A famous, now deceased educator, asked himself the following questions during his youth:
1. How could I be free in this world?
2. How could I grow to my full stature as a man?
3. How could I walk the earth with dignity and pride?
4. How could I aspire to achieve, to accomplish, to "be somebody?"
He offered, "As one of the disinherited black boys, how could I know that a part of the country, the state, and the nation belonged to me too? How could I exist?"
Let's pen children's stories for the next generation of young boys so that they smile, grow, laugh, and love as they make their trek toward their teen years and manhood.
We will write children's stories for those who come after us. Think about the young brother and sister sitting in the classroom, bedroom, or library bored because they are struggling to find a book that resonates with them. Let's write for them using colorful words and rich language. Help them smile, laugh, feel warm, get excited, or get lost in their imaginations. We can also write to empathize with them and show them that we care about their young pains.
I wrote the following to capture kids' growing pains and pleasures.
Could Barely
By
Alfred Tatum
I sat in the car.
I could barely see out of the window.
I went to the park.
I could barely shoot in the basket.
I went to the carnival.
I could barely reach the line.
I got a new bike.
I could barely turn the pedals.
I went shopping with my mom.
I could barely carry the bag.
I took a long trip.
I could barely stay awake.
I was racing my big sister.
I could barely keep pace.
I was playing baseball with my father.
I could barely throw the ball.
I watched a scary movie.
I could barely sleep.
I started doing things made for five-year-olds.
I could barely believe how much fun I was having.
My little sister came to my room.
She could barely do the things I do.
I could barely stop laughing.
Charlie McFarley Goes to First Grade
ReplyDeleteBrandon P. Wilson
When Charlie McFarley walked into the first grade classroom for the first time, his legs were wobbly and his arms were shaky. He didn’t want to speak to anyone. He felt very uncomfortable, because he was the only boy in the classroom who wore glasses.
When it was time for recess, all the kids made a circle outside on the basketball court to play duck-duck-goose. But no one asked Charlie to play. So Charlie just sat down next to the teacher, and read one of his books.
When the other kids started to sweat and become smelly, they stopped playing. Charlie was still dry and smelled fresh like cold popsicles. One of the girls who was playing saw Charlie sitting alone.
“How come you stayed here and sat with the teacher?” she asked.
“Because no one wants to play with me.” Charlie said with a frown on his face.
“I’ll be your friend. My name is Mary McBerry.” She smiled.
Then Charlie’s eyes grew big as he noticed something great about Mary McBerry!
“Woah!” Charlie McFarley smiled big. “You have glasses too!”
“Yea,” she said sadly. “But don’t tell anyone because if they find out they won’t let me play duck-duck-goose anymore.”
But before Mary McBerry had a chance to take her glasses off, a boy named Bully McSchully walked by and saw Mary with her glasses on.
“Hey everybody,” Bully McShully screamed. “Look! Mary Mcberry is a four-eyes just like that kid!”
All the kids started laughing.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”
They started singing together, “Mary is a four-eyes, Mary is a four-eyes, and she has a boyfriend, and he is a four-eyes!”
Then Charlie McFarley felt like he needed to do the right thing and stand up for himself and his friend, Mary McBerry.
“Hey!” Charlie yelled. “You guys need to stop it right now! Just because we have glasses doesn’t mean you can make fun of us and not let us play!”
Mary McBerry looked at Charlie McFarley and felt like she was in love.
But then something happened that changed Bully McShully forever.
The class’s teacher, Misses Kisses, made an announcement.
“Mr. Mcshully,” she called him. “Your mother is here to drop off your glasses you left at home!”
At that moment Bully McShully stood silently. He had never felt more sad or embarrassed in his life.
Now, all of the kids began to laugh at Bully McShully the same way they laughed at Charlie McFarley and Mary McBerry.
After recess, all the kids went back inside to the classroom for nap time. But before he got his knapsack out, Bully McShully felt something inside of him that made him go up to Charlie McFarley and Mary McBerry.
“Hey guys,” he said to them.
“Get away from us,” Charlie said.
“Yea,” Mary agreed. “You’re just gonna make fun of us.”
“No, guys, just listen,” Bully said. “I’m sorry for making fun of you for wearing glasses. I just thought I would feel better about my glasses if everyone laughed at you guys.”
“It’s ok,” Charlie said. “We forgive you as long as you promise to never do it again.”
“Deal,” Bully said.
And then Charlie McFarley and Mary McBerry and Bully McShully all exchanged hugs.
From that day on, Bully McShully never made fun of anyone again, and Charlie Mcfarley was no longer uncomfortable wearing his glasses.
Everyone in the class played duck-duck-goose together at recess every day, and no one was ever left out again.
Sarah Pennington and a day at the day at the pool
ReplyDeleteBy Michael Franco
M!ke©
Page 1
Sarah stood in the middle of the room. Her head tilted up looking at the tall long board.
Page 2
Her brother was already up there. He jumped and did a giant cannonball. The water splashed out and hugged Sarah.
“Tommy. You got me wet.”
Tommy looked at his sister and started to giggle.
“Sorry Sarah.”
Page 3
Tommy looked at his sister. Sarah was looking at the long board.
“Sarah you can do it.”
Sarah looked at Tommy. She was scared but she was going to try.
Page 4
Sarah walked up the long stairway. Her foot was shaking every step.
She got to the top and looked down. Her stomach began to twist like a tornado and her face turned green like a pear. The kid behind her got annoyed.
“Come on would you jump already.”
Sarah was scared but the only way down was to jump.
She looked at her brother Timmy whose eyes were as big as a watermelon.
Then something came to her mind. She saw her mother saying if you can't do it be something that relates to it.
Sarah started to imagine herself as a mermaid. Swimming with the
Dolphins making tricks in the air and she jumped.
Page 5
Sarah fell and what seemed like forever actually was only seconds.
Page 6
“Help!” Sarah shouted. “Help!”
The lifeguard blew his whistle and jumped in. He grabbed Sarah and took her out of the water.
“You did it Sarah! You jumped off the diving board.”
Sarah opened her eyes. She had not opened them since she jumped. She looked and down and saw the ground.
“Land! Sweet, sweet land!” Sarah started to kiss the ground. She sat on the bench, looking at the diving board. It was shorter for some odd reason. Sarah jumped on her feet and started to climb the ladder it was shorter now. When she looked down, her stomach didn’t swirl and twirl like a tornado, and her face did not become green like a pear.
Page 7
Sarah stood up and jumped into the pool with her mermaid tail curled in the air.
“Cannonball!”
The water jumped out the pool and got Timmy wet.
“Hey. You got me wet.”
Sarah started to giggle.
Aaron Knight
ReplyDeleteThe Goal
Every year at Carlton’s Daycare there is a Taffy Apple sale. Little Kyle and his dad march around the neighborhood and try to sell the Apples.
This year was different; Kyle’s dad was busy with work. Little Kyle had an itch that his dad did not scratch.
One morning he saw his dad sleep on the couch. Kyle came up with a splendid idea to get his dad to spend time with him.
He noticed his notes for a big meeting that he had coming up. Next to the notes was his father cell phone.
Kyle took the notes and would later use the notes as napkins. Hoping that dad couldn’t use them because they were full of syrup and butter.
Kyle also decided to put his cell phone on the refrigerator. A place his father wouldn’t have looked.
But there was a major problem with that. Kyle could not reach the top of the refrigerator.
After a long time thinking about away to hide his phone. Kyle was about to give in when he noticed that he could use a chair to get up there.
Kyle saw this as an adventure; he moved the chair in a swift motion. Making noise that he woke his father.
“Kyle? What are you doing?”
“Nothing dad.”
After that he started to move faster, so fast that he fell out of the chair. His father came into the kitchen and asked if he was okay.
Little Kyle laughed, for his father has picked him up and twirled him around as if he was the propeller on a helicopter.
However dad did not noticed that he his phone was missing until he started to get dressed. At that moment he wonder where could his phone have gone.
He started to search the couch and the clothes he had on the previous day. At that point he noticed that Kyle hid his phone.
“Kyle have you seen my phone son?”
“No daddy.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yessss.”
Kyle thought his oh so splendid plan was working. His dad was now apart of Kyle adventure.
“Do you need help daddy?”
“Yes, you can help me find my phone”
Kyle now getting the time that he needed, he mentions the Taffy Apple sale to his dad.
“Once we find my phone, we can fire up the little red Singleton wagon and sell some apples.”
“YAY. I ca..”
“But we first have to find daddy’s phone.”
Kyle agreed, but holding off a little longer just to enjoy the rest of his adventure. Kyle took his father through the jungle of his room, where they approached Lyon the German Shepherd.
Kyle had worked up an appetite, that him and dad went to the kitchen or the diner as they called it and made some cereal.
Capt’ N’ Crunch was on the menu. As dad grabbed the box of cereal, he noticed a red light. Checking the scene, he saw that it was his phone.
With a smile on his face he gradually left the phone and made the cereal. Kyle had started an adventure that he travels on the whole day with dad.
The End
The Red Cape
ReplyDeleteSWOOSH, ZIP, WHOOSH
They glide threw the air, watching over all below them. I wanted to be just like them, a superhero.
I read about them in books. I saw movies. They were so cool.
"Max its time to go to bed, you’ve stayed up too late" my dad always told me. But I couldn’t help myself, it was just so fun to hear about them.
They helped everyone. Young, old, girl, boy, it didn’t matter to them.
They used super strength to save buses full of people. They used super speed to catch people from far away. I wanted to be just like them, but how?
I didn’t have any special powers. Was there a way I could help? I started feeling sad that I couldn’t help anyone.
Maybe if I took my bike for a ride. If I think I can come up with something.
I go down the street passing by other kids' houses and I start to notice something.
I see kids running around their houses pretending to be super heroes. That gave me a great idea.
I'll be my own hero. I'll help others. I may not have the strength. But I craved for it.
But I was missing something. I couldn’t start without it, but what was it?
So I thought about what superheroes have. Nothing came to mind.
So I asked my friends and they all told me the same thing, a cape.
So I went to the store and I saw a bunch of capes. White, green, yellow, they all looked fantastic, but I didn’t want them.
I wanted a red cape, it would suit me perfectly, but the store owner said they didn’t have any.
I left the store feeling sadder than I did before. Until, I found exactly what I was looking for.
There it was a bright shining red cape. When I grabbed it I felt weird like there was something giving me power. I was probably just imagining it. I was just happy to finally get this cape. When I put it on I felt really strong.
When I got home and opened the door it suddenly broke open! Maybe it got loose, that door was pretty old.
I kept the cape on for the rest of the day.
Later that day my little brother David wanted to race me from my room to the dinner table. As soon as we started I zipped straight past him and was at the dinner table. Neither I nor he could believe what just happened.
I knew it, I had super powers. So what was I gonna do with them?
That was it; I could use them to help others!
I flew old people cross the street. I saved falling buses full of people. I helped dad lift heavy objects in the garage. Swiftly I completely each task with only a simple you're welcome before I headed off for the next person.
I whooshed down the street, helping all those who were in trouble. I called myself a variety of different names from Captain Max to SuperMax to Mr. Maximillion.
I took a big leap in the air and flew away with my red cape.
The Confused Lion
ReplyDeleteBy Kristoffer Kizer
There was this baby lion.
His name was Leo. Leo is a curious little cub. He was walking when suddenly he fell into a pond. Leo couldn’t swim so he was just struggling to get out but, couldn’t.
Then an army of cows comes along rushing through the grass. To come to Leo’s rescue.They saw Leo. they welcomed him into the herd. Leo, of course, went with the herd.
The herd raised Leo as if he was a cow.
Leo did everything the herd of cows was doing. A couple of years went by
and as Leo grew older he was still acting like a complete cow.
Eating grass, and traveling with herd of cows.
Until one day the herd was traveling deep into a forest.
ReplyDeleteIt was a dangerous area.Then,
this big, fearless, and strong lion
appears out of a tree, and leaps on to these huge
boulders. Now the big scary lion was staring Leo and the herd in face.
The herd of cows ran out of the forest because they were scared except for Leo.Leo and the big lion were just staring at each other.
They both didn’t say anything.As the big lion stares at Leo suddenly, Leo felt fear and went to running back to the herd.
The big lion watches Leo run and soon the big lion disappears into the forest.
The next day the herd of cows decided to head back to the forest.
As they walk the big lion reappears again.
The group of cows went running all the way back to where they came from again but, not Leo he stood in front of the big lion. The big lion just ROARS at Benny! Thousand birds flew away. Leo tries to roar however it sounded like a MOOOOO instead so, the big lion ROARS again at Benny! Page9
Leo tries to roar however it sounded like a MOOOOO instead so, the big lion ROARS again at Benny!
The big lion roars for the final time and Leo roars even louder and strong then the big lion.
ReplyDeleteThere was a lot of great intense power in Leo’s voice. Leo now sounded like thirty
overwhelming lions! Leo cleared the whole area. Animals were running all over the place. His moo was now a roar.
The big lion stops roaring and glazes at Leo and the big lion says
“You are a lion now live like one.”
Page 12
The big lion disappears into the forest.
Page 13
Soon Leo followed the big lion into the wild.
Page 14
From that point Leo never acted like a cow again.
Leo followed the big lion to be what he always have been a lion.
THE END
“Willowmarie wake up sleepy head.”” Stop calling me that mom.” Willowmarie got up and went to her bathroom. She took a quick shower then got dressed a pink skirt and hello kitty sweatshirt. She ran down her cold wooden staircase then jumped down the last two stairs. She walked over to the kitchen. Willow do you want some cereal. Sure. She ate then they left for her first day if school.” You pumped up for your first day”Willowmarie dropped her chin then she said,” of course not” they’re going to make fun of me. Well just ignore them feel good about yourself. She headed around the corner of the street then she saw it. The biggest building she had ever seen in her life. It was made of all brick a brownish red. Kids and parents were swarming in and out of the humongous doors they were all steel and they made a big clunk sound when they closed.
ReplyDeleteShe entered the school building and looked at all the different kids and parents. She saw her next-door neighbor Cindy and said hi. She entered the classroom and her mom met with the teacher. Her mom walked up to a lady dressed in a blue and she had a nametag saying, Hi I’m Miss Say hello Miss Say I have one of your students Willowmarie. “Hi Willowmarie how are you doing.” I’m doing fine.” Her mom started to converse with the teacher and let her roam and mingle. “Hello how is you I’m Willowmarie how are you doing.”“Eww what kind of name is that” Willowmarie started to cry but then she said,” I’m going to ignore you” and she walked away. She walked up to a different girl who was wearing an orange dress. Hello I’m Willowmarie how are you doing. “Willowmarie what kind of name is that”, the girl said. Willowmarie walked back to her mom and the first sign of a tear began to surface. “Mom can you come with me” “Why “ her mom asked until she saw Willowmarie’s face she had a pool of tears on her face. Wait a second Ms.Say she said then she walked over to the bathroom with Willowmarie. “What happened to you” “They were talking about me” Her mom got a paper towel and wiped her face. I want to go home, Willowmarie said why because they’re talking about me, and I hate my name she starting sniffling. “Why do you hate your name Willowmarie”, her mom asked.” I hate my name because it sounds like a tree.” Again her mom asked, “Willowmarie why do you hate your name.” “ I hate my name because everyone is talking about me.” Again her mom asked, “Willowmarie why do you hate your name.”
“ I hate my name because I don’t know any one else who is named that. “ I’m about to tell you why I named you Willowmarie.” “I named you Willowmarie because it’s distinct.”” I named you Willowmarie because it was your grandma’s name.” Willowmarie from that day forward appreciated her name.
The Trolley ride Pt.1
ReplyDeleteMy father worked for the railroad, when he had a chance he would always take me along to work with him and his buddies, this day was special because it was January 1st 1938 and my dad was starting a new project. I was absorbed by my father’s work on the railroad. I watched him pound nails with his Thor sized hammer and hoist barrels of oil high in the air; his brown skin glistening in the sun, he was a modern day John Henry. It was amazing to me my dad and his friends were in charge of building the next section of the Chicago railroad. “1939 is going to be a big year for America son, and I’m in charge of connecting Chicago to the action!” I was too proud of him.
I was on the other side of the track collecting rusty railroad nails for my collection at home when my dad called for me.
“Ready to go Walt?” My dad yelled with the spike maul over his shoulder.
“Yeah, just a minute.” I threw the last nail in my bag and ran over to him.
“I’m ready, how was work today dad, it looked tough.”
“It always is buddy, but we always get it done, a man always finishes what he starts remember that son.”
His words stuck with me, as if he was challenging me to do something, I responded the best way I could “What ever you say dad.”
My dad and I always walked home to and from the railroad where he worked no matter where it was. We had a black Buick at home, but we only drove it to church and the store. My dad always said to me “son with gas 50 cent a gallon these oil devils, shouldn’t be surprised if I ski to work!” this always made me chuckle.
Pt.2
ReplyDelete“You have anything in mind that you might want for your birthday son?”
I had so much fun that day that I forgot that my birthday was in two days, I was turning ten.
“Well, I have so many model train sets, and toy cars, and I think Grandma gave me enough clothes last year for my birthday to last me forever, so none of those (I hated getting clothes as presents anyway).
I thought about what I might want for my birthday that I didn’t already have. My mind leaped to the trains, I knew what I wanted.
“A trolley ride dad!” I hopped up and down like a yo-yo while I said this.
“A trolley ride, sounds good son.” He patted me on the head as we walked up the porch to the door.
“Honey, we’re home.”
My mother was setting the table for dinner when we came in. She smiled at the both of us in her apron.
“Hey, there’s my two strong men, how was work fellas?”
“Hard, we still have four more miles of track to lay, but me and Henry will take care of it, shoot we might just have it done tomorrow mama.
My little brother and sister came tumbling down the stairs for dinner and jumped into my father’s arms like bunnies in a cabbage patch “hey you little munchkins.” We all sat down for dinner, said grace and started eating. The end of a perfect day with my family and mom’s fried chicken, but sadly I knew I had to go to school the next day so my trolley ride couldn’t come any quicker.
As I walked to school the only thing on my mind was the trolley ride. I was going to get the chance to ride the very trolleys I see at the yard all the time. That day at school I bragged to all of my friends about what I was going to do that weekend. At recess some people didn’t listen but kept swinging and climbing, inside I knew they were jealous of my upcoming adventure.
Pt.3
ReplyDeleteAfter school I ran home as fast I could, forgetting my arithmetic homework on my desk. I waited the rest of the day for my dad in his big chair. When he came home I jumped up to meet him by the door.
“Hey dad, did you get em, did you!”
“Calm down Roscoe Brown!” my dad pulled a brown paper bag from his back pocket and pulled out two golden tickets for the Michigan Avenue trolley.
“How does taking the day off of school and exploring Chicago for your birthday sound son?”
I was confused and excited my folks never let me take off school, only sometimes for special occasions like funerals, but not for my birthday, I knew that turning ten was something special.
“Were going tomorrow we have to get up early, were waking up with the city.”
“Got it pops.” I ran upstairs and got ready for bed thinking about the big day ahead of me.”
We got up at five in the morning, a fresh snow was falling now on the ground and Chicago looked like it belonged in a snowglobe. Dad started the car; something he barely ever did when he took us places, even when it snowed. We hopped in the car and headed for the trolley station, I couldn’t wait to get there.
We drove up to a parking lot, parked and got out of the car walking with our trolley tickets in hand. The trolley pulled up covered in snow but you could still see the bright red body, and gold stripes along the side. It was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. We got on and a skinny white man directed us to the back of the trolley, he said “that’s where coloreds sit, enjoy the ride”. I didn’t know what he meant by that, but I didn’t care I was here for the ride and that’s all that mattered to me.
We moved to the back of the trolley and sat down, in the back there was paint peeling, ripped seats and a funny smell. The windows were covered by fresh snow like someone forgot to wipe them. I noticed in the front the windows were snowless and the seats looked warm and inviting, I moved.
“Boy where are you going?” Said my dad in a stern tone.
“I’m moving up dad I can’t see anything.” He gripped my arm but I managed to wiggle my way out and run to the front of the trolley. White people were looking at me as if I lost my mind, a woman sitting with a seat open next to her got up smiled at me, letting me have her window seat.
I sat down turned to my dad and said remember dad you told me a man always finishes what he starts, I came to see Chicago on the trolley and that’s what I'm gonna do. You only turn ten once dad, with that my dad just smiled and got up and sat next to me, happy birthday Walter.