Writing Wednesday - Writing for Kids

Writing can be serious, writing can be fun, writing can be for adults and writing can be for kids. Get children interested and capture their attention while they are young and they will be readers for life.

How do you mend a broken Jack o’ lantern?

 With a pumpkin patch, of course!

October is National Popcorn  Popping Month.

Grab a bowl of your favorite popcorn and enjoy the following story.

 

Peter and His Mammoth Pumpkins

By Janet F. Smart

     Peter wanted to grow the biggest pumpkins in Jackson County. He bought seeds at the Feed and Seed. The package said mammoth pumpkins! Peter ran home and planted his mammoth pumpkin seeds. He waited and waited and one morning after a big rain, the seeds sprouted.     
     “Mommy, Mommy,” shouted Peter, “come look at my pumpkin plants.” Peter grabbed hold of his mother’s hand and they strutted to the garden together.
     “That’s nice,” said Mrs. McKenzie, “but I like sunflowers.”
     “I like  mammoth pumpkins,” said Peter as he pointed to the picture on the seed package.
     “Sunflowers are big, too,” said Peter’s mother, “and they would provide us with lots of seeds to feed the birds this winter.”
     Peter shook his head and said, “I do not want sunflowers, I like pumpkins.”
     The next morning he walked to his garden. Animal tracks crisscrossed the muddy ground and his tiny plants were gone. Peter groaned and planted more seeds.  The pumpkin seeds sprouted, but again the animals came and ate the tender plants.
     Peter walked back to the Feed and Seed to buy more mammoth pumpkin seeds. He grabbed the package from the rack, and then he saw the sunflower packets. There were seed packs for little sunflowers and - seed packs for mammoth sunflowers! His eyes opened wide. He took the mammoth sunflower seed package from the rack and he placed them on the counter with his mammoth pumpkin seeds. He emptied the change from his pocket, grabbed the packs and hurried home.
     “These will grow tall and protect my mammoth pumpkins,” said Peter as he planted the sunflower seeds around his garden spot.
     The sunflower seeds sprouted and their stalks wiggled and grew in the warm sunshine. The animals never ate them and they grew taller and taller. Then, he planted his pumpkin seeds inside the circle of sunflowers.       
     He watered and cared for his garden each day.
     One fall day, he walked out to the garden and he jumped with excitement. “I have the biggest pumpkins and the biggest sunflowers in Jackson County!”
     Peter tried to lift his mammoth pumpkins, but he could not.
     Peter grunted! Peter pulled! Peter shoved!
     He tried his best to lift his pumpkins. He toppled to the ground and wiped his wet forehead with his dirty hands. He rested and then jumped up and ran home.
     “Mommy, come and look at my mammoth pumpkins. They are so heavy, I cannot lift them.” He strutted to the garden and she followed behind him. Mrs. McKenzie’s eyes sparkled. “The sunflowers are beautiful!” she said. “They are so big. The birds will have a lot of seeds to eat this winter.”
     “No, look at my mammoth pumpkins,” said Peter.
     He squeezed between the sunflower stalks. His mother followed behind him. He ran into the middle of the garden, climbed up on a large pumpkin, and stood tall. His body blotted out the October sun as he looked down at his mother.
     “We shall also eat well this winter,” said Mrs. McKenzie. “I can make lots of pies with your mammoth pumpkins!”
     Peter smiled.

Get children interested in reading and they can explore the world without leaving their house. The pages of books take them places they could never travel to in person and enables them to experience things they could never experience otherwise.

Read to your children and grandchildren. But watch out, their smiles are contagious!

Happy Writing!