It’s that time of year again! Valentine’s Day is coming up and Susanna Leonard Hill has issued her writing challenge. Here’s what she wrote on her blog:
write a Valentines story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone is hopeful! Your someone can hope for something good or something bad. Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes someone hopeful (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (get it? 2/14 for Valentines Day 🙂 You can go under the word count but not over! (Title is not included in the word count.)
Judging criteria will include:
- Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
- Creativity in using hopefulness and success in making us feel the hopefulness!
- Valentine’s Day appropriateness – this is a VALENTINE story!
- Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
- Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it.
- Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 🙂
If YOU want to enter her contest there is still time if you are reading this before the cut off date. If you don’t want to enter, please go to her blog anyway and read all the stories. I think you’ll even have opportunity to vote.
Here is my attempt in 208 words, I hope you like it:
A Hopeful Valentine
You don't enjoy my sticky hugs, but helped me catch some icky bugs, And when my best cap blew away, you gave me yours to wear today. A bully pushed me to the ground, but quickly knew the grief he'd found; Because I'm small you stood for me, you stared him down, he let me be. You held my hand to cross the street, and bought for me an ice- cream treat. At home you said to go away, to find some other place to play. It's not my fault your vase got trashed and all your smelly flowers smashed. You hung a sign upon your door, YOU CAN'T COME IN HERE ANYMORE! "Don't touch my stuff! Leave me alone! And NO, you can't play on my phone! Don't bother me, you little pest! Stop bugging me, I need a rest!" I'm sorry! do you want a kiss?, I hope you'll soon get over this, Because when I'm afraid at night, you welcome me and hug me tight. When you calm down I have for you a card I made with sparkle glue. It's not a mushy valentine, because you are already mine; You're my big sis and I love you, and by the way, you need more glue. Thanks for reading, and ... Creative Musings! :) ♥
Polilla Writes 