April Arrives…Along with “Spring Fling Writing Challenge”

Listed below is my entry for this year! Meet a frog, his friend and some silly antics based on an all time favorite IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE by Laura Numeroff!

#Spring Fling

If you Give a Frog a Lily Pad

By Susan Elizabeth Schipper

WC 136

If you give a frog a lily pad, she’ll want some flowers to go with it.  So, you’ll bring some from Mom’s garden.

When you finish decorating the lily pad, she’ll ask you for some treats to eat.  You catch some flies and moths. When she’s eaten all of them, she will want some more. You will have to search for snails, slugs and worms. EWW!  But who can say no to those big, bulging eyes!

When she is full, she’ll want to sing a song…ribbit, ribbit, croak, croak, you try to sing along!

When music time is over, she’ll want to play leap frog!  She’ll ask you to play with her…hop, skip, LEAP!

You land on a lily pad, and chances are… Frog will ask for some flowers to decorate her pad! 

      Hop

                      to

                                     it!

Back Matter

Habitat: Most Frogs live in or around fresh water.

Food: Frogs eat slugs, snails, worms and moths.

Appearance: Frogs have large, bulging eyes and powerful muscles in their back legs. This allows them to hop great distances.

Sound: Frogs are known to whistle, croak, ribbit, peep, bark and grunt.

( Based on the story IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE by Laura Numeroff)

March…this month brings…

The beginning of SPRING, the Full Worm Moon, and the return of Daylight Saving Time plus more in the Kidlit World!

Kaitlyn Sanchez and Ciara ONeal are once again hosting Spring Fling Writing Contest! Get ready to let your writing “Bloom”! @kaitlynLeann17 and @CiaraONeal2.

Watch for Vivian Kirkfield to announce the winners of the “50 Precious Words Contest”!

Be sure to visit #HaikuSaturday. All are welcome to post a Haiku or two on Twitter/X each Saturday! Feel free to read all of the wonderful Haiku posted each week!

Here is one of the Haiku I have recently posted! Enjoy!

#HaikuSaturday

A little green frog

Likes to leap across the pond

Slips slides tummy rides

Short Form

Green Frog

Leaps

Tummy rides

Enjoy the beginning of Spring!

Here are some “Spring Reads”!

Fantastic February is Here

Several “lovely” events are happening this month! Kailie Pew’s Kid’s choice Contest is underway!

Susanna Leonard Hill’s “Valentiny” Writing Contest is underway as well!

Don’t forget the month begins with Mr. Groundhog’s prediction!

Always time for reading some great PB’s!

Storystorm 30+ “ideas” ! Thank you, Tara Lazar and guest bloggers!

                Have a fantastic February!

Please feel free to comment! Follow me on Twitter/X @seschippersusan Also #HaikuSaturday on Twitter/X. Here’s a sample of one of my favorites! (Based on a true story starring our mischievous Pup, Finn, The Cookie Snatcher!)

#HaikuSaturday

The Cookie Snatcher

 Sorry I ate it!

The cookie tasted yummy

Won’t happen again!

Time to Celebrate a New Year…Welcome 2024!

As we bid farewell to 2023, who is ready for 2024? Heading back to work or school Shel Silverstein’s Poem SICK sums up that feeling!

Shel Silverstein

1930 –1999

“I cannot go to school today,”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I’m going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox
And there’s one more—that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut—my eyes are blue—
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I’m sure that my left leg is broke—
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button’s caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,
My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is—what?
What’s that? What’s that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G’bye, I’m going out to play!”

From Shel Silverstein: Poems and Drawings; originally appeared in Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. Copyright © 2003 by HarperCollins Children’s Books. Reprinted by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Something to brighten up January is Tara Lazar’s STORYSTORM! Have journal, will write! #30 days to gather your writing ideas and turn them into letters, words, sentences, paragraphs…STORIES!

Enjoy the start of 2024 and “STORM” into “STORIES”!

Just a few fun snowy day stories! Enjoy!

December Daze! A special time of year!

My entry for Susanna Leonard HIll’s Holiday Writing Contest.

Five Twinkling Stars Dancing on a Cloud

By Susan Elizabeth Schipper

WC 168

Five twinkling stars dancing on a cloud

One jumped down and was so proud

She saw something that made her smile

Could it be a sweet little child?

Four twinkling stars dancing on a cloud

One jumped down and heard something loud

She wasn’t sure if she was right

Could it be sheep baaing in the night?

Three twinkling stars dancing on a cloud

One jumped down and saw a crowd

Gathered round a stable on a hillside

She wondered what could be inside

Two twinkling stars dancing on a cloud

One jumped down and saw three wise men bowed

Before a manager littered with straw

She saw that they were filled with awe

One twinkling star dancing on a cloud

She jumped down and joined the crowd

This little star shone so bright

Indeed, this was a very special night

Five Twinkling stars now as a chorus sing

“Glory to the new born king”

One bright light to show the way

Peace on Earth this first Christmas Day!

Wishing you joy, love and a peace filled holiday season, celebrating the December holiday you hold near to your heart!

Novembrrr! Winter is coming….

Whoever coined the expression “time flies” sure knew what they were talking about, in the blink of an eye the holidays will be upon us!

Susanna Leonard Hill’s “Halloweensie” contest is already “upon us”! I’ve posted my entry below.

You will find the “Ain’t No Superstition” post by Susanna at Susannahill.com !

Susan E. Schipper

HOW TO CATCH A WEREWOLF AT HALLOWEEN

WC 90

If I wanted to catch a werewolf, especially at Halloween, I know just what I’d do!  Set the very best traps!

Werewolves run fast, thirteen steps a second! (I’m not superstitious about that number 13! No way!)  A well-placed stick across the path, THUMP!

If that doesn’t work, a pillowcase will do! Over his head, he can’t see, I sneak away…with werewolf in tow!

Uh Oh, one’s chasing me! I’m frightened I wail!

Then I felt mom’s gentle hug, waking up with a shrug. Halloween werewolf dreams.. UGH!

Please feel free to comment here or on Susanna’s post! Thank you!

I am honored to have had one of my Haiku published in Cold Moon Journal for the November issue! I am thrilled. Listed below is the short form as well as the 5-7-5 form.

The  Carpet

                                 Leaves  floating

                                 To the ground

                                 Colorful carpet

5-7-5

The Carpet

Leaves gently floating

Swirling, dancing to the ground

Carpet of color

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Fall!

By the way , my birthday was October 3! I celebrated my 1st birthday!

Love,

Phineas T. Bluster aka Finn

Summer”time” for…

Summer means relaxing, sipping lemonade, recharging in the sun!

Summer reading is a very relaxing activity for me! It also means time at the beach and extra time for

fun with family and friends!

Heading to the beach!

While relaxing, I’m also planning to use the skills that were acquired from taking Susanna Leonard Hill’s magnificent course MAKING PICTURE BOOK MAGIC!

If you have a chance, check out #HaikuSaturday on Twitter. Susan (Morhar) Andrews has organized a simply amazing weekly activity.

Here is a sample:

#HaikuSaturday

Sunrise

The sun is peeking
Reflecting on the water
Thoughts of a new day! pic.twitter.com/05N1Z6vy4d

— Susan (@SeschipperSusan) July 8, 2023

Happy Summer!

Follow me on Twitter @seschippersusan

Spring is in the Air!

Spring is the season of “newness”. Flowers and trees have begun to wake up!

Spring also means it is time to sharpen those pencils, charge your laptop and bring your Spring Story to life! It’s time for The Spring Fling Writing Contest Sponsored by Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez, Ciara O’Neal and Guest Judge Ashley Franklin!

Spring Fling Writing Contest Information

Your Challenge:

Find a gif and write a spring-inspired story. Blossoming flowers? Sure! Easter eggs? You bet! Mothers day? Of course! Anything related to Spring is yours for the telling.

Spring Fling Rules

1.    Your story should be geared towards kids ages 12 or under.

2.    Choose a gif to inspire your story. 

3.  All gifs should be child appropriate and in no way be derogatory towards any faith, race, etc.

4.  Now for the dreaded word count! You have 150 words. That’s it! No more but less is always welcome.

5.    Your title is not included in the word count.

6.    No illustration notes pretty please.

7.    Your gif should be the only visual with your story.

8.     The Spring Fling contest officially begins on April 1^st.

9.     From April 1^st to April 3^rd, post your gif and story on your blog. (If you have one.)

10.  Then, add the link to your blog to the form on the Entries page of Ciara’s blog*

11. Deadline for posting your story or the link to your story is April 3^rd, 2023 at 11:59pm CST.

12. Only one entry per contestant is permitted. 

***If you do not have a blog, post your entire story in the section provided on the form.***

Check out our example stories!

Kaitlyn’s Example: SPLASH!

Guest Judge, Cindy Lurie’s Example: Sunshine for Emily

Kaitlyn’s Second Example: PETALS

Ciara’s Example: Slim Pickings: Dear Diet Diary

The NON-EXAMPLE (what not to do, dun, dun, duuuuunnn)

There you have it! Don’t let this chance pass you over. Hop to your computer and spring into writing!

Questions? Comments? You can use the FAQs tab to contact us or message us on the Spring Fling Writing Contest Facebook Page, or Ciara’s Facebook, Kaitlyn’s Facebook, Ciara’s Twitter, or Kaitlyn’s Twitter (we love new friends/followers!)

And don’t forget to stop by the Entries page and read the stories posted. Follow, like, comment, and share the blogs of your fellow writers!

We also have a facebook page, where you can discuss stories, check in, and just have fun! 

2023 Prizes click here

Winners get to select one of the prizes!

Phineas aka Finn says, ” I love stories! Please read one more before dinner?!”

Happy Spring! Happy reading and writing!

Winter is winding down! Spring is just around the corner!

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow! He scurried back to his burrow…6 more weeks of winter!

Valentiney Contest, sponsored by the amazing Susanna Leonard Hill, is a highlight of this time of year!

Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 Precious words contest will begin on March 3rd! Vivian is fantastic! She has organized this contest for the past several years. It continues to help writers hone their skills.

Enjoy the remainder of Winter…and get ready for spring!

Hope you are enjoying reading. Here are a few of Finn’s favorites: