Valentine’s Day is here. Time for reading Valentine stories and eating heart shaped treats.
My Valentine Kidlit:
The Not-So-Perfect Valentine’s Day
SamSleuth and the Case of the Missing Valentines
Red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and blue,
Are the best colors, the only colors that will do.
It’s amazing that all those colors make such a magical site.
Now, all you need are some raindrops mixed with just a little sunlight.
Because that’s what it takes to make,
One of the most magnificent masterpieces God can create.
Whenever I see it, it takes my breath away.
Something sweet enough to lift my spirits on this gloomy day.
I’m always checking the ‘visitor statistics’ for my website. I like to see how many people are coming to my site and what search terms they’re using to find me. ‘Elizabeth Wrobel’ is the most common search term used. I always thought my name was really rare. I was sure searchers were looking for me and nobody else. Recently, I searched Google and found out my name is actually quite common. That made me wonder if people have been searching for me or for another ‘Elizabeth Wrobel.’ A few weeks ago I checked my visitor statistics again and I saw the search term, ‘HomeRun Malone Wrobel.’ . I almost fell out of my chair. Somebody was actually looking for me! They put my story title with my name. I couldn’t believe it! Now, I feel famous! 
There are so many ways to discover new books and authors to read. For me, this has to be the most interesting way. I was on a site with a list of children’s authors. One author had the same name (first and last) as the mother of one of my best friends when I was a kid. She was a creative person, so I thought, hmm, maybe she started writing books. I clicked on her name just for the fun of it. It wasn’t the same person, but I decided to check out her books anyway. The title sounded exciting and the summary sounded exactly like the kind of book I wanted to read. So, I ordered it off my favorite site, Paperback Swap, and I started following the author on Twitter. The book was great and I can’t wait to read her next one!
“Britney, who are you going to vote for?” my best friend, Sheila, asked me on Tuesday afternoon.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I haven’t given it much thought.”
It was election day for class president at school. It was also election day for the President of the United States. I wondered how my parents decided which candidate to vote for because I didn’t have any idea who should be class president.
Sheila, on the other hand, knew exactly who she was going to vote for. In fact, she probably knew who she would vote for in the real election–if she was old enough to vote. Sheila was the complete opposite of me when it came to the class election. She actually cared which student was elected class president. As far as I was concerned, Grace Martin gave out cupcakes one day and on the same day Troy let everybody in our class ride on his new skateboard so I think they should both be class president. Of course, that wasn’t what Sheila based her vote on. She felt that the election for class president should be based on ideas. She was working harder than ever trying to make sure the election didn’t turn into a popularity contest.
“Which candidate do you think has the best ideas?” Sheila asked me.
“I really don’t know,” I told her. I hated to admit it, especially to Sheila, but the truth was I didn’t know any of the candidates ideas, only that Grace makes really good chocolate cupcakes.
“How do you know who to vote for if you don’t know anything about the candidates?” Sheila asked. “Don’t you care who represents the class?”
I shook my head. “Not really, besides there are fifty kids in school who are voting. That’s enough to have an election.”
Sheila nodded. “You’re right, but Matt and Peter are home with the flu. That makes forty-eight voters, and Erin, from Mrs. Cameron’s, class stayed home, too. That’s forty-seven voters. Without you, it’s forty-six voters.”
I shrugged again. “That’s still a lot.”
Sheila sighed. “It’s up to you, Britney, but really think about who you want to win. My parents say every vote counts.”
I didn’t think that was possible. With forty-six other votes, one vote seemed pretty unimportant to me.
Michael volunteered to pass out the ballots. I picked up the one he set down on my desk. I really didn’t think it mattered who I voted for. I closed my eyes, turned the paper around, put it back down on my desk, and put my finger in the middle. I opened my eyes. My finger landed closest to Grace’s name, so I circled it. I folded the ballot in half and walked up to Mrs. Franklin’s desk. I waited in line to put my ballot in the cardboard box the class had decorated in red, white, and blue construction paper.
Twin math whizzes, Jennifer and Jonathan, counted the votes.
Everybody in my grade waited in suspense for the winner to be announced. I was still wondering how one vote could really make a difference.
“Everybody,” Principal Davis got up. “The votes have been counted. Twice. Believe it or not, it was a very close race. Troy Parker received twenty-three votes.”
Cheers rang out for Troy. When they settled down, Principal Davis continued.
“Grace Martin received twenty-four votes and is our class president!”
This time the cheers were even louder. I almost fell off my seat. I couldn’t believe it! Grace won by one vote and I voted for her. Sheila was right, every vote counts.
Grace smiled walking up to the microphone. “Thank you. As your class president, I’ll stand by my promises, like getting a new swing set for the playground and setting up fundraisers so we can start the art program again.”
This time I cheered! I really missed the art program.
“Too bad,” a boy sitting next to me said. “I was looking forward to skateboarding in the hallway.”
That’s when I realized that not only did my vote count, but how much it mattered. If my finger landed closer to Troy’s name, he would be class president right now and he probably wouldn’t do anything to get the art program back. The right candidate for me won–this time. But that wouldn’t always happen by picking a candidate at random. I knew one thing was for sure, next year I’m going to pay attention to what the candidates have to say. I’ll be ready to vote for the one with the best ideas. When the time comes, and I’m old enough to vote for the President of the United States, you can bet I’ll be ready. Because now I know how much my vote counts!
There are two kinds of clouds so don’t get them mixed up,
One kind I hate, one kind I can’t help but love.
Gray clouds create such a gloomy day,
White fluffy marshmallow clouds call me out to play.
Cloudy skies don’t always have to symbolize sorrow,
Cloudy skies can bring happiness–raising hopes for a bright tomorrow.
There are monsters underneath the bed, Daddy,
Please won’t you check, won’t you look and see?
And look in the closet they’re hiding in there – Oh! They must be!
I just know, in the middle of the night, they’ll come out and get me!
Daddy, Daddy, please tell them to go away – flee into the night,
I won’t be able to sleep until all those scary creatures are out of sight.
Don’t turn off the light, that’s when they wake up,
Daddy, please check again, I don’t think once is enough.
April is National Poetry Month and April 14th-April 20th is Young People’s Poetry Week. I wrote my first when I was thirteen or fourteen and I haven’t stopped. It’s not that hard. There are poems that have special rules like, a limerick, a haiku, or a sonnet. Then there are free verse poems. They don’t have any special rules. They can rhyme but they don’t have to. That’s up to you. Just write what you feel in your heart and there’s no way you can do it wrong. So take your best shot and write a poem or two this week. You can write about spring. You can about something you love like your favorite color or your favorite food.
Check out some of poems:
Butterflies
Spring
Three Cardinals
The Kitten
I’ll be posting some more poems this week, so keep checking back.
Five, four, three, two, one,
New Year’s Day has begun,
Say good bye to the old and hello to the new,
There’s a brand new year of adventures ahead for you.
Hanging mistletoe above your head,
Stringing lights of green and red,
Placing candy canes upon the tree,
You gather round,
Late night Christmas Eve,
That’s when Christmas comes to town.
“Ho, Ho, Ho,” Old St. Nick calls with a jolly laugh,
While children are waiting impatiently for their turn to sit on his lap.
In the middle of the shopping mall, you see the long line,
Children pushing through holiday shoppers–determined to get to him in time.
They know what they want, their lists are ready for Santa to hear,
Because they have been good–they say–all through the year.
With a bag full of gifts–Santa fills the sleigh,
His eight trusty reindeer leading the way.
Using his list, delivering toys this Christmas Eve Night,
Carefully making sure no one sees him–he stays out of sight.
Presents decorated with red ribbons and green bows,
Arranged under the tree–what’s inside only Santa knows!
A face as red as Rudolph’s nose–”Uh, oh! I’ve been caught!”
Embarrassed–trying to sneak a peak at what Santa has brought.
So everyone wait until Christmas, as Christmas morning arrives,
That’s the time to remember God’s gift of love is wrapped up inside!
That’s the real gift, the gift that can’t be found beneath the tree,
God sent His Son, His Son, Jesus–who died for you and me.
I’m always plotting a story in the back of my mind,
When I’m eating, sleeping — or any time.
My characters seem so very real to me,
A new chapter in their lives, I’m the first to see.
I keep a notebook full of titles, ideas, and character names,
For if even one little piece of inspiration is forgotten, it would be a shame.
I want to share my creativity with everyone,
Allowing people to see what I have done.
Let them sneak a peak into my imagination,
Writing is my life’s destination.
Walking into a library, nothing is heard,
But the faint sound of pages carefully being turned.
One day my book will be one of those turned pages,
Books being read by everyone, people of all different ages.
Walking through the door, the name of the best selling author is all you see,
Along the wall of a book store, one day that’s where my name will be,
Sitting on a shelf waiting to be picked up,
By an eager child or adult who can’t read enough.
On the front of a hard cover novel my name will stand out,
With a brief summary on the inside jacket to explain what it’s about,
Or my name on the front of a paperback book for a child,
With an incredible adventure inside to make them smile.
I want to be as famous as my favorite authors are,
And have someone say that I followed my heart.
