The Passageway

The second installment of my short story:

The passageway twisted and turned and wound downward.  It became darker and darker and Emma became more and more frightened.  All of the sudden her head crashed into what felt like a metal door.  Pushing onward, Emma found that the door creaked slowly open, revealing a sight like none other.  In front of her there was a gorgeous garden, filled with flowers of every color and birds singing.  The trees around her were sagging with the weight of leaves in the middle of the summer.  The smell of freshly cut grass wafted through the air and hit Emma's nose like a gust of wind.  As soon as she climbed out of the door, it disappeared.  "What now?" she thought to herself, violently turning around to face what she thought to be the entrance...

My Three Dresses

In response to the Cinderella stories, I wrote this poem:

Yes!  You may have my hand in marriage with but one request:

All I want is a magnificent, wonderful, splendid dress!

It is to be the color of spring grass on a sunny day,

Embellished with silver, hand sewn by Monique Lhuillier!

It should sparkle like the tears of a fairy princess

And as many diamonds and emeralds as a crown it should possess.

Not good enough, I say!  Have another try

This one should resemble a dark night sky.

Strewn with stars of opals like a vision from a dream

It must be the most gorgeous gown ever seen!

Designed by Giorgio Armani, it should fit like a glove,

Draped with silk and chiffon, my love!

You only get one more take, so it must be great!

This time pink is the color of choice, it must be fate!

Big and bustled like a real princess would wear,

With pearls and diamonds and rubies so fair.

Vera Wang knows best, so she will surely lead you right,

With a train and lace, oh the impression I will make in the light!

Wait, Stop!  I just had a thought:

To what event will I wear them?  This makes me distraught!

I rarely go out and dressing up is a hassle

I would much rather stay in my fashionably decorated castle.

The thing that would be best, and least likely to hurt:

Can you just love me in sweat pants and my Aggie t-shirt?

A Trip to the Bookstore!

Today I went to the bookstore (One of my favorite places, by the way) and read The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle!  It absolutely made my day! Carle has always been a favorite author of mine, and I am so happy that I get to read a book of his for an assignment.  The things I noticed about the book after not having read it for many years is the repetition he uses and the layout of the book.  Of course, Eric Carle's illustrations are always amazing, too.  The grouchy ladybug encounters an animal every hour asking "Hey you, want to fight?"  The response is always "If you insist."  This repetition has the effect a children's book should have, one of simple, rather blunt words that are still intriguing.  Also, the pages gradually get larger so that you can see part of each animal's page before you turn the page.  On the part that is showing there is a sun that rises corresponding to the time of day.  The idea is genius, and obviously works for a children's book!  My favorite part of the book is the last page after the Grouchy Lady Bug finally gets to eat the aphids.  "Thank you," says the leaf, and both lady bugs simply answer "You are welcome."  What a story!

The Passageway

This will be the first installment of my short story:

Emma awoke to find the sun shining brightly through the open window, the wind blowing gently, and the birds singing praises of the beautiful weather.

Only yesterday the intelligent, good-natured girl had discovered something she never dreamed possible.  After an upsetting conversation with Mother, she had walked into her room and violently slammed her belongings down on the desk.  Just like that, the bulletin board hanging on the wall in front of her had come crashing down to reveal a long, dark passageway, just the right size for a twelve year old girl to wiggle through.  Now a problem presented itself: Should she tell someone, or just start crawling.  

Always the adventurer, Emma chose the second option only after a moments consideration...

Why Children's Lit?

So, several people have asked me if I am going to be a teacher.  The truth is, probably not.  I am a business student but took children's literature as one of my electives for several reasons.  First, I love to read, especially children's books.  Sometimes I sit down in a chair at my house and don't get up for the whole day, just so I can finish the book.  So many of them are so easy to get lost in!  Another reason, probably the most important, is that all I really want to be when I grow up is a good mom.  My mother did a fabulous job of staying at home and raising me and my siblings, and I want my kids to have a similar experience. I remember when I was young one of my parents would lay in bed with me and my brother and sister and read us a book or part of one every night.  My favorites were the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingels Wilder.  We would always beg to hear more, but most of the time we had to go to bed after a few chapters.  Having such a great experience with children's lit when I was growing up really made me excited to learn more about it now.  

The Beginning

Let me begin by expressing how excited I am about this assignment!  Not only will it be graded, but it will be interesting as well.

When I got the list of books we would be reading this semester, I started reading them right away.  I read The Hobbit, The Giver, The Princess and the Goblin, Ella Enchanted, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  Although I liked all of them, my favorites were the fantasies.  The books that allow your imagination to run wild, that paint pictures in your mind, and that make reading more fun than any television show.  

Something I found interesting while reading the three fantasies were the similarities and differences among the creatures described.  Ogres, Goblins, Elves, Dwarfs, and humans all range from civilized beings to vulgar animals.  Each author has a totally different style and way of describing the fanatical creatures and they all play a different role in each work.  Some have sympathy for others, while others only care about killing and eating.  They live in enchanted forests and deep, dark tunnels that go on forever.  They are nocturnal, beautiful, intelligent, or devious.  I think they are all so interesting, and the creatures in fantasies are one of the things that make me adore books like The Hobbit and Ella Enchanted.  

Outside reading Books:

The Grouchy Ladybug, by Eric Carle

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling

Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein

Oh The Places You'll Go, by Dr. Seuss 

Frightful's Mountain, Jean Craighead George

Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbit

The Oxcart Man, Donald Hall

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling