Cross Your Heart! – The 11th Annual Valentiny Contest Is HERE!!!
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Valentinies rock
And so do YOU!
Woo hoo! The time has come for. . .
The 11th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
Since our posting days for the Valentiny Contest this year are February 13th and 14th, and February 13th falls on a Friday. . .
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 feelsSUPERSTITIOUS! Think of all the things kids are superstitious about – Friday the 13th, sidewalk cracks, black cats, broken mirrors, ladders, four-leaf clovers, lucky pennies, lucky charms, a rabbit’s foot, ladybugs, the number 7, crossing your fingers, knocking on wood etc., or even something that your individual, original character is superstitious about for their own reasons (as long as you let us know what and why), and choose one (or more!) that could affect your character – negatively or positively! – as they navigate their Valentine’s Day experience . . . anything you like! Sky’s the limit! Just make sure it is clearly Valentine-centered and that superstition is central to your story! 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 who is superstitious (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 Saturday 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.
The Judging: over the following days, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to around 12-14 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 superstition, and success in making us feel the superstition! Superstition 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: So many amazing prizes from such generous kidlit folks!
Get Your Manuscript on the Editor’s Desk!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Read and Critique from Michele McAvoy, Founder/Publisher, author and all-around #kidlit champion at The Little Press!
Michele McAvoy is a multi-award-winning children’s book author, publisher, attorney, and educator from New Jersey. While Michele wears many hats, they all point towards a single goal, bring entertaining and meaningful stories to kids. Michele’s published titles include Willa the Werewolf (The Little Press, Sept. 15, 2023), Buckingham Gets A New Shell (The Little Press, June 9, 2026), Cookie & Milk (Cardinal Rule Press, October 1, 2019), and Toby Undone.
Kathy Halsey, children’s author, is a former English teacher and K-12 school librarian with an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Supervision who coordinated 15 successful school visits. She is the founder of Ask Infowoman: A Library Consult, a service for children’s authors and illustrators designed to make school visits more fun, instructive, and engaging. She is the author of Be A Rainbow (KiwiCo Press, 2023)
⭐️ AFree Admission Ticket to Rosie Pova’sMarch or April Workshop + A Breakthrough Consultation With Rosie for unagented and unpublished PB writers! The Breakthrough Consultation with Rosie is a one-on-one session with her, designed to help the writer identify and overcome any challenges they’re facing—whether it’s related to story craft, manuscript submissions, finding an agent, building an authentic author brand, or strengthening their online presence. During your session, Rosie will help them pinpoint what’s holding them back and create an actionable plan to help them move forward!
Rosie J. Pova is an award-winning, multi-published children’s author, poet, and writing coach. Her books include Sunday Rain, featured in The New York Times, The School of Failure, a Readers’ Favorite silver medalist, and her latest title, Sally’s Musical Tale. She is also the founder of Picture Book Author Academy, where she mentors aspiring authors toward publishing success. In addition, Rosie hosts monthly workshops with agents and editors, offering exclusive learning and submission opportunities for the kidlit community.
Rosie J. Pova
Zoom AMAs + !
⭐️ A 30-min Zoom AMA PLUS A Signed Copy of The Littlest Solstice Tree from talented author Lisa Varchol Perron! Do you have questions? Chat with Lisa!
Lisa Varchol Perron is a children’s author and poet based near Boston, Massachusetts. She especially enjoys writing about our natural world, including in her most recent picture books, The Littlest Solstice Tree(which began as a Holiday Contest Entry! 😊) (Beaming Books, Sept, 23, 2025), Wonder Why (HarperCollins, April 15, 2025), and All the Rocks We Love(Rise x Penguin Workshop, July 16, 2024), and Kite Day (forthcoming from Penguin Random House, April 21, 2026)!
⭐️ A 30-minute AMA Zoom chat with accomplished author Jolene Gutiérrez! Do you have questions? Chat with Jolene!
⭐️ Winner’s Choice of a signed Picture Book w/ Swag, Query Letter Critique, OR 3 Pitch Critique from gifted author Jilanne Hoffman!
Jilanne Hoffmann is the author of the award-winning picture book A River of Dust: The Life-Giving Link Between North Africa and the Amazon,illustrated by Eugenia Mello (Chronicle Books, July 25, 2023); two board books The Honey Bear Hive and Happy Camper (Amazon Editor’s Choice); and the nonfiction picture book The Ocean’s Heart, illustrated by Khoa Le, forthcoming from Millbrook Press (March, 2026). HeartLand, her historical middle grade novel in prose/verse, is forthcoming from Little Brown (July, 2026).
Picture Book Manuscript Critiques!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Historical NF) from author Sharon Wilson! (apologies – no images available or provided!)
Sharon teaches picture book and basic novel writing at her local tech schools and colleges as well as at local libraries. She has an adult historical novel and juvenile historical novel on submission. She won first prize in the Oklahoma Federation of writers annual contest for both middle grade historical novel and adult historical novel and has won either second or first prize every year for each picture book that I have entered since 2014. She takes great care with her in-depth critiques.
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique from author Gabi Snyder!
Gabi Snyder is a fan of the unexpected and the celebrated author of several picture books including Two Dogs On A Trike (Harry N. Abrams, May 19, 2020), Listen (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books, July 13, 2021), Count On Us: Climate Activists From One To A Billion (Barefoot Books, Sept. 20, 2022), Today (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books, Jan. 30, 2024), and Look (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books, April 16, 2024). Gabi studied psychology at the University of Washington and creative writing at The University of Texas. When she’s not writing, she loves taking nature walks, visiting Little Free Libraries, and baking sweet treats. She lives in Oregon with her family.
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction, no rhyme) PLUS A Copy of Each of her Picture Books from authorKris Tarantino!
Kris Tarantino is a children’s book author whose writing is filled with humor and heart. BedSlime Blues is her second book (WaterBrook/PRH, 2/3/2026). Her debut picture book, Be My ValenSlime (WaterBrook/PRH 2023), illustrated by New York Times bestselling illustrator Cori Doerrfeld, received a Starred Review from School Library Journal. A third book in the Slime series is planned for 2026. Kris is a member of SCBWI, and speaks frequently at conferences and schools. Most recently, she was selected to participate in the 2025 Storyfest literacy day in San Antonio, Texas. And in 2024, she was picked as a faculty presenter for the All Texas Y’all SCBWI Conference. Kris holds a B.A. in Business, Marketing, and Art. Prior to writing children’s books, she worked in marketing, licensing popular entertainment characters for companies that make fun products like toys, books, and balloons. You can find her online at https://kristarantino.com, as well as Twitter/X, FacebookLinkedIn
⭐️ Winner’s Choice of a Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyme or prose) OR A Query Letter Critique from author Kelly Conroy!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique from author Stacy Jensen!
Stacy S. Jensen is a children’s book author with a passion for history, research, and exploring new topics like she did as a newspaper journalist. Her debut book BEFORE I LIVED HERE, illustrated by Victo Ngai (Neal Porter Books, Aug. 26, 2025), was written while she lived in Colorado—inspired by her neighborhood.
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming, 300 words or less) from author founder of Rhyme Revolution, Angie Karcher!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction) AND a signed copy of IF A BUMBLEBEE LANDS ON YOUR TOE from author Cynthia Mackey!
Cynthia Mackey is a children’s author and poet living in Victoria, British Columbia. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s Zumba dancing to latin rhythms, chasing after butterflies to get photos, or listening for bird songs on her morning walks. Her books include IF A BUMBLEBEE LANDS ON YOUR TOE, illustrated by Vikki Zhang (Yeehoo Press, May 2025), and the forthcoming BUTTERFLY SEA, illustrated by Marie-Laure Couët (pub date: Tielmour Press, Jan 30, 2026)
⭐️ A Bundle of Two Books by talented authors Pamela Courtney and Ann Magee!
1. From Pamela Courtney, a signed copy of A SEASON FOR FISHIN’: A Fish Fry Tradition
Pam’s Louisiana upbringing inspired her 2025 debut A Season for Fishin’, A Fish Fry Tradition and nurtured her life’s passion for writing, teaching, music. Combining these loves, Pam brings the eyes of a classroom teacher to each narrative she crafts and created MyLMNOP, a literacy and music program for early learners “My duty is great,” says Pam. “I am a writer who teaches. I am a teacher who writes.”
Ann Magee is an elementary school educator, children’s writer, and lifelong learner. She lives in NJ and is an active member of SCBWI. Stories that especially interest her are ones of unknown, yet significant people and historical events. She also is drawn to stories that reveal the positive ways people (and children) impact the environment.
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! Cross you heart (and maybe your fingers, toes, etc!) and post your entries!
With so many great prizes up for grabs I hope there will be a lot of entries – the more the merrier! And you’ve still got a couple days to write, so you can squeeze in under the wire if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember you MUST post your entry in the comment section below and include title, byline, and word count.
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links below, click on them (they’ll take you directly to whichever story you click on), and enjoy the stories!
So let the Valentiny Contest begin!
Happy Writing and Happy Valentines Day! 🩷💕🩷💕🩷
I can’t wait to read your entries!!!
THE 160 ENTRIES! (Anyone who feels nice can start at the bottom of the list so that the later entries get read too! 😊)
Bernoulli the bi-plane was nervous. It was almost Valentine’s Day Eve and the sky looked about as red as a bluebird.
Noulli’s job was to gently shift the clouds so that the sunset would glow red. But every time he tried to move the clouds, a flock of seagulls got in his way. And like any good plane knows, ‘hurt a bird, hurt the world’.
While he was trying to figure out what to do, his friend Constellation flew by.
“Noulli, why so down?” called Connie as she whizzed by.
“Everyone knows ‘hurt a bird, hurt the world’ but when I shoo them, these seagulls keep getting in my way.” replied Noulli.
“Wait, I’ve got it! Let them stay!” said Connie.
“What do you mean?” asked Noulli.
“You’ve got two flat wings – let them sit on them while you work.” Connie said
“Huh. Well, I’ll give it a shot.” said Noulli hopefully
He slowed down as much as he could and just like that, the seagulls began landing on his wings! He began pushing the clouds into formation and the sky started turning red.
“Thanks Connie!” cried Noulli.
“Happy to. Say…mind if I stay and help?” asked Connie.
“Huh. Um…sure.” smiled Noulli.
And here he thought it would be a bad Valentine’s Day Eve…
This year, Valentine’s Day is Saturday, so our class party is Friday, February 13th – the most UNLUCKY day of the year!!
I worry about what could go wrong.
The night before, I tape a lucky penny to each Valentine.
Friday morning is dark and rainy.
At school, the gym is flooded. No P.E. today!
In the cafeteria, the ovens won’t light. Cold lunch today!
In my classroom, a substitute teacher!
No Valentine’s party today.
We start our math lesson, but it’s hard to focus.
Later, the PE teachers surprise us with a movie in the auditorium.
Cold lunch is a super-fun cereal bar!
After lunch, our own teacher is back, smiling and setting up our party.
We deliver our Valentines. Our teacher asks why I taped a penny to each card.
“Because Friday the 13th is so unlucky, but pennies bring good luck.”
Our teacher tells us those are just superstitions.
“Bad things happened today,” she says, “but bad luck pushes us in new directions. Like, the P.E. teachers were flexible; the cooks got creative; and you were so considerate.”
She pins my penny-Valentine to the front board.
“For good luck?” I ask.
“To remind us,” she explains. “When bad things happen, we can do more than we ever thought we could.”
Light reflected across the tombstones in the village churchyard. Sally grabbed the hand of her sister as she dragged her down the sidewalk towards the church.
“Come on, Natalie, before the clock strikes midnight. We must do this on February 13th!”
“I’m scared,” Natalie said. “This is a stupid thing to do.”
“I’m scared too,” said Sally, “but I think Jack is cute. I want to see whether he will be my future husband. Maybe you can just stand here and count.”
Sally dropped Natalie’s hand and began running around the churchyard chanting “Ghost of Jack, show your face!”
“That’s one time,” shouted Natalie.
Sally was out of breath as she made the 12th circle just before midnight.
At that moment, an eerie whistling sound pierced their ears. Sally gasped as she saw a shadowy figure that seemed to float around the churchyard.
“That’s his ghost!” she cried. “Natalie, do you see it?”
Natalie shrugged her shoulders. “You’re imagining things. I don’t see any ghost.”
A familiar figure emerged from the shadows. “Hey Sally, what’s up?”
Sally’s voice trembled as she asked, “Jack, have you been there all this time?”
Raven liked shiny things. After all, he was an art collector. But, when he spied a piece of broken mirror on the ground, he paused. He didn’t need any bad luck, and isn’t that the way with cracked mirrors? It flashed in the sun. Raven grabbed it.
He gazed into it. “This must be enchanted.” The most beautiful bird was staring back at him. Such bright, intelligent eyes! Such smooth plumage! What perfect poise!
“I am in love!”
The other bird smiled.
“I have such feelings for you!”
The other bird grinned.
“Let’s be married on Valentine’s Day!”
On February 14th, some forest creatures gathered for the wedding. Owl performed the ceremony. Raven stood in front of his beloved, reflected in the mirror.
Owl said, “You may now kiss your bird, er, bride.”
Raven’s beak pressed, then poked against the glass. Alas! The other bird wasn’t real. Raven flew away, and he did some thinking. That mirror must be enchanted, so maybe he should just embrace the magic? He returned to the forest and snatched that broken glass. He spent the rest of that day reciting poetry, smiling at his reflection.
Tommy loves Nora. He’s going to ask her to be his Valentine. He cut out a big red heart from construction paper. Well, it mostly looked like a heart. And drew pictures of cats all over the card. Well, they mostly looked like cats. But not a black cat. That would be bad luck!
Tommy knows Nora loves cats. She has a cat backpack and cat stickers on her notebooks.
Tommy puts his shiniest, luckiest penny into his pocket, and puts his lucky swirly seashell into his other pocket. Next he puts on his lucky blue sweatshirt – good things always happen when he wears it. And finally, he put on his favorite beanie. It feels like a hug on his head, which must be good luck too. He is loaded with good luck! Nora will surely want to be his Valentine, now.
He rings her doorbell, then crosses his fingers and toes.
Nora answers the door holding…
A BLACK CAT!
The worst type of luck, Tommy thinks. My good luck charms can’t beat out black cat bad luck!
“Hi Tommy,” Nora says, snuggling the cat, “Meet Tommy!” She waved Tommy the cat’s paw at Tommy.
“I named him after my Valentine,” she says shyly.
Tommy beams. Maybe black cats are actually good luck!
Jamison and his sisters, Journi and Joi, wanted to pick some roses for Valentine’s Day. But it rained, so they grabbed the enormous umbrella by the door.
Journi suggested they give mom the flowers today.
“No!” said Joi. “Today is Friday the 13th! Bad things happen on the 13th. Let’s wait until tomorrow, Valentine’s Day.”
They all agreed to hide the flowers until tomorrow. They headed back inside, but Jamison brought the umbrella into the house before he closed it.
“It’s bad luck to have an umbrella inside the house.” Said Joi
“I don’t believe in superstitions,” said Jamison.
They put the roses in a vase with water.
“Mom, can you come downstairs? We have something for you.” Shouted Journi.
“What happened to giving them to her tomorrow? Asked Joi.
Mom started heading down the stairs when she fell.
“Are you okay, Mom?” They asked.
“No, I can’t get up, call 911.”
“Look what happened because of an open umbrella in the house and giving flowers on Friday the 13th,” said Joi.
When Mom got back from the hospital, she was in a wheelchair and had a cast on her leg. Mom told them to grab a marker and write Happy Valentine’s Day on her cast, and to sign their names.
Grandma wore a heart-shaped locket. It was the first Valentine’s Day gift from Grandfather. She had worn it so long, there was a dent on one side. “The dent of life,” Grandma called it. I noticed she touched the dent when she fretted.
“Let me mend it,” I offered.
Grandma shook her head. “Why? My luck lives in the dent!”
Then, one day, Grandma fell ill. “Remove all jewellery please,” said the nurse rolling her into hospital.
Grandma looked at me. “That chain and pendant are for you.”
I wore the chain. I found myself massaging the dent just like Grandma did. “Get her back,” I whispered to it. I was sure it was missing Grandma as much as I was.
But nothing worked. No medicine, no surgery, no locket luck.
The next day, Grandma couldn’t open her eyes. I put the locket in her hand and whispered, “Your locket misses you. Get well soon!”
Did the cold, stiff fingers move a little over the locket? After that, I took it to her every day to hold.
The next week, Grandma was home. I slipped the chain on her. “I know you polished the dent for me,” she smiled.
Grandmas know you inside out, even the bits you hide!
Bindi took her name to heart. Bindi. The cheerful dot on the forehead her mother and her aunts and her grandmother wore. Some pasted it. Some drew it.
Every 15 February, Bindi drew a huge heart on paper. All year, she collected sticker bindis. “May I have a bindi for my lucky heart?” she asked her aunt. “Will you give me your bindi tonight?” she asked her mother.
Bindi by bindi, dot by dot, Bindi filled the lucky heart. By Valentine’s Day, her bindi heart would be full. Her mother and she went to a children’s home. “Our lucky heart’s here!” children waved, excited to get a new one for their dormitory.
One year, Bindi was worried. Her grandmother stopped wearing sticker bindis. An aunt left town. A cousin went off all make-up.
By Valentine’s Day, Bindi’s lucky heart was just half-full. Did fewer bindis mean less luck? Bindi apologised to the children, “I didn’t get …”
The oldest child butted in. “May we paint some dots? We always wanted to. Yay! Our lucky Valentine’s Day.”
The children came grinning brighter than Bindi remembered. They filled gaps with dots: Red, yellow, green, blue… The heart looked like a rainbow lived in it. Bindi knew then that love and luck live where you share joy.
Grandma wore a heart-shaped locket. It was the first Valentine’s Day gift from Grandfather. She had worn it so long, there was a dent on one side. “The dent of life,” Grandma called it. I noticed she touched the dent when she was alone and when she fretted.
“Let me mend it,” I offered.
Grandma shook her head. “Why? My luck lives in the dent!”
Then, one day, Grandma fell ill. “Remove all jewellery please,” said the nurse rolling her into hospital.
Grandma looked at me. “That chain and pendant are for you.”
I wore the chain. I found myself massaging the dent just like Grandma did. “Get her back,” I whispered to it. I was sure it was missing Grandma as much as I was.
But nothing worked. No medicine, no surgery, no locket luck.
The next day, Grandma couldn’t open her eyes. I put the locket in her hand and whispered, “Your locket misses you. Get well soon!”
Did the cold, stiff fingers move a little over the locket? After that, I took it to her every day to hold.
The next week, Grandma was home. I slipped the chain on her. “I know you polished the dent for me,” she smiled.
Grandmas know you inside out, even the bits you hide!
Every morning, Mimi walked to school, her tortoise eyes looking for a perfect fallen flower for teacher. She believed a rescued flower worked magic!
“Lucky day, Teacher,” she said, giving her the flower.
“Lucky day, Mimi,” teacher replied, handing the flower back.
On Valentine’s Day, the path was bare. Everyone before Mimi had picked up a flower.
All she found was half a mustard flower. Two tiny, yellow petals.
Her shell felt heavier. ‘Half a flower, half a good day?’ she thought, walking slowly to class.
School was full of flowers.
Teacher announced, “Exchange a flower with a friend for a lucky Valentine’s day. I got this idea from Mimi. She brings me a lucky flower every morning.”
The class got busy. All but Mimi. She slunk to the back.
What was Puntu doing there? Puntu, the slowest tortoise no one played with?
Could she give her half-flower to Puntu? Would he laugh?
“Flower for me?” beamed Puntu.
Mimi held out the half-flower.
And what was Puntu giving her? Another half of a mustard flower!
“You found the other half?” Mimi gasped. “That’s lucky!”
“If two petals can be lucky, perhaps even one petal can bring luck,” smiled Puntu.
“Do we even need one petal?” asked Mimi. “All we need is a good friend.”
“I hope you like your Valentine’s Day treats,” Elsie grinned as she hung heart-shaped seed cakes on the snowy branches in her backyard.
The songbirds pecked away happily. Then she noticed the solitary crow perched on the back fence, watching her attentively.
One crow visiting alone was a bad omen. “Go away, Crow,” she hollered, “You’ll bring bad luck!”
Crow ignored her, fluffing his shiny black feathers against the cold. She stepped forward to shoo him, and tripped face-first into the snow. “Bad luck already!” Still, he sat, his dark eyes trained on her. Was he asking for something? “Don’t you like seed cakes?” She asked.
Crow blinked once, definitely not.
“What else could you want?” She thought aloud. “Wait… I remember. You like sparkly things.” She slowly revealed her prized Valentine’s Day glittery pencil from her pocket. CAW! She startled at his excited cry, dropping it into the snow. In a flash, Crow snapped it into his beak and took flight.
“Hey,” she cried as he flew away, “I didn’t say you could have it! Double bad luck.”
The next morning, Elsie noticed something glinting on the fence. It was a shiny penny! He’d brought her good luck after all. CAW! Crow shouted from the treetop. She called back, ”Happy Valentine’s Day, Crow!”
‘Twas Valentine’s eve, Ruby stared at the sky thinking of cards. She exhaled a big sigh. “Valentine cards bring me joy,” she expressed. “I want to get tons!” – she was clearly obsessed.
“I’ll employ every trick in the book to raise odds that I’ll get lots of cards – I truly want wads!” She whispered her wish, crossing fingers – hands – arms. Then knocked on some wood, holding nine lucky charms.
She hopped on one foot while spinning – then bowed, and recited the alphabet backwards out loud. She blinked fourteen times, shook her head then she said, “The last thing to do is put spoons in my bed.”
At school the next day, Ruby raced to her chair expecting a pile of cards – it was bare! “Egad!” Ruby cried, “Did I miss a black cat? a ladder, smashed mirror, or something like that?”
Her classmates began to skip, with delight, to deliver their cards – Ruby felt real contrite. “I don’t deserve cards,” thought Ruby, “It’s bad I’ve nothing to give. This will make my friends sad!”
Regardless her classmates brought cards to her seat. She thanked them for being so thoughtful and sweet. “Good luck brought me friends, not the cards, now I see. I’ll treat them with love – that is how they treat me.”
Hi Susanna,
I hope this email finds you well. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Do you have any idea of how to control the spacing when I submit things through WordPress? I can see that other people have single space and were able to create paragraphs. Mine always come out double spaced (even though I copy it from word where it is single spaced) and any breaks between lines I add disappear.
Of course not a huge issue in life, but I love submitting to your contests and they never read as intended (for spacing).
Sorry about the formatting issues, Cindy! I know it’s annoying. Sometimes when you copy and paste it works the way it should. Other times the formatting gets messed up, but you don’t always realize it until after you hit send. At that point, I have to fix it for you. If you realize it before you post it, you can fix the spacing by hitting shift and return together every place you want single space.
Love was in the air. Literally. And love was Ghoul’s favorite food.
Every human inside and outside the cemetery was making each other feel special and happy. The sweet feelings swirled like a delicious fog. Ghoul slurped them up.
If love tasted this good, it must feel amazing!
But feeling required a soul, and no ghouls, spirits, or zombies (yuck), could tell him how to get one.
Ghoul crouched, invisible, atop the cemetery wall. Kids were walking home from school, sharing candy and laughing. Ghoul sipped the sugary waves of love, but flavors weren’t enough. He wanted to feel.
“Hold your breath when you go past,” a kid said, “or a ghoul will eat your soul!”
“I can eat souls?” Ghoul leaned closer. “What if they become zombies? Gross.” He leaned even closer. “Maybe a taste—”
“Whaa!” He fwump-tumbled into a kid who oof-ed out all his breath—right in Ghoul’s invisible face.
Ghoul felt.
It was woozy, wobbly, and… weird.
“Oh!” The kid’s eyes widened. “Sorry!”
Ghoul gasped. “I’m… not a ghoul! And you’re not a zombie!”
“Ummm,” said the kid. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Not-a-Ghoul.” He handed him a heart-shaped candy.
Not-a-Ghoul blinked, and a tear fell. “I feel,” he sniffed, “amazing, and special, and… Happy Valentine’s Day!”
Damaris was early so he searched for a four-leaf clover.
He’d saved every lucky penny for a year to be reunited with his love, and extra luck was welcome.
He cleared every crack in the sidewalk even while checking the sign: Open 10-6.
He wished and wished for his heart’s desire to be there when he returned after school.
Throughout Reading he rubbed his rabbit’s foot, dreaming of the beauty that awaited him.
He tickled his nose with the hair of his troll doll pencil-topper remembering a luscious scent.
And he knocked on his wooden desk until his teacher said to knock it off. The class laughed at her pun, but his promise to return in one year was a serious matter to Damaris.
Like a neon sign, “It’s finally Valentine’s Day!” blinked in his head. “Please be there, my sweet. Don’t be out. I crave only you.”
At the sound of the bell, he bolted for the door. He crossed his fingers turning the corner…
His heart broke at the empty display. “Nooooo,” he moaned.
But then an arm with a tray appeared…
placing the last heart-shaped chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling topped with chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries.
He plunged in ravenously knowing this taste would carry him until next year.
Ladybug cut the red paper
into the perfect heart shape.
She slipped a shiny penny
inside the envelope,
and then a four leaf clover –
just for extra luck.
She kissed the flap and
smiled with delight.
Everything was perfect.
She followed her mom
to the hospital nearby.
Her grandma was sleeping
when they got inside.
Ladybug sat and held grandma’s hand.
Together they were a pair
and no words were needed.
When grandma woke a little later
Ladybug reached for the special Valentine.
In her excitement she tipped over a vase of flowers.
The water ruined the Valentine,
the penny rolled under the bed, impossible to find,
the four leaf clover tore a leaf, now only three.
Ladybug stared, her hard work ruined,
her luck wouldn’t help grandma get better.
But grandma just smiled squeezing Ladybug’s hand.
“Don’t cry. Your Valentine is beautiful, even when wet.
But you know; you’re all the luck I need.”
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Great images of drawing hearts – bottoms up! Fun,
Love Is In The Air
by Jason Freilich
Bernoulli the bi-plane was nervous. It was almost Valentine’s Day Eve and the sky looked about as red as a bluebird.
Noulli’s job was to gently shift the clouds so that the sunset would glow red. But every time he tried to move the clouds, a flock of seagulls got in his way. And like any good plane knows, ‘hurt a bird, hurt the world’.
While he was trying to figure out what to do, his friend Constellation flew by.
“Noulli, why so down?” called Connie as she whizzed by.
“Everyone knows ‘hurt a bird, hurt the world’ but when I shoo them, these seagulls keep getting in my way.” replied Noulli.
“Wait, I’ve got it! Let them stay!” said Connie.
“What do you mean?” asked Noulli.
“You’ve got two flat wings – let them sit on them while you work.” Connie said
“Huh. Well, I’ll give it a shot.” said Noulli hopefully
He slowed down as much as he could and just like that, the seagulls began landing on his wings! He began pushing the clouds into formation and the sky started turning red.
“Thanks Connie!” cried Noulli.
“Happy to. Say…mind if I stay and help?” asked Connie.
“Huh. Um…sure.” smiled Noulli.
And here he thought it would be a bad Valentine’s Day Eve…
word count: 214
NEW DIRECTIONS ON VALENTINE’S DAY
By Garland Godinho garlandgodinho@gmail.com
(214 words)
This year, Valentine’s Day is Saturday, so our class party is Friday, February 13th – the most UNLUCKY day of the year!!
I worry about what could go wrong.
The night before, I tape a lucky penny to each Valentine.
Friday morning is dark and rainy.
At school, the gym is flooded. No P.E. today!
In the cafeteria, the ovens won’t light. Cold lunch today!
In my classroom, a substitute teacher!
No Valentine’s party today.
We start our math lesson, but it’s hard to focus.
Later, the PE teachers surprise us with a movie in the auditorium.
Cold lunch is a super-fun cereal bar!
After lunch, our own teacher is back, smiling and setting up our party.
We deliver our Valentines. Our teacher asks why I taped a penny to each card.
“Because Friday the 13th is so unlucky, but pennies bring good luck.”
Our teacher tells us those are just superstitions.
“Bad things happened today,” she says, “but bad luck pushes us in new directions. Like, the P.E. teachers were flexible; the cooks got creative; and you were so considerate.”
She pins my penny-Valentine to the front board.
“For good luck?” I ask.
“To remind us,” she explains. “When bad things happen, we can do more than we ever thought we could.”
What a great lesson!
cute ending!!
204 words
Sally’s Valentine Ghost
by Shirley Menendez
Light reflected across the tombstones in the village churchyard. Sally grabbed the hand of her sister as she dragged her down the sidewalk towards the church.
“Come on, Natalie, before the clock strikes midnight. We must do this on February 13th!”
“I’m scared,” Natalie said. “This is a stupid thing to do.”
“I’m scared too,” said Sally, “but I think Jack is cute. I want to see whether he will be my future husband. Maybe you can just stand here and count.”
Sally dropped Natalie’s hand and began running around the churchyard chanting “Ghost of Jack, show your face!”
“That’s one time,” shouted Natalie.
Sally was out of breath as she made the 12th circle just before midnight.
At that moment, an eerie whistling sound pierced their ears. Sally gasped as she saw a shadowy figure that seemed to float around the churchyard.
“That’s his ghost!” she cried. “Natalie, do you see it?”
Natalie shrugged her shoulders. “You’re imagining things. I don’t see any ghost.”
A familiar figure emerged from the shadows. “Hey Sally, what’s up?”
Sally’s voice trembled as she asked, “Jack, have you been there all this time?”
What a funny twist!
Inspired by the early 1900’s superstition of tacking 5 bay leaves to your pillow to dream of the one you will marry.
DOTH A LADY HAVE TO WAIT?
BY Cathy Stenquist
(WC:115)
Eighty-three million, vermillion red roses
are bought on this week every year.
There must be a billion or zillion proposes
planned for a love, oh so dear.
At the cotillion, the one Lillian chose is
catching her eye as they dance.
Bay leaves on her pillow, all that she knows is,
they may give true love half a chance.
Beneath the pavilion, sweet Julian composes
words flowing straight from his heart.
A one in a million shot, all that he knows is
her “no” would just tear him apart.
But sweet little Lillian, clutching red roses,
can’t bear to wait anymore.
She loves her dear Julian, her one-in-a-million,
so gently tap taps on his door.
Love that you chose a superstition I’d never heard of, Cathy!
Werewolf in Love
By Janel Caverly
203 Words
Werewolf wanted to make this a special Valentine’s Day for his special Valentine’s friend.
But Werewolf was superstitious. He didn’t want to step on any sidewalk cracks, walk under ladders, or break mirrors which would bring him bad luck.
So Werewolf painted all the cracks pink so no one would step on them.
He wrapped ropes of hearts around ladders so no one could walk under them.
He threw chocolates over his shoulder (instead of salt) for good luck.
On Valentine’s Day, Werewolf was ready.
He picked a bouquet of four-leaf clovers.
He knocked on wood. KNOCK! KNOCK!
The door opened.
There was his lovely date, Inky.
She purred happily.
Werewolf’s heart glowed.
Werewolf peeked into Inky’s mirror – which he was careful not to break.
His hair was wild. His teeth were sharp, but he beamed. Inky purred louder.
Werewolf’s hard work paid off.
They were in love!
Werewolf crossed his fingers and hoped for a lifetime of love and good luck.
But Inky was a black cat!
There was one more superstition Werewolf would have to follow.
He held her close so she would never cross his path, because that might bring bad luck.
But he was fine with that.
SNUGGLE! SNUGGLE!
187 words
M.Morrison
Valentine’s Day is Cracked!
It’s Valentine’s Day but there’s no love on our walk to school.
Just my friend Zack and a silly rhyme,
that’s in my head now too!
“Step on a crack, break your mama’s back!”
Thank goodness I’m young, because these words just about give me a heart attack.
It’s just a lot of pressure, too much to put on me.
Now I have to save my mom……….
My anxiety!
Every sidewalk?
Everywhere?
What if i’m looking at the clouds, and I forget to care?
“It’s just a superstition,” (Zach’s relaxed, not me!)
But it’s too late I’m off in space, spinning cracked destiny.
By the time we get to homeroom, heart pounding in my ears.
My teachers asks me what is wrong, and I burst into tears.
“Step on a crack and break my mama’s back?”
How have YOU avoided cracks THIS long?”
“Oh my dear, that’s just a rhyme, most likely a recess song.
Find out the origin, look it up, you’ll see that saying is wrong,
I exhale and I turn around, head shaking in disbelief.
I have Valentine’s Day homework,
But.,,,.
at least I have relief.
Lucy’s Lucky Valentine
By Rebecca Singer
(214 words)
Lucy wanted Valentine’s Day to be perfect.
She wore her ladybug charm, pulled on red heart socks, and slipped her lucky penny in her pocket.
When she stepped outside to mail valentines, she saw a black cat.
“Shoo,” said Lucy. “No bad luck today!”
She turned inside and didn’t notice the cat sneak after her.
Lucy arranged streamers and balloons. She set out candy hearts and frosted cookies.
Behind her, the cat pounced and played. It swatted streamers, flipped the candy bowl, and licked frosting from its paws.
When Lucy looked up, she saw a cat-astrophe.
“Bad luck,” Lucy grimaced.
Suddenly—POP! Lucy jumped as the cat leapt on a balloon.
“This is your fault!” Lucy scowled.
She picked up the cat, set it on the stoop, and slammed the door.
“Valentine’s Day is ruined!” Lucy flopped on the couch.
The room felt empty. Then she heard a soft sound.
“Mew?”
Lucy tiptoed to the door and cracked it open.
The cat stared up, wide-eyed. Lucy glanced at the mess, then back at the cat, who rubbed against her leg.
“Do you need a friend?” asked Lucy.
She picked up the cat and hugged him close. He felt snuggly and warm as he purred against her chest.
“You’ve made Valentine’s Day purr-fect,” said Lucy.
The Other Bird
By Sherry Moon (word count 212)
Raven liked shiny things. After all, he was an art collector. But, when he spied a piece of broken mirror on the ground, he paused. He didn’t need any bad luck, and isn’t that the way with cracked mirrors? It flashed in the sun. Raven grabbed it.
He gazed into it. “This must be enchanted.” The most beautiful bird was staring back at him. Such bright, intelligent eyes! Such smooth plumage! What perfect poise!
“I am in love!”
The other bird smiled.
“I have such feelings for you!”
The other bird grinned.
“Let’s be married on Valentine’s Day!”
On February 14th, some forest creatures gathered for the wedding. Owl performed the ceremony. Raven stood in front of his beloved, reflected in the mirror.
Owl said, “You may now kiss your bird, er, bride.”
Raven’s beak pressed, then poked against the glass. Alas! The other bird wasn’t real. Raven flew away, and he did some thinking. That mirror must be enchanted, so maybe he should just embrace the magic? He returned to the forest and snatched that broken glass. He spent the rest of that day reciting poetry, smiling at his reflection.
“Roses are red
Violets are blue,
The key to happiness
Is right in front of you!”
Such a cute story! I love the idea of him embracing his love of his own reflection! Good luck!
LUCKY CHARMS
by Penelope McNally
WC 213
Tommy loves Nora. He’s going to ask her to be his Valentine. He cut out a big red heart from construction paper. Well, it mostly looked like a heart. And drew pictures of cats all over the card. Well, they mostly looked like cats. But not a black cat. That would be bad luck!
Tommy knows Nora loves cats. She has a cat backpack and cat stickers on her notebooks.
Tommy puts his shiniest, luckiest penny into his pocket, and puts his lucky swirly seashell into his other pocket. Next he puts on his lucky blue sweatshirt – good things always happen when he wears it. And finally, he put on his favorite beanie. It feels like a hug on his head, which must be good luck too. He is loaded with good luck! Nora will surely want to be his Valentine, now.
He rings her doorbell, then crosses his fingers and toes.
Nora answers the door holding…
A BLACK CAT!
The worst type of luck, Tommy thinks. My good luck charms can’t beat out black cat bad luck!
“Hi Tommy,” Nora says, snuggling the cat, “Meet Tommy!” She waved Tommy the cat’s paw at Tommy.
“I named him after my Valentine,” she says shyly.
Tommy beams. Maybe black cats are actually good luck!
Very cute story! I have a stray black cat living under my shed presently, and we named him Bruce, because, well he looks like a Bruce to us 🙂
A Blue-Footed Booby’s Valentine
by Susan Summers
WC: 212
Jumbly-tummy, wobbly feet.
Today’s the day, a mate I’ll meet.
I have a trick to get it right –
keep my blue feet in her sight!
My blue tootsies are true beauties
Perfect for those female boobies.
Left foot, right foot, left foot, tap.
Wiggle-waggle, flap, flap, flap.
My second trick, I’m superstitious –
the gift I give must be ambitious!
I must present a token found,
a booby prize, straight from the ground.
Rock or stick, which one to choose?
What goes best with blue suede shoes?
Left foot, right foot, left foot, tap.
Wiggle-waggle, flap, flap, flap.
Here she comes, she sees my feet!
I hope she likes my quirky beat.
Oh no! Where’s my special gift?
Find it now! I must be swift.
Pebble? Perfect. Here I go.
I push it to her – nice and slow.
Left foot, right foot, left foot, tap.
Wiggle-waggle, flap, flap, flap.
A birdy pause, an awkward stare.
This heart-shaped rock has caused despair.
I guess that’s it, I tried my best.
I won’t be sharing this gal’s nest.
Whistle. Snort. What’s this I see?
She’s pushed the rock right back to me!
Left foot, right foot, left foot, tap.
Wiggle-waggle, flap, flap, flap.
A perfect pair we’re meant to be.
My booby Valentine and me.
This is adorable and I learned something new! Great rhyming as well!
The Unluckiest Valentine
by Barbara Targonski
WC 214
My foot hits a crack in the sidewalk,
I stumble and my Valentine cards fly from my hand
and land SPLAT in a puddle.
I stare at the soggy pink mess.
I’m the unluckiest kid ever.
The other kids show off their perfect cards with dry candy taped on top.
Mine sit in a damp, droopy heap on my desk.
I’m the unluckiest kid ever.
By the time I get my lunch, the heart cookies are gone.
In gym, they pick everyone else first, then me.
On the bus, the big kids grab all the good seats.
I’m the unluckiest kid ever.
At dinner, my sisters go on and on about all their Valentines.
No one even asks about mine.
And then they dump bags of candy all over the table
I only have five in my little bag.
I’m the unluckiest kid ever.
Mom tucks me in and tells me some days are like this and next Valentine’s Day
will be better.
I’m not sure anyone’s ever had a worst special day than me.
The next morning is my sister’s birthday.
She’s glued to her phone and walks right under a ladder.
SPLAT!
Paint pours down like a colorful rainbow, covering her from head to toe.
Maybe I’m not the unluckiest kid ever.
I’m not sure how the first sentence got divided. It was not like that when I posted.
I hopefully fixed it for you, Barb. Let me know if it still doesn’t look the way you want it!
Surprising twist for her sister!
My Very Lucky Valentine’s Day
by Linda Jean Thomas
WC 192
I feel it in my heart.
I will make a new friend at school today.
Because it’s my lucky day,
my very lucky Valentine’s Day!
And I plan to keep it that way—
I’ll cross my fingers for good luck,
and maybe, my toes too.
I’ll wear my bracelet with the lucky ladybug charm,
and most importantly of all—
I’ll stay away from that cat next door!
His fur is as black as ink.
His cat mom calls him Jinx!
These two facts together spell BAD LUCK!
Worst of all, Jinx likes to follow me to school.
He waits on his front step,
and when I head out my front door,
he crosses over to my yard,
twitches his whiskers,
and tags along!
But today’s my very lucky Valentine’s Day.
I felt it in my fingers when I signed cards last night.
“You make me smile!”
“You make me laugh!”
“You have such a big, big heart!”
Yes, I feel it in my heart.
I will make a new friend at school.
I even feel it in my toes because—
when I leave my house today,
I’ll sneak out the back door!
Very lucky and sneaky valentine’s day plan!
VALENTINE’S DAY’S BAD LUCK
Denise Seidman WC=214 words
February 14th started with a bang.
A real loud one .
Another car plowed into the family car.
Billy cried that it was his fault.
The night before-
Billy went to bed with his pajamas inside out.
Tomorrow was the Valentine’s Day Dance. Billy didn’t want to go.
Hives appeared.
.A blizzard would cancel it.
Superstition said wearing pajamas inside out would bring snow.
When Billy woke and saw there was no snow
Billy’s belly bubbled and rumbled.
At breakfast-
He decided to do more things to cause snow.
Billy knocked the salt shaker
Maybe the snow would start soon.
But it didn’t!
While throwing out the trash he jumped on the cracks
A black cat hissed at him while he walked under an open ladder.
The snow had to start at any second.
Billy got ready for the dance.
He put on a sweater, slacks and shoes.
His palms sweated.
Mom was ready to go.
Finally, the snow began
It soon came down fast
The streets turned slippery.
And then it happened
BOOM!
Billy cried.
The EMTs came.
Everyone was examined.
Mom and Billy were okay.
“The snow was my fault!” Billy cried.
“Accidents happen.” Mom said.
Shaken but safe,
Mom insisted Billy go to the dance.
He had fun.
Valentine’s Day was saved!
Yikes! you really captured the misfortunes.
A Rosey Superstition
By Patricia Hall
Word Count 212
Jamison and his sisters, Journi and Joi, wanted to pick some roses for Valentine’s Day. But it rained, so they grabbed the enormous umbrella by the door.
Journi suggested they give mom the flowers today.
“No!” said Joi. “Today is Friday the 13th! Bad things happen on the 13th. Let’s wait until tomorrow, Valentine’s Day.”
They all agreed to hide the flowers until tomorrow. They headed back inside, but Jamison brought the umbrella into the house before he closed it.
“It’s bad luck to have an umbrella inside the house.” Said Joi
“I don’t believe in superstitions,” said Jamison.
They put the roses in a vase with water.
“Mom, can you come downstairs? We have something for you.” Shouted Journi.
“What happened to giving them to her tomorrow? Asked Joi.
Mom started heading down the stairs when she fell.
“Are you okay, Mom?” They asked.
“No, I can’t get up, call 911.”
“Look what happened because of an open umbrella in the house and giving flowers on Friday the 13th,” said Joi.
When Mom got back from the hospital, she was in a wheelchair and had a cast on her leg. Mom told them to grab a marker and write Happy Valentine’s Day on her cast, and to sign their names.
Yikes! that was a bad day! Glad it ended with a happy valentine cast.
THE LOCKET
214 WORDS
BY BENITA SEN
Grandma wore a heart-shaped locket. It was the first Valentine’s Day gift from Grandfather. She had worn it so long, there was a dent on one side. “The dent of life,” Grandma called it. I noticed she touched the dent when she fretted.
“Let me mend it,” I offered.
Grandma shook her head. “Why? My luck lives in the dent!”
Then, one day, Grandma fell ill. “Remove all jewellery please,” said the nurse rolling her into hospital.
Grandma looked at me. “That chain and pendant are for you.”
I wore the chain. I found myself massaging the dent just like Grandma did. “Get her back,” I whispered to it. I was sure it was missing Grandma as much as I was.
But nothing worked. No medicine, no surgery, no locket luck.
The next day, Grandma couldn’t open her eyes. I put the locket in her hand and whispered, “Your locket misses you. Get well soon!”
Did the cold, stiff fingers move a little over the locket? After that, I took it to her every day to hold.
The next week, Grandma was home. I slipped the chain on her. “I know you polished the dent for me,” she smiled.
Grandmas know you inside out, even the bits you hide!
-=-
HEART FULL OF LUCK
214 words
By Benita Sen
Bindi took her name to heart. Bindi. The cheerful dot on the forehead her mother and her aunts and her grandmother wore. Some pasted it. Some drew it.
Every 15 February, Bindi drew a huge heart on paper. All year, she collected sticker bindis. “May I have a bindi for my lucky heart?” she asked her aunt. “Will you give me your bindi tonight?” she asked her mother.
Bindi by bindi, dot by dot, Bindi filled the lucky heart. By Valentine’s Day, her bindi heart would be full. Her mother and she went to a children’s home. “Our lucky heart’s here!” children waved, excited to get a new one for their dormitory.
One year, Bindi was worried. Her grandmother stopped wearing sticker bindis. An aunt left town. A cousin went off all make-up.
By Valentine’s Day, Bindi’s lucky heart was just half-full. Did fewer bindis mean less luck? Bindi apologised to the children, “I didn’t get …”
The oldest child butted in. “May we paint some dots? We always wanted to. Yay! Our lucky Valentine’s Day.”
The children came grinning brighter than Bindi remembered. They filled gaps with dots: Red, yellow, green, blue… The heart looked like a rainbow lived in it. Bindi knew then that love and luck live where you share joy.
DENTED LUCK
214 WORDS
By Benita Sen
Grandma wore a heart-shaped locket. It was the first Valentine’s Day gift from Grandfather. She had worn it so long, there was a dent on one side. “The dent of life,” Grandma called it. I noticed she touched the dent when she was alone and when she fretted.
“Let me mend it,” I offered.
Grandma shook her head. “Why? My luck lives in the dent!”
Then, one day, Grandma fell ill. “Remove all jewellery please,” said the nurse rolling her into hospital.
Grandma looked at me. “That chain and pendant are for you.”
I wore the chain. I found myself massaging the dent just like Grandma did. “Get her back,” I whispered to it. I was sure it was missing Grandma as much as I was.
But nothing worked. No medicine, no surgery, no locket luck.
The next day, Grandma couldn’t open her eyes. I put the locket in her hand and whispered, “Your locket misses you. Get well soon!”
Did the cold, stiff fingers move a little over the locket? After that, I took it to her every day to hold.
The next week, Grandma was home. I slipped the chain on her. “I know you polished the dent for me,” she smiled.
Grandmas know you inside out, even the bits you hide!
-=-
Benita Sen benitasen@yahoo.com
Mimi and the Mystery of the Half-Flower
214 words
BY BENITA SEN
Every morning, Mimi walked to school, her tortoise eyes looking for a perfect fallen flower for teacher. She believed a rescued flower worked magic!
“Lucky day, Teacher,” she said, giving her the flower.
“Lucky day, Mimi,” teacher replied, handing the flower back.
On Valentine’s Day, the path was bare. Everyone before Mimi had picked up a flower.
All she found was half a mustard flower. Two tiny, yellow petals.
Her shell felt heavier.
‘Half a flower, half a good day?’ she thought, walking slowly to class.
School was full of flowers.
Teacher announced, “Exchange a flower with a friend for a lucky Valentine’s day. I got this idea from Mimi. She brings me a lucky flower every morning.”
The class got busy. All but Mimi. She slunk to the back.
What was Puntu doing there? Puntu, the slowest tortoise no one played with?
Could she give her half-flower to Puntu? Would he laugh?
“Flower for me?” beamed Puntu.
Mimi held out the half-flower.
And what was Puntu giving her? Another half of a mustard flower!
“You found the other half?” Mimi gasped. “That’s lucky!”
“If two petals can be lucky, perhaps even one petal can bring luck,” smiled Puntu.
“Do we even need one petal?” asked Mimi. “All we need is a good friend.”
-=-
What a sweet and original story! I love it!
Bad Things Come in Threes
By Stacy Barnett Mozer
WC: 211
Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day, and I found the PERFECT cards for my classmates.
My name is Gemma,
And each card has a heart-shaped gem!
With PERFECT sayings:
“You’re a GEM of a friend!”“You ROCK!”“My love for you is CRYSTAL clear.”
That one won’t go to my class, but it’s PERFECT for my parents.
And then…
I wake up with a stomachache.I can only eat a few bites of my mom’s heart-shaped pancakes.
“Are you okay, Gemma?”
“I’m fine,” I say
I’m not fine.
And because I’m not fine, I leave my PERFECT Valentine’s at home!
But that isn’t the worst part.Bad things come in threes!
All day, while we color Valentine math pages and play Valentine word games, I keep wondering…
What will it be?
Will everyone be mad I forgot their cards?Will my best friend pick Anna as her new best friend?
The phone rings, and my teacher says, “Gemma, go to the office,”
This is it.
I hold my breath, trying not to cry.
I cautiously go into the office, heart pounding.
The secretary points to the “Oops, I forgot” table.
And there, in a bag, are my Valentines!
I guess bad things don’t come in threes on Valentine’s Day!
My PERFECT day is saved!
Gemma’s names are great for valentine’s day!
Nice story – I can so relate to the ‘bad things come in three’
A Valentine for Crow
By Laura Cooper
WC: 214
“I hope you like your Valentine’s Day treats,” Elsie grinned as she hung heart-shaped seed cakes on the snowy branches in her backyard.
The songbirds pecked away happily. Then she noticed the solitary crow perched on the back fence, watching her attentively.
One crow visiting alone was a bad omen. “Go away, Crow,” she hollered, “You’ll bring bad luck!”
Crow ignored her, fluffing his shiny black feathers against the cold. She stepped forward to shoo him, and tripped face-first into the snow. “Bad luck already!” Still, he sat, his dark eyes trained on her. Was he asking for something? “Don’t you like seed cakes?” She asked.
Crow blinked once, definitely not.
“What else could you want?” She thought aloud. “Wait… I remember. You like sparkly things.” She slowly revealed her prized Valentine’s Day glittery pencil from her pocket. CAW! She startled at his excited cry, dropping it into the snow. In a flash, Crow snapped it into his beak and took flight.
“Hey,” she cried as he flew away, “I didn’t say you could have it! Double bad luck.”
The next morning, Elsie noticed something glinting on the fence. It was a shiny penny! He’d brought her good luck after all. CAW! Crow shouted from the treetop. She called back, ”Happy Valentine’s Day, Crow!”
Love how crow and Elise both love shiny things.
Yay!! Super cute and fun. Love the double bad luck! And the good luck penny! ♥
Good Luck Brings Friends
By Cindy Greene
WC: 214
‘Twas Valentine’s eve, Ruby stared at the sky
thinking of cards. She exhaled a big sigh.
“Valentine cards bring me joy,” she expressed.
“I want to get tons!” – she was clearly obsessed.
“I’ll employ every trick in the book to raise odds
that I’ll get lots of cards – I truly want wads!”
She whispered her wish, crossing fingers – hands – arms.
Then knocked on some wood, holding nine lucky charms.
She hopped on one foot while spinning – then bowed,
and recited the alphabet backwards out loud.
She blinked fourteen times, shook her head then she said,
“The last thing to do is put spoons in my bed.”
At school the next day, Ruby raced to her chair
expecting a pile of cards – it was bare!
“Egad!” Ruby cried, “Did I miss a black cat?
a ladder, smashed mirror, or something like that?”
Her classmates began to skip, with delight,
to deliver their cards – Ruby felt real contrite.
“I don’t deserve cards,” thought Ruby, “It’s bad
I’ve nothing to give. This will make my friends sad!”
Regardless her classmates brought cards to her seat.
She thanked them for being so thoughtful and sweet.
“Good luck brought me friends, not the cards, now I see.
I’ll treat them with love – that is how they treat me.”
Glad Ruby figured it out! Great job with all the superstitions – spoons in bed was my fav.
wonderful and sweet
This is so cute and great job with the rhyme!
Hi Susanna,
I hope this email finds you well. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Do you have any idea of how to control the spacing when I submit things through WordPress? I can see that other people have single space and were able to create paragraphs. Mine always come out double spaced (even though I copy it from word where it is single spaced) and any breaks between lines I add disappear.
Of course not a huge issue in life, but I love submitting to your contests and they never read as intended (for spacing).
Thanks and thanks for all you do!
Best,
Cindy
Sorry about the formatting issues, Cindy! I know it’s annoying. Sometimes when you copy and paste it works the way it should. Other times the formatting gets messed up, but you don’t always realize it until after you hit send. At that point, I have to fix it for you. If you realize it before you post it, you can fix the spacing by hitting shift and return together every place you want single space.
Thank you reading and commenting, Marty!
Falling In Love
by Charline Yutmeyer
(214 Words)
“Be careful tomorrow,” Nathan said.
“Careful? Why?” Dylan asked.
“It’s Valentine’s Day. You could fall in love.”
“Like how I love my parents?”
“No, this kind of love is dangerous.”
“What happens if you fall in it?”
“My dad says you’re not the same afterwards.”
The next day, Dylan was nervous.
How could he spot love?
Was it a hole? Quicksand? Something sticky? Stinky? Slippery?
Would it shrink you? Give you a rash? Make you like broccoli?
And how would he keep from falling in it?
He could stay home from school!
Mom said no way.
Rainboots and a helmet might help!
Dad shook his head.
Dylan walked extra slowly all day, looking out for love.
During recess, he sat on a bench just in case.
Suddenly, he heard a soft squeak. He followed the sound and found a small hole. A kitten had fallen in!
Oh, no! Love! She was trapped in it!
Dylan was scared, but he had to save the kitten! He slowly climbed down into the love and scooped her up.
That night, the kitten curled up next to him in bed. Dylan felt different. He was extra cozy and warm inside.
“Falling in love isn’t so bad,” he whispered.
His mom smiled. “No, it’s wonderful.”
“Puuuuurrrrr,” agreed the kitten.
Haha. Super cute.
♥ Ghoulentine’s Day ♥
Dana Dillaman
214 Words
Ghoul adored Valentine’s Day.
Love was in the air. Literally. And love was Ghoul’s favorite food.
Every human inside and outside the cemetery was making each other feel special and happy. The sweet feelings swirled like a delicious fog. Ghoul slurped them up.
If love tasted this good, it must feel amazing!
But feeling required a soul, and no ghouls, spirits, or zombies (yuck), could tell him how to get one.
Ghoul crouched, invisible, atop the cemetery wall. Kids were walking home from school, sharing candy and laughing. Ghoul sipped the sugary waves of love, but flavors weren’t enough. He wanted to feel.
“Hold your breath when you go past,” a kid said, “or a ghoul will eat your soul!”
“I can eat souls?” Ghoul leaned closer. “What if they become zombies? Gross.” He leaned even closer. “Maybe a taste—”
“Whaa!” He fwump-tumbled into a kid who oof-ed out all his breath—right in Ghoul’s invisible face.
Ghoul felt.
It was woozy, wobbly, and… weird.
“Oh!” The kid’s eyes widened. “Sorry!”
Ghoul gasped. “I’m… not a ghoul! And you’re not a zombie!”
“Ummm,” said the kid. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Not-a-Ghoul.” He handed him a heart-shaped candy.
Not-a-Ghoul blinked, and a tear fell. “I feel,” he sniffed, “amazing, and special, and… Happy Valentine’s Day!”
THE SWEETEST SWEET
(WC: 214)
by Shuba Mohan
Damaris was early so he searched for a four-leaf clover.
He’d saved every lucky penny for a year to be reunited with his love, and extra luck was welcome.
He cleared every crack in the sidewalk even while checking the sign: Open 10-6.
He wished and wished for his heart’s desire to be there when he returned after school.
Throughout Reading he rubbed his rabbit’s foot, dreaming of the beauty that awaited him.
He tickled his nose with the hair of his troll doll pencil-topper remembering a luscious scent.
And he knocked on his wooden desk until his teacher said to knock it off. The class laughed at her pun, but his promise to return in one year was a serious matter to Damaris.
Like a neon sign, “It’s finally Valentine’s Day!” blinked in his head. “Please be there, my sweet. Don’t be out. I crave only you.”
At the sound of the bell, he bolted for the door. He crossed his fingers turning the corner…
His heart broke at the empty display. “Nooooo,” he moaned.
But then an arm with a tray appeared…
placing the last heart-shaped chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling topped with chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries.
He plunged in ravenously knowing this taste would carry him until next year.
Suba, I loved the suspense and the delicious surprise at the end!
LOOKING FOR LUCK
Susan Burdorf
156 Words
Ladybug cut the red paper
into the perfect heart shape.
She slipped a shiny penny
inside the envelope,
and then a four leaf clover –
just for extra luck.
She kissed the flap and
smiled with delight.
Everything was perfect.
She followed her mom
to the hospital nearby.
Her grandma was sleeping
when they got inside.
Ladybug sat and held grandma’s hand.
Together they were a pair
and no words were needed.
When grandma woke a little later
Ladybug reached for the special Valentine.
In her excitement she tipped over a vase of flowers.
The water ruined the Valentine,
the penny rolled under the bed, impossible to find,
the four leaf clover tore a leaf, now only three.
Ladybug stared, her hard work ruined,
her luck wouldn’t help grandma get better.
But grandma just smiled squeezing Ladybug’s hand.
“Don’t cry. Your Valentine is beautiful, even when wet.
But you know; you’re all the luck I need.”
Lovely last line, Susan!