1 SJS Literary Review: Winter 2014 Out of the Blue (and White) “Beautiful fireworks of all sorts of colors shot up in the sky. It was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen, the stars in the sky, the moon peeking out from behind the clouds, the fireworks lighting up the sky even more.” -Evelyn Hermanek, Best. Day. Ever “I inhabit the sky. I control the wishes and dreams of humanity. I see everything, everyday. Nothing can surprise me anymore (I don’t think).” -Gillian Adkins, God
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!SJS Literary
Review: Winter 2014
Out of the Blue (and White)
“Beautiful fireworks of all sorts of colors shot up in the sky. It was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen, the stars in the sky, the moon peeking out from behind the clouds, the fireworks lighting up the sky even more.” -Evelyn Hermanek, Best. Day. Ever
“I inhabit the sky. I control the wishes and dreams of humanity. I see everything, everyday. Nothing can surprise me anymore (I don’t think).” -Gillian Adkins, God
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OUT OF THE BLUE (AND WHITE) WINTER 2014
Yehuda Berg once said, “Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” Writers have a gift, a superpower. They have been given the talent and imagination to bring you into another world, to touch your heart, and to change your life. Words give life to ideas and can change the way we view things. By taking a pencil to paper and sharing your talents of writing, you can make the world a better place. We wanted to give everyone at St. Josaphat a chance to share their talents. We wanted to give them a way to show this superpower that they have been given. This literary review is a way for all of you to see the amazing power of words and the amazing talents of the students at SJS. We hope you enjoy taking a look into the imaginations of these writers. -Out of the Blue (and White) Layout Team
SJS LITERARY REVIEW
The SJS Literary Review would not have been possible without our editing team, who helped our writers edit their stories, and our layout team, who put it all together. A special thank you to Ms.
Kurek, Ms. Monley, Mr. Holmes-Gull, and Mrs. Frech, who organized the Literary Review and helped us through each step of creating it.
SJS Literary Review: Winter 2014
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Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
The night was a dark blanket that covered the sky. You could see little specks of light on the whole blanket but spread out all around. Suddenly, that perfect night was interrupted by a red glow. Instead of hearing the wind blow through the trees and loons on the lake, all you could hear were shrieks, screams and the occasional water hitting the roof of the garage. Everyone froze. I watched my dad leave, then my aunt, next my cousin and I was there left alone in the living room. As I too walked out of the room, I knew this would be a long and restless night.
"Fireworks! Katie, wanna help me bring down the boxes?" asked my dad. Nemo started to go crazy. I picked him up, which wasn't hard because he is a skinny, light dog. Yes, I feed him. I took him into the bathroom that my family shares so he wouldn't freak about the loud noise the fireworks would soon be producing. Our cottage is small with only one bathroom. The point of a cottage isn't luxury though, it is for happiness. I walked outside the backdoor to the tiny, green garage right next to the cottage. I saw four big boxes. There they were, the fireworks. I picked up one purple box and walked slowly to make sure I didn't drop the box. These fireworks were not light. I crossed behind the cottage and in front of the fire. I had to be super careful walking down near the lake because this was where the wet stairs were that led to the dock. I went down and saw a slug or two near me. I freaked out, but kept going. When I got to the dock I put the purple block down. I climbed the stairs back to the party and sat down, not knowing this would be one of the few times I would be able to sit down for the rest of the evening. The night sky exploded with color and glitter, leaving every face in awe. I sat on the stairs next to the dock to watch and was even able to get some pictures of this amazing sight. My wonder was taken away from the yoo-hoos I heard from the crowd, especially from my
�1St. Josaphat Literary Review
I inhabit the sky
I control the wishes and dreams of humanity
I see everything, everyday
Nothing can surprise me anymore (I don’t think)
!I am there through happy and sad times
I am the inspirer
I am the way, the force
I am the protector
!I will always love you
No matter what you do
I am the creator
I am God
God By Gillian Adkins, 6th
Fire Katie Ausman, 7th
The Party Hat! By Ben Emerson, 1st (Preview story in bottom corner of the next few pages)
Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
dad. The show ended with a bang, literally. I descended down onto the dock and helped bring boxes back to the garage. I watched my dad go up first and noticed a glow from an ember. I didn't think anything of it, so I kept going and didn't say a word. Little did I know this ember would stick in my mind forever. We said our goodbyes to the people around us. I was left with my aunt, cousin, dad, stepmother Kerry, and little sister. My stepmother put my sister to bed while the rest of us talked on the porch. We were laughing so hard we started to cry; I started to cry again but not because of the laughter, but what would happen in the next minute. "Gary, the garage is on fire," Kerry said in a quiet, settle voice. She spoke in this tone because there was a sleeping little girl in a bed in the cottage. She didn't want to wake her up, even though that should have been the last thing on her mind. My dad froze, we all froze, no one moved. My aunt broke the silence by cursing. That woke my dad from his stare, he ran out of the room. We followed in a single file line. I turned the corner and knew the peaceful night was taken out of its grasp because of this big red glow. The ember! Fireworks boomed and cracked, ringing my ears. I was tempted to get my grandpa next door because he was a firefighter, but I was hypnotized on watching the fire. My dad ran into my view and I saw him in his light green crocs. Stomping on it wasn't the best idea, but your brain gets taken away when dealing with an emergency. The fire spread to the top of the garage but didn't get wider, just taller. My cousin ran inside to grab the fire extinguisher. It did nothing. Nothing at all. Luckily our hose was fifteen feet away. My dad sprayed out the fire, showing a big black mark on the garage. The garage was the least of my worries. My troubles focused on the gas burner grill. Gas, as in blowing up into a million pieces. The car parked along the crinkled, brown grass. My car was vacant next to my cottage. A domino effect came to mind. This green little house in the middle of no where could be taken away if one little ember found its way to the grill. All it would take was one little ember. I laid in the pitch black of the room. The ceiling four feet above my head, my sister below me. Swarms of thoughts took over my head, unable for me to let go of the last fifteen minutes. The memory wouldn't leave me alone, I remained awake. I kept replaying my dad spraying out the fire. All that was left was the burnt side of the garage. No more fire. I was lucky the garage wasn't gone. That night held a lot of memories. My sleep for the night was taken away from me. I listened to music, waiting to fall into a perfect, restful...!!
Magic Can Heal and Magic Can Blind By Ryan Fairfield, 6th ! There is a land, a land where magic fills the air and animals roam free. One day a little elf was running through the forest. Her name was Dough. She had dough-like skin, soft and tan colored. The trees concealed her whereabouts and the animals protected her from ill-minded enemies. Dough was running through the tall trees, the colorful bushes, the blue streams, and the countless piles of dead leaves. Nothing stood in her way. When she came across a fallen tree she could use her magic to move it out of her way. Wherever she went, animals would follow. The animals were her protectors, her friends, and her family. When she was running in the forest one day, she came across a carriage. It was in a blue stream. Dough could hear constant cries coming from the carriage but every time she went closer to the carriage, the cries would stop. Like always, Dough then ran away. The land where she travelled was called Marlwood. Everything in Marlwood was perfect until the day she heard the cries coming from the carriage. Animals went into hiding, more leaves started to fall, and the magic in the land seemed to grow weaker. Rumor said that an evil spirit was rising. Not an evil spirit like the ones Dough came across, but a spirit that could end all life in the magical world of Marlwood. As the days went by everything seemed to change. The days became colder, there was less happiness, and the worst part… the whole land seemed dead. The land was a frozen lake, nothing could happen to it until summer came. The warmth Marlwood needed was magic. Magic that could heal.
The Fox’s Call By Maria Frech, 7th ! We had no idea that a normal walk in the woods would be a life-threatening event. My friend, Caroline, and I were bored out of our minds. It was the worst day ever: cloudy, humid, misty, and full of mosquitoes. Can you imagine? What can you do on a day like this? Well, after a very short discussion, we finally decided to take a stroll in the woods. It seemed, at the time, that we needed to get away from the household and be on our own. This day was one that we didn’t expect, and it would probably change our future forever.“Mom! We’re leaving to go outside into the woods! Be back soon!” I
St. Josaphat Literary Review
“The animals were her protectors, her friends, and her family.”
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It was the boy’s birthday today.
Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
called as Caroline and I walked out of the door. “Why don’t we visit our favorite tree, Grandfather?” Caroline suggested.“Great idea,” I agreed, “We can take the trail.” Unfortunately, the trail was covered with a soft blanket of moss, and it seemed like the bugs were not going to give up that easy to let us walk through. With a huge log on the mosquitoes’ side, it seemed like we were outnumbered. But, I knew that forest like the back of my hand. “Don’t worry,” I reassured Caroline, “We can take the gravel road. It has an opening exactly where the trail leads to.” “Perfect!” Caroline exclaimed. After about an hour (okay it was a really long five minutes), we finally reached the clearing. I was bursting with happiness: I hadn’t seen Grandfather in months. My life is so bright with that tree. You could tell, I was extremely happy. Once we got to the fire pit in the middle of the clearing, I sprinted toward the tree, but Caroline held back. “Wait," she called, “What if there's a wild animal?" I could tell she was frightened. "Don't worry," I replied, "Remember everything I told you about wild animals." It felt like only yesterday when my parents discussed wild animals with me. "Remember, those animals can't see things that aren’t moving very well. Always stand still and don't make eye contact. It will only threaten them more if you do,” my dad told me. “Alright, dad. But, what if they come toward us?” I questioned. “Just keep standing still. If they attempt to bite or harm you, quietly and slowly move away,” my dad replied. “Okay. Got it.” I thanked him and kept it in the back of my mind. As I glanced back over at Caroline, she still seemed uneasy. “Don’t you trust me?” I stated. There was hurt in my eyes, but I tried not to show it. “Yeah, but…” Caroline started. “Good enough for me! C’mon! Let’s go!” I interrupted her. “Shhh!” she shrieked. “What? Is everything okay?” I exclaimed, very confused. She seemed extremely shocked, and I got a very bad feeling in my stomach. “Come here and be quiet,” she whispered into my ear. She didn’t have to say anything else. I knew exactly what was in front of us. With its big eyes and beautiful fur, it was hard to miss. “Remember, be very still,” and that was my final word.
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The boy put on the party hat.
Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
Together, we slowly backed away, remembering what my dad had told me. Once we reached the gravel road, it stretched out in front of us like The Dead Sea. We started out in a jog, then to a sprint, never looking back into our past. As we rushed to the house, happy to be in a safe sanctuary, we were out of breath as we bursted out together about our life-threatening, excuse me, life-changing story.
“It was incredible! I mean, we were in danger, but, you know, seeing a wild baby fox is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!” we announced. Of course, our parents were terrified, but they were glad we were okay. Who would’ve thought that one normal, yet terrible, day would turn into one life-changing story? !!
!College Playoffs By William Frech, 5th ! So, everybody knows that college football is starting playoffs. The question is: who is going to be in it? We will leave it to William to find out who. Let’s get down to business. Number one: Mississippi State. They have Heisman competitor Dak Prescott who is probably going to have a perfect season, a Heisman, and their season is easy enough. Number two: Florida State. They have a really good quarterback, Jameis Winston, but he isn’t a Heisman competitor due to suspensions. The only thing standing in the way of Florida State’s chance to get in the playoffs is Winston getting suspended again. Number three: Alabama. Amari Cooper will get the job done and will make amazing plays throughout the season. Number four will be one of the following: Notre Dame, TCU, Auburn, Michigan State, or Oregon.These are my opinions; let’s hear yours!
St. Josaphat Literary Review
“I knew exactly what was in front of us. With its big eyes and beautiful fur, it was hard to miss.”
The boy is going to have a birthday party.
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Best. Day. Ever By Evelyn Hermanek, 7th August 29, 2014, also known as the best day of my life, finally came. Cara, Maria, Katherine, and I walked down to the brown line train station and stepped onto the train. Soon enough, we had arrived at Roosevelt and were walking to Soldier Field! Katherine and Maria went one way, and Cara and I went another. We grabbed something to eat and went to our seats. In our seats, we waited for about an hour and a half until the opening act, 5 Seconds of Summer, my second favorite band, came out on stage. The lights shot off, the music and the drums started playing, and all I did was scream my lungs out. First, I saw Ashton Irwin banging the drums, then Michael Clifford with his guitar, Calum Hood walked out with his Bass Guitar and a microphone, and lastly, Luke Hemmings ran out with his guitar and his microphone. He yelled into it with his Australian accent, "How you doin’ Chicagoooooo?!"All I heard was the entire audience screeching and cheering from then until the end oftheir songs. The four Australians sang their songs as I sang along to them. The four songs I was most excited for were "Good Girls," "Don't Stop," "Amnesia," and most of all, "She Looks So Perfect!” Once I heard "Amnesia" begin, out of habit, I squealed for a quick second. Luke started to sing, "I drove by all the places..." and I chanted the lyrics as loud as I could. The tears of joy sprinted down my face and didn't stop until "Amnesia" was over. The next two were "Don't Stop" and "Good Girls." Once again, I screamed the lyrics to both songs and I swear I saw Luke look up at me. My heart was beating out of my chest. The next song, the one Cara and I were looking forward to, "She Looks So Perfect," was playing. Cara told me to tell her when the best part of the song came, so I did. The line before the best one came, "She looks so perfect standing there..." I hit Cara on the shoulder, letting her know that the best line was right then.I sang the line as loud as I could , "IN MY AMERICAN APPAREL UNDERWEAR!" Before I knew it, all the guys said goodbye, and they were off. Now, for the main event. Another thirty minutes of just sitting there, plus a few screams every once in a while, including mine, because we saw Harry and Louis in the little room to the lower right of the stage until the best moment of my life finally came. I saw Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and the birthday boy, Liam Payne! "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Screaming filled Soldier Field and that moment, when I saw them all, I cried tears of joy like I'd never cried before. Let me just let you know, crying and singing at the same time is not the easiest thing to do. "Best Song Ever," "Little Things," "What Makes You Beautiful," and about fifteen moresongs were played in their perfect British and Irish accents! About mid-way through the concert, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Liam and he told us that, "This is the best birthday I could ever ask for and I’m so glad I get to spend it with you guys in Chicago!" "What Makes You Beautiful," was the last song played. Beautiful fireworks of all sorts of colors shot up in the sky. It was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen, the stars in the sky, the moon peeking out from behind the clouds, the fireworks lighting up the sky even more. Girls from all over were crying, laughing, and dancing with tears shooting down their face, non-stop. I knew, at that very moment, that I had experienced probably the most amazingmoment in my life. Of course, now it was over, but, as Dr. Seuss once said, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
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The party was fun!
Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
The Day That Changed My Life By Mia Hartman, 7th ! "Yay!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I couldn't believe my eyes! I was so happy I was literally crying. I saw this blonde furred dog that had immediately jumped onto my lap. I hugged him with great thrill. Oh my gosh! My dad had just bought me a dog! This day changed my life and I will never ever forget it. July 13, 2013. It all started with me and my family walking out the door on a saturday morning. "Where are we going?" my dad asked. "To a dog store," I exclaimed happily. "What!" "Yep!" Sooner or later I bribed my dad to walk out the door and into the car. As we were driving to the dog store I was listing a ton of dog names that could work for the dog I wanted in my mind. I wanted a dog that had fluffy long ears. Also, it had to be soft, sweet, and lazy. As we were a corner away from the dog place, I told my mom to take a right because I had the directions in my hand. I walked into the dog place with a big smile on my face. The shop was really petite and there were dogs everywhere! Right when you open the door there is a big pen right at your feet filled with minute dogs stacked on top of each other. It was really cagey! "Wow!" my mom said, "Mia, look at all these dogs!"I passed this blonde furred dog and around the corner there was a grey furred dog that looked like it was already owned. As I walked around the room, I retraced my steps to the blonde sitting very lazily next to the pen of small puppies. I looked at the dog. He was so adorable and he smelled like he had just taken a bath. I pet the loving dog and in response, he got up and walked to another spot that was peaceful to finish his nap. I thought because he had just made that response, he didn't really like me. So, I got up and walked over to the dog once again. I looked over my shoulder and saw my mom picking up one of the dogs in the pen. Kenny walked over to me and said, "He's adorable, isn't he?" "Yeah, he is perfect!"I pet him one last time before my dad said we should get going. Once again, he got up and walked somewhere else to finish his nap "Ugh. Maybe he doesn't like me." I thought. Five minutes later my dad pulled me over to the side and asked, "Do you like him? That dog over there?"He pointed over to the dog I was petting earlier. "Ya. I really want this one dad. Can we have him?" "Maybe we should keep searching for more dogs to see what our options are. We will come back in a few days." "No! Dad if we come back in a few days he will already be gone" "Okay, go wait in the car with Mom and your brothers. I will be out soon." "Okay." I waited in the car for my dad and a few seconds later, my mom started to talk to me. "Mia, did you see a dog you liked?" "Yes. It was that fluffy blonde dog that was literally sleeping that whole time we were in there." "Oh I remember that one. He was precious and you are right, he did sleep
SJS Literary Review
But soon the party was over.
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the whole time."My mom and I finished our conversation about dogs and dog names. If I ever got a dog I would name it Lucky Charm or Prince Charming. For a girl I would name the dog Lucy or Snowball. Personally, I wanted the dog that I saw at the dog store. I didn't want to look for more dogs because I was positive that this dog was the one. "What is dad doing in there? He strongly dislikes dogs!""I dont know honey, what do you think he is doing?" I waited about ten more minutes. Should I go get my dad? What could he be doing in there? "Oh there's dad," my mom called.I looked around and couldn't find my dad. Then, the back door swung open like a cross-country race when the gun went off. I turned my head really expeditiously and saw my dream dog. The same blonde dog with the long fluffy ears. I screamed like I was a wolf howling at the full moon. I was so excited I was crying. "It's a dog! It's a dog!" I screamed. The dog jumped onto my lap. Oh my gosh I thought. I was stunned. I had no idea my dad was going to buy this perfect animal. I couldn't help but think what fun me and this fluffy dog could do. We could dance when the lights go off, play fetch at the crack of dawn, go to the park and bark at the birds that get in our way. Well the dog would bark, I would yell. This animal will be my best friend forever and ever. After everything that happened, me and my family with the fluffy dog in my lap drove home. I was so happy and relieved. My family and I chose a name while in the car, Bailey Baroo Hartman. I walked into my house and jumped up and down and screamed. Then, I danced with Bailey for about five minutes and walked him around the block. I stopped at my neighbor's house to show them my new dog. Wow! I thought. Wow.!!A Serve of Awesomeness By Maddie French, 4th !It was a late night. The Hawks (my team) had only one point left to win the game. That point was depending on me. My coach handed me the ball; it was sweaty and I was scared out of my mind. I remembered my mom said to me before the game, “Follow through.” I heard “boom, boom’’ as my heart beat. I put the ball in my left hand and then swung my right hand and got the ball over the net. The other team hit the ball once. Then twice. After that, out of bounds. Point to us! WE WON! “Maddie, Maddie,” my teammates were chanting. I was so happy. I looked at Natalie, my teammate, and I thought she didn’t know what to do. Well, we all didn’t know what to do. It was our first win! Who could blame us?
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But he turned 7. He grew big!
Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
Water vs. Fire By Ben Kozak, 1st
St. Josaphat Literary Review
Once upon a time, there were two cars. One of the cars was named Water, and the other was named Fire.
But the next day they had a race. They didn’t know who would win.
Ready, set, GO! yelled the person who called the race and they were off.
First Fire was winning but Water was in the back.
But Fire was trying his best. But next the two cars were tied but they were trying their best.
But next Water turned on his super speeder, then Water was winning.
But then we had a winner. Water won!!!!
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Happy birthday, little boy!
Sky High By Albert Kerelis, 7th !Atop the trees where winds can run
Where thermals push the clouds
Up to heights where they touch the sun
And rain falls down in mounds
!Atop the trees where airplanes soar
To countries far away
Where the diesel engines wirr and roar
Where weather's just O.K.
!Atop the trees where birds build homes
Atop the clouded sky
Atop the planes and wind and clouds
My imagination flies high
!Keep imagining
My Tae Kwon Do Journey By Sam Kulisek, 4th My journey through Tae Kwon Do started when my parents signed me up at my school for an after school class. My first day was pretty scary. Then I started getting into it. After I was doing it at the school for a while I started going to the White Tiger studio. This was called Lasky Martial Arts, which was right down the street from school. The more times I went the more I liked it, and the better I got. While I don’t really remember a lot of when I was a white belt, I thought the belt and uniform were really cool. My brother was very jealous of my new uniform. When it was my first belt test to yellow belt I was very scared but I did it. Once I got my yellow belt I felt happy. It was so cool getting my new belt. The next class I worked on the yellow belt tapes. It was very fun. Then the second class we worked on red and green tapes. Those are the combination kicks and the forms. I remember doing well. I have been doing Tae Kwon Do for a long time and my black belt was getting closer. I did not give up and I kept training. I have now been training for a year to get my black belt. This has been the hardest Tae Kwon Do training ever. It has made me work harder than I have ever worked before. I have learned if you focus and work hard you can succeed. Master Park has been the best master ever. Master Park has helped me through my whole Tae Kwon Do journey. From the very beginning Master Park has shown me the importance of Tae Kwon Do. Every step of the way he has made me better at Tae Kwon Do. Master Park gave me the confidence to pass every belt. He always gave confidence in me which made me try harder. All the way from white belt to black belt Tae Kwon Do was fun and one of my favorite things to do. It is fun to learn new things and a new language. My favorite belt was red because it was the last colored belt in the order. What was so cool about red belt is that it was really hard and easy at the same time. It was hard because of the green tape and it was easy because of the red tape. The green tape was hard because it had very hard things like jumping double front snap kick. It was easy because it had easy things like single front snap kick and front snap kick. My second favorite belt is yellow belt because it was so easy. It was so easy because it had the easiest green tape and red tape ever. My least favorite was high red because it was so hard, harder than deputy black. My black belt test was on Saturday Nov. 8th and took 8 hours and 19 min. It was a very hard experience. I took my black belt test with my friends Nate Affolter, Charley Grant, Max Vesprini and John Rottier. We all passed and it was amazing. Tae Kwon Do has changed my life.
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How about that party hat?!THE END.
Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
St. Josaphat Literary Review
Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
!The Secrets of Amazingville By Elizabeth Martin, 3rd
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St. Josaphat Literary Review
On Sunday I stayOn Sunday I goOn Sunday I sleepOn Sunday I eatOn Sunday I sewOn Sunday I see a crowOn Sunday I singOn Sunday I am blingOn Sunday I am everything!
In a happy town called Amazingville there was a boy named Billy. Billy always played with friends at the playground. Billy had a good life.One day Billy was playing and he fell into a dark deep hole. Billy was sad and lonely so he started walking to find a way out. Billy walked for a while until he came to a stop because he saw light. When Billy got there it was not what he was expecting.Billy found a map and a shiny key. The map said, “If you follow this map you’ll be led to the treasure of Amazingville.” Billy got started right away, but Billy didn’t see that it said there may be danger. Later Billy saw a something that said, “Amazingville used to be one house for generations.” Billy never knew that but he had to keep going.After a while Billy came to a stop because he saw a deep hole with a rope across it so Billy thought he had to cross it so he did. Then Billy fell until some animal caught him. Billy said thank you but then the animal started talking, “I’m a fogoat. I live here because it’s a magical land”. Billy was surprised but kept on walking but then stopped because he saw a dragon sleeping. Billy thought he had to go over it so he did. By the time Billy got over the dragon, he saw a door with a keyhole in it.He put the key he found in the hole. Billy found a bunch of treasure. He also found a transporter and transported back to Amazingville. Billy told everybody about his adventure when he got back. Billy then marched to the playground with friends.
Sunday!By Maura Lux, 3rd
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!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
St. Josaphat Literary Review
get yum it can oreo resist you mint ever that mango can’t treat berry you best vanilla good The chocolate So You strawberry You can rocky road wait never bubblegum in decide cotton candy line what rainbow sherbet forever flavor cookie dough but to fish food it get peach is or coconut worth what lemon it toppings for to ice put cream on yum I Scream for Ice Cream By: Nicolette
I Scream for Ice CreamBy Nicolette Lahood, 6th
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Friendly Arms By Kasim Quinn, 7th
!
Jorge the Donkey By Tommy Pettinger, 5th !Jorge the Donkey was the most unreliable donkey in the world…until twelve years ago in a small kingdom, King Chris was a mighty ruler. Although he was a great king, there was one night he will never forget. It was the middle of winter and the majestic King Chris rode through the forest on the fattest donkey in the world, Jorge the Donkey. Jorge was clumsily trotting through the forest when suddenly a group of criminals jumped out of the
St. Josaphat Literary Review
Have you ever broken an arm, leg or any other bone? Did anyone break your arm on purpose or by accident? Have you ever seen anyone break their bone before? Accidents happen all the time. People tend to break bones. Well, I have broken my wrist and this is my story. One day I was at my brother’s hockey game at McFetridge Ice Arena. My best friend Brent was also there, and we both show great affection for the sport of hockey. We were even on the same hockey team. When my brother's team began to lose, I got weary. "Dad, can Brent and I go outside to play?" I asked. "No", my dad said. I thought that he had said yes, so I went outside and frolicked with Brent. We were climbing the small, curvy trees in the front of the arena. We challenged each other to get to the top of the tree first. I always had a great victory. Then, Brent started to swing from tree to tree. Suddenly, a bunch of kids came, and they were looking at us like we were bizarre. We then found a tree that we could swing and push each other. While swinging, my other friend came over and asked to try with us. I answered, “Sure, it is not my tree.” He went swinging, and we were all having a great time when suddenly I was not at the top of the tree anymore. While looking up at the sky, my friends began laughing. I was screaming and began to run away. Brent thought I was ready even though I said that I was not ready. He pushed me and I spun and fell off the tree and my wrist snapped; that is how I was on the ground.I stood up and felt like someone had shot my wrist off and my bone was sticking out of my arm. I had become “no hand-man”. When I went home, nobody cared at first. Then my dad took me all the way to the hospital. I kept on asking if I could get fries and hamburgers from McDonalds. I was trying not to think about my wrist plus I really wanted some fries. My wrist was not okay; it was fractured and it took along time for the doctors to take the x-ray. They finally gave me the cast and said I could go home and go to bed.
“Have you ever broken an arm, leg or any other bone?”
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hedge. They tackled the king to the ground searching for his money. Jorge saw this happening. He reared back on his legs and charged the men. He shoved them off of the king. The men turned away and ran off in fright. The great story of Jorge the Donkey will be known throughout the kingdom forever.!
!! !!!!
Every person has their favorite moment. It might be when they got their ears pierced or when they won the championship. Mine is not just a moment, it is a dream come true. This day was as white as the North Pole. It was Christmas morning! A kid’s favorite day ever! Just imagine presents everywhere, the smell of the Christmas tree, and the sound of the presents getting unwrapped as fast as possible. There was a special present that you can't wrap, can't put in Santa's slay, and can't hide under a Christmas tree. "Eva, Eva! It's Christmas!" exclaimed my cousins. I was so excited because, well, it was Christmas! I ran downstairs thinking there would be a humongous Barbie house! (I was seven, okay?!) But no, all there was was a map. Not a cool map. But just a boring, ripped, and mysterious map. I was just terrified that I wasn't going to get any presents that Christmas! All I remember about strolling down those squeaky stairs that morning was that I was crying in misery because there weren't any presents besides an old map! While I was crying, I could hear my parents talking and questioning, is it really there? Is the present for Luke, Eva, and Lizzy really there? I didn't know what to think! So all I had to do was stay calm because that map probably had a lot of meaning in it. ! "Kids, can you come in here please? I want to read you this map that Santa brought us!" exclaimed my mom.! It explained in magical words that if we follow this mysterious map then it will take us to our present! To say the least, this Christmas was no ordinary one. We got into my Nana's old, rusty Buick to go on the Christmas adventure. I clicked my seat belt. We followed the directions on the map. We took a hard turn on the icy road. I grasped Lizzy's hand because I was going to explode of excitement. The ride there was an adventure because it was my Nana, a crazy driver, who decided to take the wheel. I can hear the roar of my empty, but excited, stomach.
St. Josaphat Literary Review
Christmas Adventure By Eva Nauman, 7th
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Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
Nana Nauman puts the car to a stop. ! "We are here my darlings," announced my Nana.! I thought to myself, we are here? What is this place? I am used to a big city with buildings. But no, we were at a farmhouse. I thought there was going to be a humongous factory or a big sign saying Nauman's Christmas Present! There was a puny farm in the middle of nowhere. We got out of the car a little nauseous. My dad opened the door with wonder if the present was actually inside. I hopped out of the messy car. My sister and I were screaming our heads off because we were so confused! We walked inside the farmhouse. I turned to my left to see my mom smiling. I looked to my right and saw my Nana almost in tears. I was confused because I didn't know what they were smiling about. I looked straight ahead and saw a yellow, tiny dog. The smile on my face was contagious. ! I asked my mom, "Can I hold him?" ! "Of course," responded my mom.! When I held my dog, I heard a bell. It was just like Santa's bells. I looked on his collar and I saw a bell and a tag. On the tag it read Jerald. ! "We will call him Jerry, Jerry David Nauman," spoke my dad.! Those next couple of minutes were the best. We walked outside of the house and got into the car. Jerry's new father grabbed him and put Jerry on my lap. On the way home all we did in the car was just stare at Jerry. A dog is much more than just a pet. It is a new member to a family. When we brought our new member home, I looked to Jerry and said, "Thank you, Santa Clause for this amazing start to a new adventure." !
St. Josaphat Literary Review 17
Out of the Blue ( and White) Winter 2014
!The Magic Kabul Bus By Michael Sommese, 6th ! Very loud, but I wear my burka proud We sit in rows of two, Many women who look like you Many bags on the seat and dirty shoes on the feet On Muhammad's wings, we shall fly to freedom
The Time I got Stuck in the Closet By Logan Toon, 7th grade
St. Josaphat Literary Review
There I was stuck in a pitch black closet with my two friends, Max and Carly. You might be thinking, "Why in the world are they in a closet?" It all actually happened this summer, and it was all because of a tiny mistake of peeking into a closet. I had gone to my friend Maria's, aka Mario's, lake house with a bunch of other friends. I know what you're thinking, "Uh oh that can't be good, a bunch of kids going up to Michigan together." If you thought that you're right. That was a big "uh oh." We all had walked up the stairs and came upon this cagey little room with multi-colored wallpaper. We knew right then that it was my friend Maria's bedroom. I had strolled into the room and the first thing I noticed was a cute little closet on the far side of the room. My friends and I unbolted the closet to find a seven-by-four foot closet with stuffed animals, toys, a sleeping bag, and some pillows. Max, Carly, and I had been admiring the closet and didn't even notice that my friends Mikey, Maria, Katie, and Emma had been standing right behind us. As you could all guess we were shoved face first into the dim little closet. Right as we got put in the closet our first instinct was to try to open the door, but guess what, they had barricaded the door with the nearby twin bed. So just like that, I was barricaded in a pitch black closet with Max and Carly, hopelessly clawing at the door. The first thing I had heard when I was shoved in that closet was the demonic laughter of my friends. It had been pretty gruesome, hearing their blissful laughing while I was sitting in a seven-by-four, one hundred degree closet with two people. I knew I wouldn't be escaping any time soon so I started to deem about what I could do in that closet. While I was thinking, Max wriggled his way into a sleeping bag in the far corner of the closet. As I was thinking I felt the cold feet of my friend Carly so I decided to move. I had been aiming for the far side of the closet so when I got there I felt a lump and I knew right away that I was Max. That gave me an idea, I was going to snuggle up next to Max in the sleeping bag. Sitting in that closet was like being in a comedy movie, everything would be okay until someone would do something completely repulsive, like what I did. Everything was good and chill until the closet filled with an obnoxious smell. The smell lingered throughout the tiny area and destroyed the moment completely. It was pretty bad but really funny. The rest of the time was pretty fun. We socialized, talked about getting out of the closet, and played around the tiny space. To rev up the "party" I started to roll around the tiny space, just for the fun of it to get things more exciting. What happened after this crazy experience was the most exciting part of the experience. Max, Carly, and I had minded our own business and were just talking like friends do until I had felt a cold, veiny foot. I asked Carly in a thoughtful voice, "Hey Carly, can you please move your foot?" Carly answered in a confused tone from the far side of the closet, "Logan, I'm all the way over here." The first thing I had thought when I heard that was, it's a disembodied foot. I started screeching, and the next thing you know I'm being thrown to the ground. I heard some low giggles above me and from outside the closet. Right away I realized, it was Mikey!!
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Out of the Blue (and White) Winter 2014
Autumn By Ava Viti, 5th grade ! All around leaves fall to the ground. Until you can feel the wind blowing your skin, you know it is not Autumn yet. Time to carve pumpkins!fUn activities such as hayrides. Many people wear spooky costumes. Night comes sooner as everything gets darker.
St. Josaphat Literary Review
!Buttons buttons all around, Buttons buttons small and round,Buttons buttons where are they found?In your home and all around.
Buttons, Buttons By Katherine Wiltrout, 1st grade
They must've snuck Mikey in when they had come in to check in on us!! After I had sat up I saw the figure of Mikey, snickering right in front of me. We both started to laugh. After about thirty more seconds of this, the door opened. Hallelujah! They were letting us out! We all clambered out of the closet happily, not only because we were finally able to get out but also this memory would be one more for all of us to cherish forever.
