Dream Big
Poetry and prose by the young writers of Pacific Elementary School in conjunction with 916 Ink
Dream Big Poetry and prose by the young writers of Pacific Elementary School in conjunction with 916 Ink
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About 916 Ink 916 Ink is the only arts-based literacy nonprofit in the greater Sacramento region dedicated to providing creative writing workshops for youth, ages 5-25, to transform them into confident writers. We empower students to become the authors of their own lives, one published story at a time. Since 2011, we have served over 3,000 kids in the Sacramento Region, and published more than 100 publications. Our mission is to empower children and youth through creative writing. We envision a Sacramento region where every child and teen is given access to a creative writing program that leads them to believe in themselves and to understand the power of the written word. Learn more about us at www.916ink.org, or send an email to info@916ink.org to learn how to become involved.
DISCLAIMER
This is a work of fiction and poetry. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author and publisher hold exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Copyright 2021.Â
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Dear Reader, What you hold in your hands is the hard work and dedication of a community of youth and adult writers working together to tell stories that inspire, entertain, and heal. At 916 Ink, we teach young people how to write, listen, and support each other in the pursuit of creating literary art. The words in these pages are carefully chosen and crafted to reflect their unique voice. This book is a celebration of “taking the yes,” which is a motto of 916 Ink students. “Taking the yes” means that students are unafraid to collaborate with each other and themselves. It might sound weird—how does one “collaborate” with his or her own self? By shutting down the inner critics in our head that tell us that we aren’t good enough, our stories don’t matter, or what we might say is stupid or unnecessary. Stories are how we create meaning and make sense of the world. What’s better than to teach young people how to tell stories, create meaning out of their lives, and understand the world? Creative writing carves a path to a better life. Writers know this, but maybe the rest of the world doesn’t. A writer is someone who truly gets to live twice—once through their senses and once through the page. Everyone needs writers. Favorite television shows? Go thank a writer. News articles? Thank a writer. Education? Writers wrote the curriculum. Business? Can’t happen without writers creating marketing tools and business plans. Writers make the world go around. By reading this book you’ve supported the growth of a writer. Thanks. Please consider making a donation to this great cause on our website at www.916ink. org if you’d like to further our mission of populating the planet with youth who can “take the yes,” and lead a happy life. Ink-tastically yours,
The 916 Ink staff, the Board of Dreamers, volunteers, and youth writers
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From the Wordslinger Dear Reader, This publication you are about to read is a testament to the resilience and undying energy of the young writers here at Pacific Elementary. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, school shifted online. Learning over Zoom brought forward unimaginable challenges. Yet, these writers faced them head on. Jay and I Zoomed into the classroom of nearly 25 lively third graders. We were amazed that even in the virtual space, students were so eager to write and connect. Whether it was pet show-and-tell or asking what kind of hot chips everybody liked, there was never a boring moment. The writing of this dynamic group of students affords you a glimpse into the minds of young people as they process a global pandemic and amidst the chaos that it is early elementary school. Their writing simultaneously evokes yearning for the future and relishing in the joy of the moment. Their words will make you laugh and leave you to think. I would also like to send a very special thank you to our classroom teacher, Ms. Bettencourt. You welcomed and encouraged us right for the beginning. And on top of that, you were so flexible with all the crazy, experimental things we tried in your classroom. The group would not have been the same without your kind guidance and support. We are so grateful that all of these young students were able to experience writing in all of its zany and expressive glory. To all of the third-grade students at Pacific Elementary (and to third graders all over), we hope you never stop creating. It doesn’t matter if it’s weird or short or unpolished—your writing is a gift. Someone out there needs to hear your story. Just have faith and the courage to speak. Best,
Zuzu
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Acknowledgments Zuzu Schmitke
Wordslinger
Jay Oatis
Wordslinger
Nora Camagna
Guest Editor
Katie McCleary
Founding Executive Director
Michael Spurgeon
Founding Board President
DJ Waldow
Board of Dreamers, President
Dr. Beatrice Tetteh
Board of Dreamers, Vice President
Shelley Blanton-Stroud Board of Dreamers, Secretary Kathy Flynn
Board of Dreamers, Treasurer
Chris Worden
Board of Dreamers
Daniel Kaufman
Board of Dreamers
Lynn Lizarraga
Board of Dreamers
Rekha Tejpal
Board of Dreamers
Vince Wong
Board of Dreamers
Xenia Schutt
Board of Dreamers
Ian Hadley
Executive Director
Angela Tannehill
Creative Director
Allison Stelly
Director of Development
Nikki Cardoza
Director of Programming
Paulette Greenhouse
Program Manager
Jay Oatis
Program Coordinator
Emma Hoppough
Production Coordinator
Maria Gavia
Office Manager
Christina Nelson
ReadOn! Program Manager
Tory Scott
Bookslinger
Will Evans
Outreach and Development Associate,
AmeriCorps VISTA
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Contents Group Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The Magical World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Analycia Morones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Cats Are the Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Things You Can Do With Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Axel Monterrosas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 My Favorite Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 I Will Be a NASCAR Racer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 My Brother. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Untitled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 My Happy Place. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Daniel Muael. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Cool Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Emelio Garcia Hurtado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Time I Went to the Woods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Hops the Bunny. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Enchiladas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Tiny Gecko. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Ivan Plancarte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Out of Nowhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Jorge Vazquez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Fortnite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Mysterious Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Real School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Gigi and Mimi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
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Juliana Carreon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Water Snake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Untitled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Untitled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Untitled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Junior Vargas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Aliens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Untitled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Where I Am From.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Karol Cornejo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Crystal Girl: The Power of Crystals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 I Live in Sacramento. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Leeroy Vang. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Timmy and the Crocodile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ribs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Lepeti Esekia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Brave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Neila Catic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 My Fish, Barnacles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Alien’s Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 When I Wake Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
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Sarahie Lopez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Cake Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Super Ears Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 My Weird Dragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Tyler Pannyasee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Untitled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Viridiana Robles Hernandez. . . . . . . . . . 49 The Pig. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Untitled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Untiled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 New Friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Wordslingers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Puddles at 4:30 a.m.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
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Group Work
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The Magical World Group Story
Legend has it that the island had been burning since the dawn of time. An ancient deity cursed the island when it rose from the ocean. The island is said to hold an ancient magic that gives all who dare to travel there special powers—that is, if they can make it past the flames. On the island lived two brothers, Chameleon and Yasmeen. One day, their father gave Yasmeen special powers. Chameleon wanted powers too and went to his father’s secret mine to the center of the island to get his powers. Inside, he found a secret source of power that his father tried to hide and destroy. Chameleon touched it, and there was a giant burst of light. Chameleon was knocked out. When he got up, he saw that he now had the powers of shapeshifting—same as his brother, Yasmeen. The burst of light traveled across the island and into the unsuspecting classroom of Ms. Cool Rose. It knocked everyone out, but when they woke up, they all had special powers! As they learned about how to use their powers, a divide between the students formed. Some students wanted to use their powers to help people, while other students wanted to use their powers to cause chaos! The hero students called themselves the Eagles. They had Wonder Girl, who could turn invisible; the Fantastic Kid, who could fly; Jinx who could control water; Chameleon’s brother Yasmeen, who could shape-shift; Great White Shark Girl, who could turn into a Great White Shark; Cool Fight, who could control fire; Heart of Diamonds, who could fly; Ice Boy, who controlled ice; and Game Boy, who could bring games to life. They also had Air Runner, who controlled air, and her sidekick, Squeaker, who controlled lightning, as well as Crystal Girl, who could control ice, shape-shift, and fly. They also had the King of Nature, who could control all of nature including rocks, water, and lava. The villain students called themselves the Ravens. On their side was Chameleon, the shape-shifter; Bubble Girl, who could control bubbles; Dr. Teleporter, who could teleport; Zap, who controlled electricity; Earth Boy, who could control the ground; Mr. Gummy Bear, who could turn into a tiger; and Miss Copycat, who could copy anyone’s powers. Their teacher, Ms. Cool Rose,
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sided with these students. Ms. Cool Rose was a terrifying villain because of her reading power. She could take people’s words and bring them to life! Along with her Multiplying Power, she was almost unstoppable, because she could make unlimited copies of anything! Both sides were fighting because Team Eagle didn’t want Team Raven to have their superpowers. They were both fighting for the same land. Ms. Cool Rose was fighting Chameleon. Most of the villains were defeated by the heroes. One half of the villains went to help the other half of the villains. Ms. Cool Rose led the helping half. Chameleon gathered up his Size Power and became bigger and bigger and tried to destroy Earth. Ms. Cool Rose wouldn’t let him and became bigger and better than him and took over Earth. Chameleon was defeated. Fire Girl (one of the heroes) said, “We can all share this land. We need to come together to protect the world.” They all shared the island and made the world a better place.
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Analycia Morones
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Cats Are the Best Analycia Morones
I love cats. I love dogs. I love hamsters. I love puppies. They are so cute. But I think cats are the best.
The Things You Can Do With Paper Analycia Morones
Paper; you can write on it. You can draw on it. You can rip it up.
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Axel Monterrosas
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My Favorite Hero Axel Monterrosas
Fern pushed a chair out of the way and ran. Outside it was dark and cold, but that did not matter to Fern. When someone needs help, like the brave hero that she is, just by hearing that the world has problems, she runs and flies fast to fight against the bad guys.
I Will Be a NASCAR Racer Axel Monterrosas
My favorite toy is the cars of NASCAR. I like the colors, the numbers, and how fast they run. My first NASCAR car, I gave it to my brother Alex. The car is the number eight. That driver’s name is Dale Jr. I like to know all the car numbers and the names of those who drive them. I plan to drive a NASCAR when I grow up, and I think it will be like flying.
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My Brother Axel Monterrosas
This Christmas, we all wrote a letter to Santa Claus, asking for toys, sweets, books, and clothes. But my brother, Alex, asked for very different things. He wants the pandemic to end, for our dad to be healed from his back, for my mom to be healthy, and to give our brother in Mexico intelligence because he is at university. He wished that I would get strength and confidence in school. He didn’t ask for anything for himself. Alex is a very good brother, so I love him very much, and so I wanted to write about his letter.
Untitled Axel Monterrosas
916 Ink—I loved the magic pencil and the magic eraser. They would help me do my homework (math and drawing) good so that I do not get too tired. I would also give my mother a magic pencil because she does not know how to draw, and the pencil would make very beautiful drawings for her.
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My Happy Place Axel Monterrosas
I imagine being in Disneyland I hear voices and children’s laughter. I smell cotton candy in the air and fresh popcorn. It’s a bit cold, but it doesn’t matter because I wear a sweater with Mickey Mouse’s face. Everything is so pretty that I would like to open my eyes. The Disney characters are dressed in bright and beautiful colors and all the people are happy.
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Daniel Muael
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Cool Fire Daniel Muael
The thing I like best about superheroes is cool fire.
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Emelio Garcia Hurtado
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The Time I Went to the Woods Emelio Garcia Hurtado
I like the time when I went to the woods with my grandma and my grandpa. The place that we went had the game horseshoes. My dad, my aunt, and her friend took me for a walk. I saw a lot of cars, and I saw some lizards. I played the horseshoe game with my grandma. On the way home, my grandma took me swimming with my aunt and her friend. The water was really cold. There was a tiny little waterfall and a big one, too. My aunt’s friend got stuck in the force of the water. We had to help her get out.
Hops the Bunny Emelio Garcia Hurtado
I think my bunny wears a red scarf. Her name is Hops. I think she wants to go with her friends. I always keep Hops on my bed while the other plushies are somewhere else. Hops wants to go and see her friends. When I leave to go to the store, Hops moves to go and see her friends. When I come home to my bunny, she is back in her place.
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Enchiladas Emelio Garcia Hurtado
My favorite food is enchiladas and rollie cheese tacos. I like them, but I don’t know why. My mom makes the best enchiladas and rollie cheese tacos.
Tiny Gecko Emelio Garcia Hurtado
I draw a gecko. He is tiny. I lift him into my hand. I ask him, “What is your name?” He sits on my finger. He tells me his name is Gecko. Him and I run to school. I tell Gecko to walk outside and hide in the grass. I look out to give him some food, and he is camouflaged. I make a food trail, and he eats the trail. He stops camouflaging.
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Ivan Plancarte
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Out of Nowhere Ivan Plancarte
I was at my mom’s house when it all happened. A monster appeared out of nowhere. I had no choice but to grab my mom and run away in the car. It stomped on our car. My mom got a concussion. I was just injured. We appeared to make contact with my friend. They let us stay at their house for two days, but something strange happened every time I looked at a painting. I felt dizzy, but one day I woke up from a dream. It was all a dream. I got really scared in that dream.
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Jorge Vazquez
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Fortnite Jorge Vazquez
I like to play a game that is called Fortnite, and my brother plays it. I play with my friend called M Scorpion. We are close friends. We play together and win together. He is twelve, and I am eight. I will be nine on November 28, 2020. Sometimes my cousins play with us. This game is building, fighting, and breaking stuff. The game has seasons. When I started to play, it was in season seven, but it is chapter two now, and it’s called “Chapter 2: Season 5.” My brother and I really enjoy playing it.
Mysterious Package Jorge Vazquez
I heard the doorbell ring, but I was alone in my house. Also, I never ordered anything. It was scary, so I went downstairs. I opened the door and saw a box with a note on it. It said “Do not shake or open.” So why is it here?
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Real School Jorge Vazquez
I like being at school not on Zoom. It smells good. We do six hour of class, and I like the playground there. I hear other teachers in other classrooms. I like Friday because we might get Fun Friday.
Gigi and Mimi Jorge Vazquez
I have two dogs. One is tan, and the other is all black. They fight on the grass and on the cement. Their names are Gigi and Mimi, and they eat grass. Gigi gets a little food, and Mimi gets a lot of food. Sometimes Mimi eats Gigi’s food. I do not know why.
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Juliana Carreon
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Water Snake Juliana Carreon
Outside it smell like fires. It reminds me of camping, and I go every year. When I go, I hear the lake. Sometimes I do not like the lake because there was a water snake two years ago. That was scary. I was six, someone told us.
Untitled Juliana Carreon
They are playing when I am sleeping. They are playing with pets, toys, friends, and playing outside, but how can the toys go outside when the alarm is on? But yesterday, they were outside.
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Untitled Juliana Carreon
I love flowers. They smell like popcorn. I love popcorn. There are types like “spicy.�
Untitled Juliana Carreon
Every time I move to a new house, me and my sis make neighborhood friends. It is cool. We hang out.
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Junior Vargas
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Aliens Junior Vargas
Who was the alien in the ship that landed on the moon? They were from space and were looking for a good home to stay. So, where did they go? The moon. They got out of the car and started walking to the place they were going to live. They had a friend to come over with them. All of them had laser guns. One time there was a fight going on. The aliens got their laser guns and they started shooting. The fan of the group of aliens came to attack them. The aliens also had swords and some heavy laser guns. They were having a fight, and the other aliens lost. They formed the second Alliance One with the other aliens. They started walking to their house. There was one of their friends who came over with all the aliens. Like there were only two aliens. They hung out with each other there. They were doing fun stuff, and next, all the friends came over. It was their friend’s birthday. Everyone was having a good time. The aliens left and went back to their houses. They moved away. The next place they moved to, they had to move again because there were too many aliens there. The place where they moved next was back to the same house. They stayed there for long and never thought they should move.
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Untitled Junior Vargas
One time, there were two police officers. They were both working. There were two robbers. The robbers robbed the bank. The person asked, “What’s your first name?” “Roberson Robert MX,” said one of the robbers. The other bad guy said, “Robin Hendrix. We are the people robbing the bank.” The robber pulled out his gun and said, “Give me the money.” So the police came, and the robbers went away. They chased the robbers to their house. They left the money there. So, they got the money and put them in there, where they would have a lot of money to show. Next, the robbers locked the door so the police could not get their money. So the SWAT team came and busted the door open. The SWAT team popped out their guns and they checked around. They didn’t see the prisoners. The next day, their boss said to them, “Stand by. Regarding to eyes on the suspect.” So next, he called for backup to the Holocaust. They said, “Helicopter, we need your help! Go up to Scott and look for two robbers!” Enter Linda the helicopter. He was driving and he saw their car with some people the robbers kidnapped. They said that the police were vital and needed to put a spike on the road. He called for backup. He said, “10-4. Would eat the big van with motorcycle to throw down spikes!” The person said, “10-4; roger that. We’re getting to your location for the SWAT team. From the back of the helicopter, he dropped down riding a motorcycle. The motorcycles were driving to the location where the robber’s van was. He put spy stuff next to it. The robbers went to the spikes. The wheels popped and Continued on next page
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they both crashed. Next, when the police come, they put them in jail. They stayed there for the rest of the day. They never came out of there. The police ate a donut with coffee.
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Where I Am From... Junior Vargas
I came from the United State of America I like my house because I can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We can play outside with my dogs.
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Karol Cornejo
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Crystal Girl: The Power of Crystals Karol Cornejo
I was a superhero with my superhero friends Neila, Sarahie, and Jocelyn. My name is Crystal Girl. My powers are crystals that I throw to the villains and stick to them so I can take their stuff.
I Live in Sacramento Karol Cornejo
I live in Sacramento. I am so close to my school. I have a babysitter who gives me a ride to school with her son and daughter. My house is an apartment. The color is white and green. I have friends. They are two twin girls named Christina and Cristal. They both look the same. We play all the time outside. Sometimes we used to play inside their house. Now we don’t because of the coronavirus. Their house color is the same. They have an apartment, too.
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Leeroy Vang
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Timmy and the Crocodile Leeroy Vang
This story took place in a house. There was a fast crocodile who would make a lot of messes. One day the crocodile broke the TV and the room. One day Timmy came home with his parents. Timmy looked in his room, and then he spotted the crocodile. He got the crocodile and put him outside. He ran off.
Ribs Leeroy Vang
I like ribs because they are tasty. When my uncle cooks them, I eat them.
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Lepeti Esekia
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Brave Lepeti Esekia
My little sister wanted to go to the park, but it was too big, so she was scared, so I helped her out, so she was brave. I was happy for her.
Red Lepeti Esekia
I choose the color red. My food is going to be apples and strawberries. My emotion is angry. My color is hot. Then my activity is cards, and I feel a little angry and disappointed and frustrated.
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Neila Catic
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My Fish, Barnacles Neila Catic
Me and my family went to the carnival one day. We wanted a fish, so we tried playing a fish game. We couldn’t win a fish, but the guy surprised us and gave us one anyway. We named him Barnacles. We got the name from SpongeBob. We had him for one year. My sister made short movies. On Christmas day, we woke up and we went to feed him, but he was not moving. That’s when we realized he died on that Christmas morning. It was sad that day. This is a true story.
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Brown Neila Catic
I picked brown because my theme for my birthday is going to be brown. My birthday is on Thanksgiving day, and I will have a turkey cake. When it’s Friday, I picked red because I like spicy food, and on Friday I will eat spicy food, and it is red. I am active when I am thinking of brown because I think of meat and how I will eat turkey.
Alien’s Point of View Neila Catic
“What...what...WHAT’S THAT UGLY THING!? Wait, it has peach skin, NOT GREEN!! THIS IS A MONSTER!!” “No, No, No,” said his friend. “You’re right, it’s going to kill us!!! RUN!” “Oh, a cat got it!! Kill them, kitty. The cat scratches! AHHHHH!! Not only are people chasing us but now the cats are chasing us!” They went into their alien ship, and all the people heard was, “Agh! Agh! Agh! Agh!”
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When I Wake Up Neila Catic
When I wake up, I put my slippers on and kiss my kitty. I go to my living room and eat my breakfast and watch TV. Then I go in my room and get my phone and my kitty. Then I go outside and see my kitty copying my dog Lola eating and eating her food. When they are done, I go and play with my cousin all day.
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Sarahie Lopez
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Cake Money Sarahie Lopez
“Of course, no cake is ever too rude to change, but they never have money, so don’t ask for money.” “Wait, wait, wait, so you’re saying you have money! Oh, OK then, TAKE ME ON A SHOPPING SPREE!” “Why not? Because you have no money!” “But you said you had money! YOU WERE LYING!” “OK, FINE.”
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Super Ears Team Sarahie Lopez
My called Super Ears, and Super Ears has a huge team! He loves to stop villains from stealing! In the night, he goes with his team to stop robbers! HE SAVES THE DAY! The robbers go to the stuffed animal jail! No more trouble, robbers! You’re in jail! Yup, that’s what my team does! Good job, team!
My Weird Dragon Sarahie Lopez
I drew a dragon. He started to eat my clothes. I put all my clothes on him so he wouldn’t eat them. He told me about how much he likes summer. He woke me up because he wanted to go on a fly.
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Tyler Pannyasee
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Blue Tyler Pannyasee
When I talk about the color blue, it reminds me of the winter snow, mountains, and Christmas.
Untitled Tyler Pannyasee
My favorite food is fries and hamburger.
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Viridiana Robles Hernandez
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The Pig Viridiana Robles Hernandez
“Where’s Papa going with that ax?” I said. “Mom, look, Papa is going to the pig. Papa, stop!” “I do not want to hurt that pig,” Papa said, “but I have to. We need to eat.” “No,” I said, “I want the pig. I do not want to eat it. I want the pig.” Papa said, “OK, you win. But you need to take care of it.”
Inspired by Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Untitled Viridiana Robles Hernandez
I see my home and my family. My family is good, so I want to join them and have fun, but my cousin is sad. So, I play with her. She has fun. We play Among Us and Roblox.
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Untiled Viridiana Robles Hernandez
I do not like the color brown. It is not cute for me. But the color I like is the color ramble because it is the only color. But the other colors I like are purple and pink.
New Friend Viridiana Robles Hernandez
Me and my dog were at the park. My dog made a friend. I made a friend, too. I was so happy
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Wordslingers
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Puddles at 4:30 a.m. Zuzu Schmitke
OK. So, I am really struggling with writing today. My mind is in four billion places. I cannot focus or think. I drank too much caffeine, and it is not doing me any favors. And yet, I keep drinking more. The cat is trying to eat my pen and play with my computer mouse. HOW RUDE! I am trying to teach a class. Speaking of my cat, he woke me up today. How? Well, by falling off the bed. It was 4:30 a.m.! I was so scared for him! (For context, I sleep on a loft bed about six feet from the floor.) The poor little baby. He seems fine, though. I am laughing thinking about it now. He then proceeded to hop back onto my bed and bite my nose for the next twenty minutes until I had to get up for work. Oh, Puddles (the cat)‌what am I going to do with you?
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THIS BOOK WAS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
WITH MAJOR SUPPORT FROM
AND FUNDED IN PART BY
The Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation
The Sacramento Office of Arts and Culture, with support from the City of Sacramento.