrots and beaten the eggs,
the batter was ready to pour,
but Beverly Bunny had not stayed awake –
she had fallen asleep on the floor!
Great rhythm and words for rhyme. Exhausted bunny ending. Nice job.
Thanks so much, B. I think I was exhausted when I wrote it! 🙂
Aww, sweet ending! The rhythm really reflects Beverly’s frenetic pace, too.
Thanks, Vanessa! I love hearing that!
Colleen Fogarty
A VALENTINE FOR TWO
WC 209
When Grandma was happy, she sang.
When she was working, she sang.
When I played the piano, Grandma sang.
Then, Grandpa went to heaven. Grandma stopped singing.
Mom said her heart was sad.
Alone in her big house, she had no one to talk to.
She forgot things, like my name.
Mom and Dad took her to a place with lots of grandparents.
Maybe, just maybe, Grandma’s heart would be happy again.
Valentine’s Day arrived.
Mom and I were visiting Grandma in her new home. I couldn’t wait!
“Hi, Grandma! Happy Valentine’s Day.” I bent to kiss her silky cheek.
“I made you a Valentine, Grandma,” I placed it in her lap.
Her eyes crinkled. She whispered, “Thank you.”
“Shall we take a walk, Mama?” Mom asked. She smiled.
Mom pushed her to the Gathering Room.
A grand piano sat in the corner.
“Mom, do you think Grandma would like me to play for her?”
“Oh, I know she would!”
I started to play our favorite song. Suddenly, Grandma sang, “When you wish upon a star…”
Her voice got stronger. She remembered every word. Her feet tapped to the music.
We finished. Grandma smiled. “Carrie, play it again? Please?”
“You do remember me! Grandma, you’re my best Valentine ever!”
This is so lovely. You’ve approached a tough topic in such a kid-friendly way.
Thank you, Amanda. That’s a true story…my daughter played for my mother.
What a precious moment. Thank you for sharing it.
A pure delight! Great job with this.
Very sweet, Colleen.
Ah. So sweet. And a gentle way to introduce memory loss in grandparents to their grandchildren.
Friendship Sings
By: Amanda Littlefield
WC: 214
Jazmine squeezes my hand, and I squeeze back.
“I hope I get it,” she says.
“Everyone did a fantastic job,” says Miss Wicks. “Mila, I’d like you to sing the solo for the Valentine’s Day Friendship Assembly.”
My tummy feels tickly, like there are dancing butterflies inside.
My friends clap and smile at me, but Jazmine turns away.
I practice on the walk to school, “Friends are the best valentines.” Jazmine runs ahead. I practice at recess, “Friends will always care.” I hope Jazmine still cares. She plays with Emily instead of me. I practice for my family, “Friends are there when you are down or flying in the air.”
“Sounds beautiful, Mila,” says Mom.
I hop from foot to foot. I can’t wait for the big day!
The morning of the assembly arrives. Jazmine doesn’t walk to school with me. She doesn’t say good morning, and she doesn’t reply to my note.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing,” says Jazmine.
“You really wanted the solo,” I say.
She inspects her toes.
“Let’s go talk to Miss Wicks.” I grab her hand.
The choir gathers for the assembly. Jazmine and I stand at the microphone. I squeeze her hand, and she squeezes back. The music starts and we sing together, “Friends are the best valentines…”
Amanda, this is lovely. And so typical of a child’s reaction when they don’t get the part. I love the economy of those last lines. Good luck!
Thank you. You too!
Heartwarming. You caught the ups and downs of a friendship.
Thank you!
Friends lifting each other up – beautiful message!
Thank you!
**Baby with a Bow**
By Kato McNickle
214 words on the button
_________________________
Imagine your mom is famous.
Now imagine you are her very famous baby.
Imagine even harder that you will always be her baby.
FOREVER.
Because your mom is the goddess Venus, the guardian of love.
You might get cranky being the only dude on Olympus wearing a diaper.
ALL THE TIME.
At some point all the others get big boy pants – well – togas. Not you!
To make up for being the eternal diaper wearer, your Uncle Zeus gives you a teeny-tiny bow and some itty-bitty arrows. Everything you touch is cute. Ugh.
You try it out. The crummy baby bow can’t even hit the target.
Every shot you take lands somewhere unexpected.
The first arrow flies off – hits a cat. Next thing, that cat instantly falls in love with fiddle playing. Bam! Famous fiddle-playing cat.
Your next arrow hits a cow staring at the moon. Cow starts jumping. ZOOM! Right over the moon. Whoa.
The third shot? Hits a dish, and that dish runs away with a spoon. Did you know a spoon could even move?
These arrows got power.
Maybe being a bow-and-arrow diaper baby isn’t so bad?
You know, you can fly? Cute fluffy wings.
You see a young woman living in a giant shoe.
“Hold my root beer!” this’ll be fun.
Too funny! I love the nursery rhyme connection.
Original and fun.
Brilliant! Engaging first lines, wry middle, major left-turn at the end – literally laughing out loud! And you manage connections with Greco-Roman mythology AND nursery rhymes. Great stuff!
Duck and Moose
by Julie Hauswirth
182 Words
Duck and Moose were best friends.
“We’re best friends, right, Moose?”
“Hmph.”
They liked the same games.
“Let’s play ‘Duck, Duck, Moose’!”
“Hmph.”
They had similar tastes in fashion.
“I made you a flower crown, Moose!”
“Hmph.”
They both loved Valentine’s Day.
“HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, MOOSE!”
“Hmph.”
Maybe Duck loved Valentine’s Day a little teeny-tiny bit more than Moose.
Duck wanted Moose to love Valentine’s Day, too. So she decided to give him the perfect gift.
She tried balloons.
“Look, Moose! Heart balloons in ALL THE COLORS! Let’s tie them to your antlers!”
“Hmph.”
And chocolate covered worms.
“They still wiggle! Moose, are you totally 100% sure you don’t want to try one?”
“Hmph!”
The glitter bomb… bombed.
“Don’t worry, Moose, the glitter comes off eventually. And you look absolutely dazzling! Pink is definitely your color.”
“HMPH!”
Duck was ready to give up when she thought of something.
“Moose, what do *you* want for Valentine’s Day?
“…”
“A quiet walk through the woods together! That’s the perfect idea, Moose.”
Duck and Moose were best friends.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Moose!”
“You too, Duck.”
I love the glitter bomb. The ending is very sweet.
So cute! I like grouchy Moose and loving Duck.
The mental images on this one are CHOICE. Very sweet message too.
Oh my, I love this adorable conversation so much! I can totally see the fun illustrations.
This is so adorable Juile! I love Duck’s enthusiasm and Moose gives me Mother Bruce vibes. So cute!
Flying High on Valentine’s Day, by S. J. Barratt
Lucy sighed as she scrolled through her phone, feeling a pang of loneliness amidst the flood of Valentine’s Day boasts from her classmates. Despite the overwhelming displays of flowers, chocolates, and teddy bears, none were coming her way.
Meanwhile, Cupido, the legendary matchmaker, was brimming with enthusiasm as he prepared for his busiest day of the year. With determined wings, Cupido soared into the sky, eager to spread love in the world.
Spotting Lucy below, her shoulders slumped in disappointment, Cupido knew he had to act. With a twinkle in his eye, he aimed his arrow towards her. But in his excitement, the shot backfired, and he fell alongside her, entangling them both in Cupido’s heart-shaped balloons.
As they worked together to free themselves, laughter bubbled between them, and Lucy’s spirits lifted. Grateful for Cupido’s unexpected company, her heart danced with newfound enthusiasm. Valentine’s Day suddenly became brighter as she realized she had found a friend in the most unlikely of places.
Thanks to Cupido’s intervention, Lucy’s Valentine’s Day transformed into a celebration of friendship, compassion, and the simple joys of connecting with others. As she watched Cupido fly off into the distance, she knew that the spirit of love would continue to brighten her days, long after St. Valentine’s Day had passed. (213 words)
ENTRY POSTED FOR JEAN
Love and Happy Valentine’s Day
By Jean Martin
190 words
A great idea, so Dorrie thought,
Make a Valentine, not store bought.
Needed were scissors, paper and glue,
Sparkles and doilies, foil, that, too.
None to be found, none to be had,
This Valentine task was making her mad.
But then…
Out the window, in front of her face,
Flowers so bright all over the place!
Deep royal red and bubblegum pink,
She picked them all and did not rethink.
Tied the stems to make a Valentine letter,
Again, again, what could be better?
Finally, her message was arranged to say,
LOVE and HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Just then Dorrie’s mom walked in the door,
Dorrie’s smile faded and shrunk to the floor.
“My garden is ruined, my flowers are lost,”
Her lips were pursed and her arms criss-crossed.
“Mom,” said Dorrie, “I thought I was clever.”
“Please don’t be mad, not now, not ever!”
Mom rounded the corner, saw the bouquet,
And read, “LOVE and HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY.”
“Dorrie, Dorrie, what have you done?”
“So awesome sweet girl, and so much fun!”
“It’s bright and special, I love it I do!”
“But next year let’s get scissors, paper and glue!”
Adorable! Love this story! Bravo Jean! 👏
Love this!!
Such a classic loss/gift story 🙂
CHOCOLATE STINKS!!!
by Patricia Valencia Rivera
135 words
I love all the reds.
Don’t mind the pinks.
Hearts are okay, but…
CHOCOLATE STINKS!!!
It’s stirred into milk.
Mixed into cake.
Added to frosting.
Poured over steak?!
Cookies with chips.
Ice cream with chunks.
Churros lined up
waiting for dunks!
It covers the pretzels,
kiwis and berries,
bananas and apples,
pickles and cherries!
I just cannot stand
that chocolatey taste.
Any you give me
will just go to waste.
So, when you prepare
Valentine treats,
Please, please remember
there are other sweets.
Caramel popcorn!
Cinnamon rolls!
Strawberry shortcake!
Glazed donut holes!
Vanilla bean pudding!
A cheesecake or two!
Pies filled with apples!
A cheesy fondue!
Thinking about them
makes my mouth drool.
If nothing had chocolate
V-Day would rule!
So, please don’t forget
I’m one kid who thinks
that now and forever…
CHOCOLATE STINKS!!!
This is great AND fun too. Nice rhyme and rhythm. I love your strong beginning. Well done!
Love your clever, snappy, and enthusiastic rhyme! Well done taking a beloved Valentine’s Day gift and giving it a twist!
Awesome rhythm and rhyme, and a clever twist on the “anti-Valentine’s” trope! Loved this! Also now I’m hungry!
Beautiful! Rhyme is outstanding and I love all the references! A super job. Congratulations. 🙂
So clever, funny, great rhyme–and all my favorite treats too!
From Andrew D.
By Nichole Stratton
WC: 214
The paper bag is perched at the edge of her desk, “Madi” written across it with a heart over the “i.”
She cranes her neck but can’t tell if anyone’s given her one.
Finally, Ms. Lopez says to return to their seats. Heart racing, Madi nearly smacks into Andrew D.
She plunges her hand into her bag. A tangle of paper Valentines emerges. She sets them aside for later.
Like a toy-grabbing claw machine, she goes for another fistful. Ugh. Just those those chalk-tasting candy hearts.
This time, she combs the bottom with her fingers. Something slender and smooth– could this be it?
YES!
It’s exactly like the one her sister got last Valentine’s Day. No, better– hearts cover its surface in all Madi’s favorite colors. It’s a complete reimagining of the plain No. 2!
There’s a note attached– “from Andrew D.”
Madi touches the needle-sharp lead to paper. What crisp lines! She does some loop-de-loops and– whoops! Too much pressure. She replaces the broken tip with a new one. It pops into place with a satisfying snap.
Back to drawing. She forms a beautiful heart over the “i” in “Madi.” It’s too bad she didn’t have this when writing her Valentines.
But there’s always next year… and she’ll save the best for Andrew D.
So sweet! My favorite line is “It’s a complete reimagining of the plain No. 1!”
Thank you!
INFINITE LOVE (AND BURGUNDY)
209 words
by Sarah Hetu
“Let’s make Mom a Valentine’s Day card,” Izzie said.
“The best ever!” Maya high-fived her sister.
Burgundy’s fuzzy ears perked up.
Izzie grabbed paint.
Maya got paper.
Burgundy batted pens towards them.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom, Izzie painted.
We love you times– Maya paused. “How do you spell…” she whispered the word in Izzie’s ear.
“I,” Izzie said.
Burgundy clawed open the paint.
“N,” Izzie said.
Burgundy pounced, squirting purple everywhere.
“F,” Izzie said.
Burgundy jumped in a paint-y puddle.
“I,” Izzie said.
“Burgundy, NO!” Maya shouted.
Mom came in. “What’s going on?!”
“Don’t look!” Maya yelled.
Isolde grabbed Burgundy.
“What’s the next letter?” Maya whispered.
“N,” Izzie said.
Burgundy licked his purple fur.
“I,” Izzie said.
Burgundy began to cough. Izzie put him down.
“T,” Izzie said.
Burgundy slipped and landed on the card.
Izzie peeled the card off his fur.
“Look! Burgundy made the last letter,” she said. “His nose-print looks like a ‘Y’!”
“You can open your eyes now, Mom.” Izzie handed her the card.
“I LOVE your homemade valentine!” Mom said. The three of you did a great job!”
Maya and Izzie high-fived.
“Now one of you clean the floor and the other wash Burgundy,” Mom said.
Izzie and Maya both dove for the broom.
Great pacing and delightful story!
Cleverly written!
ENTRY POSTED FOR SUSAN
THE LOST VALENTINE
By Susan R. Waide
212 words
Valentine’s Day is Amanda’s favorite holiday.
She spreads 14 handmade valentines across her bed and admires them.
Nora is her best friend. Amanda made a special valentine with glitter and heart-shaped crystal stones just for her.
BEEP! BEEP!
The bus is early.
Amanda puts the valentines into her pink heart shaped backpack.
She picks up the necklace she made for her mother.
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Amanda hugs.
“Thank you!” Mom hugs back. “Don’t forget the cupcakes!”
SWISH!
She hands a cupcake to the bus driver.
“Thank you,” he grins.
Nora waves Amanda to her seat.
VRRRRRRROOMMM!
“I made a special valentine just for you!” Amanda squeezes Nora’s hand.
PFSSSST!
Kids pile off the bus.
RING-RING!
Everyone rushes to their classrooms.
“It’s time to pass out valentines,” the teacher says.
Nora gives Amanda her valentine. She holds it to her heart.
Amanda reaches into her backpack for Nora’s valentine. It’s missing!
Amanda dumps everything out on her desk.
Nora’s valentine is gone!
Tears stream down Amanda’s face.
The class searches for the lost valentine.
No luck. Where could it be?
Nora gives Amanda a big hug. “Maybe it’s in our special place.”
Amanda unzips the secret pocket in her backpack.
“Here it is!” She hands the valentine to Nora.
“Best Friend Forever Valentine!”
Best friends know each other well. A sweet story.
SWEET HEARTS
By Barb Edwards
214 Words
“GOAT! Why are you in our bag of conversation hearts?” asked LOL.
“LOL, how rude! GOAT means Greatest of All Time,” said HUG ME.
“WAY 2 GO, PROUD OF U, and I think you belong in our bag,” said BE YOU.
“DEAR HEARTs, we’ve got to get into someone’s shopping cart before Valentine’s Day or we’ll be on clearance,” said SUGAR SUGAR.
The candy conversation hearts peered through their cellophane wrapper.
From the back of the bag HEY YOU shouted, “What do you see? Any QT PIEs coming?”
“Here comes a little girl pushing a cart,” said PUSH THRU.
“We’re on the edge of the shelf,” said GO 4 IT.
“On the count of 1-4-3, let’s jump into her basket,” said PICK ME.
The hearts huddled together.
I LOVE YOU shouted, “1-4-3, GO TEAM!”
The hearts rolled their bag off the shelf.
Plop!
“Mom, look what fell into our cart,” said Katie.
“These are PURR FECT!” said Mom.
“SWEET,” squealed the hearts.
Katie brought her frosted cupcakes sprinkled with conversation hearts to the Valentine party.
The hearts beamed as kids gathered around the tray calling out their names.
“MINE”
“CLASS ACT”
“UR SWEET”
“YUM YUM”
“COOL CAT”
“WHIZ KID”
“TOP DOG”
“SUPER STAR”
“YOU ROCK”
“XOXO, conversation hearts were made for Valentines,” said GOAT.
So clever and funny! Love the personalities and building action!
Word Count: 209 My Cat-Tastic Valentine
By Bru Benson
It’s Valentine’s Day!
I’ve waited soooooo long,
Sixty days,
32 minutes,
a whole bunch of
hours and
whatever seconds.
Mom says cats can have litters of two to five kittens when they are born, and our cat Valentina isn’t different.
“She’ll have them when she’s ready,” Mom said.
“But I can’t wait,” I sighed, making my shoulders droop and arms limp.
Cough, Hack, Gurgle, Sploch, “Meop”
Not another hairball.
I picked it up and placed it in the jar
with the others.
“Fifth one today. It won’t be long now,” Mom said.
I stood next to the wall of paper hearts I made for my cat and her babies. Each paper heart contained a heart-shaped candy glued in the center. I was all ready, and so was Valentina. The first was born, then the second. The third came minutes later, then two more—five in all.
“What shall we name them?” Mom asked. I looked at the candy hearts on the wall.
“I know!, I said, “Cutie Pie, Kiss Me, Sweet Heart, Hot Stuff, & Love Bug. Mom agreed. My artwork made this day really special, it was my first cat-tastic Valentine’s Day with all of them together. Now I can’t wait till Halloween when our dog, Howl will have puppies.
Oh, kittens on Valentine’s Day. That’s so exciting! I like that she made each kitten a card. Cute names.
Thank you.
The Valentine’s Card
by Maritere R. Bellas
199 words
I can be any size you want.
Sometimes small, large, or in between.
My message can brighten your special day.
Hilarious, funny, sweet or gay.
For friends, family, even schoolmates.
Am a card, you know. At the store I live.
Colorful, splashy, vibrant and rich.
“What if they don’t buy you?” my card friend suggests.
What if they draw their own card instead.
“Of course they will come, I just know they will,” I say.
It’s Valentine’s Day and I help celebrate.
Little hands pick- me up but grown-ups say no.
“Let’s go home and draw your own,”
Some hours do pass. Mom and kids go by.
Dads and kids do smile, yet not a one will buy.
Don’t they see I’m colorful, funny, sweet, and gay?
It’s Valentine’s Day and I can help celebrate.
Discouraged and sad, I girl picks me up. “What about this one?” She asks. It can work, I know.
Bright red, gold, sparkling all around. She does have a heart!
My mama will love it. I picked it myself.
I’m thrilled and excited. To a new home I go.
It’s Valentine’s Day and I can help celebrate!
So cute! I love the point of view of the Valentine card!
ENTRY POSTED FOR ALICE
LESSONS
By Alice Bianchi-Clark
WORD COUNT 214
“For St Valentine’s Day next month,” said Miss Lovett, “I’d like you to consider love in terms of inclusion.”
Aurélie raised her hand. “Vat eez inclusion pleez?”
Whenever Aurélie spoke, kids sniggered.
“Does the new kid even speak English?”
Aurélie’s cheeks burned. She wasn’t that new. She’d never raise her hand again.
“Quiet. Inclusion is about making others feel welcome.”
“I’ll teach you,” offered her neighbour, Mr Wright, when he’d heard. “In return, you could help walk Shakespeare.”
Shakespeare was as white and whiskery as Mr Wright, but whereas Mr Wright hobbled on his walking stick, Shakespeare’s energy was boundless.
Every day, Aurélie practised her vowels with Mr Wright.
“Glance, prance, dance.”
She enunciated her consonants.
“Hat, hamper, hurricane.”
And when Mr Wright extracted his pocket-watch, Shakespeare was right on cue.
Park bound, Shakespeare yipped and yapped, bounced and bounded, furrowed and fetched.
Week after week,
Word after word,
Walk after walk,
Aurélie improved.
When Delphine joined her class, only Aurélie raised her hand to show her around.
But the kids in her class still sniggered.
“Now she speaks like the Queen!”
On Valentine’s Day, Miss Lovett asked, “Would anyone like to share how they’ve been inclusive?”
Delphine raised her hand.
“But she’s just joined,” someone sniggered.
“I fill veree velcom. Zanks, Aurélie.”
“Indeed.”
Alice, what a wonderful inclusion story! I’m sorry Aurélie and Delphine have crummy classmates. But now the girls have a friend in each other.
I’m so glad you joined in the fun sharing your personal story of learning new languages.
GROUNDHOG LOVES HIS SHADOW (WC: 214)
By Jill Lambert
It was Gus’s first winter alone. As he prepared to hibernate, he sighed. It would be a long time before he saw anyone else. Finally, he went to sleep.
On February 2nd, like magic, Gus woke up! He yawned and stretched, then squeezed out of his burrow and blinked in the sunshine.
“Anybody out here?” he hollered. Silence. He looked left, looked right. No one. Then he looked down and saw a dark shape. “Well, glory be!” Gus shouted. “Another groundhog! Let’s play!” The other groundhog stood frozen on the sparkling snow. Gus pawed at the other groundhog and scampered away. “Tag, you’re it!” The other groundhog appeared to follow. “Can’t catch me!” Gus giggled. Suddenly, his friend disappeared. Gus looked up as the sky became cloudy and gray. “Gotta go, it’s going to snow!”
He scrambled into his burrow. “I’ve got to make something for my new friend.” He cut and glued and glittered until he was finished. Then he went back to sleep… but only until Valentine’s Day, a cloudy day. Gus burst out of his burrow, grinning. “I’m back! Wanna play?”
The dark groundhog was nowhere in sight. “Hmmph!” Gus huffed. “Where is my friend?” A brown head popped up from the ground.
“There you are! Happy Valentine’s Day!” Gus whooped.
A sweet story. Life is better with friends in it.
Thank you, Corine!
My pleasure.
Very cute! We’re all so concerned about whether we’ll have 6 more weeks of winter or not, we never think about from the groundhog’s point of view. I’m glad Gus found someone to play with, while the sun shone!
Thanks so much, Katie!
This is such a sweet story and very kid-like. You always have great verbs that make you feel like you’re there. Good luck!
Thank you, for reading and commenting, Ashley. Best of luck in the contest!
What a cute concept! And I love that a real friend popped up after all! Great voice for Gus too.
Thanks so much, Vanessa!
Sweet! Gus is a delightful character and kids will enjoy this charming story.
Thank you, Sarah!
The Perfect Pair!
By Lauri C. Meyers
(214 words)
Miss Woods makes an announcement. “This Valentine’s Day, we are having a Perfect Pairs Party! Pick a partner and dress as a pair.”
“Pair-ty time!” I cheer. I’ll find the perfect partner.
I ask my lunch buddies, but they teamed up as peanut butter and jelly.
“I’ll be your bread!” I say.
“Three isn’t a pair,” Frankie replies.
I can’t give up or I’m toast!
Emily and I shoot hoops.
“I’m dressing as a basketball and net with Juan,” she says.
I keep searching for a partner who’s a slam dunk.
But everyone’s paired up!
Except…Kevin. We are NOT a perfect pair. We’re like night and day!
“Differences make a duo special!” Miss Woods says.
“I could be spaghetti,” I suggest to Kevin. “And you could be—”
“Maple syrup!” he says.
“I was thinking of meatballs. Okay, what if I am french fries and you are—”
“Kimchi!” Kevin adds, “It’s like Korean coleslaw.”
If we can’t agree on two things, maybe we can agree on one.
“How about a …pair of pants?”
“Great idea!” says Kevin. “I’ll bring a pair. We can each take a leg.”
“Perfect, partner.”
On Valentine’s Day I learn we share something—a sense of humor—
When I’m standing with him in a pair of his grannie’s panties!
Oh! What fun! I love all the puns and she is definitely enthusiastic. Also, I think I want to have a pair-ty too!
Great story Lauri! I loved the lines “…I’m toast” and “…slam dunk.” And what a sweet and funny ending:) Well done!
JOSHUA’S VALENTINE
By Marty Findley
216 words
Joshua bounced in the door from the school bus. “Mom, Mom! Next week we need to bring valentines for our class. Can we go buy some?”
“Tomorrow after school we’ll go to the store and look for some.”
Joshua could hardly wait. The next day he searched the aisles and found a box that was perfect for his class… SUPER HEROES! However there was one person that needed an extra special valentine. None of the valentines in the store seemed amazing enough. And this valentine needed to be awesome!
But a brilliant idea was forming in Joshua’s mind! “I’ll make the most beautiful valentine for her myself,” Joshua told himself. Mom agreed to take him to the craft store for supplies. He chose several colors of hearts, pink lace, stickers, jewels, colored paper, glitter and some fancy markers.
When he got home he started work right away. He cut, pasted, drew, wrote and decorated. It was a masterpiece! He was sure she would love it!
On Valentine’s Day he took his valentines to school. He hid the special one behind his back and walked right up to her. Happy Valentine’s Day, Teacher!”
“Oh Joshua! It’s the most beautiful valentine I’ve ever seen! You are so thoughtful!”
Joshua beamed with pride!
“I love Valentine’s Day!” they both proclaimed.
The teacher valentine is always super important!
SHARING HEARTS
By Marty Findley
72 words
Cut some hearts
Of red and white.
Glue the hearts
On just right.
Add some glitter.
Add some lace.
Put each heart
In its place.
Decorate!
Add some more!
Make it something
She’ll adore.
Write a note.
Show you care.
Dont’ be afraid.
Go on… share!
Just perhaps..
She feels the same.
So… dont’ forget
To sign your name!
Don’t be afraid
Of Cupids’s dart.
Now… be brave.
Share your heart!
Bold and brave! I like it.
Short and sweet Marty! Fun to read!
Harriet Sasquatch Gets Invited
By Helen Lysicatos
WC 214
The front door slammed.
“Mom! Fox invited me to the Forest Valentine’s Day Party! Me, Harriet Sasquatch!”
“That’s wonderful sweetie. You better hurry and get ready.”
Harriet rushed to start making Valentine’s cards. Wanting to impress her new friends, she pulled out all the stops. She used bark of a white birch tree, collected the greenest moss in the forest and glued on blue and pink flowers.
“Magnificent!”
“What kind of treats are you bringing?” Mom asked.
Only her favorite! The ones with sprinkled worms and bugs.
With her moms help they swirled, mixed and rolled out dozens of heart shaped cookies.
“Delicious!”
Of course, no party was complete without swamp punch. She whipped two buckets full of swamp water until it frothed then topped it with the secret ingredient. Pine needles.
“Harriet! Hurry or you’ll be late!” Mom shouted.
She arrived just as the party was starting but hesitated walking in.
“What if no one likes me?”
Before she could leave, a flurry of hugs and hellos welcomed her.
Harriet and her new friends played board games, told each other jokes and talked all night.
“Did you have fun?” asked Fox.
Harriet grinned, “It was the best day ever!”
She skipped back home with her heart full, and a box stuffed with Valentine’s.
I like the idea of a Forest Valentine’s Day Party. I can picture the bark card with moss and flowers. Delightful. And swamp punch with pine needles! Oh, the scent. Harriet really did her best. I’m glad she had the best day ever.
Thanks Corine!
So inventive! This could definitely expand into a full PB. Keep writing!
Thanks Vanessa!
Love Letters
By Alison Marcotte
(209 words)
Letter X wanted to compose a gushing love letter for letter O. So X enlisted the help of his alphabet friends.
But they couldn’t complete the Valentine…
because X’s card required O.
O,
Y-O-U R-O-C-K.
Y-O-U M-A-K-E M-Y H-E-A-R-T G-L-O-W.
L-O-V-E Y-O-U O-O-D-L-E-S.
X.
“Hmm, what if we replace the ‘o’ words with something similar?” X flipped through his thesaurus.
U A-R-E A-L-R-I-G-H-T, they stamped in ink.
U G-I-V-E M-E H-E-A-R-T-B-U-R-N.
I L-I-K-E U H-E-A-P-S.
X.
“I don’t know… it doesn’t have the same ring to it.”
“I’m drained,” said U, “Of energy and ink.”
“Yeah, me too,” said E. “We’ve crumpled up way too many Valentines.”
“Sorry, X. I’m calling it a day,” said H.
His 24 friends left.
X stared at the pile of half hearts.
At a loss for words, X imprinted his initial on a torn-up Valentine.
“I couldn’t find the right words,” he said, giving O the half-hearted Valentine at dinner.
O said nothing.
And then she beamed. “I did the same! All the best words include you. I couldn’t write ‘extraordinary,’ ‘x-ray,’ ‘xylophone’…”
They brought their two half hearts together. The two halves became a whole phrase: XO.
“The perfect…” X said.
“…Valentine!” O said.
They completed each other’s sentences, and each other.
What a clever story!
Thank you!! 🙂
Neat choice of POV! You did a great job capturing the low mood in the middle, and the connection at the end.
Thanks so much!
Oh, so cute Alison! X and O, together at last! Great job!
Thank you!! 🙂
Happy “V-ALIEN-tine’s Day! Love the uniqueness of your story! Great job! ❤️
Oops! The comment about Happy V-ALIEN-tine’s day was misplaced! sorry! Here is the correct one…I’ve always wondered how XO originated!❤️
The Valentine Pine
By: Laura Seely-Pollack
Words: 214
Marlowe was Pinelope’s best friend.
Marlowe climbed Pinelope’s branches and weaved her needles into a crown.
Marlowe called herself a princess and Pinelope a dragon.
Sticks were swords as she laughed and tumbled and poked Pinelope’s bark. The tree loved it all.
But Valentine’s Day was special. Marlowe excitedly collected Pinelope’s pinecones. She decorated them with paint, glitter and string. She proudly hung them on Pinelope’s branches. “I love you,” said Marlowe. “I love you too,” whispered the pine.
But eventually Marlowe grew older, became an adult and moved away.
Poor Pinelope wilted.
Many unhappy years passed, until one day Pinelope’s pinecones produced a seed that grew into a tiny tree. Pinelope was overjoyed. She had a sprout of her own! She taught him everything and loved him to pieces. At night, she told him stories about Marlowe and her Valentine’s pinecones.
“I wish you could meet her.”
“Someday,” said her seedling.
Pinelope wasn’t so sure…
…but one day he did.
Marlowe moved home with children of her own.
Pinelope’s heart was so full it could burst. Soon, Pinelope and her son were spending time with Gracie, Mac and Marlowe. That Valentine’s Day was the best yet! Pinelope and her son glittered and glowed with beautiful cone creations. And Pinelope never felt more loved!
This is such a beautiful spin on the child-tree relationship! You covered so much time and character in the slotted space, great work!
*alotted
An ingenious and imaginative story with incredible world-building. I love the alien anatomy, language, and customs that you bake in.
Katie Schwartz
Finn and Bug—So in Love!
211 words
Finn was snoozing in his bed.
“What’s that sitting on my head?
“Is it fluff? Or fuzz? Or dirt?”
Finn raised an eyebrow—BUG ALERT!
He bounded up to check it out.
Gadzooks—it moved! Alive, no doubt.
It crept across the dusty floor.
A little dot. And nothing more.
He leaned in close, his eyes were bright.
“Hi buggy-boo!” Unbound delight.
“I love you buggy! Say you’ll stay.
Today is True-Blue-Sweetheart’s Day!”
Finn ran around her, end-to-end.
Overjoyed…”I have a friend!”
“She loves me too. I know because—
hear her love song?” Buzzy-buzz!”
Heartfelt sighs and moony eyes.
“I’m your Valentine surprise!”
Buggy didn’t seem to hear.
She kept creeping – rear in gear.
“Hmm…I’ll try a little lick.
Nothing drooly, slimy, slick…”.
Slop slop FLOP! He held his breath—
Oh NO! I’ve loved my bug to death!
Bug revived. She crawled outside.
Finn stepped slowly. Well—he tried.
She circled through the dirt, and then—
circled back around again.
Silently she winged away
Finn’s face fell…no words to say.
He meandered to the place
he’d last seen his sweetheart’s face….
Whoa! A heart shape on the ground,
where his boo had inched around.
His heart went THUMP! He beamed and knew
his lovebug loved him, through and through.
What a cute little story and an adorable surprise ending.
Thank you Adriana! Thanks for reading!
I’m very familiar with this canine/bug scenario and you’ve captured Finn’s exuberance perfectly! So in love with this story, Katie!
Thank you Jill! Yes, our dogs – and especially puppies – are full of silly, and enthusiastic antics, aren’t they? Thanks for reading!
Really cute and funny! Great rhyme and rhythm too.
Thank you Vanessa! Just have to watch either of my dogs to find silly things to write about. Thanks for reading!
I was afraid at first that Finn was a boy! lol Glad to see Finn is a pup, and that the bug left him that heart message.
Well, he MAY be a boy, a ‘boy-bug’, lol. Thank you for reading Brenda!
Valentina
By: Adriana Gutierrez
Word Count:250
Susie saved every nickel and pinched every dime.
She dreamed of buying the new dolly Valentina!
She did all her chores and got paid in cash.
She added it to her piggy bank stash.
She earned ten dollars, then twenty,
but she needed five more.
So she walked the neighbor’s dog.
She even threw out the trash.
Just in time for Valentine fun,
She finally had 25 bucks to buy Valentina,
She was dressed in a red dress, with golden brown skin.
Her curls bounced, and her jewels shined.
She couldn’t wait to take her to the Valentine Ball.
All the dollies would attend, even the plushies and bears.
They would have tea first, dance, and have cake.
But when Abuelo came in, she knew it was all gone.
“Lolita flew away,” he cried really sad.
His parakeet escaped to the big open sky.
Susie ran to the pet shop, and looked for a sign.
Their love song called her name in a flash.
Green, red, and yellow- Abuelo would love.
“How much is a lovebird?”
“25 Bucks!”
She flew home with Abuelo’s gift in a flash.
No dolly, no tea party, no jewels
Would match Abuelo’s smile when he saw what she had.
“Mi amor! Is this for me?” he exclaimed when he saw.
“Si Abuelito! Your new best amigo!”
He hugged me and squeezed me.
He was so glad.
Thinking of others is truly the way
To celebrate love on Valentine’s Day.
My heart thumped with happiness.
PUM-PUM-HOORAY!
Oh, what a sweet way to relate this message. Lovely!
Thank you so much!
So sweet Adriana! Love the message and your beautiful writing:)
Thank you Vashti!
Awww, LOVED it!! So sweet and clever, Adri!!
Gracias! Te lo agradezco.
I like the message in your story! Well done!
Spreading The Valentine Love
By: Cindy Droker
Word Count: 214
My neighbor lived alone. She had no one to give her a valentine.
I clipped, pasted and drew a valentine. I left it on her door.
That day a boy walked by and took it.
“That wasn’t nice,” I said.
So, I painted, cut and folded another one and left it on her door again.
Then a very old man snatched it.
“That was not yours,” I shouted.
So, I glittered, dotted and colored another heart and left it on her door.
Then a girl took it.
“That was mean,” I shouted.
The next day I searched for my valentines. I could see the boy in his house. His
Mommy was sick in bed. She clutched her valentine and hugged her son.
I saw the old man at the park. His wife could not walk. She held the valentine and was smiling with a joyful tear.
Later, I found the girl. She lived in a tent with her family. She gave her valentine to her neighbor who lived alone. The neighbor danced and gave her a kiss.
“I gave love to so many people, who gave it to others.”
And that day, I delivered a new, big, crafted valentine to my neighbor who lived alone. She danced and gave me a kiss.
What a fun idea! Made me laugh. Seems like excellent advice for any visiting aliens.
Sorry – I posted this in the wrong place.
RED’S BLUE VALENTINE’S DAY
by P. J. Purtee (Jill)
214 words
Yippee! It’s Valentine’s Day!
I share Christmas with Green—and 4th of July with Blue and White. But Valentine’s Day belongs to me, the red crayon. Sure, Pink helps, but she pales in comparison.
Annie plans to make her own cards today. Woo-hoo. Hearts, hearts, hearts—my favorite. What a glorious day.
Here come Annie’s busy fingers. Fantastic. She’s humming, as usual. We’ll color card after card and continue until bedtime. I can hardly contain myself. This will be the best day ever.
Wait. Why would Annie rummage past me and choose Maroon? Maroon isn’t true red—like me.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
Ugh, I can’t stand it. If only I could stretch to the top of this box. If only I weren’t worn down to a nub. My faded paper barely covers my bottom.
Fingers again.
Wait. Lucky Magenta. Unlucky me.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
Wait. Not Scarlet, too. I give up.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
Time for bed and I’m sunk at the bottom of this gloomy box. No doubt, Annie forgot about me. “Night-night, Maroon, Magenta, and Scarlet. Did Annie mention me?”
“Nonstop. Worried she’d use you up and miss you forever. Here’s the card she made for you. She hummed while she drew your favorite—a heart.”
Red + Annie forever.
I [heart] you.
XOXO,
Annie
“Yippee!”
Very cute, Jill, love your play on words with the colors! And that Red knew she was special after all. Love the [heart] sign off, and happy ending!
Good grief! I just saw this (in December). Thank you.
What a cool POV! Great voice and building disappointment – and a really heartfelt resolution.
Good grief. I just saw this (in December). Thank you.
Countdown to Valentine’s Day
By: Maria M. Sutanto
Word Count: 83
Countdown to Valentine’s Day!
TEN red roses in a bouquet. Ouch!
NINE Band-Aids for each prick from the thorns.
EIGHT tubs of paint for our very own masterpiece.
SEVEN paintbrushes to be washed afterwards.
SIX times we spilled the flour, sugar, and salt, too. Oops!
FIVE more minutes in the oven. Ding!
FOUR chocolate cupcakes covered with heart-shaped sprinkles.
THIRD time’s the charm, when we asked Dad for help.
TWO of us, bearing these gifts for our–
ONE special Mom. “Happy Valentine’s Day!”
Very clever structure to tell this story! Feels like a board book already! Great stuff.
I’m so impressed that you could tell the whole story in only 83 words! Fund to read! Good luck! 🙂
I can see them prepping the gifts for mom (that she’ll probably have to clean up later lol)!
Valentines Castles in the Sand
Word count 213
By Nadia Ali
Mommy and Daddy knew exactly what Eliana wanted for Valentine’s Day. Not balloons, not a present and not chocolate.
She loved the tumbling of waves, the palm trees and the breeze of the beach.
Eliana couldn’t wait to feel squishy sand between her toes, digging her fingers and packing sand into a bucket to make each of them a Valentine sandcastle.
One castle, two castles, three.
“Time for lunch,” called mom.
Eliana sat and munched on the heart shaped sandwiches, fruit pieces and cookies for dessert.. Nothing could top Valentine’s Day at the beach. She admired her sandcastles from afar, counting one, two …where was the third one?
Suddenly…FOOMP! Down fell the second castle.
“Somethings eating my sandcastles!” she cried.
Mommy, Daddy and Eliana ran across to look.
FOOMP! Down fell another castle.
Eliana was in tears, what could have possibly spoilt her Valentines Day castle?
Suddenly, the sand began sifting and shifting. One flipper, two flippers and out popped a tiny turtle.
Followed by another and another until there were many flippy, tippy turtles making their way to the sea.
Eliana crouched down on the sand.
“I like turtles more than Valentines castles in the sand,” Eliana said.
It was the best Valentines Day ever a flippy tippy one in the sand.
What an eco-conscious Valentine’s Day! Neat story!
FUN! I agree with Eliana– Valentine’s Day at the beach sounds wonderful. What a fun surprise at the end too!
The Diaries of Romeo and Juliet: A Dodgeball Debacle
By: Deborah Kim
Word Count: 214
Dear Diary,
That good-for-nothing Romeo! We played dodgeball against Mr. Montague’s class. Romeo said he could beat my class with his eyes closed. When it was my turn, I threw the ball (Of course, Romeo was too busy talking to Rosaline), and BAM! It smacked him right in the face. He called me a lizard face, so we had to stop playing.
-Juliet
Hey Diary,
That lizard face Juliet! We played dodgeball against Miss Capulet’s class today. Juliet was trying to show off to Mercutio, and the ball she threw hit me right in the face. I know she did it on purpose! I’ll get her back tomorrow!
-Romeo
Dear Diary,
We continued our dodgeball game, and it came down to Romeo and me. He threw the ball, it hit me, bounced off the tree, and then hit himself. We both ended up in the Nurse’s office. It’s weird, but I’m not mad at him anymore.
-Juliet
Hey Diary,
No one won today. Juliet and I ended up in the nurse’s office. We both looked at each other and just laughed. Funny!
-Romeo
Dear Diary,
Someone left a pack of conversation hearts on my desk. Was it Mercutio?
-Juliet
Hey Diary,
It’s Valentine’s Day, so I gave my conversation hearts to someone special.
-Romeo
Clever choice of format for the story, and fun story too!!
Awwww! ☺️ Thank you Jaime!
Very clever – an epistolary love story in less than 215 words!!
Both destined to end up in the “Nurse’s office”….hence Juliet’s nurse. Thank you for reading!
I love the double point of view. And how it shows how we construct things in our heads about situations. Super! New love 🙂
And a bit of irony… a tragic ❤️ story presented on a day that we celebrate ❤️. Thank you for your comment!
This is SO clever! And different and relatable. What a great idea! 🙂
I credit my kid for sharing all her recess tragedies 😂 Thank you for your comment!
I love everything about this! What a clever way to bring their story into present times! Well done:)
Hopefully they’ll read the real story so they can appreciate this one 🤣. Thank you for your kind comment!
I love the back and forth. Very cute
A Shakespearean play for the kiddos. Thank you!
Johnny Survived
By Nina Haines
Word count:213
My name is Johnny and I’m in fourth grade. My heart is pounding like a drum.
It’s Valentine’s Day and Lucy in my class gets some crazy ideas.
Last year, Lucy ran up to Tommy and kissed him on the lips. He never saw it coming. Tommy ran into the bathroom, and threw up, and cried.
It was the saddest of days for one of my friends.
The thought of Valentine’s Day makes me sweat. The palms of my hands are all
wet. Tommy is absent today. We all know why; he didn’t want a repeat of last year. That incident will probably be with him the rest of his life. I tried to think of something to do if I see a girl start charging at me with her eyes staring at my lips. The Valentine’s Day party has begun. I’m looking around the room to see if a girl is running towards me. Lucy is zig-zagging around chairs fast, her feet are in the air. She turns the corner and Henry’s lips are in her sight. Henry moves all around, it’s hard to hit a moving target. I ducked under my desk.
Behind Henry is Jimmy. Lucy smacks a kiss right on Jimmy’s lips. Jimmy cries.
I survived another Valentine’s Day.
Something went wrong when I posted. Could you correct or delete and I will try again. Thanks
What went wrong?
The one sentence dropped down.
Did I fix it, or not?
You did fix it. Thanks
YAY! 😊
ENTRY POSTED FOR CHERYL
THE REJECTION INFECTION
By Cheryl Simon
Word Count: 211
Jess loved the word YES!
YES to chess!
YES to recess!
Even YES to… a mess.
YES gave Jess loads of confidence.
YES, I make beautiful valentine’s!
YES, I’m an artist!
YES, I can balance on one foot for thirty seconds!
Everything was great until…
Jess received a big, loud… NO.
She didn’t get a part in the Valentine’s play.
Suddenly, Jess’s NOse started to run.
Her tummy was in kNOts.
Her arms were heavy, like a million pounds of NOOOOOdles.
She had…
a REJECTION INFECTION!
Jess knew what to do.
She summoned her friend Jo, the “NO” pro.
Jo was used to hearing “NO!”
Like when…
she attempted crazy science experiments (“NO, JO!”),
or when she wanted to bathe with her goldfish (NO, JO!”),
And she definitely got a “NO, JO!” when she tried flying to the moon.
But strangely…
Jo didn’t mind nos.
She told Jess her secret.
“Think of no’s as experiments that eventually lead to YES. Because sometimes after lots of nos … . a great, big, beautiful YES shows up!”
Jess thought this over as she colored, stapled and constructed her newest project.
And when her teacher saw her creation and asked her to build a set for the Valentine’s play…
It was the best YES of all!
THIS IS SO FUN! And something to remember when you are querying stories 😉 This story will be in my head when I get my next NOs. Great job!
Brilliant, Cheryl! Great wordplay, and terrifically constructed characters too. Love this!
So much fun and quick and a “page-turner”. I love the feel of the roller coaster ride of emotions. 🙂
Yes! I love your characters. Well done:)
Love this, Cheryl! It’s easy to root for both Jess and Jo!
Is this about me and my fear of nos?! 😆
Just kidding, this is adorable. And I’ll remember the next time I’m to afraid to hit send on a query. 😉
Love it, Cheryl!!
FLOPS MAY EAT HIS CARD
by Karen Fox
WC: 214
“He’ll love it, but he might eat it,” Mom says.
I grab it back. “No! I made this valentine’s day card. It’s special.”
“You could give it to someone else?” Mom says.
I wince, stomping out of the kitchen. “I made it especially for him!” I yell back.
In my room, I touch the outline of the red paper heart. I read the special words, You are my best friend. Love, Max. I add extra exclamation points.
Maybe I just show him the card. He can’t eat it, but I’m not giving him my love.
Maybe I give him the card for one minute. No, he won’t own the card’s love.
If I give him the card, he may eat it, but he’ll feel the love.
In the playroom, I open his cage and show Flops the card. He sniffs it, looks at me, and purrs.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, best friend,” I say placing the card next to his pillow. “Good night,” I whisper, “it’s OK if you eat it.”
In the morning, I find Flops surrounded by chewed up red paper, purring.
“Does Flops like his card?” Mom asks from the kitchen.
“Yeah, I think he is surrounded by my love now,” I say, “and that’s even better than just a card.”
Awwww! I loved Max’s character arc – and strong voice!
This is a delightful story! I love the ending message of being surrounded my love.
Very cute story Karen! Max’s true love for Flops shined through!
ENTRY POSTED FOR CATHY
Sissy’s Valentine Surprise
By Cathy Bendix.
WC 153
She woke with glee on hearing noises floating down the hall.
And running to the kitchen found a colored paper sprawl.
Her siblings were surrounded. And much to her surprise,
Spread out along the table there were pink and red supplies!
“It’s nice of you to join us, Sis,” Mom playfully exclaimed.
“I want to make some Valentines,” Sis fervently explained;
“But I can’t seem to make it work, they never come out right!”
With that she sobbed and blubbered loudly, feeling quite contrite.
Her brother, Jon and sister Ann persuaded her to stop.
“We’ll help you, Sis,” they both proclaimed and she began to hop.
She skipped and bounced around the room; “Would you do that for me?”
“Of course,” they quipped and whooped for joy, “because you’re re only three!”
Presenting Dad a Valentine, for each had done their part;
They gave him such a grand surprise—a many layered heart!
Quokka Joe’s Quandary
By Sally Yorke-Viney
(213 Words)
Quokka Joe was in a quandary. The happiest marsupial on Rottnest island, was quietly questioning himself. He had a quarrel with best friend, Quinnie. Really just a quibble over something silly, but she was quite upset. Joe couldn’t quiet his queasiness. Quinnie’s quite the caring Quokka with her happy hops and quirky grin, Quokka Joe couldn’t ask for a more perfect pal.
Quokka flopped, (not typical). He worried (bad sign). He munched on a nice green stem (hmmm). Quokka hopped (getting better). He scurried (looking up) and stamped his furry feet “I’ve got it!” he shrilled! “A Valentine verse with a quokka voice.” Quokka quivered with excitement. exuberant, and eager, in one word, ENTHUSIASTIC!
Quokka quickly acquired a quill (not easy in Australia). He wanted quality, not quantity. (Succinct but sincere). Quokka Joe was on a quest, quizzing himself. Could he write a Valentine verse? A superior stanza? A quality quatrain? “I’ll query Quinnie this Valentine’s Eve with a message of friendship I want her to receive!”
Quinnie, you mean the whole world to me!
Join me at our eucalyptus tree!
Your hugs, hops and grin are the most divine!
Quinnie, will you be my Valentine?
She smiled, hopped and clapped hugged her Valentine tight, “You’re my precious pal each and every night!”
So much fun alliteration and consonance here!
Thanks, Vanessa! Word play is so much fun!!!
So much FUN! I like the word choices, cute characters, and clever asides in parentheses.
Oh, Quokka and Quinnie – quite a pair! Fun to read Sally, quintessential use of ‘q’!