June 2014 Volume 2 Issue 6
Come read, learn, and draw!
Cover art by: Copyright © 2014 Brooke Parr
Kid's Imagination Train
June 2014 Volume 2 Issue 6
ISSN 2333-987X
Editor-in-Chief: Randi Lynn Mrvos
Book Reviewer and Marketing Director: Donna Smith
Illustrator: Brooke Parr Editorial Offices:
All across the United States
Publishing Office:
4637 Spring Creek Drive
Lexington, KY 40515
Mission Statement:
Welcome to the Kid's Imagination Train, where children can take the journey of reading in a brand new way. KIT offers book reviews, fiction, poetry, and nonfiction for kids ages 5 - 12. It’s unique in that it engages children by providing the opportunity to illustrate their favorite features and have them published online.
We invite you to read, to learn, and to draw!
CONTENTS
Volume 2 Issue 6
WHAT'S NEW THIS MONTH?
3...Fiction
Chasing the Wind Monster
by Guy Belleranti
4...Poetry
Counting on Mother Nature
by Lisa Hart
by Lisa Hart
5...Nonfiction
The Beautiful Luna Moth
by Pat St. Pierre
6...Book Review
One Crazy Summer
by Donna Smith
7...Lesson Plan
States of Matter
by Randi Lynn Mrvos
8...Lesson Plan Activity
Changing States
by Randi Lynn Mrvos
Chasing the Wind Monster
Henry lived with his parents in a small house in the country. When he was not at school or playing with his friend Colin, he wrote happy adventure stories. One Saturday, the Wind Monster stuck its puffing face and sticky fingers into the window and WHOOSHED Henry’s latest story away.
“Hey, come back here with that!” said Henry.
He tore out the door, almost crashing into a freckle-faced boy.
"Colin! Did a big windy thing just go by?”
“Sure did. It took my cap right off my head.”
“Wow,” said Henry. “That’s some Wind Monster. It took my story. I didn’t get to write a happy ending.”
"Let's catch it," Colin cried.
Rabbits and deer lifted their heads from their lunches to watch the chase. A couple of grasshoppers stopped hopping and watched, too.
A small pretty lake appeared. As they reached the lake’s shoreline, Henry leaped for his story. Colin leaped for his cap.
The Wind Monster WHOOSHED just out of their reach and both boys went SPLAAAAASH into the water.
“Glub, glub. Ahhh!” said Henry. “This feels great after that run!”
“Sure does,” said Colin, after spitting water from his mouth.
“But the Wind Monster’s getting away.”
SPLASH, SPLASH swam Henry and Colin.
“WHOOSH, WHOOSH!” puffed the Wind Monster.
“And a great place to make castles, too,” Henry said. “But first
we must get my story and your cap.”
“How?” asked Colin. “We can run after the Wind Monster. And we can swim after the Wind Monster. But we can’t fly after it.”
By: Ricardo
“Hey, come back here with that!” said Henry.
He tore out the door, almost crashing into a freckle-faced boy.
"Colin! Did a big windy thing just go by?”
“Sure did. It took my cap right off my head.”
“Wow,” said Henry. “That’s some Wind Monster. It took my story. I didn’t get to write a happy ending.”
 |
| By: Josephine |
"Let's catch it," Colin cried.
Across the meadow and over a hill puffed the Wind Monster. Across the meadow and over the hill ran the boys.
 |
| By: Tanner |
A small pretty lake appeared. As they reached the lake’s shoreline, Henry leaped for his story. Colin leaped for his cap.
The Wind Monster WHOOSHED just out of their reach and both boys went SPLAAAAASH into the water.
 |
| By: Kiera |
“Glub, glub. Ahhh!” said Henry. “This feels great after that run!”
“Sure does,” said Colin, after spitting water from his mouth.
“But the Wind Monster’s getting away.”
SPLASH, SPLASH swam Henry and Colin.
“WHOOSH, WHOOSH!” puffed the Wind Monster.
 |
| By: Jackson |
The opposite side of the lake came into sight. Up high in the air flew the Wind Monster. Onto a sandy beach sprawled the two tired boys.
“Whew,” said Colin. “I’m beat! This beach is a great place to rest.”
 |
| By: Linnea |
“How?” asked Colin. “We can run after the Wind Monster. And we can swim after the Wind Monster. But we can’t fly after it.”
Henry thought a moment. “Maybe we can talk to it.” He looked into the sky.
"Wind Monster,” he called, “thanks for leading us on such a fun adventure to a beautiful beach. But could you please bring it all to a happy ending by returning my story and Colin’s cap? I’ll give you an autographed copy when my story’s finished.”
The Wind Monster zipped in circles. Then, suddenly, five papers and one cap floated down upon their heads.
“Thanks!” Colin cried, catching his cap.
The Wind Monster zipped in circles. Then, suddenly, five papers and one cap floated down upon their heads.
“Thanks!” Colin cried, catching his cap.
“Come back next week for your autographed copy,” Henry said, waving his story.
"WHOOSH!” The Wind Monster made a zigzag in the sky and zoomed off.
"Do you think it’ll come back?” Colin asked.
“I hope so,” Henry said. “Authors need all the fans they can get, even windy ones. Now let’s play in the sand. Then, we’ll go back to my house for a snack. I can’t think of a happier ending than that to any adventure story, can you?”
 |
| By: Victoria |
Written by: Guy Belleranti 3
Counting on Mother Nature
Twelve eggs, eleven eggs,
barely big to see.
Ten caterpillars, nine caterpillars
wiggly as can be.
Eight holes, seven holes in
leaves that seem so tasty.
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By: Abby
Six cocoons, five cocoons
hidden away for safety.
Four butterflies, three butterflies
brightening up the sky.
Two people taking time
to watch them flutter by.
Twelve eggs, eleven eggs,
barely big to see.
Ten caterpillars, nine caterpillars
wiggly as can be.
Eight holes, seven holes in
leaves that seem so tasty.
Six cocoons, five cocoons
hidden away for safety.
Four butterflies, three butterflies
brightening up the sky.
Two people taking time
to watch them flutter by.
Check out this cool site on butterflies:
Written by: Lisa Hart 4
The Beautiful Luna Moth
Any summer evening when an outside light is on, you will
find a variety of moths flying around. Many of us think moths as drab and unattractive, but some are as pretty as butterflies.
Luna
means moon in Latin. The luna moth gets its name from the word moon because it
flies only at night. It is found in the United States from Maine to Florida,
from Texas to eastern North Dakota, and in Canada.
The
adult luna moth is a large delicate pale-green moth with a wingspan of over 4
inches. It has a two pairs of wings and a long curved tail on each back wing.
There are large eye-like spots on each of its wings and the front wings are
outlined in purple.
The
males and females are very similar in appearance, although the male’s antennae
are a little more feathery. Adult luna moths do not eat since they don’t have
mouths. They live off the stored energy from food they had eaten
as caterpillars. As caterpillars however, they had a ravenous appetite. They bit off bits of leaves from birch, walnut, or hickory trees.
The
luna moths go through a four-stage transformation in their development in order
to become so radiant. They start out their life cycle as an egg, turn into a
caterpillar, then a cocoon or pupa, and finally an adult moth. A female can lay
between 400 to 600 eggs. These eggs are deposited on the bottom of leaves. It
takes about 10 days for the eggs to hatch. The caterpillars, which are green with
a yellow stripe, begin to eat as soon as they leave the egg.
When
their skin becomes too tight, they shed it and crawl out. They do this about
five times. After three to four weeks when they are fully grown, they spin silk
and wrap themselves in a leaf to form the cocoon. Inside the cocoon, the
caterpillar changes from green to brown and sheds its skin again. The
caterpillar stays in the cocoon for two to three weeks before it emerges as an
adult moth. The adult female mates and then lives for only a week or so after
she lays her eggs. The luna moth can remain in its papery cocoon over the
winter. In early spring or summer, the moth breaks out as an
adult.
Once,
the luna moth was considered very common. But in some areas, it has declined in
abundance. To acquaint people with this moth, the US Post Office issued a first
class stamp in 1987 with an image of the luna moth. Luna
moths are strong flyers, and they are drawn to lights. During a summer night,
you may want to look for one. Perhaps you will find this beautiful, pale-green
gem.
The author wishes to thank Pete Fraboni, Assistant Director/Naturalist of Earthplace in Westport, CT and Derek Hennen, graduate student at the University of Arkansas for their expertise.
Written by: Pat St. Pierre 5
Book Review: One Crazy Summer
Name of Book: One
Crazy Summer
Author:
Rita Williams-Garcia
Year Published: 2010
Age Range of Book: 9 – 12 years
Publisher: Amistad
ISBN:
978-0-06-076090-8
Price: $6.99
Ah, sunny California—a place where you
can spend your days surfing, picking fruit, meeting movie stars and taking
trips to Disneyland.
Delphine, Vonetta and Fern have
California dreams when they find out they’re going to stay a month with Cecile,
the mother who abandoned them. But what they find in Oakland, California is a
green stucco house with a baby palm tree, the People’s Center, Mean Lady Ming,
Black Panthers and a mother who goes by a different name. Big Ma, the girls' grandmother questions their father’s decision. Big Ma says, “How can you send
them to Oakland? Oakland’s nothing but a boiling pot of trouble cooking. All
them riots.”
The girls are savvy and Delphine is a
true leader who always looks out for her sisters. While Pa and Big Ma appear
briefly in the beginning of the book, they loom large throughout the story.
Delphine carries Big Ma’s presence with her, and she is always mindful of the
financial sacrifice her father made in order for them to visit their mother.
Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of
three young girls trying to get to know a mother who left them. Cecile isn’t a
fairytale mother. Delphine is the only sister who has a sketchy memory of
Cecile. The journey the girls take isn’t just the physical one from Brooklyn to
California. They also experience a coming of age especially, Delphine. Delphine
with permission from her mother learns that it’s okay to be eleven and not take
on the burden of caring for everyone. Vonetta discovers friendship away from
the bond of her sisters, and Fern sheds her babyhood and finds her voice.
Don’t be scared off by all of the awards
bestowed on Garcia’s book. One Crazy
Summer is a superb story that flashes by like summer lightening. Garcia is
a gifted storyteller, and she has created real characters and situations that
are intriguing along with historical insight about what was happening in 1968.
Garcia is the author of six other
noteworthy books. They are Jumped, No Laughter Here, Every Time A Rainbow Dies, Fast
Talk On A Slow Track, Blue Tights,
and Like Sisters On The Homefront.
She teaches Writing for Children & Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine
Arts.
Rating for the book: *****
Donna Smith is a freelance writer. You
can visit her website at www.smithswritingstudio.com
Lesson Plan: States of Matter
Everything around us is made of matter. Matter is anything that has weight and takes up space. Rocks, wood, plastic, and metal are made of matter.
Scientists divide matter into three states: solids, liquids, and gases. Temperature is the main factor in determining if a substance is a solid, liquid, or gas.
Most metals are solids, but when you heat them to very high temperatures, they will become liquid. Heat them to even higher temperatures and metals will turn into a gas. In contrast, gases can become liquids at very low temperatures. For instance, oxygen gas becomes liquid when it is cooled below its boiling point, which is at -183° C or about -300° F.
When a solid changes to a liquid it is called melting. When a liquid changes to a gas it is called boiling. If a gas changes into a liquid, we call it condensing. If a liquid changes to a solid, we call it freezing.
When a solid changes to a liquid it is called melting. When a liquid changes to a gas it is called boiling. If a gas changes into a liquid, we call it condensing. If a liquid changes to a solid, we call it freezing.
Written by: Randi Lynn
Mrvos 7
Lesson Plan Activity: Changing States
Materials: Ice cubes, plate, pan
Directions: Parental supervision is advised.
1. Demonstrate the three
states of matter with water. Take about
four ice cubes from
2. Now, place the ice
cubes in a pan and place the pan on top of a stove on low heat.
The solid becomes a
liquid when it is heated.
3. Turn up the heat so
that the water boils. The liquid changes
into a gas in the form
 |
| By: Abby |
Written by: Randi Lynn Mrvos 8
9
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