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A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Five: New Beginnings with a sneak peek of the poem "A Bike is Just a Bike" by Brenna Jeanneret. A purple page with white text. Brenna Jeanneret is a neurodiverse kidlit creator. A kid at heart, she spends as much time as possible road-tripping and rock climbing with her husband and son in their VW van. Her debut picture book, The Law of Birthdays, comes out with Cardinal Rule Press, Spring 2024. She is agented by Dan Cramer at Page Turner Lit and co-hosts the kidlit podcast You May Contribute A Verse. Find her on Twitter @Brennajeanneret Little Thoughts Press: It is so cool that you have your own podcast! Please tell us all about You May Contribute A Verse. In what ways has the work you've done on your podcast influenced or changed your own writing? Brenna Jeanneret: Thank you so much! You May Contribute a Verse is actually the result of two failed podcasts! ReWilding Motherhood, run by me, focused on outdoor adventuring as a mom, and What It Takes To Make run by Josh, my co-host focused on diverse creative pursuits and how things are made. Josh and I both found that running a podcast alone left little room for writing so we joined forces to create a kidlit-focused podcast. Having Josh as a partner has been incredible. And splitting the work in half has made it possible to write and podcast. I have to take a moment here to shout out our Podcast Wizard, Jon Seymour. He approached us with his mad editing skills and has streamlined, organized, and basically made the whole process more efficient! We are so lucky to have him! This is a fantastic question and one I don’t often get to address! Writing can be a lonely endeavor but doing the podcast has made me realize no one is in this alone. I love hearing about things like Ame Dyckman’s passion, Justin Colon’s re-directions, Elisa Boxer’s vulnerability, Madeleine Gunhart’s mixture of Tarot and writing, and Betsy Bird’s humor!! All of it reminds me why I write and inspires me to put myself out there. And I will say this, my favorite thing about the podcast is the joy it captures. We all hear no a lot but the podcast has been this respite where (almost) everyone says yes! I love being able to send this positivity out into the kidlit universe along with our weekly book reviews and Community Shoutouts to help spread the joy. Lastly, if you’re a listener, I just want to say thank you so much. Your support means everything to us. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 5: New Beginnings is all about fresh starts and new experiences. Can you tell us how you started writing kid-lit and what drew you to creating stories for young readers? Brenna Jeanneret: I have always been a writer. I still have a journal from when I was eight! I loved creative writing in grade school. In college, I journaled, a lot, because well, college is full of angsty drama that needs to be written about! Then I wrote about rock climbing, hiking, and adventuring for the Outdoor Women’s Alliance. I was a sponsored climber for a bit and wrote product reviews. I wrote funny articles for Elephant Journal and parenting articles for Hike It Baby and Raise Vegan. And then, when my son was four months old, as most of us do, I wrote my first children’s book. It. Was. Awful. But I loved the idea of writing books to make kids feel seen and to make them laugh, so I kept writing. Little Thoughts Press: What do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Brenna Jeanneret: The most challenging thing is trying to distill big ideas into a tiny space! The most rewarding thing is when I can actually do it. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Brenna Jeanneret: My dad used to read a chapter a night to my sister and me. My favorite was Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. I loved the bizarre imagination and nutty characters. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Brenna Jeanneret: Well, I love anything by Angel Tate, Mari Rodriquez, Emily Holewczynski, Sharon Korzelius, and Josh Monken! And I also love the work of Helen Yoon, Beth Ferry, Lucy Ruth Cummins, Maddie Frost, Charlene Chua, CK Malone, and Tameka Fryer Brown. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Brenna Jeanneret: Anything is possible. If you want to be a writer, write until you get to where you want to go, and then write until you get to the next place. No one can stop you, but you. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Brenna Jeanneret: Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me! We have a lot of great stuff on the horizon for the podcast including plans for merch so be on the lookout!! I’d also like to share that my debut picture book, The Law of Birthdays, a book about the importance of choice and body autonomy, comes out with Cardinal Rule Press in Spring 2024!

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Five: New Beginnings with a sneak peek of the poem "Buñuelos" by Steena Hernandez. A yellow page with black text. Steena Hernandez studied musical theatre and dance, and holds a BFA from Texas Tech University. She has taught Theatre Arts in high school and middle school, and is currently writing picture books and middle grade stories. She is an active member of SCBWI, 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and was chosen as a 2022 Las Musas mentee. Her debut picture book, LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS, will be published with Beaming Books in the fall of 2024. She lives in San Antonio, TX with her supportive husband, two amazing children, and a betta fish named Mr. Bubbles. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem, "Buñuelos," celebrates one of your family's New Year's traditions. Can you talk about the ways in which you've incorporated tradition, memory and culture into your writing? What is your favorite example of something you've written that is informed by your own experience and heritage? Steena Hernandez: When writing my poem, Buñuelos, I thought about my own childhood traditions and how the memories made me feel. I remember feeling pure joy as my family gathered in the kitchen to help my abuela make the delicious treats. I hoped to capture those moments, and how we celebrated a new year in our home. Food and family are strong connections to my Mexican-American culture. I incorporate my heritage into much of my writing, including my many poems, and most recently, a middle-grade novel in verse that I’m revising. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 5: New Beginnings is all about fresh starts and new experiences. Can you tell us how you started writing kid-lit and what drew you to creating stories for young readers? Steena Hernandez: I’m a mother of two, and I read many picture books to my children. Having a background in musical theatre and dance naturally had me animating and acting out the characters. I enjoyed seeing my kids being fully engaged and interacting during story time. My excitement for storytelling drew me further into exploring characters and stories of my own. I jotted down ideas, and before I knew it, I had several stories. Little Thoughts Press: What do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Steena Hernandez: The most challenging thing is making sure my stories are kid relatable. I continue to strengthen this, often getting involved in playtime and activities with my kids and their friends. I hope to get a glimpse into their worlds, and tap into my inner child. We recently made bird feeders with ice cream cones, peanut butter, and bird seed. It was messy and fun! The most rewarding part about writing for a young audience is the possibility of readers seeing themselves in my stories. I share all my stories with my kids, and the ultimate reward comes from seeing their excitement and hearing their comments. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Steena Hernandez: I loved Judy Blume books. I also enjoyed The Boxcar Children and Ramona Quimby books. It wasn’t until later that I read The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros that I felt a deeper connection to the characters in a story. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Steena Hernandez: There are so many amazing authors who I love and admire in the kidlit community! Shout out to Jennifer Torres, who was my wonderful Las Musas mentor. Also, much love to ALL of my critique partners, Group Pono, and WOFs (Write On, Friends), for being my rock and my people. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Steena Hernandez: I’ve experienced the ups and downs of this industry. It’s not easy to query a story that you’ve poured your heart into, only to receive a rejection from an agent or editor. However, I would say anything is possible if you just don’t give up. Keep writing. Keep learning. Keep GOING! Join a critique group, SCBWI, and get active in the writing community on social media. And most importantly, READ. Knowing what books are being published in the current market is invaluable. Last year, I wrote down titles of all the books I read in a notebook. By the end of 2022, I had read 427 picture books! It was rewarding to see my progress on paper. This year I’m active in the Goodreads Reading Challenge to keep track. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Steena Hernandez: In the summer of 2021, I entered the Sun Write Fun contest hosted by the wonderful author Karen Greenwald. Although I didn’t win, I’ll never forget Karen’s encouraging words suggesting I turn my piece into a full picture book. I took her advice, and kept going with it. I recently announced that story as my debut picture book, LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS, set to publish in the fall of 2024 with Beaming Books. I’m grateful for my agent, Lynnette Novak, and editor, Elizabeth Schleisman, for believing in the story. I’m looking forward to this part of my journey. Thank you so much for having me on your blog. It’s been such an honor to be a part of your wonderful publication.

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Five: New Beginnings with a sneak peek of the poem "Moving Day" by Carole Bromley. A white page with orange text and a drawing of moving boxes. Carole Bromley lives in York. She writes for both adults and children. Her poems have been published in The Caterpillar, Tyger,Tyger, The Toy, Paper Lanterns, Dirigible Balloon, anthologies from MacMillan and Emma Press, and in a Smith/Doorstop collection, Blast Off. She was the winner of the 2022 Caterpillar Prize. Little Thoughts Press: You write for both adults and children. Apart from content, obviously, what distinctions do you draw between your writing for kids and your writing for adults? How do your style and approach to writing for these two audiences differ? In what ways is it the same? Carole Bromley: Interestingly, my approach is very similar whether writing for adults or children. There has to be a spark in the first place and you have to become caught up in the creative process. Having said that, I suppose I do have a specific audience in mind when writing for children and, obviously, depending on the age of the target audience, the tone and language used have to be appropriate. Sometimes there can be a crossover. For example, I have included several children’s poems in my adults’ collections and, conversely, often find that children respond to poems which were written for adults. I don’t agree with people who think children’s poems are purely for entertainment either. Poetry can help with difficult situations and, sadly, children face those too - death of grandparents, divorce of parents, bullying and other problems at school or with friends and so on. I certainly use humour more in children’s poems and I know they love that. They also really love rhyme and rhythm so traditional form is an advantage too. Also, if you write a sonnet or a sestina or a simpler form like triolets or cinquains that can be useful in the classroom. Both the poems which you included in Issue 5 are about situations which can be a challenge for children: moving house and wearing glasses for the first time. I hope I put a positive spin on both. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 5: New Beginnings is all about fresh starts and new experiences. Can you tell us how you started writing kid-lit and what drew you to creating stories for young readers? Carole Bromley: I started writing seriously for children about ten years ago after a wonderful course with Carol Ann Duffy. I found being given permission to just have fun so liberating and came away with lots of ideas for approaches to writing poems. I read and read and would wake up early and scribble like mad. The poems just poured out of me. In 2014 I sent some off to the Manchester Writing for Children prize and was shortlisted. We had experimented with rewriting fairytales and one poem written on the course, ‘Goldilocks’, was performed later that year at the CLiPPA Awards. It was the most exciting thing to look round at hundreds of children’s faces and see their enthusiasm for poetry. I decided then and there to write more for children. Little Thoughts Press: What do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Carole Bromley: The most rewarding thing about writing for children is their love for poetry and the warm and excited reception you get when performing for them. The one challenging thing is publication! There are so few children’s publishers and even fewer outlets for books. Kids love poetry. They need poetry but you wouldn’t think so from the lack of poetry books on shelves in bookshops. I have had poems in most of the wonderful poetry magazines in the UK and US, I have a collection and am in many anthologies so I am lucky but it is an uphill struggle to establish yourself in such a small world. I have to say, though, that the warmth and friendship among children’s poets is just the loveliest thing. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Carole Bromley: I gobbled up the classics as far as fiction goes. I was a real bookworm and haunted libraries. My grandmother loved poetry and I read my way through her adult poetry books as a child but only remember having Walter de la Mare read to me at home. And Lewis Carroll and Robert Louis Stevenson. At school I discovered a wider range and remember being blown away by The Highwayman and The Brook. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Carole Bromley: So many! Where do I start? Matt Goodfellow, Laura Mucha, Lorraine Marriner, Rachel Piercey, Kate Wakeling are among my favourites. For brilliant shape poems, try Liz Brownlee and Sue Hardy-Dawson. Exciting new voices include Sarah Ziman and Attie Lime. Watch out for them! They are something else. If you want to discover a range of wonderful poets try dipping into the online resource, The Dirigible Balloon. My real favourite is Naomi Shehab Nye but I would say that as she awarded me the Caterpillar Prize last year! Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Carole Bromley: Read, read, read. Keep a notebook and jot down ideas and interesting words and phrases and snippets of conversation. Write whenever you feel like it. I am an early bird, others like to burn the midnight oil. When you feel brave, share your poems with a teacher or a group of others who like writing too. Join a poetry workshop group if there is one in your school. If there isn’t, start your own! Listen to poets on YouTube or, better still, go to hear someone read live. Don’t get discouraged, just keep going. Find somewhere to display or perform your work. Enter a children’s competition. You are a poet! Believe in yourself. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Carole Bromley: I always have some project on the go! I did NaPoWriMo with a lovely group of children’s poets and we shared our poems in a WhatsApp group. I now have thirty brand new children’s poems to send out! I am also working on a sequence of poems for children about my home town of York, UK. People come here from all over the world to discover its rich history and explore its beautiful buildings and the surrounding countryside. I thought a little book of poems for young visitors might be educational and fun. It might even turn out to be an anthology including some of my favourite children’s poets who are, believe me, some of the nicest people in the world!

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Five: New Beginnings with a sneak peek of the poem "A Message From The Compost Pile" by Karla Kane. A white page with black text and a cartoon graphic of a compost bin. Karla Kane is an award-winning writer, editor and musician based in California. Best known as the leader of the indie-pop band The Corner Laughers, she lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area and holds BA and MA degrees in anthropology. She loves oak trees, ancient history, indoor cats, cozy cups of tea, public libraries and playing make believe. Little Thoughts Press: In addition to being a writer, you are a musician. Can you talk about how these two creative outlets interact for you? In what ways does music inform and influence your writing practice or vice versa? Karla Kane: I think there is a lot of natural overlap between writing songs and poetry – there’s playing with rhyme and rhythm in both cases. But with songs, there’s music as a partner to the lyrics, to interact with and support them. I think with my songs there is more potential for stream-of-consciousness or abstraction or topic-hopscotching than with the poems (and with songs I’m not usually writing with a particular audience – e.g. children – in mind). Of course, I’m pretty much brand-new to the poetry world so who knows how things may evolve. I’ve also been a journalist for quite a few years now, which is of course a totally different type of writing, but I’m sure it all connects on some level. One thing I enjoy in all three types of writing is trying to express thoughts, feelings or information in a concise little package (which I am failing to do with this response, probably!). Little Thoughts Press: Issue 5: New Beginnings is all about fresh starts and new experiences. Can you tell us how you started writing kid-lit and what drew you to creating stories for young readers? Karla Kane: When I was a child, I liked writing poems and stories (although I was also quite shy/embarrassed about it). Once I got older, my writing was mostly in the realm of songs or nonfiction/journalism, as mentioned above. I’ve always loved the world of children’s literature, though, and I’ve also spent some time working in schools, and playing in some children’s music bands. But the start of actually writing some poetry for kids, as a grown-up, happened only a few months ago. My daughter is an avid reader and she and I both enjoy the short stories and poems in her magazines. I suddenly had the notion that maybe I could give it a try myself and I feel very surprised, gratified and honored to have been getting publication opportunities and connecting with the kidlit world as a late bloomer. New Beginnings feels like the perfect theme for me at this point. Little Thoughts Press: What do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Karla Kane: Well, there is the internal confidence challenge of not feeling “good enough,” of wanting to make something worth readers’ while. I’m not very prolific or disciplined as a writer – I like to feel that “spark” of inspiration and that’s really not a very dependable or practical thing! But it is fun. It's always most rewarding if I can make my daughter smile with a poem. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Karla Kane: Oh my gosh, this and the next question are so difficult for me to answer because I have SO many beloved favorites! But to name just a few … Frederick’s Fables by Leo Lionni and Our Animal Friends on Maple Hill Farm by Alice and Martin Provensen had and continue to have a huge impact on me. The whole Ramona series by Beverly Cleary, classics like The Secret Garden by Frances Hodges Burnett and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes and all its companion books … you can tell I am both an animal lover and an Anglophile. Oh, I absolutely adore all the work of Zilpha Keatley Snyder. I also loved ghost stories and my two favorites are Pam Condrad’s, Stonewords and The Ghost in the Big Brass Bed by Bruce Coville. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Karla Kane: One of the best things about being a parent is going back to reread so many of my old favorites with my daughter and seeing them again through her eyes. But there are also SO many amazing new books and authors, too, that once again it’s hard for me to decide which to mention! Right now we’re really enjoying The Big Dreams of Small Creatures' by Gail Lerner, and another favorite from recent months is Coo by Kaela Noel (both deal with animal communication, in fact). And the Skunk and Badger books by Amy Timberlake … I'm lucky enough to have had some poems published at the Dirigible Balloon , and its first book collection, Chasing Clouds, is full of marvelous poems of all sorts. Thanks to journals like that and LTP, I am rapidly being introduced to new writers from all over, which is very exciting. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Karla Kane: Read, read, read! Mostly because it’s super fun, but it also exposes you to new ideas, styles and potential inspiration. And when you do write, don’t get stuck on trying to make something “perfect.” You don’t need to feel shy or embarrassed about sharing it like I did (but it’s OK if you do!). There will likely be some rejection and it will stink, but it happens to every artist at some point. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep writing. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Karla Kane: Most of my musical stuff can be found at www.cornerlaughers.com (as well as on itunes, Spotify, YouTube and all the typical places like that). We have some special performances coming up this spring and summer, as well as verrrrry slowly working on some new songs. In terms of other writing, I usually try to share links on social media, so stay tuned! You can find Karla on Twitter @cornerlaughers.

photograph of kids wearing backpacks walking side-by-side, via Wix Media There are a lot of new kids at school. They have been shy and some kids have disabilities. So, they need help. That is new to me. So, I cannot help them yet. But they have help. All I can do to help everyone is love them and show them where to go. My motto is, “Love, care, help, respect and embrace everything new that comes my way!” Madeline Borham

The snow is melting. Birds are chirping. Today is the first day of a brand new year. The bears are waking up from their winter slumber and getting out of their dens. In the distance, there is a loud boom that echoes deep in the forest. Shortly after, there follows a thunderous boom and then there is complete silence. Deer and multiple other animals scurry for cover and safety as they run deeper into the woods. A lone wolf feels pain in his left front paw. He is scared and hurt. A human carrying a gun and a backpack is walking with a dog. The man discovers the injured wolf and decides to help it. He pulls some bandages from his backpack and puts them on the wolf. The man is leaving now and the dog and the wolf are following him. Tristan A. is 9 and in 3rd grade. His favorite movie is Sharknado, and he likes gaming.

It was the first day of school. Me and my mom, Lilly, had just moved from Florida to Georgia. I missed the ocean and my friends, and I would also miss our house. I would always have sleepovers over the weekends there, and we would go to the park with each other almost everyday. My mom made a big breakfast for my first day. She made eggs, toast, bacon, and hashbrowns. When I was done eating, I put my dish in the sink and went upstairs to change. I picked out some cute skinny jeans. When I put them on, they were too small, so I picked out some of my big light blue jeans that fit. Right as I was putting on my shirt my mom yelled, "Layla your bus is here." I quickly put on my shirt and my shoes and grabbed my book bag and I ran out the door. I saw my mom wave as the bus left our street. When I got on the bus, I looked around and wondered, where do I sit? While I was walking in the aisle, I saw this girl sitting by herself in seat 7. I wanted to make friends and not get bullied so I sat with her. I asked her what her name was and she said, "My name is Hope." I told her that my name was Layla. I asked her what book she was reading and she said, "I’m reading the new comics that just came out in the school library, this one is called Standing on the Moon." Right when I was about to ask her what grade she was in we got to the school. When I got out of the bus, Hope asked me what grade I was in and I said, "I am in 5th grade.'' Hope said, "Same. We should walk to class together. But wait, do you know if we're in the same class?” I said, "I don't even know my locker number or whose class I'm in." Hope took me to the school office. We walked to the office and we asked the principal what class I was in and she said, "What's your name?” I told her that my name was Layla Rose and she found my class. Hope was really hoping I would be in Mrs. Daisy's room with her, but when the principal told us that I was in Mrs. Brooks’ class Hope got kinda sad. Hope walked away and said, "I will see you at lunch Layla. I got to go to class." When Hope left I asked the principal what my locker number was and she said, "Layla your locker number is 36." I walked out knowing I would be alone today. I had no friends except Hope and I can't even see her until lunch. I was walking around the hall looking for locker 36 but then this girl put her foot out and tripped me as I was walking. Then she said, "Oops I didn't mean to." After that I got up and just walked away. I thought to myself, I knew this would happen because I would always get bullied. Every time I got bullied at my old school, my friends would stand up for me, but now I have no one. I found my locker and I put my backpack in it. I found Mrs. Brooks' class and I walked in with everyone looking at me. Mrs. Brooks said, "Hi, you must be Layla. We have been waiting for you." I saw my seat in the front of the classroom and I sat in it. The room was very colorful. It had rainbows all over and she had these pretty pink walls. She had a bunch of posters about learning and some about being yourself. I asked Mrs. Brooks if this was a math or a reading room. She said, "This is a math room where we are all kind." I started looking around until I saw the girl who tripped me. She was looking straight at me, so I asked Mrs. Brooks can I go to the restroom? She said, "Yes you can, Layla, just don't take too long. We have to get into another lesson before the bell rings." I ran out of the room to the restroom. I sat there for a few minutes until I decided to go back into the classroom and not be scared because I am the strong girl. The bell rang, so we walked into the lunch room. It was loud. When I looked to my right, I saw Hope waiting for me to sit next to her. The lunch choice was chicken sandwich or hotdog. I chose hotdog because at my old school me and my friends would always get hotdogs together. While I was thinking, Mrs. Brooks told me I was checking out. I wondered why my mother would check me out on my first day. I went back to the classroom and got my stuff and headed to the front office. I saw my mom, and she told me she had a surprise for me. I got in the car and we drove home. When we got there I was sad I got checked out on my first day. I asked her why she checked me out and she said, ''Just wait." Then I walked in the house and saw my besties. I ran to them. I gave them a warm hug and told them this is just what I needed. Amelia A. is 8 years old and in third grade. Her dream place to travel has to be Greece. She loves Christmas and Thanksgiving. Amelia loves any type of book!

Image Text Reads: One day I found a dog in the road. I named him Big Red because he had the most prittyiest red fur. I didn't have dog food but I did have cat food. When I found him he was smart but nobody knew where his home was. So I played fetch with Big Red and of course he tore my ball. I knew I couldn't keep him so I found a home for him. I'm sad to see him go but I hope he has a good new life. Olivia Hernandez is seven years old and enjoys being homeschooled with her older brother. She loves animals, reading graphic novels, playing violin, and recently performed in her first music recital. Her favorite snacks are gluten-free pretzels and string cheese.

I made a new zoo. It has 2 bald eagles and it has 1 dolphin and 1 shark. It only has 3 kinds of animals because it just opened yesterday at 4:00. A kid came to the zoo when it opened because he was like, “what, a new zoo? I will just go to it.” The zookeeper said, “I can bring one of the bald eagles into the petting cage because you are the only person here.” He got to touch the eagle and it felt good. Chandler is 5 and loves food and animals. His favorite animal is a zorse.

photograph of kids wearing backpacks walking side-by-side, via Wix Media 1 As a new year starts And old one disappears Not a new beginning Just a new aspect Ups and downs, it’s a new year Another chance to persevere Look back in the past Time really flies by fast 2 New beginnings A new place No one likes change It seems so strange As the time flies To your old self, say good-bye Anaya Chougule is 12 years old and studying in 7th grade. She likes to read and write poems. She enjoys swimming, playing badminton, and exploring beaches.

Summer is a season that everyone loves. When it goes away, it's fall and most people don't like it. But to me, winter is a new beginning. The best part of winter is you can have snowball fights with your friends, cousins, or siblings. You can even eat snowballs! You can also ice skate on frozen lakes. You can make a snowman with a scarf, a hat, some rocks, and a carrot. Last but not least, you can add two sticks for arms. During the winter, you can get presents from Santa and family. You get presents from Santa because winter is when Jesus was born and that's when Christmas is. When you get presents from family is when they choose to do Christmas, like the 24th, 23rd, or on Christmas day. Winter is the season when it snows. Also, that's when the bugs go away. "Yay!" That means no more bug bites. You can also play outside in the snow. That means more snowball fights with family or friends. The worst part about winter is that you could get a cold or your favorite plant dies, and you have to wait till next spring to see it again. Also, you can't see your friends when it snows really hard. If you play outside, you need to wear gloves, a hat, a scarf, and a jacket. People love the summer, but to me, winter is a new beginning. Jordan W. is 8 years old and in third grade. His favorite food is a hot dog. His favorite book is Junie B. Jones. His favorite movie is Christmas Vacation. He loves to paint. If he could travel anywhere around the world, he would go to Florida.

Once upon a time, the poet and his friend packed all necessary things to go to the river. The poet took a compass, watch, sweater, some snacks in his bag. Now the next morning they woke up at 7:00am, and eat breakfast. Then they go. They think why not start to be brave. They stopped fearing. If a crocodile comes, they had a plan how to fight with the crocodile. The poet and his friend went to the river by car. On the way, they saw bridges, trees, deer, bison, foxes, and many more animals. Nature was very green and beautiful. They reached at 9:30am. When they reached it was very cloudy and cold. They saw many boats lined at the river for tourists. The names of the boats were Serendipity, Liberty, Gale, Amazonite, Noah. The colours were blue, green, yellow, red, and purple. They went to the boat named Liberty. The colour was red. For one hour the poet and his friend were fishing and boating. When they were boating, they saw nature, colourful birds and the greenery around. They were trying to catch a fish and mistakenly they awakened a sleeping crocodile. Aaaaaaa! They were afraid at first. Its eyes were red and angry. But the poet said, “Let us be brave. We will not be afraid.” Now the poet’s friend remembered. So they danced like mad. After some time, their dance bored the crocodile. But the boat overturned and they swam to safety because they have no fear. And they thanked God for saving their life. After that they reached home at 12:30pm. They were thinking now we must eat the fishes, that will be our lunch. They fried all the fishes, ate some salad too and then, on the hammocks under the tree, read books for two hours. When it was evening, it was very cold, they went inside the house and discussed how was the day. They thought we were not afraid this time, we were brave. So they were happy. Saket Pattanik is 8 years old. He loves to play with toy cars. Saket loves to travel, he plans to visit Dubai sometime soon. Saket's stories, "Trip to the Nature" and Adventure to Space have previously appeared on the Little Thoughts Press blog.