The full moon bright up in the night sky was comforting as I stepped out of my house to welcome the cool fall air. I zipped up my parka and started walking, with the moon guiding me with its light.
At first, I didn’t know where I was heading or why was I out of my house in the first place. After all, it was almost midnight. Well, I wasn’t a normal thirteen year old girl to begin with. Then, I realized I had something important to do.
The leaves crumpled as I walked on them, making a crunching noise. The crunching noise got louder and louder as I picked up my speed. Suddenly, I was running. Now, I was in middle of a forest, lost and confused. Then, I realized I was supposed to see the old woman who lived here, in this forest.
As I got closer to her house, I started feeling nervous and shaky. This was the place where my troubles had begun. I knocked on her door. No reply. I tried again and this time she opened the door.
“Come on in. I have been waiting,” she greeted me in a low voice. As I stepped into her house I adjusted my eyes to the dim light. “Why are you doing this to me?” I asked suddenly. She stared at me, almost piercing my eyes and replied, “You know you wanted this.” “Yes, but having magical powers is proving to be dangerous for me and my family.” “Well, you wished for it. Now you have to give me what I want.”
“Never!” I exclaimed. Then a thought occurred to me. If I had magical powers I could freeze this woman and then get that magic ball of her and wish myself to normal. “Don’t try anything, dear,” she said interrupting my thought. “I suggest you have a look at yourself at the mirror first.” I turned around facing the mirror and let out a blood-curling scream of horror. I was a beast. “I think you forgot that I can see through the future. After all, you’re not the only one with magic power.”
(NOTE: Mihal entered this story in the Young Writers of Canada Writing Competition this year. It will be publishes in the 2010 anthology of short stories entitled: Grandmother's Attic.)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
One Minute: a short story by Nelani Skantharajah
Yesterday there was a young girl named Hope, who lived in the heart of Dead City. Hope was a rain drop of bright, illuminating light in a sea of fearful clouds. The soul completely ignored the deep aura of darkness she was surrounded by. Hope remained satisfied with anything that came her way . Hope was the entertainer for her family. She laughed, danced, played, sang, drew, wrote but what she did the best was believe.
At one o'clock hope was shot and killed to death.
Today there is no longer a girl named Hope, who lives in the heart of Dead City. Hope is no longer a rain drop of bright illuminating light in a sea of fearful clouds. The soul who completely ignored the deep aura of darkness she was surrounded by disappeared. There is no longer a soul who can remain satisfied with anything that comes her way. Hope cannot be the entertainer for her family. She no longer can laugh, dance, play, sing, draw, write and what she did the best, believe.
One minute was all it took to loose a life, but that one minute was all that changed another life. Anyone can leave you at anytime.
(NOTE: Nelani entered this story in the Young Writers of Canada Writing Competition this year. It will be publishes in the 2010 anthology of short stories entitled: Grandmother's Attic.)
At one o'clock hope was shot and killed to death.
Today there is no longer a girl named Hope, who lives in the heart of Dead City. Hope is no longer a rain drop of bright illuminating light in a sea of fearful clouds. The soul who completely ignored the deep aura of darkness she was surrounded by disappeared. There is no longer a soul who can remain satisfied with anything that comes her way. Hope cannot be the entertainer for her family. She no longer can laugh, dance, play, sing, draw, write and what she did the best, believe.
One minute was all it took to loose a life, but that one minute was all that changed another life. Anyone can leave you at anytime.
(NOTE: Nelani entered this story in the Young Writers of Canada Writing Competition this year. It will be publishes in the 2010 anthology of short stories entitled: Grandmother's Attic.)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
BOOK REVIEW: WORD NERD By: Susan Nielsen Reviewed by: Nelani Skantharajah
Word Nerd By: Susin Nielsen
Ambrose is a curios twelve-year-old who is famous for saying the worst things at the least desirable of times. In short, he's a nerd. He has a talent for playing scrabble and a weakness when making friends. After nearly dying at school when bullies put a peanut into his sandwich; Ambrose's mom decides that Ambrose will take correspondence classes from home. Raised by a single, overprotective mom, Ambrose knows how hard his mom has worked to bring him the best life possible. However, spending most of his life under his mom's shadow drives Ambrose to cross the line.
This book is a thriller that is great for all readers. Word Nerd is a book you'll surrender yourself for from the beginning till the end. It's one book I highly recommend if you are looking for a change from all the usual story lines. The perspective of this book is from a twelve-year-old boy with a very funny but honest look on things. It takes place in modern day Vancouver, Canada. Word Nerd is a well written book in which you're taken into a world of exciting scrabble and true friendship. It's written by Canadian author Susin Nielsen, who has won many awards including Mr. Christie's silver medal. Word Nerd is also a current Red Maple nominee.
Summary and Book review by: Nelani
Blurb (from book):
The day I almost died, the sky was a bright, brilliant blue. A few clouds hung over the North Shore mountains, but they were far away.......Just before everything went black, I pictured the headline of my obituary:
FRIENDLESS NERD KILLED BY PEANUT
Ambrose is a curios twelve-year-old who is famous for saying the worst things at the least desirable of times. In short, he's a nerd. He has a talent for playing scrabble and a weakness when making friends. After nearly dying at school when bullies put a peanut into his sandwich; Ambrose's mom decides that Ambrose will take correspondence classes from home. Raised by a single, overprotective mom, Ambrose knows how hard his mom has worked to bring him the best life possible. However, spending most of his life under his mom's shadow drives Ambrose to cross the line.
This book is a thriller that is great for all readers. Word Nerd is a book you'll surrender yourself for from the beginning till the end. It's one book I highly recommend if you are looking for a change from all the usual story lines. The perspective of this book is from a twelve-year-old boy with a very funny but honest look on things. It takes place in modern day Vancouver, Canada. Word Nerd is a well written book in which you're taken into a world of exciting scrabble and true friendship. It's written by Canadian author Susin Nielsen, who has won many awards including Mr. Christie's silver medal. Word Nerd is also a current Red Maple nominee.
Summary and Book review by: Nelani
Blurb (from book):
The day I almost died, the sky was a bright, brilliant blue. A few clouds hung over the North Shore mountains, but they were far away.......Just before everything went black, I pictured the headline of my obituary:
FRIENDLESS NERD KILLED BY PEANUT
BOOK REVIEW: ACCELERATION By: Graham McNamee Reviewed by: Minhal Junaid
Blurb at the back of the book: It’s a hot, hot summer, and in the depths of the Toronto Transit Authority’s Lost and Found, 17-year-old Duncan is cataloging lost things and sifting through accumulated junk. And between Jacob, the cranky old man who runs the place, and the endless dusty boxes overflowing with stuff no one will ever claim, Duncan’s just about had enough. Then he finds a little leather book. It’s a diary filled with the dark and dirty secrets of a twisted mind, a serial killer stalking his prey in the subway. And Duncan can’t make himself stop reading.
What would you do with a book like that? How far would you go to catch a madman?
And what if time was running out. . . .
Rating: 5/5
This book is a must- read, especially if you are a mystery-lover.This book engages you from the beginning till the end. An interesting thing about this book is that it takes place in our own city; Toronto. This book is also an Edgar Award Winner. Acceleration is about a teenage boy named Duncan who works in the Toronto Transit Lost and Found and suddenly finds a leather diary.The diary is filled with the secrets and gruesome ideas of a serial killer, who tries to kill young women. Duncan must now try to stop him, before he kills, but the problem is how? How will he find him and how fast before time runs out?
Book review by: Minhal Junaid.
What would you do with a book like that? How far would you go to catch a madman?
And what if time was running out. . . .
Rating: 5/5
This book is a must- read, especially if you are a mystery-lover.This book engages you from the beginning till the end. An interesting thing about this book is that it takes place in our own city; Toronto. This book is also an Edgar Award Winner. Acceleration is about a teenage boy named Duncan who works in the Toronto Transit Lost and Found and suddenly finds a leather diary.The diary is filled with the secrets and gruesome ideas of a serial killer, who tries to kill young women. Duncan must now try to stop him, before he kills, but the problem is how? How will he find him and how fast before time runs out?
Book review by: Minhal Junaid.
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