by Stacy
This is a last-minute effort to join in the holiday fun. Enzo and I brainstormed ideas for this story. He did not like my execution, but it was wrapped up among a day filled with a 5k, church pageant practice, a day of treat making, and a Christmas party. Thanks Susanna Leonard Hill for hosting this contest. I can only hope that all my word count tools were correct at 250 words. LOL
Penguin’s Quest for Answers: Saves Christmas
By Stacy S. Jensen
Penguin knew he was on Santa’s Naughty list.
He counted on his flippers and feet all the incidents.
He ate his sister’s snack after school. Penguin protested, “But, it was on my plate.”
He knocked down a line of friends ready to fish. “I slipped.”
He fell into a mongoose on the beach causing chaos. “I didn’t mean to do it.”
Penguin tried to be nice.
He helped Grandma down the beach, made lunch for Mom, and sheltered eggs for Uncle.
But, nothing Penguin did removed him from the naughty list.
So, he left Boulder Beach, South Africa headed to the North Pole.
When he arrived, Penguin found Santa and made his case.
“I’ve been good.”
“Ah,” Santa said.
“I’m not sure how to get off the naughty list,” Penguin said.
“ACHOO!” Santa sneezed.
“Are you sick Santa?” Penguin asked.
“Maybe, just a … ACHOO,” Santa said.
“I can help,” Penguin offered.
Santa was too tired to protest.
Penguin checked the flight map, Santa’s sack, and the list.
Santa gave Penguin his special hat and off he flew to deliver presents.
When he returned to the North Pole, Santa said, “You saved Christmas.”
“Am I off the naughty list?” Penguin asked.
Santa snored.
The elves helped Penguin return home.
“Where have you been?” Mom asked.
“Just helping a friend,” Penguin said.
“Santa left you a present,” she said.
Penguin found his very own hat with the words “TRAINEE” across the front and a book “How to be Nice All Year.”
by Stacy
Here’s my Perfect Picture Book Friday choice:
My Pet Penguins
Written and Illustrated by Mark Iacolina
Price Stern Sloan, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group
January 2014
Fiction
Suitable for: Ages 2 and up
Themes: Pets, Friendship, Penguins
Opening Lines: Penguins waddle. Penguins play.
Synopsis from Amazon: Penguins make the best pets! Follow a little girl and her pet penguins as they flip pancakes, spin on the ice, and read a story before catching some zzz’s!
Link to resources: Pets in the classroom. Teaching children pet safety. Talk about pets in the household and write a book on what it can do, using the fun examples from the book.
Why I like the Book: It’s another penguin book! Well, there’s more to it than that. The book’s simple illustrations show how My Pet Penguins can add to the fun of the day. The story is simple with many two word sentences. These short ones add to the overall story of how the penguins are involved in young girl’s day from beginning to end. Mark Iacolina also has written and illustrated My Pet Giraffe and My Pet Polar Bear. Penguins is in board book form and would make a great gift for to a newborn looking for a cute read.
I hope to keep up with everything this weekend. I’m attending an illustrator’s intensive with Will Terry via the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI. Nope. I’m still not an illustrator, but Will Terry is a great storyteller and I anticipate learning tons of information.
Find more PPBF at Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog.
by Stacy
I SURVIVED! I took a two-week break to power through a special reading project (I can share that later in June); the silent auction at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference; a pitch appointment being canceled and transforming into an eight-minute-edit session with an editor (yipee); and polishing two contest entries.
I return, as promised, with PENGUIN books!
Here’s my Perfect Picture Book Friday choice:
A Penguin Story
Written and Illustrated by Antoinette Portis
Fiction
Harper Collins Publishers, 2009
Suitable for: 4-8
Themes/Topics: Discovery, Animals, Research, Colors/Environment, Community
Opening Lines: White, thinks Edna. Like yesterday.
Black. Like tomorrow.
Synopsis from Amazon: Edna the penguin only knows the three colors that surround her: white ice, black night, and blue sea. She is convinced there is something more out there. So she sets out on a quest—a quest for color. When she finally finds what she’s been looking for, it’s everything she hoped for and more. But that doesn’t mean she will ever stop looking.
Link to Resources: Here’s a link to Everything You Need with a really cute foam penguin craft. You can also be like Edna and look at the colors around you, your home, and your neighborhood.
Why I like this Book: It’s a simple story, but unfolds into something larger as Edna explores her world. I also like how the other penguins interact with Edna throughout the story from ignoring her to going with her.
Find more PPBF books at Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog.
Have a great weekend and happy writing, especially to those participating in the NaPiBoWriWee Challenge!
