Issue 9

cover art by Margaret Dyer

A publication of Silver Pen, Incorporated

Issue 9March 2012

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Kids'Magination Magazine

Director and Publisher: Sue Babcock

Fiction Editor: Kellee Kranendonk

Cover Art: Margaret Dyer

Kids’Magination Magazine is a publication of Silver Pen, Incorporation, which is a non-profit organization focused on quality writing and reading. Kids’Magination Learning Center is a division of Silver Pen dedicated to children who are eager to write stories about the fantastic flights of their imaginations.

Copyright ©2011. All reights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information contact [email protected]

All stories herein have been compiled by Silver Pen, Incorporated under Kids’Magination Magazine. These are works of fiction. All characters and events protrayed in this book are either products of the author’s imagination or are fictitiously used.

www.kidsmagination.com

The Silver Pen Writers’ Association

Presents a Silver Pen, Incorporated Publication

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About our Cover Artist

Margaret Dyer is a fine-artist, having made her living for over 20 years selling her pastel paintings and teaching. She is a Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America and an award-winning member of the American Impressionist Society.Since childhood, however, illustrating for children has been one of her goals.

About our Story Illustrator, Nathan Wyckoff

Kids’Magination has been blessed with excellent artists. This issue we introduce a new artist, Nathan Wickoff. Nathan Wyckoff has been an illustrator, painter and writer on the scene for over a decade. Between gallery shows, Nathan frequently publishes illustrations and fiction in numerous magazines, recently being nominated for an AWP Intro Journal Award for his weird poetry. His online illustration portfolio can be viewed at nathanwyckoff.squarespace.com.

About our Fiction by Kids

We are particularly thrilled to introduce a new section this month - Fiction by Kids. We encourage youth of any age to send us your stories. We will review it, and if we feel it is a good fit for Kids’Magination, we will publish it. Even if you don’t get published, we will provide some brief comments about what worked in your story. So you have nothing to lose - send us your stories.

Contents

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Contents

the 3 PrinCesses 1

written by Courtney Hadley

illustrated by Nathan Wickoff

sky Boy 6

written by Anthony J. Langford

illustrated by Nathan Wickoff

the PeBBler 10

by LaVa Payne

illustrated by Nathan Wickoff

Fiction by Kids

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the 3 PrinCesses

written by Courtney Hadley

illustrated by Nathan Wickoff

In the year of 1823, in the country of Austria, in the city of Vienna, in the castle, lived the 3 princesses: the pretty princess, Ashley, the drama princess, Esmerelda, and the sweet princess, Kaitlyn.

The princesses’ parents loved all three girls equally, and couldn’t decide who to leave the kingdom to, so the parents let all three girls rule the kingdom. All the princesses thought they were in charge. Every minute, there was something going on. The castle was a complete mess!

“Can you believe my 19th birthday is coming up next Friday?” squealed the pretty princess with excitement.

“Well, what would you want for supper on your birthday? I would happily make it for you,” the sweet princess asked.

“Macaroni and cheese!” the pretty princess answered.

“Did somebody say cheese?!” the drama princess asked fiercely.

“Yeah, why?” Ashley asked.

“Because…I HATE CHEESE!” the drama princess screamed back. Esmerelda had a total meltdown.

“Servants, here, NOW!” Esmerelda hollered.

The servants scurried around Esmerelda.

“I’m ordering you guys to get rid of all the cheese in the castle in 5 minutes. SCATTER!” Esmerelda demanded.

“Hey, it’s just for one meal, chillax, Esmerelda.” Kaitlyn exclaimed. “It’s not like it’s forever, it’s her birthday. She’s the princess of her day.

“Oh, right, she’s the ruler!” Esmerelda said sarcastically. “Oh, alright! You can have your cheese, but only for this special occasion

As the three princesses walked away, Esmerelda told the servants to keep the cheese. As all three princesses roamed around the castle, Esmerelda thought of a plan.

It was 10:30 at night. All the princesses were in their beds, except for Esmerelda. The guards were guarding the castle inside and out. Esmerelda crept downstairs to the Grand Refrigerator. She carefully opened the bottom drawer. All the cheese was in the right bottom corner. Esmerelda took a big sack and carefully packed the cheese in it, then put the sack in a medium sized box. After Esmerelda taped the box shut, she addressed it to her parents. Esmerelda crept outside and tossed the box in the Grand Mailbox, then went back to bed and went to sleep.

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In the morning was a new day. The birds were singing, and the wind was whistling. Everything was perfect. Ashley was out with friends a few miles away. Kaitlyn and Esmerelda were wrapping presents with pure gold wrapping paper and beautiful bows.

“I hope she’ll like this 100% gold ring and ancient dress we got her…when she opens it…tomorrow”, Kaitlyn spoke softly.

“She will”, Esmerelda said quietly.

Later, around 11:00 that night, Kaitlyn went downstairs and got the banners and chocolate cake all ready on the Grand Table. Then, Kaitlyn placed two glamorous presents on the edge of the table, and crept back to her Queen-size bed.

Next morning, Kaitlyn and Esmerelda stood there, right next to Ashley’s seat. Esmerelda had a sneaky, suspicious grin on her face. On the other hand, Kaitlyn was panicking, but also happy.

Shortly, small and quiet footsteps came down the Grand Staircase. Then Ashley appeared! Ashley stood with a big, happy, excited smile on her face. There stood her own band, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and some people she never even knew, and even a few soldiers, in front of Ashley! All of them had something for her, either a present or bags full of money. Ashley looked all around her. She saw banners, at least ten

tables and then, her two sisters.

“Happy birthday!” the crowd cheered with excitement.

“Presents!” Ashley spoke.

The crowd formed a single-file line. Ashley’s parents and her sisters

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were first in line. As Ashley carefully opened the package from her parents, her face broke out with excitement. Ashley had gotten $1,000,000 and a blanket with her name sewn on it! “Thank you!” she squealed.

“You are welcome”, her parents responded.

Next, Ashley opened a box with a 100% gold ring and a beautiful ancient dress. “Oh! I’ve always wanted this! Thank you!” Ashley said with eagerness.

By the end of the line, Ashley had gotten a mini purse, a striped bedset, a carriage, a T.V., a piano, and a jewelry box. As everybody left, except her parents and sisters, their father announced, “Everybody, I’m noticing that Ashley is getting hungry. Let’s eat macaroni and cheese, shall we? Let’s get started then.”

As her parents were looking for the cheese in the refrigerator, they thanked Ashley for the cheese she had sent them.

“What?! What cheese? I didn’t send you any cheese.” Ashley said quickly, but in a panicking way.

Then the parents opened the refrigerator drawer. No cheese! “Who got rid of all the cheese?” the parents and Ashley asked frantically.

Then, Ashley and Kaitlyn turned to Esmerelda.

“I got rid of the cheese. I sent it to Mom and Dad. I hate cheese! I’m a princess, too!” Esmerelda exclaimed.

“Esmerelda, we have no food! Now, why did you do that to your sister?” her parents grumbled at Esmerelda.

“Now what will we do?” Ashley worried.

“I’ll make one of your other favorite foods, tuna salads!” suggested their mother.

“Yes!” agreed Ashley.

“Uggh, tuna is the one thing I hate worse than cheese!” Esmerelda said disgustedly.

So, the family ate tuna-salads and tea at the Grand Dining Table.

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“I’m sorry, Ashley. I should have known better. I promise with all my heart that I will never banish the cheese from the castle again!” Esmerelda exclaimed.

“Apology accepted” Ashley responded, smiling.

“Happy birthday, Ashley!” Esmerelda said. “Happy birthday.”

The Royal End

AUTHOR BIO: Courtney Hadley is 9 years old and lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her family. She decided she wanted to be a writer when she was 5 years old, and has been writing stories and poems ever since. She had two poems published in “Creative Communications” when she was in 2nd grade. “My family is my inspiration. They’re caring and encouranging to me!” she says.

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sky Boy

written by Anthony J. Langford

illustrated by Nathan Wickoff

There was a giant helium balloon in Kenny”s backyard. His parents were professional balloonists but this was the first balloon they had ever made. His mom had outfitted the basket and his dad had just filled it with the gas to make it fly. It was all ready to go. A big crowd gathered around, too. Suddenly, Kenny said that he wanted to go with his dad. Everyone laughed.

“You”re much too young to fly, Kenny. When you”re older, I”ll think about it.”

Kenny didn”t agree. As his dad shook hands with people, Kenny slipped into the basket, undid the rope and off it went. Everyone, especially his mom

and his dad, yelled at him to come back. The balloon went sideways into the house and everyone below went, “Oooh.” Kenny thought his trip may be over before it had begun but somehow the balloon pushed

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free of the roof and continued to rise. His dad was yelling at him but Kenny didn”t care as he knew everyone was watching. He felt like a king. King Kenny, the Sky Boy.

As the balloon climbed higher though, he thought maybe his dad was right. It was too high. But Kenny did not know how to go down.

The back yard shrunk and he could no longer hear the people shouting. Soon, they turned to black dots and not long after that he couldn”t see his house anymore either. The clouds became his new roof.

He drifted right out of town and into the green of the countryside. It was beautiful but very quiet, like when the television is off. Kenny relaxed a little, looking at the reflection of the balloon in a lake and the fields shaped like rows of green toast, until he heard a loud hissing sound. You don”t want to hear that sound when you”re up in a gas balloon. The balloon was leaking! Kenny could suddenly taste his breakfast, but this time it wasn”t so nice.

“Mom? Dad? I think I want to come down now!”

Kenny looked around, but all he could see were the clouds and the sun and the ground.

The balloon began to hiss more loudly. Was the hole getting bigger? “Please help me!”

The balloon began to drop from the sky. Kenny looked over the edge. It was a long way down. A very, long way.

Kenny was a stubborn boy. He never did what adults told him, not only his parents but his teachers too. If he did something bad, which was often, he would never admit to it. Even now, after he had stolen his parent”s balloon, he felt like he had done nothing wrong. It was always someone else”s fault. “This isn”t fair dad. I didn”t really want to go up. You should have known I was joking!” But no one could hear him.

Just then a huge tear went up the side of the balloon like a teacher slowly ripping a sheet of paper. The basket shook like crazy and Kenny did all he could do, which was to tie a rope around his waist and hang on as tightly as he could. It was like being inside a party balloon that someone had popped. It plummeted, getting closer and closer to the

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ground. Kenny was certain he was about to find out what an egg feels like when it hits the floor.

And yet, he still felt as though he had done nothing wrong. Screaming didn”t help, but he did it anyway. “AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

The balloon plunged like a sock dropped from a tree with a big marble in it. It was going to crash and Kenny thought this might be the end of his short life.

From out of nowhere, Farmer Tino in his one man crop dusting plane came zooming underneath him and hooked the balloon onto the tail. Farmer Tino had watched the balloon floating through the air, which was unusual in his area and had witnessed its sudden drop. As the plane caught the balloon, the basket flipped sideways and Kenny hung on for dear life. This was even scarier than before!

“Dad! Help me!” Kenny said as the balloon jolted. “I didn”t mean to take your balloon!”

Farmer Tino flew towards a dirt road, but just as the wheels were about to touch, the basket smashed into the ground and sprung up again.

Kenny wailed. “I”m sorry!” The basket bounced off the ground, almost spilling the boy onto the road. Each time it bounced, Farmer Tino heard Kenny yell; “It”s all my fault! I”ve been a naughty boy!”

Up and down, up and down, Kenny”s voice was heard all around. “I”ve been a naughty boy!” He wished it were a dream, that he would wake up in his backyard with his dad lifting him from the basket and his mom wiping away his tears. But this was no dream.

Dust filled the basket and he spluttered and shut his eyes. He jittered like microwaved popcorn.

Luckily Farmer Tino was a very good pilot. He brought the plane to a steady halt and leapt from the cockpit, running to check inside the basket, afraid of what he might find.

Sandwiched in the corner amongst the woven cane was a dust coated bundle of clothes. Was that a little boy in there? Tino reached in and lifted him out.

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“Boy, my dad”s going to be super mad,” said the bundle. Tears began to cut a trail across the dirt caked cheeks. “I”ve been such a naughty boy!”

“I”d say you”re a lucky boy! I think you should keep your head out of the clouds for a while.”

“Don”t worry, I will! From now on, I”m going to do exactly what my parents tell me.”

AUTHOR BIO: Anthony J. Langford grew up by the river in country Australia but after several years traveling now lives in Sydney with his baby daughter and three step children. He has had numerous stories published, including in the Verandah 25th Anniversary Edition and his novella Bottomless River will be published by Ginninderra Press in early 2012.

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the PeBBler

by LaVa Payne

illustrated by Nathan Wickoff

Phillip had ridden around the Mossy Lake pond three times. He knew it was still there. But he had not thought of the answer to the riddle. He hoped he would figure it out soon.

Months had passed into the early fall’ and the crisp apples were falling from their branches. Maple leaves were falling—time had fallen.

Since the first moment he had skipped stones on the old Mossy Lake pond, he knew there was a certain amount of uniqueness to the secluded area. No one was

supposed to be back there on the pond, and it was certain that he was trespassing.

The bicycle was an old Schwinn that was kind of banged-up on the front fender. But it was a hand-me-down from his brother Lee. Blackberry bushes were full of the prickly thorns. And the thorns tore at his sleeves as he tried to hide the bike in the bushes.

A tune came from his lips. Phillip often whistled when he was nervous or worried. This time he was worried for a good reason. If he did not

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answer the riddle, he would surely die a horrible death. That is what the Pebbler had told him.

It was strange how kind of doing something wrong got in him into this mess in the first place. If Phillip had just listened to his father’s warning, none of this would have ever happened.

***

“Son, I need you to mow the lawn this afternoon,” Perry was sitting at the end of the dining room table reading his Sunday newspaper.

“But Dad, Gabe and I are going down to the old grist mill to look around and stuff. Can I do it tomorrow after school?”

Perry folded the paper together, making sure to keep the middle crease lined-up with all the pages. “I think I told you to do it this afternoon. Tomorrow, you are supposed to go and help your mother bring home some landscaping timbers after school.” The glasses on his nose had slid down to the tip, and he was looking over his bifocals.

“Ok. I will get it done.” Phillip marched out of the kitchen. But I will do it after I slip off to the grist mill with Gabe. Phillip took his Swiss Army knife out of his top dresser drawer and slid it into his pocket. He listened for the rustling of the newspaper. When the sound quieted, Phillip opened the backdoor and went outside.

The push mower was parked underneath the oak tree with a one gallon can of gas setting on one of the old oak’s roots. Phillip knew he would have to start the mower and ‘mock mow’ a round or two before his dad would be satisfied enough to forget about him mowing the yard. Then and only then, he would be able to sneak off to the grist mill.

Gas fumes overpowered Phillip nose as he poured the liquid into the mower. He screwed the top on tightly, and pushed the primer three times. “That should get it good and ready.” Phillip pulled the string. The engine made a little effort but did not start. He pulled it again. It was the same thing. The third time the motor rocked into a purring sound with the blades spinning fast behind the grass catcher.

A slight vibration traveled up the distance of the mowers handle to his hands as he pushed the first long circle around the yard. The smell

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of fresh cut grass was green and pungently sweet. Little flecks of cut grass blades had attached themselves to his white ankle socks. Phillip could feel the sun beating down on his dark brown hair, and the sweat was beginning to run hot and sticky down the back of his neck and knees. “One more loop around the yard, and I will pull the mower under the tree, cut it off, and pretend it quit if he asks.”

And as Phillip got around the second time, he did exactly that. The mower was parked under the tree. Phillip waited to see if his dad would come out the door and ask about the mower. He looked at his watch and waited.

Five minutes passed and no sign of his dad coming out the door. It was pretty obvious that his dad was content with him hearing the mower running. Now all Phillip had to do was go over and get Gabe.

But when Phillip got to Gabe’s house, Gabe’s mom met him at the front door. “Gabe can’t go out today. He has gotten a C on his English paper and is being grounded until he can bring it up. Sorry Phillip, but he has got to study.”

Phillip understood being grounded. Heck, what kid hadn’t been grounded at least once in their life. “Yes, ma’am. Tell Gabe I came by, and that I will see him at school.”

As Phillip left Gabe’s house, there didn’t seem like much use in him going to the old grist mill without him. After all, it had been Gabe’s idea to begin with.

That had been back in May. School was about to let out for the summer. Gabe would have to study hard and fast if he was going to

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bring it up.

Phillip was going to the old grist mill, and if he went home, he would be stuck mowing the grass.

He cut through the woods and ambled his way for small piece thinking. He snatched leaves off of the low hanging branches as he walked by and kicked twigs on the ground as he walked. There was nothing to do.

Before he realized it, Phillip had walked a half a mile in the woods. And he was near the old Mossy Lake pond. Seventy years ago, there used to be a railroad that cut through the woods, but now there were only train trestles left. And the pond had a history of holding an old locomotive engine at the depths of its bottom. But no one ever fished it out. Phillip found himself walking over the trestles and close to the pond.

It was an eerie looking swamp-pond. There were mossy green ferns hanging from the branches like pale green shrouds on a skeleton. The edges of the pond had dense high cat tails and floating lily pads with bull frogs. But on the near side of the pond there was a nice patch of black and white flecked rocks to sit and chunk. Phillip figured they had to be the remains of a cargo overturned when the train engine sank to the pond’s murky bottom.

Phillip sat on an iron mud-rock and propped his feet up dead tree limb poking out of the water. It was quiet out there. There was nothing but the sound of crickets and the occasional croaking of a bull frog. What a great place to sit and just think.

He picked up a stone and threw it across the pond. It leaped and bounded across the water bouncing twice. The ripples it left shimmered across pond leaving the reflection of the cloudy sky wobbling as it slowed.

Phillip picked-up another and threw it. This one bounced three times before it sank. “Yeah!” It was neat to see the water ripple after the rock bounced.

As he sat looking at the ripples, Phillip reached for a third, but as he held it in his hand it wiggled.

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“Down you put me.” The pebble had managed to speak.

“What?”

“Drown me if you throw.”

“I must be dreaming. Pebbles can’t talk.”

“Pebbler I am. And talk we do.” The pebble was standing in the middle of Phillip palm with his little hands on his pebble body.

“You’re a what?” Phillip blinked his eyes but the little pebble was still there.

“Pebbler I am. And deaf you are. Down you put me.”

Phillip place the small pebble back on the pile of other black and white flecked rocks that were still blinking. “What is a Pebbler?”

“Pebbler is me. Pebblers we are all.” At least twenty of the black and white flecked rocks moved on the ground. They were diorites (pronounced die-oh-right) from the igneous rock class. When they shifted this way and that way, the pile of rocks next to him had become a massive crowd of tiny little pebble-beings staring at him with

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little wobbly pebble eyes.

One Pebbler stepped forward. “Knows our secret. Die he must.” But the first Pebbler was not satisfied.

“Riddle he must solve. Live he can.”

Phillip was looking at all the little black and white Pebblers. They looked like a Dalmatian, but they were pebbles.

“What is your riddle?” Phillip motioned to the little pebble.

But the Pebbler ignored him at first. “Answer you must. Wait we will.”

Phillip reached for the pebble but the others had him before he could grabbed it.

“Riddle you must solve.” The Pebbler was standing with his hand pointing towards the lake.

“Lake at bottom, gem unfold, sparkle not yet, hot not cold.” The Pebbler finished his riddle and the other Pebblers laughed.

“Not know will he.”

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Phillip sat thinking for a long moment. “What will I get if I answer your riddle?”

The first angry Pebbler stepped closer to him, “Get you will. Life you live.”

The riddle posing Pebbler came forward, “Gem unfold, if Riddle you solve.”

Phillip sat thinking, but there was nothing that he would try to guess. “How many guess do I get?”

The angry Pebbler answered, “One guess get you. Death becomes two.”

“May I take some time to think of the answer?” Phillip was looking at the riddle giving Pebbler.

“Time you take. Guess once true.”

The angry Pebbler warned, “Tell no one you. Will die they shall.”

Phillip promised the Pebblers that he would not tell anyone, and that he would return with the answer to their riddle.

***

But as summer went along, he pondered the riddle with no answer. His father complained to him that he should quit throwing rocks in the yard because the lawnmower would pick them up and break a window.

“But I am not throwing rocks in the yard.” Phillip protested.

Then his father showed him the pile of rocks that were underneath his window pane. Phillip knew the Pebblers were sending him a message. Time was falling short.

And as fall began to turn the leaves, the pile of rocks outside his window had grown. Phillip knew that he would have to return to the pond and answer the riddle, or everyone in his family would be in danger. And there was no way he was going to explain how pebbles were a danger.

So, Phillip packed his little Swiss Army knife in his pocket and headed towards the old Mossy Lake pond. Whatever happened, at least his

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family would be safe.

The old train trestle must have run at least a hundred miles in the old days. Carrying goods and produce from one saw mill town to the next. It was basically the only mode of transportation that could move such items with ease when the pine forests had been so dense.

Phillip walked along the trestle pushing his bicycle towards the pond being ever so careful not to disturb the rocks. There was no telling what other little pebble creatures might live in the woods.

When he got to the lake the Pebblers were waiting. “Returned you have. Answer you must.”

“Ask me your riddle.” Phillip pretended to be brave, but he did not have the answer to the riddle.

“Lake at bottom, gem unfold, sparkle not yet, hot not cold.” The Pebbler waited with the other little pebbles all watching him and waiting.

Phillip wondered if he would die quickly. He looked around nervously. Anything he said was going to be the answer. He only had one guess.

“Answer now you must.” The angry Pebbler was sitting on Phillip’s knee pointing his little finger accusingly.

Phillip looked around. There was something at the bottom of the lake that was a gem and it did not sparkle because it cold. That did not make any sense at all. Phillip looked past the angry little Pebbler towards the forest. He wished that this had never happened. He wished he was walking on the train trestle back home. He would never sneak off from mowing the yard if he could just live. Then the answer came to him. Of course!

“Answer now you must.” The angry Pebbler was sitting on his shoulder now pecking on his head.

Phillip smiled. “The answer is…” He looked around all the little Pebblers as they grew quiet waiting for his answer. “The answer is a diamond.”

The angry little Pebbler hopped down on the ground mumbling and sputtering under his breath. “Told someone must. Cheat he did.”

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All of the little Pebblers began to move towards the water. One by one they disappeared beneath the surface of the pond. Phillip sat down on the bank and sighed. “Whew!”

Somehow the idea had come to him. The train engine, derailed, down at the bottom of the pond, coal was used to fuel the fire. There must have been a diamond in that pile of coal. It didn’t matter now. Phillip had answered the riddle correctly. And the Pebblers had left. He was free to enjoy life. He was going to live.

As he got up to walk home, Phillip glanced back at the pond, there was still no sign of the black and white spotted pebbles anywhere to be seen on the bank. They had disappeared or gone back to their home.

***

That night Phillip lay in his bed sleeping soundly. No one would ever believe that pebbles could come to life much less be a threat.

Thunk!

There was sound at his window. It sounded like a pebble hitting the glass. Phillip decided not to look. It was probably the angry Pebbler coming to show him that he did not believe. Phillip decided to ignore it and rolled over in his bed pulling up the cover over his head.

Thunk!

He heard the sound again.

Thunk, thunk, thunk.

It sounded like three rocks were hitting the window pane. Phillip got up out of his bed and creeping to the window. He raised it. “Leave me alone! I answered your riddle.” As Phillip looked around, he saw nothing. There were was no sign of the Pebblers waiting outside of his window. He returned to his bed and fell asleep.

***

The next morning Phillip went outside to get his bike. Gabe had called; he wanted to ride his bike with Phillip down to the old grist mill. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught something unusual beneath his bedroom window. It was a huge pile of pebbles.

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As Phillip walked over to the pile of pebbles he smiled a huge smile. There at the very top of the pile was a diamond the size of his palm. Phillip picked it up and looked around. There was no sign of the Pebblers, but he knew they had been there and left him a prize.

THE END

BIO: LaVa Payne lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas. When LaVa is not writing, she is exploring WPA structures and old sawmill towns. LaVa shares her cottage and garden with cats, bunnies, owls, opossums (who think they are cats) and numerous hummingbirds.