FREEWRITE
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YOUNG WORDSMITHS Young Wordsmiths is the online magazine of Lekha Writing Center. It is dedicated to publishing writing BY and FOR children. 2nd Quarterly Issue of 2018 EDITOR: Radhika Rajesh Raikar
In February 2018, Lekha was presented with an opportunity by TOKABOX to sponsor and judge the FSACC creative writing competition. FSACC CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION Grand Prize Winner Avani Rao Age Group 6-8 1st Prize- Aarya Puranik 2nd Prize-Varsha Ramakrishnan. Age Group 9-11 1st Prize– Shashank Prasanna 2nd Prize-Saanvi Bedida In the last edition of Young Wordsmiths, we published the story of the Grand Prize Winner -Avani Rao and also the winning entries of the 2nd Prize winners in both the age groups– Varsha Ramakrishnan and Saanvi Bedida. The winning entries of the Aarya Puranik and Shashank Prasanna are published in our current edition.
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Inside this issue….. Summer Garden Poem
...Page 5
Aarya, the Superhero!
….Page 6-7
Kush learns never to quit
…Page 8-9
Free Verse
...Page 10-11
Nature and Conservation
...Page 12-17
The Story of Arret
…Page 18-21
Quatrains
...Page 22-23
Apostrophe
...Page 24-25
Freewrite
…Page 26-27
The Search for Red Crayon
…Page 28-31
Dolphin Splash
...Page 32
Picture Prompts
...Page 33
A Magical Adventure
...Page 34-35
Friendship
…Page 36-39
Gajendra Moksha
…Page 40
Testimonials
...Page 41
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EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Wordsmiths and readers, Summer is here!! It’s my favorite time of the year!! Beautiful blossoms in my garden fill my heart with delight!! Colorful daisies, lilies and roses! What a lovely sight!! I will let the words of one of our Young Wordsmiths say the rest about the magic and beauty of the garden in the summer season. Hope you enjoy reading the lovely Summer Garden poem by Kaylie MacDonald
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SUMMER GARDEN POEM Kaylie MacDonald The garden is a peaceful place, Which brings the feelings of the human race, A willow tree over a lake, With leaves of green, stones of white, Bright and beautiful as twilight. Flowers of pink, white, and blue. Clovers of green as the sun shines through On the leaves of the great, big, oak tree. I think to myself Of the garden's wealth. Purple pansies, white daisies sway to and fro Beatles lie among the trees wherever the flowers grow. Spiders spin silky cobwebs as bright as morning dew A lady bug's spots of pure black, they just pop out as they do. Yellow as twilight, pretty as a butterfly's wing, My heart soars and sings. A garden is where elves, pixies and fairies play. Where it takes all the bad thoughts away. Where leaves and rocks just come to summer And when winter comes it's just a bummer. Yellow, red, and blue flowers bloom by bubbling brook, I curl up and read my favorite book. With the embrace of the flowers, green leaves too, It's a pretty garden that was made just for you. Here in this garden, it feels like a crown Rests upon your head, as the wind goes up and down.
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FSACC CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION 1st Prize– Aarya Puranik Age Group 6-8
Aarya,the Superhero!
Story and Artwork by Aarya Puranik, Age 7 Once there was a girl named Aarya. She wasn’t just any kind of a girl. She was a superhero! She had lots of powers. Her best one was the flower power! With the flower power, she could put flowers on bad guys’ noses to make them sneeze. Achoo!! One day, she heard someone screaming! She told her team the plan she came up with. Her plan was to distract the bad guy and help the person who was screaming. Katie said, “Maybe we need to first see what the problem is”. “Good thinking”, said Sara. Jack said, “I’ll fly in the sky and I will use my keen sight powers to see what the problem is. Jack went to see the problem. He saw a bad guy, Putuniya! Putuniya was using his machine to shrink people. Jack went back to the team to tell them what is going on. He told them what happened. “That’s not good”, said Sara.
“I know”, Jack said. 6
“Let’s
think of a different plan”, Aarya said.
“How about Jack and Sara make the ‘unshrink’ machine, and Katie and I will go in with my flying jeep where Putuniya is”, said Aarya. “What will you do when you get there”, asked Sara. “How about we use our powers? I’ll use my laser power and you use your flower power”, said Katie. “OK”, Sara said.
“Let’s get to Putuniya!”, shouted Jack. Jack and Sara quickly made the machine and went to the rest of the team. Meanwhile, Aarya and Katie were using their powers to get Putuniya’ s attention. They finally send Putuniya to the police and then into the jail. “What a long day”, said Aarya. “Yup”, said Katie. Everybody laughed!
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There were many wonderful entries submitted by talented and creative young writers for the FSACC writing contest. One of the stories that was very well liked and appreciated by all the judges in the 6-8 age group was “ Kush learns never to quit”, by KUSH. Hope you enjoy reading how Kush’s Nanni (grandmother) in a very simple, engaging and enjoyable conversation inspires him to never quit.
Kush learns never to quit Story by KUSH, Age 7 Kush comes home from his Taekwondo class looking very sad. Nanni : Kush :
I don’t want to go to my Taekwondo class anymore. I am quitting Taekwondo.
Nanni : Kush :
What happened buddy, why do you look so sad ?
What happened son?
Arun sir planned a tournament today but I lost all 5 rounds. I don’t think I am good at Taekwondo.
Nanni starts turning the light bulb on and off Kush :
Nanni I’m telling you my problem and you are playing with the light?
Nanni :
Oh! I’m sorry buddy, is this bothering you?
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Nanni smiles and sits beside Kush Nanni :
You know buddy, Thomas Edison the great inventor once faced the same problem that you are facing today?
Kush :
How so?
Nanni :
Edison invented the light bulb in 1879. He tested more than 3,000 designs and he failed 1,000 times.
Kush :
1,000 times and he didn’t give up?
Nanni :
No my dear, when people asked Edison about his failure he said – “I have not failed. I've just found 1,000 ways that won't work.”
Kush :
But I am not a famous inventor like Edison, he had a lot of knowledge and experience.
Nanni : Kush :
That’s right little man, and you do too.
You think?
Nanni :
I know! You didn’t win today but if you keep trying like Edison. One day you will be the champion.
Kush :
You are right Nanni if I keep trying I will get that trophy that I always wanted.
Nanni :
Remember son, no matter what happens, NEVER QUIT!
The next day Kush wears his Taekwondo dress and goes off to practice for the next tournament. All thanks to Nanni and EDISON
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FREE VERSE POEMS Free verse poems have been around for hundreds of years, but are often thought to be a modern form of poetry. These poems do not follow any rules. They have no rhyme or rhythm. Some of these poems follow natural speech patterns, while others use shortened or extended lines to convey thoughts and emotions. It can be about any topic, but free verses are usually very emotionally driven pieces. Hope you enjoy reading some of the wonderful free verses written by Lekha’s Young Wordsmiths.
Time to Smile Free Verse by Alexandra Saii,Age 12 In the dimly lit room There is a jar. A jar full of little pieces of paper Letters are scrawled on these pieces, Spelling out things she loves. When she is sad, Her hand hovers over the little pieces. And, she picks one. Her lips curl into a small smile As she reads what is written.
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The Purple Flowers Free Verse by Jackson Sutherland There are purple flowers growing in a tree. They are growing in the branches above, Like giant purple streamers, Hanging on a Christmas tree. If you look closely, you can see each flower. The color is a deep, dark purple. This is the first time in my life that I have noticed these flowers. I never paid attention to flowers. Now, I am glad that I did.
The Pasture Free Verse by Grace lchinaga, Age 10 Leaves crumble under my boots, Sticks roll down the hill, It's a quiet, peaceful place in the fall. A dried pond, soon to be frozen, Snow white, grass and twigs, Some patches more verdant than others. One giant tree, not flamboyant at all, Still stands powerfully at its highest posture, Sadly, it's impossible to climb. I cannot help but close my eyes and hum, Feeling the wind brush by my face, It is cold, but it is soothing. 11
We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment. Margaret Mead– American Anthropologist.
It is always very heartening when young writers express their passion for Nature and Conservation. We always feel proud when we read the words of our YOUNG WORDSMITHS.
GOING GREEN POEM BY ANOOHYA PANIDAPU, AGE 6 YEARS Going green is a wonderful thing to do Save the earth and the atmosphere too. What can we do to go green? The answer is simple and as easy as learning 1, 2, 3... Come on let's do it, step by step Recycle and reuse, it'll make a big difference. Clean, Clean, Clean to go green Clean up the cans, paper, plastic – And don't litter. Earth is home for people, animals and plants, so keep it clean. Save, Save, Save water when you are not using it. Turn off running water. Plant, Plant, Plant trees in your garden and go green. Save, Save, Save the energy and power. Here are some tips-Walk and carpool, Turn off the lights, TV, computer when not in use. There are more ways to go green. You have the power to change the world, go green make the difference. Take the pledge to go green and save the planet Earth. I love going green and spreading the word to go green. GO GREEN!!!
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A people without children would face a hopeless future A country without trees is almost as helpless. Theodore Roosevelt-26th President of the United States
Let's Save Trees A Persuasive Essay by Esha Junankar, Age 11 Have you ever imagined the world without trees? Trees are an important part of the world. Think about it. If we didn't have trees we wouldn't have clean air and we would have problems with the environment. Trees give us oxygen and help us breathe. Trees give people shade when we are hot. Trees prevent mudslides and erosion because the roots hold the dirt down. Trees take in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Although we help them by breathing out carbon dioxide, we also treat them very badly. We shouldn't cut down trees because that means that there will be less oxygen for us to breathe. However, we still have to cut down some trees, since we use many wood and paper products. So, we just have to make sure we don't cut down more than we can plant. Trees also give people shade when we are hot. Suppose we cut down all the trees. In summer, we wouldn't have any shade to sit under. People have air conditioners too, but personally I think we should try to use natural shade. If we didn't have any trees we also would have many more mudslides. Mudslides are mud and dirt rolling downhill because of rain. Mudslides can damage property and destroy homes. Trees have roots and hold down the dirt, preventing damage to people's property. Trees are a very important part of our environment. If we don't conserve trees we will face dealing with more mudslides, having less clean air, and having less shade. When we cut down a tree, we should plant a new one every time. If we kept that going, we could have a great improvement in our environment.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is today. Chinese Proverb. 13
“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” W.H. Auden –poet
“Water
is critical for sustainable development, including environmental integrity and the alleviation of poverty and hunger, and is indispensable for human health and well-being.” United Nations
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MUST SAVE WATER Uday Dhana Water is the best thing in the world. All people are made of about seventy percent water. People use water to hydrate themselves, take showers, and go swimming. Even animals use water. Some people who go to hot and dry places forget to drink water, get dehydrated and either die or have heat stroke. Why waste water when you can use it instead? Water is also used to make things. When you waste water you are basically killing something which helps you. There is lots of water on Earth to use, but you should not waste it because most is salt water and sources of fresh water are rare. Water has no fat. Most people drink water when they are working out. Every person needs at least two liters a day. There is no reason to waste water.
A few ideas to save water are to turn off the faucet when you're not using it, don't take long showers, and if you're playing in the sprinklers, don't play for too long. Do large loads of laundry, water at night and collect rain. Just don't waste water. Let's save the earth.
“Water
is the most critical resource issue of our lifetime and our children’s lifetime.” Luna Leopold—hydrologist
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The earth, like the sun, like the air, belongs to everyone and to no one. Edward Abbey-author and environmentalist. A Mass Extinction Could be Caused by Humans An lnformational Essay by Thrishna Bhandari Imagine a world with no animals. No birds pleasantly chirping in the sky, no critters crawling at your feet. Visualize all of this happening in all sorts of different environments. You go to a rainforest and no animals surround you. You go to the Arctic and the frozen legacy is melting away with all the animals that live there. If something doesn't change soon, the planet will evolve into a dark, bland world that no one would want to be in. Two-hundred different species of animals go extinct every day. If, this rate stays the same, the extinction rate will be 10,000 times higher by 2020, according to a biodiversity video on YouTube, produced by Prasading Productions.
But sadly, a football field-sized portion of the rainforest disappears every second. Imagine how much rainforest has disappeared just during the time it took you to read that sentence. Now imagine how much will be gone when you finish reading this article. Many species die because of deforestation, which also affects the water cycle and causes soil erosion. And every year, 100,000 marine animals die because of toxic debris. Global warming is also becoming a huge problem. This source also says that forty-five percent of the thickness of ice has been melting away since 1950. By 2050, global warming may cause the extinction of a quarter of a land species. Some people conclude that the extinction of these species does not affect the human race. But indirectly, it does. People are hurting the environment by cutting down trees and polluting the water that later flows to the ocean, just in order to make products. Most people don't intend on doing this much damage, but that does not change the fact that their actions make many species' lives difficult.
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Clearing a forest does not just kill the trees, animals, and plants, but it also disturbs the food chain. Animals that depend on those plants will eventual die, which will cause other animals that feed on them to become extinct as well. All hope is not lost, though. People who wish to live in a world where animals thrive in freedom can still act. Helping these helpless and defenseless creatures can be done in a simple way. Citizens can easily conserve water, invest in solar energy, reduce their carbon footprint, and, of course, recycle. Another thing that people can do is slow down when driving. Many small animals are run over without the driver even realizing it. And people should not buy items in stores that contain products made from illegal, threatened species, like turtle shell, coral, shark fin, tiger fur, leopard fur, and any other endangered species. Let people like you take action, and do these small easy things, it won't be hard. All you have to do is make a few simple good-hearted decisions. You will use your precious time for a good cause. Just remember that everything you do affects wild animals and our future world.
Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land. Aldo Leopold– author and conservationist. 17
FSACC CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION 1st Prize– Shashank Prasanna Age Group 9-11
The Story of Arret Shashank Prasanna, Age 9 years. "What’s for lunch?", my 5-year-old brother, Manny, wailed as we switched on the TV for DRN (Daily Robot News). He was a brat, as all little brothers would be considered if you were 17 years old. I’m 17 years old, and my name is Randy. "Peanut butter sandwiches", my dad answered monotonously. Manny asks every day, right at 11:15 A.M. It’s a miracle how he keeps up. I mean really, it’s impossible! "Attention residents of Princeton, NJ! The sun is starting it's detonation!" The moment after the weather robot said this, my whole family looked at the TV, stunned as satellite pictures showed bits of the sun zooming past them towards the asteroid belt. Even, my robo-dog, Warp, looked stunned, and he usually has no emotion towards this kind of things. "Human things" he considers them. "What!" We screamed in unison. We all knew what the others were thinking because we couldn’t think of anything else that they could think of. We saw people outside, fleeing for their lives. But where? Soon enough, the whole Earth would dematerialize! There was no escape but by rocket. But we didn’t have a rocket! “Okay, just stay calm…". "But we’re all going to die!", I intervened through my mother’s "happy" speech. We all freaked out and ran around the house like psycho maniacs. Little fragments of the roof began to fall into our house. When I was running in Manny’s room, a piece of the roof fell onto his toy rocket. Wait. Idea spark! We could make a rocket out of residue from the wreckage of the buildings around us. Since we lived in a suburban area, we had a less chance of getting hurt, but also had sufficient materials.
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"Listen up! I have a plan to save us!", I bellowed to my family. They all turned and were paying attention to me, as this was big news. "We can use all the falling stuff to create a rocket that can potentially save us and a few other friends." They all shook their heads in a circle, which was the universal sign of approval in the future. My genius dad was also a master architect and prized engineer (He’s good at lot of things, so many I can’t keep count), so he whipped up a rocket blueprint and devised a plan to collect the vital materials.
"Manny, go collect some bolts, screws, and nails. Randy, go get the metal, specifically iron and titanium. Maria (my mom), go to the gadget shop down the road get all the salvageable materials you can. Specifically rocket fuel canisters with at least ½ of the fuel inside, batteries, microchips, wires, and rocket boosters. Bring the materials to me, and I’ll do the rest." Everyone got to work. *****
15 days later the destruction just got worse. Building materials turned into deadly and gunfire, the plants were uprooted so the air quality suffered, and the sun was melting everything to bits. Everyone had tools to prevent melting, but soon, they would melt too. We were struggling to get the parts and would give anything to get them instantly. The deadline for the rocket was in 5 days. The good news was that we only needed one more component. The bad news was that we couldn’t find the part anywhere! We needed one more canister of fuel, but the gadget shop had run out. "What are we going to doooo!?",I yelled as I flailed my arms around and ran in a circle inside the house. Suddenly, a toy car hit me in the head. Idea spark! (I have a lot of idea sparks, don’t you think?) We could use the fuel from the cars. I know it’s not rocket fuel, but, hey, fuel is fuel. I quickly conversed the message with the others. "Good job, junior!", My dad proudly stated. He went to the garage, and 5 minutes later, arrived with 5 fuel canisters. 2 for immediate usage, and 3 for backup. 19
We quickly ran up the boarding ramp, opened the door with the secret password, ran to our seats, and turned on the rocket. "Initiating launch sequence in 10, 9, 8…" a robotic voice said. “This is it!", I said to myself. "4, 3, 2, 1, launch sequence initiated”. An earsplitting boom came from the engines and off we went! So far, my timely substitute was working. 1 hour into space, and no trouble. We were soaring at a constant 253 MPH, and we would meet the new planet in no time. Meanwhile, my dad was patrolling the rocket, which we named P.S.V, the Planetary Search Vehicle, my mom was reviewing the habitable planet she found, and Manny and I were keeping track of the path, on the onboard computer we named Pixelmator. "Weeo, Weeo! Low on fuel!" Wait, of course! While we had a maintenance check, we didn’t check the tube that transports the fuel to the booster because we had to leave! "It must’ve leaked!" I thought. What were we going to do now? Based on the report that Pixelmator had given us, we were going to critically lose ½ our fuel if we didn’t get it fixed in the next 30 minutes because space is a big vacuum. "Randy, go get that leak fixed! You can use the onboard space suit." "Why me?" "Because your mom and I are very busy, and Manny’s too young. And anyway, I’m sure he can secure the path without you." So, I reluctantly walked over to the white, gleaming spacesuit and put it on. I opened the door and stepped outside. I looked to the left and was awestruck. I saw the Earth, with its blue oceans and green continents, filled with life. I felt a little heartbroken. Even though my dad was building a teleporter to transport people to the new planet, so many lives would be lost. And all those memories I had on Earth, like learning to ride my bike, and Manny being born, and scoring the winning goal on my travel soccer team. "Randy!! FIX. THE. LEAK!!!" ,my dad hollered into the radio of the space suit. I snapped out of my disconsolate trance and drifted over to the booster. I took out my tools and went to work. Oddly enough, the tube wasn’t damaged. But, Pixelmator's sensory valves in the area had a minor dent in them. I quickly patched the holes and floated back to the P.S.V’s door.
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"Good job, Randy!", Mom told me when I was back on the ship. I felt proud of myself for that, really proud. That was beyond my wildest dreams. ***** 4 Months Later, On the new planet Arrethtrae (R-ith-try) "Rise and shine, junior!" My dad called from downstairs as I woke up to the gleaming, red sun of Arrethtrae. Arrethtrae, or Arret for short, was the planet that Mom discovered. The name is a tribute to Earth because it’s earth terra backward. Earth, the planet, and Terra, that also means Earth. I slowly walked down to the kitchen, where Mom was preparing breakfast. It was my favorite, waffles. How did I get the wheat? On the ship, we brought some plants. There’s this seed storage in Antarctica, in case one of the plants in there dies out completely. We brought ½ the storage. The other ½ was burned to smithereens. We brought a variety of things, such as secret recipes for all the foods on Earth, phones, AI* units, and much more. The teleporter transported 46 people, and it almost doubled to 91 people. Everyone had a baby except for our family. The population was skyrocketing, and my dad estimates we will have 1,000 people by 3/14/85. I gobbled down my breakfast and went outside. It was 87˚F outside, and the sky had a bright, orange sun. The ground was maroon red, scattered with little blue flowers we named Blue Eggs. The place was lively with activity as people were building houses, a school, and a college. I sighed. It was beautiful. Unlike anything, I had ever seen. "What a beautiful planet." I said, awestruck.
Anyways, that’s how we got to Arret. THE END… For Now *AI means artificial intelligence*
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Quatrains A Quatrain is a a verse, stanza or poem with four rhyming lines. The word is derived from the French quatre, meaning “four.” This form of rhyming poetry has always been very popular. Poetry that rhymes relays a message through the music of the spoken word. Traditional poems written in rhyme add a musical element to a reading.
Usually there is a repetition of syllables, typically at the end of a verse line. Rhymed words conventionally share all sounds following the word’s last stressed syllable. A rhyming poem brings out the music in words. Sometimes poets use rhyme as a tool to show the humor in the message they are trying to convey. Here are some fun quatrains written by our Young Wordsmiths.
ABAB RHYME The Zoo A Quatrain by Anishka Bhartiya I want to go to the zoo. We will have so much fun I want to see the lion, too. And then spin in the sun.
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AABB RHYME The Mountains A Quatrain by Nandeesh Yenugachenna I want to go to the mountains. I want to see some fountains. My whole family comes with me. The sun coming up we will see.
AABB RHYME Vacation A Quatrain by Rashiq Mazumdar We’re going to L.A. We’ll eat ice-cream all day. We’ll go on a scary ride. Under the seats, I’ll try to hide.
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Amazing Apostrophe I am the amazing apostrophe Winner of the Punctuation Trophe. You can use me to show possession
And also to show omission. But when you need to use me You’re bound by some rules you see.
Remember the Rules When you use me at the end of a noun, it shows possession. Harry’s wand. Use me correctly for singular and plural possession. Singular dog’s collar Plural dogs’ collars Add me only to nouns not ending in s cat’s
Don’t use me in possessive pronouns its, yours, his , hers, ours , theirs.
Use me when letters are left out to make a contraction. can & not= can’t they & are= they’re You can use me with numbers too. In the 1990’s…. Use me to form plurals of letters, figures and signs. four 9’s, twenty-five t’s, three *’s. 24
Correct the sentences for Apostrophes
1) Heres Jacks lunch. Hes forgotten it again. Hell be hungry. ________________________________________
2) Moms car is parked in the garage while dads is not. ________________________________________
3) Stop writing in Janes diary. Shell be mad. ________________________________________
4) The womens handbags were large and colorful. ________________________________________
5) Jacks book should be in his bag. Hes gone out to play. ________________________________________
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FREEWRITE
The image on the Cover Page was a FREEWRITE exercise done by one of Lekha’s YOUNG WORDSMITHS in class. Our young writer being very creative, wrote her freewrite in a spiral fashion. Why does Maya always get everything! I do not like the lady that gave her the prize. I cannot wait for Spidervocab. I am doing a freewrite. Why am I writing in a spiral. Out to the plains. I’ll drive. On the green grass I’ll lie. I’ll stare out to the sky, Oh, how I wish I can fly. See how after just a few lines of freewrite in a very creative spiral fashion, Lekha’s Young Wordsmith came up with an amazing Quatrain. 26
Freewriting is the practice of writing down all your thoughts without stopping, and without regard for spelling, grammar, or any of the usual rules for writing. The purpose of the exercise is to generate ideas and to clear out distracting thoughts. This process helps silence the inner critic that stifles the flow of ideas and can also help with writer’s block. Lekha Instructors often use freewriting activity as it helps young writer’s to remain focused and encourages the flow of ideas and creativity. You can begin with a prompt, or imagine the best and worst things that could happen to your protagonist as a way to get started. Sometimes, our young writer’s use this method with the character’s in their stories, as Faith did in her story about A Homeless Puppy
A HOMELESS PUPPY By Faith Once there was a puppy that didn’t have a family. But one of the puppy’s favorite things was free-writing. One day he wrote a story that went like this:
Right now, I am at home. I want to have a friend. He talked to the girl he liked, but decided he didn’t like her. So, he went and talked to a boy who had a sister, but the sister didn’t want a puppy. So, the puppy went to a girl and YAY! The girl wanted him. When the girl got married, the boy also liked the puppy, so they were happy. What a happy family! 27
The Search for the Red Crayon Story and Artwork by Sruthi Jayakumar, Age 9
Pogo is a pencil. He lives in a pencil box in Crayawood City. One day, Pogo decided to visit Red Crayon. But when he got there he could not find her.
“Red Crayon!” Pogo called. He checked every nook and cranny in the neighborhood. Pogo even checked the sharpener but, could not find his friend.
Finally, he said, “There is only one way to find her.” Pogo had to travel across the plains and deserts to find his friend. The next day, Pogo was packing essential things for adventure. He took a compass, a first aid kit, food and water. Traveling across the plains and deserts was one of the most dangerous things a pencil could think of. But, Pogo had to find his friend. 28
His brother Philip and his sister Patty waved goodbye and Pogo set off. “It won’t be that bad,” Pogo thought, but he had no idea of what dangers were ahead for him. After Pogo crossed the city, he came to the plains. This was where the wagon was useful. The first few days were okay. One day he heard a loud growl. He jumped out of his wagon to see what was going on. Then he saw it. It was a huge wooden lion. The lion was about twenty inches tall. That was about two times the size of Pogo himself! “Who are you?” the lion asked Pogo. “I am Pogo. A pencil,” said Pogo and introduced himself. Suddenly, the lion’s face started to look angry. “GO AWAY!” the lion boomed and started chasing him. Pogo found himself bouncing as fast as he could away from the wooden lion. Then he slipped on something. Now he was sinking! Pogo struggled to get out of the muddy hole. He wiggled this way and that. He finally was able to get out , and he looked around. The lion was gone. Tired, he walked back to the wagon, washed up, put band-aids on his wounds, and rested for a few minutes. 29
When he woke up, Pogo took his compass to see where he was. At that moment, Pogo dropped his compass. Now it was broken!
Pogo asked another pencil named Johnas P. for directions. This pencil proclaimed that he had been all around the world and he knew how to go everywhere. Now, if Pogo had listened to his brother the week before, he would know that Johnas had made a map of the plains even though he had not been there himself. But, Pogo did not listen to Philip and followed the pencil’s direction.
Pogo was sure that the map would lead him in the right direction. But, the map did not lead Pogo in the right direction at all. Pogo became very lost. He was now in the desert and he was running out of water. The days were burning, but the nights were very windy.
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Finally, one day Pogo found a pond. After he filled his jug with water, Pogo set off again.
One day, Pogo came to a town. Then he thought he saw someone red. It was RED CRAYON! She had been looking for Pogo everywhere. Red Crayon’s owner had accidently taken Red Crayon home on Friday. When she came back on Monday, Pogo had gone to look for her.
Red Crayon also said that Johnas P.’s map led pencils in circles. “You should have listened to your brother.” said Red Crayon.
Pogo said he would remember that as they walked back home.
The Search for the Red Crayon, You Tube video
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Everyone dreams of being part of a good treasure hunt story. Even DOLPHINS!!
Dolphin Splash Amaris Barring, Age 1 1 In a beautiful sea, full of colorful sea animals, there lived a dolphin named Splash. Splash was always nice and helpful to others. Splash was the smallest of his brothers, Shine and Sparkle. Splash had one amazing dream and that was to find old man Hickinbottom's gold treasure. The only thing was that no one believed in Splash. But he didn't listen to anyone. The next day, Splash decided to go look for that treasure that he dreamed of finding. He came to a whirlpool. It took him away, and Splash was spinning and spinning. Splash saw some long seaweed and he reached for it and tied it around a rock and himself. Splash then reached out and pulled himself in. He was free and so was a crab that was grabbing the long seaweed as well, so Splash made a friend. The crab's name was Oaws. Splash and Oaws went to look for the treasure together. Soon Splash and Oaws found an old, creaky boat full of water-spider webs. Splash and Oaws thought it might be Old Hickinbottom's boat, and it was. Splash found a box that was very shiny. He had found the gold treasure. Splash and Oaws made it home safely. Splash's parents were happy that he was home but angry that he had left. They were happy about the gold too. After that journey, nobody ever doubted Splash ever again.
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PICTURE PROMPTS
A picture paints a thousand words. Paintings and photographs, intrigue, amuse and inspire every writer. Visual images stimulate the imagination, trigger human emotion and tap into a full range of human experience. Children are drawn to pictures and photographs. Picture prompts spark super writing and are a wonderful way to motivate young writers.
Artwork by Pankaj S. Pawaskar Look at the picture and write whatever story comes to your mind. Send your submissions to the following email address: submissions@lekhaink.com 33
A Magical Adventure Story and Artwork by Emma Luey, Age 9 Once upon a magical time there was a butterfly named Bella. Bella had pink wings and a yellow body. When she was little there was a thunderstorm and Bella got hit by lightning, but it was only her wing. Ever since then she couldn’t fly. Today was Bella’s first day of school. When she got there everyone laughed at her because of her wing. Then the most wonderful thing happened. A unicorn came up to Bella and said, “Do you want to be friends with me? My name is Unna!” The unicorn was all white with sparkles. Her mane and tail were so colorful that they looked like rainbows. She also had a sparkly horn. Bella was so happy. “Sure!” she said. Then a fairy came over and said, “Can I be friends with you too? My name is Cora.” The fairy was wearing a pink sparkly tutu and a pink short-sleeve shirt that was covered with flowers. Her shoes were glittery white. She wore a purple headband and she had long golden curls in her hair. Her fairy wings were maroon in color. Bella just smiled, “Of course you can,” she said. Bella was so happy she actually had friends now. 34
One day Bella told her friends that she wished she could fly. Unna, Bella, and Cora searched for something that could refill the hole in Bella’s wing. First, they found a ribbon. That did not help Bella because it was too long and not wide enough. Then they found a fossil. That too, did not help Bella because it was too heavy and it would just pull her down. Finally, they found a perfect-sized leaf. They put it on Bella’s wing and it worked! It was not too heavy and not too thin. It was wide and light. Now that the hole on the wing was patched with the leaf, her wing was as good as new! Now she could fly! She thanked her friends and realized that it didn’t matter how you look, friendship is what makes being with each other special. And of course, they lived happily ever after! THE END
This lovely friendship story was written by Emma Luey in her Appreciating Writing Camp in our 2018 Lekha Summer Camp in Pleasonton.
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. Eleanor Roosevelt-Former First lady of U.S.
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MOCHA by JACKIE KHUONG One day, a dog named Mocha woke up from a funny dream. Mocha was a mocha-colored Labrador. His dream was that he didn't have any friends! But, really, he didn't have any friends. So, he went and asked his brother to help him find a friend. His brother agreed. So, they set off for a long journey around the world.
First, they went to see if the gold fish would like to be his friend. But the goldfish said, "No." Then he went to ask the guppies. But the guppies said no, too. After he asked the guppies, he asked the grumpy, fat cat. But the fat cat said no. Then he went to ask turtle. But the turtle said no. Then he asked the frog. But the frog said no. Finally, his brother said, "Why don't I be your friend and your brother?" "Why didn't you just tell me that you would be my friend?" asked Mocha "I didn't tell you because I was thinking you would find a friend."
Many a times our own brothers and sisters turn out to be our
BEST FRIENDS. 36
LIONS BEST FRIEND by NATASHA LAAL Once upon a time, far, far away in a big, green, leafy jungle, there lived a lion. The lion looked big, yellow and kind. It was the lion's sixth birthday. "Okay, Lion," said Lion's mother, "it's time for you to find a new friend to play with. All the other lions have friends, so you need one too." Lion asked her, "But who should I pick?" Lion's mom said, "You'll know, young lion, you'll know." So, Lion marched all the way to the tiger palace. The tiger palace was large, grand and welcoming. There, he met a young tiger who was orange and playful. Lion asked him, "Will you come play with me?" Tiger said, "Oh no, I'm much too stripy to play with you!" Lion shrugged and said, "Suit yourself," then walked on. Next, Lion went to the playground, which was large, colorful and fun. At the playground, he met a small green turtle. Lion asked the turtle, "Will you play with me?" Turtle said, "Oh no, I'm much too slow to play with you." So, Lion sadly trudged back to his part of the jungle. Just then, a big, grey and heavy elephant was about to step on him, when ... ZIP! A tiny brown mouse who had seen the elephant walked up to him and yelled, "Elephant! Watch out! You're about to step on him!" Elephant stopped and said, "Oops! Sorry!" and walked away. "Wow, Mouse'" said the Lion, "You're so brave!" Mouse said, "I have to do that all the time, and you're welcome." Lion asked, "Will you play with me?" Mouse said, "Yes!" Even though the Mouse and Lion were very different from each other, they were still best friends forever.
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F ight for you R espect you I nclude you E ncourage you N eed you D eserve you S tand by you A Good Friend Hafsanoor Vanya
I am going to talk about what makes a good friend. There are many examples of good friends, and I am going to list the three main examples of a good friend. First of all, a good friend really cares about you. He or she listens to you. A good friend always cheers you up. Whether you're sad, angry, or have just lost a sports game, they will always cheer you up. During a game, they can always cheer for you and say, "Good luck." Next, a good friend understands you. Most good friends understand their best friends because they are close. But regardless of whether they're close or not, they should understand you. For example, if there is a problem between you and another person, and you were innocent, but the teacher didn't think so, then you might feel mad, or even sad that you got into this mess. Your good friend will come over to you and cheer you up. They should understand what has happened to you. If they don't, then they should say that they disagree in a polite and gentle way. Last of all, a good friend helps you. Whether it is with a math problem, or what to write about, or anything else in life, they should always help you. l have lots of good friends, and they ALWAYS help me. This, to me, is the most important thing a good friend can do. So now I am going to tell a story of how I was helping my friend:
I was with one of my best friends, Nikita, and we were skating at a rink called Cal Skate. Nikita kept clinging onto the wall. I always reared ahead of her. Then one time I came over to her. "You need help?" I asked. She nodded, and I held her tiny hand and tried to pull her forward. I left her when she got the hang of it. After that, I would always ask Nikita if she needed help and she would always appreciate it. Later, Nikita wanted to bring one of her friends to Cal Skate. She picked me, and another friend named Lisa. Nikita told me that she picked me because Lisa would ALWAYS race ahead of her and help her only a little. Nikita and I were also happy to have each other. Now you know what a good friend should be like. They should cheer you up, understand you, and help you. You can be a good friend to someone new, old, or even someone who is already a good friend to you! 38
Scout and Carrot's Friendship Aashna Ohintalapani Scout looked out through the window of the car. He was riding in the back seat of a big black van, off to his new home. A girl named Abby had taken him from an animal shelter and they were going to her house. When he got home, he sniffed the furniture, ran around the house and was happy to be in a new home with people who would show him love. Then he realized something was wrong with this new home! I don't have any friends here! he thought. He looked around the house and spotted a tiny, light golden-brown hamster in a cage. He walked over to the cage and said "Hello! My name is Scout. This is my new home." The hamster just scowled at him and said, "Go away. I don't like you." and turned away from Scout. Then Abby walked over and said, "Scout, this is Carrot. My hamster." Abby put a bowl of dog food in front of him and he started to eat silently. Carrot enjoyed his crackers. Then he sipped some water from his tank and rolled around in his cage. He paid no attention to Scout, who was taking a nap, without any friends. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" screamed Abby, who was crying for Carrot. Scout noticed that Carrot was gone! He gave Abby a tiny lick on the cheek and sniffed the cage for Carrot's scent. He followed the scent and it led him to the family garden. Carrot was under a bush shivering! "RUFF! RUFF!" Scout barked. The family ran over and brought Carrot home. Carrot said, "SQUEAK! SQUEAK!" to Scout, which meant "thank you" in hamster. From then on, Carrot and Scout were good friends.
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Lekha Publishers proudly presents Gajendra Moksha– Liberation of the Elephant King By Geetanjali Mittal
An excerpt from Gajendra Mokhsha Liberation of the Elephant King Here is an ancient tale of a noble Indian King Whose love for the Lord was above everything Who ruled with true wisdom and great humility And found a genuine joy in fulfilling every duty Serving his people with prudence not by power He governed with diligence each day and hour Tempted not by wealth nor by worldly comfort No difference he saw between diamonds or dirt Once when people were peaceful and content The borders of his kingdom were safe and silent The king decided that the time was just right To seek a retreat from his luxurious royal life Hope you are all now curious to learn more about what happens next??? 40
We always welcome good reviews, especially from our own Young Wordsmiths. Some love to express themselves using words and some through Artwork. Here are a few samples.
All about Writing Camp Bansri Patel, Age 7 Guess what? Today I'm going to camp! I can't wait! You know why? It’s because I love writing." "Let's go, we're getting late," my aunt said. "Coming," I said. "Whoops, Sorry! I forgot to introduce myself. Well my name is Bansri Patel. When I got here I was very shy. But luckily a girl named Rhea cheered me up. First, we wrote an environment story. Then, we wrote a story about a picture. My environment story was about planting trees. My picture story was about an eagle. Then, we wrote a story. And then we will be doing some vocabulary. This is the best camp ever!
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YOUNG WORDSMITHS Young Wordsmiths is the online magazine of Lekha Writing Center, which is dedicated to publishing writing BY and FOR children. Material in this magazine is drawn from student writings’ from anthologies published by Lekha Publishers, LLC over the years as well as from current student writings’ from our ongoing Lekha Writing Center classes and camps. Send your submissions to the following email address: submissions@lekhaink.com
LEKHA WRITING CENTER Lekha Writing Center is currently offering Summer Writing Camps at many of our Bay Area locations. We take pride in teaching children the art of writing creatively using a blend of time-tested and newly-developed methods that stir one’s IMAGINATION. To register for ongoing Lekha Writing Center classes and camps go to: www.lekhawriting.com.
Lekha Writing Center Video 42