Susanna Leonard Hill's Halloweensie 2020: Scarlett Skeleton

Scarlett Skeleton

100 words

Scarlett Skeleton hid in the shadowy dark behind a shed, teeth click-clacking as she sobbed.  The shouts of trick-or-treaters echoed around her.

Footsteps crept close. A cat-masked face peeked around the corner.

“Hi!  I’m Casey.  Why are you sad?”

Scarlett sighed, showing her empty bucket.  “Parents shriek and throw hard candy at me, which rattles right through me.  I want treats; they think I’m the trick.”

Casey said, “That is sad.  Would you like some of my taffy? It's delicious and will stick to your ribs."

Scarlett nodded thankfully, happy to have found a sweet treat and a sweet friend

©️ 2020 Rebekah Hoeft

It's Halloweensie time over at Susanna Leonard Hill's blog! Here's what how she explains it:

"The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words skeleton, creep, and mask.  Your story can be scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!)  Get it?  Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people "

For more details on how to submit your own story or to read other entries, head to her Susanna's Halloweensie blog post.

Thanks. Susanna, for another fun prompt!

Hop To It: Poems to Get You Moving (alternate title: I Am In A Book!)

From Pomelo Books:

"Hop to It: Poems to Get You Moving is an anthology of 100 poems by 90 poets—with fun factoids sprinkled throughout, thematic mini-lessons, and extensive back matter featuring useful tips to help maximize student learning. You can share a new poem or two each week of the school year—and come back to share your students' favorite poems over and over! Poems involve the whole body and incorporate a wide variety of movements—including deskercise!

You'll find poems on "2020 topics," too, such as life during a pandemic, virtual learning, staying connected with friends, and standing up for what you believe in. Take a "30-second indoor recess" (or "brain break") whenever you need it!

Contributing poets include: Alma Flor Ada, David Bowles, Joseph Bruchac, F. Isabel Campoy, Yangsook Choi, Lesa Cline-Ransome, Zetta Elliott, Margarita Engle, Alan Katz, Linda Sue Park, Jack Prelutsky, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Padma Venkatraman, and Carole Boston Weatherford."

I'm proud and grateful to say that my name, though not at all illustrious, can be added to that list of poets.

As inspiration: my son and his cousin (who lives 4 hours away), played a basketball game called "Bank" while they were both in virtual learning mode during the spring of 2020. It was definitely one of the good memories of the season!

You can buy the book at QEP Books.

While you're there, check out Pomelo's other poetry books or head to their website. Sylvia and Janet make teaching poetry easy-peasy!