Spring...Chu!

Bathed in sunshine and caressed by the breeze, with my heavy backpack, I walked slowly and steady to the bus stop. I can barely open my eyes, but the fluffy cotton-candy clouds floating in the bright blue sky was hard to ignore. The visit of sun finally dispelled the winter chill. Along with the breeze, the branches were gently swaying, and the green leaves were dancing. Yellow tulips on the sidewalks were blooming and  foiled by the green green grass. Magpies were jumping here and there, showing off their velvet black-and-turquoise feathers. My careless steps almost had me tread on a squirrel's furry tail. I was glad I didn't because I can't imagine I have to run for my life with this loaded backpack. Joining a little cluster of commuters at the bus stop, I enjoyed this bright, breezy, brisk morning -- so beautiful and peaceful. 

Aaah Chu! A fit of sneezing came with the breeze. 
Ah Chu! Ah Chu! Another sneezing fit came with another breeze. 
Ah Chu! Chu! Chu! Oh boy...Three at a time!
Aaah Chu! Chu! Chu! Chu! Chu! Chu! Six made the record. 
Rubbing my itchy eyes and taking out a tablet of Claritin from my backpack, I knew Mother Nature was reminding me: It's time for Spring medication. 


(*Spring time is beautiful, but spring time could be painful. Whenever spring comes, I know allergy comes along. My sneezing always informs me the arrival of allergy season. I wrote the moment about my first sneezing this year. I wonder how I can make this piece of writing flow better. Thank you!)

Hot & Cold

10-year-old Lydia likes to read. 
She reads a variety of books. 
She likes to read books about different cultures; she likes to read books about great people; she likes to read books about outstanding females. 

Lydia likes to read with her favorite beverage at hand. 
In summer days, she loves to read under the shade of trees with her icy-ice lemon tea. 
The icy-ice lemon tea cools and calms her, so she can focus on her reading. 
In winter days, she loves to read on a sofa with a furry blanket and a cup of extremely hot chocolate. 
The furry blanket and the extremely hot chocolate warm her, so she can focus on her reading. 

One summer day, Lydia feels anxious because she can't focus on her reading. 
No matter how many glasses of icy-ice lemon tea she drinks, she is not cool and calm. 

It takes a summer for her to finish a paragraph. 
She thinks to herself: "I'll read more in winter."

When winter comes, she has her blanket and extremely hot chocolate ready. 
She climbs up the sofa and opens a book. 
No matter how tightly she tugs herself in the blanket, and no matter how many cups of extremely hot chocolate she has, she does not feel warm. 

NOT AT ALL!

Lydia starts to worry.
She worries that she can't read many multicutural books as usual; she worries that she can't read many biographies of great people as usual; she worries that she can't read many life stories of outstanding females as usual. 
She worries that she can only read one paragraph a year from now on. 

Lydia stands in front of her bookshelves and glimpses all her books with sad eyes as if she was saying goodbye to them.

Somehow, her eyes fix at the section where she keeps her favorite books. She feels that she is facing the biggest challenge in her life as many great people had in theirs. She feels that she needs to face up to the challenges.

She decides to save the summer heat for winter and winter cold for summer. 

Immediately, Lydia takes out an ice chest that her dad uses for fishing trips from the storage. She open the lid of the ice chest and put it outdoor in snowy winter days. At the end of winter, she puts the ice chest back in the storage and waits for the coming of summer. 

Summer finally arrives. Lydia is happy and exciting as opening the ice chest. She closes her eyes and is ready to enjoy the icy-ice cold air. Nothing. She feels nothing. No icy-ice cold air. 

(*I am trying to write a story for my picture book. This is the half of the story. I haven't come up with a story title, so I call it "Hot & Cold" temporarily.)

Dialogue Within

(Gulping Sound.)

What are you doing?

Swallow my pain. 

 What? Pain???

Yes. Pain. Big chunks of pain. 

 Is it edible?

I don't know. 
I am trying to swallow it. 

Is it sweet?

Of course not! (Gulp.)

Is it juicy?

Drier than a desert! (Gulp.)

Is it meaty?

You wish! (Gulp.)

Is it sour?

More or less. 

It could give you heartburn, 

but for now, I don't feel it. 

(Gulp.) 

What on earth does it taste like?

It is bitter. 

It isn't like the bitter taste 

from bittersweet chocolate, 

nor is it similar to the bitter taste 

of bitter melons. 

Then, what kind of bitter is it?

Indescribable.  

Can you add some honey 

while swallowing it?

Honey won't help!

Can you have brownie to go with it?

Well, that's possible. 

You should have told me earlier.

How about coffee?

That's even better!

Why didn't you say that earlier? (Gulp.)

(Burp. Burp. Burp.)

Are you okay? 

You swallow too much at a time.

They come in big chunks!

Oh...Oh...Oh...
I think I have indigestion! 

You should use a mixer 

and add some vanilla flavor

to make it taste better. 

I don't like vanilla. 

Well, how about mint?

Mint is good for digestion!

Yeah, that's a good idea. 

I am going to make myself 

a cup of mint tea. 

Make it two, please!

Winter Olympics in Pullman

        Snow, sled, slope, and sounds of kids' laughing -- Pullman's Winter Olympics finally started!

     After a few nights' snowing, the white had piled up. The slope in front of my apartment became the best place for local Winter Olympics. 

     It was a beautiful day while a ray of sunlight passing through the window shone on me and woke me up! "Great! It's a sunny day!" I thought as I finally got myself out of my warm and cozy bed, walking into the living room, opening the curtains with my strengthless morning hands. What came into sight were many kids, with their colorful winter coats, heavy winter boots, and mom-asks-me-to-wear　winter gloves, lining up near my balcony, where happened to be at the top of the slop. They queued up excitedly for taking turns to enjoy the exciting moment of sledding down the slope. 

     It's a long slope that was covered by thick, white, and clean snow with few trees. During summer time, it's an ideal place for outdoor BBQ, picnic, or concert. Some people like to sit under the shades of trees to read or take a nap. When winter comes, it's the most popular place for kids in this neighborhood as the playground is covered with snow, and no one can be seen in the basketball court. Parents know where to find their kids. 

     "Ah~~~" 
     "Ha, Ha, Ha!"
     "Hee, Hee, Hee!"

      A kid just sledded down with a happy hail, which excited other kids in line. Many kids held their plastic sleds as if Harry Potter with his Nimbus Two Thousand, waiting for the moment of joy combined with speed, chill, and sunshine. 

     "Hee, Hee, Hee!"
     "Ha, Ha, Ha!"
     "Ah~~~" 

     Sunlight bit their cheeks; cold air beat their faces; clothes fluttered; screams erupted. Laughing, screaming, talking, and yelling! That's the beginning of Pullman's Winter Olympics!

ROAR~~ Mr. Tiger Goes Wild

            As many book awards released their 2014 winner and honor books earlier this week, it is very exciting to look at the list! However, it is also a little bit disappointing when some books that I like are not on the list. So, here comes one of books that I enjoy and is nominated for 2014 Mock Caldecott on Goodreads!

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown (2013)

 

                                                                       (Image from Goodreads.com)



            Dressing up as a gentleman with suit and tie and shoes and a tall hat, Mr. Tiger has had enough of being formal. His inner self tells him to go wild, and so he does. He takes off his shoes and walks around the town. He roars; he climbs; he chases his friends around. It is so comfortable that he finally takes off all his clothes and play around. His friends can't stand anymore, so he run wildly to the wildness to go wild. There he is set free. He roars louder; he climbs higher; he enjoys everything to his heart content. However, he misses his friends and home, so he decides to go back to the town. This return makes him feel happy and free because he sees some animals going a little bit wild just as he does! This is a story telling readers that being true to ourselves will set us free, no matter where we are and whom we are with. Sometimes it does need some courage to be honest to ourselves, but the risk is worth being taken. The illustrations go well with the storyline that colors change along with Mr. Tiger's mood. I am particularly like the cross-page picture of Mr. Tiger, who is in his own look with a happy smile and a confident pose. That is the look of a true self!

Mr. Tiger's Confident Pose! 

 (Image taken from the book.)

            Mr. Tiger Goes Wild is written and illustrated by Peter Brown whose another book, Creepy Carrots!, is a 2013 Caldecott honor book. In Creepy Carrots!, he creates a eerie atmosphere with cute rabbits and carrots, which makes me fall in love of the book. This time, his illustrations are still eye-catching and provide lots of fun to read! Taking  Mr. Tiger Goes Wild and Creepy Carrots! into consideration, I think that Mr. Brown likes the color orange very much!


Bibliography:
Brown, Peter. (2013). Mr. Tiger goes wild. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.