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THE

STORY BOOK by the ReadUP! program

Contents 4

Welcome

Story Heroes 2023

Stories The No Home Fish by Ayesha The Travel to Mexico by Brandon The Fantastic Tiny People by Makenna and Rhylee The Yarning Circle by Hannah and Sharna Kenny the Stuffed Animal by Zainab The Quilt by Khadeeja Mrs Huff by Lilyarna The Magic Fruit by Majida Detective Night by Sitayish

6 Story Moments Never Give Up on Passion by Maryam The Black Snake in Tin Town by Maeson, Eli and Malakaye Max’s Reality Shift by Zayn Alone by Rojyar Belonging to Yourself by Aerolou I’m One of Them, Right? by Hooria

Catch up on Story Heroes 2022 Podcasts Story Heroes presents Laptop The Read Up! program presents Story Heroes 2022

Welcome

For the second year running, we are thrilled to present Story Heroes – an initiative of the Read Up program created by Auburn West Public School, Granville East Public School and Coonamble Public School. This year, it’s bigger and better than before – nine podcasts, two films and a digital magazine, all celebrating the creative minds of our kids. As part of this year’s Story Heroes project, hundreds of students from across our schools submitted an original piece of writing that connected to the theme of ‘Places We Belong’. The best stories were then shortlisted and the writers were invited to a two-day workshop that was held at Auburn West Public School and explored many forms of storytelling. The workshop was a big hit, featuring expert speakers including First Nations artist Dennis Golding, journalist and author Simone Amelia Jordan, artist and animator Simon Greiner, cinematographer Sam Phibbs, photographer Cara O’Dowd, and podcaster Lauren McWhirter. As you flick through this magazine, you can see, hear, read and watch the results. The Read Up! program is funded by national charity Schools Plus and supported by Weld Stories. We look forward to growing it even more in future years, fostering a love of reading and writing in our vibrant school communities. Enjoy! Louise Reynolds, Annette Thomson and Leanne Hodges Principals – Granville East Public School, Coonamble Public School and Auburn West Public School

From left: Louise Reynolds, Amna Elghoul, Rebecca McIntyre, Leigh McLeod, Tugba Kopuz, Jessica Walker

Story Heroes 2023

Teachers and students from Auburn West Public School, Coonamble Public School and Granville East Public School discuss how they created and participated in the Story Heroes program and workshops, in celebration of the power of literacy and storytelling.

The No Home Fish by Ayesha

Tori longs for someone to take her home from the pet shop, but when the day finally comes all is not what it seems. Can she survive a house full of cats?

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

Tap tap tap As per usual I don’t know why humans think that when they tap on my fish tank something bizarre is going to happen. “I have been in here forever. I hate being in this smelly and lonely fish tank,” screams Tori, as she angrily swims away. Soon she hears some distant chattering. She knows it’s just the people who come to the pet store but never buy anything. Suddenly a small white shiny net approaches. Tori freaks out but not because she is scared – she is screaming with delight! She had always watched her friends get into these nets and HAVE A FAMILY! She swims into the net as the fish keeper scoops her out and puts her in the tightest little bag with water. Tori is then placed into the hands of a couple who have smiles on their faces. The whole ride to her new home she is so hyper and swimming fast in the bag that smells like rotten fish food. As Tori reaches the doorstep she imagines a massive and beautiful fish tank with lots of friends. The door creaks open and she is surprised – all eyes are on her….behind the door is a house full of cats!

They all stare at her with a mischievous smile. She knows her life isn’t going to be easy. As Tori pops into the tiny fish bowl she notices that the fish bowl is big enough to fit a sly and scary cat. Tori is freaking out.

A couple of days later, thankfully she isn’t eaten – although those nasty cats have made a million attempts. Tori feels like how she used to feel in the pet store: lonely, alone, depressed. But the store was better because there weren’t a million cats staring at her and because she could still see other fish. As for the owners, they see that Tori is not being productive and just hiding in a dark corner pretending she doesn’t exist. Tori’s owner is moving and as they wanted a productive fish they decide to put Tori in the corner of the house and move out. Tori is distressed but ecstatic at the same time. She would rather live in a home without death staring at her. A couple of days later Tori feels hungry; she doesn’t know how long she has gone without food. Suddenly, a bright light comes from the hallway – she looks and sees a family! One of the kids spots Tori and runs to her. Tori looks at the blurry figures and then…

Clare sees Tori floating in the fish bowl then screams at her dad to come. “Dad, come, there’s a fish!” Ben comes running and looks at Tori’s floating body. He takes her out and tries to revive her: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10”. Suddenly, Tori opens her pale eyes and wonders what happened. Ben and his family look at the little goldfish. And Tori looks at her saviour. The last thing she remembers is not having a home but it’s clear to Tori that she has found her forever home. She finally feels like she belongs.

The Travel to Mexico by Brandon A trip to Mexico on a plane turns out to be full of action and adventure for one unsuspecting traveller.

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

I started packing my things. I was a bit scared and anxious because I am scared of heights and I was travelling to Mexico on a plane. It was 3am in the morning. My door creaked open, I felt a cool breeze go over me. As I walked down the stairs, I heard a knocking sound on the living room window. I decided to go check it out but nothing was there. Then I realised that my Uber had arrived so I walked outside and got into my Uber. When I arrived at the airport, it was 6am and still a bit dark. It was as cold as Antarctica. As I walked into the airport a guy in black approached me but didn’t say anything. I decided to walk away because my flight boarded in 30 minutes. Once I arrived at my plane, we were already boarding so I rushed onto the plane. The pilot warned us that there wasn’t that much fuel but we should make it. As we launched, I felt a bit sick. It was still a bit cold and I had 14 hours left on the plane. I decided to sleep 12 hours during the flight. The other hour I was getting annoyed by a lady with over four kids. Suddenly the plane ran out of fuel and we were falling!

I quickly punched my window and got out. Out of nowhere, a huge party boat with a pool on top came from under a bridge. Hurray, I was saved! Luckily, I landed in the pool. The water splashed all over the people. Once they noticed me, they helped me out of the pool and got me new clothes to put on. I asked them where they were heading and they said Australia. I asked them if they could take me home and they said “Yes!’’.

Once we arrived in Australia, a lady insisted on taking me back home. “Of course I’ll take you home’’ Once I got home I fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw that my boss had texted me and said that I had another job in Malaysia!

The Fantastic Tiny People by Makenna and Rhylee

A sunny day by the river turns treacherous for Michelle and Rose, after they encounter Kale – an angry, red belly black snake.

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

Splash! The twinkle of the ‘yella bellies’ shining scales jumped out of the water and flopped back in. Down by the river, the scorching sun was making the sand piping hot. The sizzling heat was making the small little village called Combara a very hot place to be. All you could smell was the rotting dead carp, thick gooey mud and a half burnt campfire.

Two sweet little girls named Michelle and Rose, who lived at Combara, went down to the mighty Castlereagh river to have a refreshing swim as it was as hot as burning concrete in summer. They jumped in the freezing brown water. Michelle and Rose felt a lot of slimy carp on the bottom of their feet. Michelle had big hazel eyes, luxurious long blonde hair with a hint of waves and she loved taking photos of colourful flowers and being outside. Rose, on the other hand, had brown hair with mermaid waves and loved being inside doing her skincare or being on the phone. They were totally different people but they were super duper close. They finally got out of the water after a terrific swim. As they climbed up the sandy bank to get their stuff, they saw a red belly black snake. Its name was Kale. It looked fierce and angry. The girls ran but before they could get to the exit, Kale launched at the girls and bit them. Rose dropped her phone. Michelle thought the crazy pain would slowly go away but it didn’t. Instead of the

pain going away they started to shrink. They shrank slowly and fell to the ground. They were as tiny as ants. Kale, the red belly black snake, swallowed them in one great big mouth full. Then Kale put them in his dark black hole. Michelle and Rose felt tired because it was dark as a black spooky crow. Their voice boxes were so sore from screaming “HELP!!!” The next day, they kept screaming out “HELP!” A frilled neck lizard named Fred lived nearby. He felt vibrations from the ground and went to see if anything was going on. Fred saw the bling of the phone that Rose dropped earlier, and he saw a local person called John stroll by to have a sticky beak. Fred snapped at John to come over to where the phone was glistening in the shallow water. John had big blue eyes and long hair with a hairy beard. He was a very kind man. He also had a pale and chubby face and could fight anything with his enormous belly. John went through the phone and saw it was a girl he met before. “HELP!! We are stuck here!” screamed the two scared girls. The voice led John to the deep black hole. Kale was asleep right next to the spooky hole. But John was as quiet as a mouse. John found a rope next to an old dried up tree. He threw the rope down the deep hole. It took ages to get the rope down there because of how

deep it was. One by one, John pulled the girls up. They were still small. Fred the frill neck lizard was there watching John pull the girls up. Fred could still see the girls were scared and small, so he sprinted back down to the water where he gobbled lots of water and slowly it turned into magical potion. He started to make funny noises. Suddenly POOF!!! The magical potion spurted out everywhere from Fred’s frill and the girls started to grow. Soon, the girls were back to their normal size.

Not only did the girls go back to normal but the whole river did, too. The dead flowers came back to life and the dried trees were now blooming. The river’s water turned crystal clear and everyone was happy. Rose and Michelle grew bigger, stronger and smarter. Kale vanished in the dust and was never seen again. Fred joined the group with Rose, Michelle and John. John was quiet and shy but now he had someone to lean on when he needed to. He felt loved. Fred used his magic to make the river a safe place to be, so everyone had a sense of belonging.

The Yarning Circle by Hannah and Sharna

Why is all the water in the Macquarie Marshes running low? Darrin the dhinawan, Bianca the bunda, Wendy the waan and Gary the gulayalii must work together to find out, fast.

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

THUMP! All the animals race to the yarning circle, feet pounding the ground like a jackhammer. There was Darrin the dhinawan, Bianca the bunda, Wendy the waan and Gary the gulayalii. Darrin was a dreamer and a very scruffy emu. Wendy was a sleek black crow that was as intelligent as Einstein. Bianca was a dirty brown kangaroo who always hopped in the coarse dirt – she was very tall. Gary was a pelican who was as white as snow. He was as selfish as a chimpanzee.

They all met up at the yarning circle near the Macquarie Marshes – Gary arrived late because he had to travel through some small towns called Baradine, Coonamble and the tiny township of Quambone. It was very dry at the Macquarie Marshes and all the animals were begging for water. Wendy had called a meeting because all of the water in Macquarie Marshes was running low. All the animals were paying attention, except Gary who was always thinking of himself. Gary felt left out. He felt like he didn’t belong because no matter how hard he tried, he didn’t fit in. Soon after, he started to steal the last of the Macquarie Marshes water with his enormous orange beak. As Wendy flew past, she noticed that the water was missing. So she called another meeting straight away! Every animal at the Macquarie Marshes rushed to the meeting.

“Guys! Guys! Someone has stolen all the water from the Macquarie Marshes!” yelled Wendy. “We have to find out who has stolen it,” she said with a horrified look on her face. They realised something! Gary was not there at the meeting. “Where’s Gary?” said Darrin. They went looking for him. They were very tired so they wanted to hit the hay. But Bianca said, “Hang in there, we’re so close!” She had an idea about where the water and Gary were. They went through Coonamble, Quambone and Baradine rushing to find Gary. THEY FOUND HIM! “Yay!”, said Wendy. They had found him in a little tree house in the Warrumbungles. Then they realised they had found the water in a water hole right next to Gary’s tree house. They went to see Gary. He started to beg them for forgiveness. ‘’Please! Please forgive me!’’ They understood that Gary was all alone in the Warrumbungles, with no one to play with and no one to talk to. They guessed he took all the water for attention. They all chipped in to build a new treehouse for Gary, a home closer to all the other animals, and they made their group bigger with Gary and all the other animals in it! They met up again at the yarning circle at the Macquarie Marshes to talk about how to be kind and treat each other with respect. The moral of the story is that Gary learnt to never be selfish and steal the water and Darrin, Bianca and Wendy learnt to never leave someone out. It’s important to include everyone so they have a sense of belonging.

Kenny the Stuffed Animal by Zainab

Sunset at the beach becomes extra special, thanks to a chance discovery and a special new friendship.

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

As I strolled along the extraordinary beach, the setting sun painted the sky in breathtaking shades of orange and pink. The waves gently kissed the shore, and a warm breeze carried the scent of salt and adventure. Just when I thought the evening couldn’t get any more enchanting, something truly magical happened. I spotted a stuffed animal and instantly knew that this stuffed animal was for me. I decided to name it Kenny. Unable to contain my joy, I dashed back to my mum, “Mum, Mum!!!” I exclaimed, breathless with excitement. “Look what I found!” Her eyes widened in surprise as I presented the marvellous discovery. I had been to this beach countless times before, but this was an entirely new and fabulous experience. We embarked on countless adventures together, traversing the hot sands and exploring the beach’s hidden treasures. The sunset became even more magical with Kenny by my side. As the sky turned into a canvas of colours, I felt an indescribable sense of wonder and joy. During one of our beach escapades, a curious little girl approached me, her eyes sparkling with admiration. “I love your stuffed animal,” she exclaimed. Her name was Lilly. Grateful for her kind words, I thanked her with a warm smile and continued to play with Kenny, knowing that the bond between us was as special as the radiant sunset that graced our beach adventures.

As I played with Lilly, a special bond began to form between us, too. It was as if the beach had woven the threads of our lives together, and I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. Lilly, at the young age of eight, was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm, and her infectious joy added an extra layer of magic to our day. While we were playing, my mum screamed, “Come on, Isabella, it’s time to go home!” I sighed. Lilly was devastated and so was I. I tried to beg my mum for five more minutes, considering we lived five minutes away, but she would not budge.

The approaching separation weighed heavily on both Lilly and me. The thought of saying goodbye was heartwrenching. I glanced at Kenny, realising that he wasn’t truly mine, and reluctantly decided to leave him behind with Lilly, hoping it would be a small comfort for her. Her eyes sparkled with gratitude, and she hugged the toy tightly. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the beach, I said my final goodbye to Lilly, promising to remember this incredible day forever. Our footsteps left imprints in the sand, an indication of friendship that had blossomed on that extraordinary beach. Tears welled up in my eyes as I walked away, but I knew that the memories of that day would forever warm my heart and remind me of the friendship that had kindled on that fateful evening.

The Quilt by Khadeeja A quilt made with love by a grandmother feels like a warm hug for its owner. So when the quilt goes missing, all hope seems lost. But not for long…

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

As I woke up to the warmth embracing my body, I saw myself hugging my blanket that my great-grandmother had passed down to me. It brought back so many heartful memories, and it meant a lot to me. ‘How would it feel if my great grandma was still with me?’ I thought to myself. Whenever I hug this quilt, it feels like those warm hugs that my great grandma used to give.

After eating breakfast, I went upstairs to change from my pj’s. I let out a huge sigh as I was still exhausted from the morning. My eyes grew heavy. They felt like 10 pound bowling balls. As they slowly shut, I went deeply into thoughts of my grandma happily sewing the quilt that I own now. Surprisingly, I found myself back in my room – it felt like I had the power of teleportation. I looked over to see my quilt GONE! “It was there a minute ago,” I thought to myself. After finding that it wasn’t anywhere in my room, I broke into tears that flooded my whole room! After a while of sadness and sobbing, I knew I was wasting time. ‘Grandma would be so upset if she found out I lost it!’ I got up and started to look around my house, but still couldn’t find it.

The last spot to look in was the laundry. I pulled everything out and dug through the mess of clothes. After digging through the pile of clothes, I found my quilt at the bottom of the washing machine. I picked it up, sniffed the quilt and realised that something was missing. My grandma’s scent was no longer there! I made my way back to my room knowing there was no chance of my grandma’s scent coming back. “This is all my fault!,” I cried as sadness and guilt created tears. The next day, while eating breakfast, I spotted my quilt drying outside. I gobbled the rest of my Nutri-grain and rushed outside to get my quilt. When I held the quilt in my hands, I realised that love is all that matters. Even if my great grandma wasn’t with me, I knew we still had a great connection between us.

Mrs Huff by Lilyarna Starting at a new school proves difficult for Camilla, until she finds a friend in the most unlikely of places.

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

“GET UP!!!”, yells Mum as loud as a fog horn. “It’s time to get ready for school!” My name is Camilla and today is my first day of school. I am not very excited but Mum said I have to make new friends today.

Vroom! As Mum arrives at my new school gate, I would say the gate is as tall as a giraffe. Anyway, time to enter the gate and there’s no turning back now. As I enter the gate, my belly drops and this cold shiver runs down my body. I’ve got to get through the day but the day is not as I expected it to be.

Chitter! Chatter! All the people around me talk but then they all go quiet and look at me. I expect them to be mean and not show me what to do but surprisingly, three girls are very nice. None of the boys like me, though. At lunchtime, I see the three girls being mean to other boys and now I know why the boys didn’t want to talk to me in the first place. As I look down at my lunchbox, I see my sandwich is gone. At first I think it must have fallen out but then I see the girls jumping on my sandwich! I can’t just let them stand over me like that so I tell them to get off my sandwich. But they don’t listen.

Before I have a river of tears that flood the place, I think to myself, ‘Why are they doing this to me? I just want friends and not people that hate me and are mean to me.’ A couple of nights later, I cry myself to sleep. The next morning, I wake up very early and I never wake up early. I just think I had a bad night’s sleep. I don’t realise that a dark, gloomy, grey cloud has appeared over me. I get dressed, but I don’t want to go to school. My mum comes in 10 minutes later and asks quietly, “What’s that cloud over your head, sweetheart?”

I don’t reply. I think Mum is just being mean. I run down the old creaking stairs and out the large front door. The cold air hits me like a brick wall. I arrive at school and everyone is looking at me, even the three bullies. I am confused. I beg the principal to let me go home because I suddenly realise what Mum was talking about at home this morning. There is a cloud over my head! Ashamed of the cloud, I run home as fast as I can, rushing up the old creaking stairs and diving on the top of the crisp white sheets of my bed. “Why, oh why?” I sob. “Just why me out of anyone it could be, it’s me. What even is this cloud?” Before I can say another word the cloud pops! “Ahhhh!” I scream. “Hello, my name is Mrs Huff!”, Mrs Huff says politely. “GET OUT!” I yell.

“Bbbuuuuut…?” stutters Mrs Huff “No, I said get out now!” I say in a really cranky voice.

Drip! Drop! As rain gently falls outside, Mrs Huff is very upset and she is getting soaked. I need to make it up to Mrs Huff for my foolish behaviour. I realise that Mrs Huff is the only friend I have! I have treated her like those girls treated me. I let Mrs Huff inside and I give her my softest blanket. I offered her my bed, and now I don’t have to worry about friends again.

The Magic Fruit by Majida A fruit hidden deep in a rainforest is the key to saving Katie’s sick grandma…if only she can get to it first.

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

One bright, sunny morning, Katie was driving to the hospital to visit her sick grandma when she heard on the radio that a magical fruit was hidden in the rainforest on the other side of the world. “Wow! I must get that magical fruit for my grandma!,” yelled Katie with excitement. When Katie arrived at the hospital, she told her grandma all about the magic fruit and how she had to get it to cure her grandma’s sickness. Her grandma begged, “Please sweetheart, you don’t need to do that.” “Don’t worry, Grandma, I’ll get you that magic fruit!,” Katie confidently said. Even though the rainforest was far away, Katie would do anything to help her grandma get better. Katie booked a flight to the other side of the world, packed her bags, and drove to the airport. “Bye, everyone!,” shouted Katie. “Bye, Katie!,” everyone yelled, and Katie left. When Katie arrived, she rented a car and drove to the rainforest. When she arrived at the rainforest, the trees were as tall as giraffes. She saw a girl about her age. The girl walked up to Katie and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Lily! Nice to meet you!” “Hi, I’m Katie! Nice to meet you too!”, responded Katie. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for the magical fruit,” replied Lily. “Me too! I’m trying to cure my grandma because she’s sick and in hospital,” “Oh! I hope she gets better! Good luck finding the fruit!” “Thanks, you too!,” replied Katie. Katie and Lily became friends and started looking for the magical fruit together. Then Katie exclaimed, “Let’s split up!”

Katie looked near the tall trees and Lily looked near the wonderful waterfall. Lily looked closely in the water and something shiny caught her eye. She jumped in the water and found…the magic fruit! The fruit was floating in the water like a boat. “KATIE! I FOUND THE MAGIC FRUIT!”, shouted Lily. Katie came running to the waterfall and helped Lily out of the water. “Wow!”, shouted Katie. “I can’t believe you found it! You are so great at finding things!” “Thank you!”, responded Lily. Katie was a little upset though. “What’s wrong, Katie? Why are you upset?,” asked Lily. “I’m happy for you but I’m a little sad because I can’t help my grandma anymore,” Katie explained.

Lily gave Katie the fruit. “Here, I want you to have it, you need it more than I do.” Lily exclaimed. “Oh my god, thank you so much, Lily!” “You’re welcome, Katie!” Katie and Lily hugged and said goodbye to each other. Katie went back to her country and fed her grandma the fruit. “Thank you, sweetheart! I feel so much better!” “You’re most welcome, Grandma!”

Detective Night by Sitayish A diamond, a thief and…a bird? When a Sydney museum gets robbed, a flying superhero sets out to save the day – but not the kind of superhero you’d expect.

Listen to this story via the podcast:

2023

by the ReadUP! program

One Monday morning, Arfie woke up in his birdhouse excited to visit the city. Arfie was a bird and he loved adventures. Sydney Harbour was his favourite city. The city was peaceful and admirable. He mostly liked it because he saw the famous Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Arfie gathered his supplies for the city in his bird house, which was on an Aspen tree near a playground. Arfie was thrilled to go to the city. He flew to the Harbour Bridge, and stood on top of it looking at the glorious view. After what felt like two hours, Arfie got up and flew to a museum. He wasn’t allowed inside but he saw some of the artworks from outside of the museum. In an instant, he saw a man near a precious diamond on display - when the security guard wasn’t looking, the man secretly put the diamond in his pocket and left with a grin on his face. Arfie followed him until the man was home. Arfie instantly knew he was in trouble. The man saw him and hit him with a tiny bat! Arfie luckily dodged it and went straight home. Arfie couldn’t believe what he saw. At home, Arfie knew that he had seen the man stealing and he had to get that diamond back into the museum without anyone knowing and get that guy in trouble.

So at night, Arfie went back to the man’s house and slowly crept into his window, as it was open. He went to check if the guy was asleep and slowly tip-toed into the safe next to the bedroom - but the safe had a code. “Oh no,” he thought to himself. But suddenly he remembered that he had seen the man putting a code in – 3456 was the code. Arfie typed it in and the safe opened. He quietly took the diamond and left the house. He went back to the museum and used a bobby pin that he found on the floor to open the door. He went inside and put the diamond back.

Another day saved by Arfie.

6 Story Moments

Students from Auburn West Public School, Coonamble Public School and Granville East Public School share the inspiration behind the stories they wrote as part of the 2023 Story Heroes program. The theme? Places We Belong. Excerpts from their stories, as well as dioramas and cape artwork, are also shared to show the many elements that influence their narratives.

Never Give Up on Passion by Maryam

It’s big game day! Can the team prevail on the field? “My first time winning felt good”, thought Isaac, who was at home getting ready for footy training. He was worried that he wouldn’t win. While Isaac and his mum were on their way to the park, Isaac asked his mum, “Why am I such a bad player? I keep losing my games.” His mum replied, ”Oh Isaac, don’t say that. Bad games don’t make you a bad player.” They eventually got to the park for footy training. As Isaac was training, his mum was having a conversation with the other mums. “My son Isaac is worried he will lose his game tomorrow,” she said. The other mum replied, “My son was also worried.”

As Isaac finished training his coach, Zack, called out, “Boys, come I need to talk to you guys!” They started walking over. Their coach officially announced, “We are going to have another training session tomorrow at 9:30am – three hours before our big game!” Isaac smiled and had a feeling they’d win their big game from that extra training session. The next morning was bright and sunny, and Isaac was getting ready for his training session while his mum was making a protein breakfast for him before his big game. As he was finding his team socks, his mum called out, “Isaac, breakfast is ready!” He ran downstairs, and his dad spoke. “Son, you better make me proud today.” Isaac smiled and felt stronger than before for his game. His dad drove him to the park, but his sister, Ella, decided to be rude (like usual) and said, laughing, “I hope you lose today.” Isaac gave her a death stare, then they got to the park and started their session. One hour later Isaac walked up to his coach with his hair and clothes full of sweat. “Coach, did I train well?” His coach responded, “Yes Isaac, you carried the whole team. I’m so proud of you!” Isaac smiled and walked up to his sister. Ella said, “Aww, is your coach proud of you for being the worst player on your whole team?” She laughed and Isaac’s dad yelled, “Ella, cut it out! Have some respect for your brother!” Ella gave Isaac a nasty look and rolled her eyes.

Big game time Isaac and his teammates were warming up before their big game while their coach was giving some advice: “Never give up! A bad game doesn’t make you a bad player!” Five minutes later, Isaac’s coach yelled out, “GAME TIME, BOYS!” They all ran to the sheds to run out for their big game. During the game

Isaac yelled out, “BOYS, RUN UP!” Catching the ball, he used all his strength to run, passing the ball to his teammate before his teammate scored a try. The team celebrated the try while Isaac was getting ready to goal kick. Soon, he kicked it in between the poles, smiled and looked up to see his dad smiling proudly. The other team got the ball, and passed it along, but Isaac made an intercept. The game finished and the team sang their chant: EVERYWHERE WE GO! PEOPLE WANNA KNOW! WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE COME FROM! SO, WE TELL THEM WE ARE WOLVES! THE MIGHTY, MIGHTY WOLVES! LET’S CHEER FOR WOLVES! They slammed their boots on the bin and splashed water. Isaac and his family were so proud!

The Black Snake in Tin Town by Maeson, Eli and Malakaye Based on an Aboriginal story, this narrative teaches the importance of looking after your friends.

A long, long time ago in Tin Town, there were three adventurous kids named Max, Miles and Elliot. Max had long straight brown hair that was always shiny and he was very tall. Elliot had light brown hair that was as messy as a bird’s nest and he was a medium size. Miles was the same size as Elliot, and had a black and brown spiky mullet that he combed every day.

Max, Miles and Elliot camped at the caravan park in Tin Town, an area in the outback where there is very long grass and lots of tall green trees. The caravan park was fancy and smelt beautiful; it felt like smooth metal. The weather was hot in the evening, as hot as a desert! Max said, “I am so thirsty I could drink the whole ocean.” They went to the shiny blue river to collect water and sticks. Elliot ran off as fast as a cheetah and Max said, “I’ve told you a million times not to run away from us.” Elliot wasn’t looking where he was going and suddenly he got gobbled up by Shawn the big black snake – he was as long as a truck. Miles jumped off an old dead tree and wrestled Shawn the snake. Next, Max held the snake’s mouth open so Miles could quickly squeeze his belly really tight. Elliot blasted out of Shawn’s mouth and shot straight towards Max. They then headed back to the old Tin Town camp to celebrate. On the way back, Elliot threw up and Max and Miles said “EEEEWWWW!” Then, after all the excitement, they faded off to sleep. Elliot realised that he was lucky to have friends like Max and Miles because they saved the day.

Max’s Reality Shift by Zayn Not all remote controls are made equal. This one can take you to a parallel universe…

Once upon a time, in the gloom of the Twilight Woods, a young boy named Max was wandering about, tracing the bark of giant oaks with his bare hands. The crunch of the leaves under his little boots was the only sound punctuating the otherwise organic silence. That was, until he encountered something utterly out of place – a remote control perched on a gnarled branch.

Intrigued, Max dashed towards it, curiosity gleaming in his wide eyes. “It looks just like a regular remote,” Max mumbled to himself, cautiously picking up the device. He decided to bring this peculiar find home, his mind swirling with the plethora of possibilities of its unusual purpose. Sitting at his study table, Max examined his new possession under the gentle glow of his desk lamp. He turned the remote over and over in his hands, eyes searching for any clue to its function. It was then, by fate or accident, Max pressed one of the buttons on the remote. “Oh no,” his voice echoed within his room as the remote started to vibrate violently, shaking as if in protest. The floor beneath him seemed to mirror the remote’s tremors, creating a ripple of dread across Max’s heart. The room twisted and morphed. A portal sprang into existence from the floor, swirling blues and violets obstructing his sight. Panicked but not seeing any other option, Max took a deep breath and leaped into the unknown. As colours swirled around him and the feeling of gravitational pull lessened, Max landed on a soft, grassy terrain. He gazed in amazement and confusion at his new surroundings. “Is this a parallel universe?” he pondered aloud.

His eyes widened with shock as he witnessed dogs trotting upright like human boys and cats prancing around daintily like girls. It was a confounding, disconcerting sight. Just as he was absorbing the strange new world around him, the portal from which he had come disappeared. “24 HOURS” displayed on the remote and then he was completely stuck. Fear gripped his heart. He was stranded in a world most peculiar, the countdown on the remote intensifying his terror. Max was determined to return home. He had an inkling that the limited time was his window to return to his world. He ventured into the equivalent of Twilight Woods in this bizarro world, hoping to find another version of the remote.

His body suddenly started to glitch, pixelating into the environment, with him feeling like he was tearing apart. Distressed cries for help slipped from his lips, “WHAT IS HAPPENING? HELP ME!” He believed his end was imminent; his form was dissipating into thin air. He sobbed, his runny nose glistening with fresh tears. The harsh reality of being stuck in an unknown world gnawed at his very soul. Suddenly, he had an idea. Max fumbled with the remote, trying to pry it open but was unsuccessful. Despair had almost overshadowed him when he stumbled upon a screwdriver someone had left behind. With renewed hope, Max quickly removed the batteries, hoping to restart the device. As he inserted the batteries back and clicked another button, the portal – the gateway home – swirled back into existence. Without wasting another moment, Max jumped into the portal, courageously facing its uncertainty. As he tumbled back into his room, the adventure in the peculiar parallel world stayed with him, leaving him enlightened and yet relieved. His tear-streaked face now bore a smile of triumph. The strange event in Twilight Woods had turned into a remarkable adventure – one Max would remember for many years to come.

Alone by Rojyar A story of a boy who finds support in the most unlikely of places.

The gentle breeze causes shivers down spines in the lonely town. The deep snow fills everyone up with sadness and the falling snow resembles the falling town. Matthew sighs and looks down, on the verge of giving up but using every ounce of resilience he has. He looks up, squinting his eyes. Eager not to scream, he takes a

53 deep breath. He continues walking very slowly, like a snail scanning the town for anyone like him. “I wish! I just wish there was someone like me,” he says, then holds his breath, desperately trying not to cry out loud. A teardrop comes racing out. As the tear comes down, Matthew looks at a tree standing by itself. A strong gust of wind pushes the lonely tree. Matthew feels a stab in his heart and takes a huge breath. Seeing the tree being attacked by the wind brings back rough memories for Matthew and he runs to hold the tree, giving the tree support.

He cries and says, “I’m with you.” Matthew closes his eyes and remembers the great memories of his family. A heartwarming connection comes, and he opens his eyes to look at the vast town. Surprised that no one has any sympathy for him, a poor boy, he hopes that the cursed town will live in poverty like him so they can understand him. “This world! This town will be repaid for the sinister things they have done,” he says. “Thank you for helping me,” a mysterious voice comes out.

“Huh! Who is that?”, Matthew quickly questions. “It’s me! The tree! You came and supported me,” the tree says, revealing itself. “Well…yeah I-I did h-h-h-help you,” Matthew mutters. Matthew slowly sits down and reads the book in his hands, with the tree as his pillow. He then sighs and looks down. The tree sees this and says, “Hey! Cheer up! I will help you like you helped me!”

Belonging to Yourself by Aerolou What do you do when no one else has your back? One girl learns how important it is to love yourself.

RING! My alarm clock roared like a lion. I woke up exhausted, went to the bathroom and took an extended amount of time to shower. I squirted the two-in-one shampoo and conditioner on my hair and brushed it out as my long blonde hair glimmered.

I hopped out of the shower and rushed to get ready for school, putting on my leggings and my red plaid skirt. I jumped up and squeezed into my white collared school shirt, then my red shiny tie followed. I put mascara on to make my eyelashes become like spider webs, which made my bright green eyes stand out. I also put some lip gloss on my thick lips. I picked up my plain black bag and hurried out the front door quietly so my mother wouldn’t wake up and became as fast as a cheetah to get to school without being late to see my friends.

Puff..!

“Yes! I’m here! Where’s Valerie?” I puffed out with my last breath. Valerie was my best friend and we were friends since preschool! Now we are in Year 10. But there was an unrecognisable feeling in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what it meant. I felt under the weather and I wanted to throw up, but I knew I couldn’t. “Where is she?” I said to myself out loud. I was puzzled. I pondered, where would Valerie and my other friends hang out while waiting for me? I searched places they could be and eventually found them. “Bahaha!” “Oh, hey guys! Oh…guys? Guys!” I was baffled. Why were they just snickering and whispering? Why wouldn’t they stop? They were as busy as a hive of bees!

“GUYS”, I growled louder than a brown bear. I clenched my teeth and hardened my fists. “Oh! Ugh, hey Belladonna,” Valerie sighed, glaring at me in disgust with her brown eyes and face covered in make-up. Her face looked like a clown – it was horrid! “What do you want? Oh my God! Ugh!,” Zen said. He sounded like steam was about to come out of his ears and his face was turning redder than a tomato; his black curly hair was about to stand up! What was his problem? “Are you guys OK? You guys seem so angry today?” I questioned. Why were they so angry? Is it because I yelled the word ‘GUYS!’ at them? “Let’s go guys, this is a waste of time!”, Beatrix snickered, while she looked me up and down with her moody eyes and flipped her short red hair. “Yeah, let’s go!”, said Valerie, bursting out laughing. They were my best friends – we all normally hang out! So I followed their trail. I was chasing behind them but Valerie looked behind her shoulder and yelled: “CAN YOU GO AWAY! YOU’RE SO UGLY! COMMON SENSE, CHILD! COMMON SENSE!” I felt frustrated. I thought I belonged with them? Weren’t they my friends? What was going on? Vetrin followed along, looking at me with her brown eyes which were saying sorry.

“Yeah, you need to go…” Vetrin’s voice sounded hurt and I knew she felt bad. She held her arm and looked down, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry…“ I stuttered before my ocean of tears began. I ran away in rage! “THESE UGLY PEOPLE! THIS UGLY SCHOOL!” I went to the nurses office, crying and feeling squeamish. The butterflies in my stomach danced like there was a butterfly party being hosted in there. It felt perfectly horrid and I hated it! Just as much as I hate brussels sprouts!

But now I knew it was time to move on. I needed to bite the bullet and make new friends. There was one problem – I didn’t know how to make friends. I decided I had time on my hands and went on social media, but I regretted it. I was on Valerie’s social media page and she had talked about me; it was an awful thing! Who would do that to their best friend? I felt like I could cry so much the Sahara desert would become the world’s largest ocean! I needed a million tissues. “I HATE THIS!” I yelled.

RING RING! Finally, it was the end of the day. Saved by the bell! I exited the school gates and headed home. “Mum! I’m home and I’m heading to the river,” I yelled, louder than an annoying ringtone.

“Oh, ok dear, have fun! Take your fishing rod, it’ll be fun to fish!”, she yelled back. She was in the kitchen cooking my favourite – pork chops! I felt in a better mood when I smelt it. I headed to my room, which smelled like strawberry bubblegum, picked out my favourite red dress and changed into it while wearing my favourite red slippers to match my red cheeks. I took my metal fishing rod and my large, bright blue bucket, put my headphones on and rushed out of the door after kissing my mother goodbye. I arrived at the river, sat on the freshly mowed green grass and sighed. I listened to the soothing sounds of Mother Nature for a while, then put on my headphones and listened to music that sent calm vibes into my brain and veins, telling me that everything would be alright. I picked up my fishing rod, which shone in the sun, and threw the line towards the many orange fish that jumped up high as the river flowed under them.

WOOSH! It had been a few hours and I had caught a large amount of orange fish. I put them in my bucket, rushed home and sprung the door open. “Mum! I’m back! What’s the time? Is dinner ready?”, I asked my mother. “Oh, hello dear! How are you? It’s 7PM, just in time for dinner!”, she replied.

“I’m fine! I just caught a few of the orange fish that we can eat tomorrow!”, I excitedly told her. “A FEW? THAT’S A LOT!” She was stunned! “Eh, no biggie,” I proudly said to her while giggling. I love fishing. It calms me so much. I put the fish in the fridge, one by one faster than a peregrine falcon (the fastest animal in the world). Then Mum set the table, pulled out her chair and sat down. I followed to my chair and started to eat. I wanted to tell her everything.

“Mum, can I tell you something?” I asked. “Yeah, sure, what is it?”, she mumbled while stuffing food into her face. I told her everything while on the edge of tears. I didn’t want to upset her, but I had to tell her. She froze. Her skin turned pale, her eyes widened and she spat out all her food like a bomb! “WHAT! ARE YOU OKAY? HOW DARE THEY DO THIS TO MY BABY!” She slammed her fist against the table. “Mum, I’m ok. I’m just a bit upset…” I sniffled. My mum then told me something I would never forget. “You know what? You don’t need those girls! They’re just jealous of you, you’re an awesome person. You belong to yourself, you got that? You matter to yourself. Do not change for anyone, promise me. You are the nicest girl and you cannot change that for anyone!”

My eyes widened and I smiled as I got up. I squeezed her tight – almost to the point where she was suffocating. “I promise! I love you so, so, so much!” I headed back to my chair and ate the rest of my dinner while grinning and shaking my legs the whole time. I then headed off to my room, shoved myself into my pyjamas and hit the hay to the sound of calming music. The next day, I woke up and got dressed for school. I grabbed my bag, rushed out the door and arrived at school where I found my old ‘friends’ and went up to them. “HEY THERE!” I yelled. They all shifted their heads back and widened their eyes. “What do you want, Miss Clown?”, they chuckled. I wasn’t going to deal with this. “Be quiet. The only clown here is you. I’m done with our fake friendship! I’m no longer friends with you and I hope you guys never talk to me again. You guys belong in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch!” I skipped away to my own spot. What I learnt from this experience is that I don’t need fake friendships and I can be my own friend. I can be myself and be happy and kind to others. I belong to myself.

I’m One of Them, Right? by Hooria

The first day at a new school is always tough, but it’s easier when a lifelong friend is just around the corner.

My body was quivering as nervous thoughts grew in my mind. The day I had been dreading, the first day of a new school. I was all set with my bag, lunchbox and everything else. I was pretty sure that I’d at least make two friends, if not five. There was a deafening silence in my room. Suddenly, my mum’s voice filled the room. “Get up! It’s already 7 o’clock!” One of my brain cells just clicked. I dragged my legs off the bed, standing straight. It was about three seconds to 7:01. My purple, furry backpack was swaying as the aroma of my chicken

salad made my stomach grumble. Just as I took a step into Blaxcell Street Public School, I felt like a whole new person in a whole new universe. There were many types of students – small, tall and way more. I felt small as people were gossiping and whispering whilst staring deep into my soul. My face felt like a magnet with all eyes glued on it.

Ding, ding! The bell made my head pop as it was so loud. I walked and walked looking at everyone, going in the wrong direction just like my mum’s navigator when it was lagging. Walking across the school made my bag feel like it weighed a ton! By now it was only me and a girl walking down the hallway. The girl looked shocked as she realised I was there. It was as if everyone could see a green, slimy monster within me.

Before I knew it, another bell rang dismissing everyone to recess. I thought the teacher was going to say, “The bell doesn’t dismiss you, I dismiss you!”, but nothing happened as I wished. I walked out to break with my lunch in my hands as the drama started to fall upon me. I was about to sit on a big, smooth rock when someone tapped me on the shoulder. Not knowing who it was, I turned around confused, looking at a tall girl with blonde hair, a pink tank top and jeans. Her face immediately turned pale. “What’s that on your face?!” she exclaimed. She licked her finger and tried to rub something off my face. I felt my face steaming up as my heart began to race. My hands loosened as I threw my lunch and bolted towards the girls bathroom. I broke into tears not knowing who the person staring back at me was.Big red spots covered my face as I looked like a deadly leopard. A tear lurched on my lap. Suddenly a chill vibe arose. Had I been like this the whole time? My eyes were swollen as if I was having an allergic reaction.

AAGGHH! The bell rang and it was now time to go and create more drama. CLICK! The toilet door opened as kids rushed to class. I picked myself up and bolted in front of the crowd. I suddenly realised that I didn’t know which class I was going to, so I stopped, opened my bag and rummaged through it looking for my timetable. After a long lesson of history with Mr Bob, it was finally time for lunch. I knew I couldn’t survive another break in the toilet so I grabbed my hat and set off. Just as I sat on the same rock as before, I heard in the distance girls laughing like villains winning a brutal victory. The footsteps of a heavy walker were headed my way, and then a girl sat right next to me. “Hi! I’m Jessica,” said the unknown person. “Hi,” I replied nervously. After that we were talking like BFFs, even though it had only been half a break. “You know what? I actually like the spots on your face. They make you really unique,” mentioned Jessica. It felt like I had finally made a lifelong friend!

Catch up on Story Heroes 2022 See and hear how it all started.

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by the ReadUP! program

For the full podcast visit: readup-program-presents-story-heroes.podbean.com The Read Up! program is funded by national charity Schools Plus and supported by Weld Stories