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#43 Kidding Around

Want a quick way to lift your spirits? Revisit the books you loved as a child.

 

This week, we got a chance to do exactly that while writing a blog post on 100 Classic Children's Books, and we quickly found our minds swirling with imagined places and whimsical characters. 

 

While our prompts this week are inspired by those same children's books, whether you write a children's story or not is up to you. Pick up your pen and let your imagination do the rest!

 

p.s. – Are you interested in coming behind the scenes of the Reedsy Prompts contest as a judge? Head here for more information!

🥇 Winner

Reunion

Winner of Contest #43 🏆

Here's something I can tell you: he never really knew how to talk to me. Sometimes I picture him, back when I was the kid he couldn’t muster the guts to comprehend. I would sit very focused and important, surrounded by an assortment of odd, lifeless objects, and I would proceed to talk to them about serious business. I was their professor, at five years old, and I was teaching them how to read a book, and eventually I would slap them with a plastic ruler and scold them for being such terrible students and tell them that they were giving me a...

166 likes 162 comments 162
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⭐️ Shortlisted

The Red Apple Tree

Shortlisted for Contest #43 ⭐️

Babu moshai!That’s what my Baba used to call me. As far as I can reminisce, I was called upon by numerous nicknames, but somehow I always knew those slew of names didn’t have a robust meaning. Babu moshai was meticulous, a two-syllable word that adumbrated a complex Sanskrit phonetic. Baba wasn’t much into the Vedic literature, but his prosaic artistry was unfathomable. Contrarily, Aama loathed the name babu moshai. She was cocksure that the name had a diabolical derivation and always ended...

45 likes 20 comments 20
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Dear Mom

Shortlisted for Contest #43 ⭐️

Deer mommai am riting to say i luv u.luv Alice (age 4)Dear mommaToday the teacher said we haf to rite a leter to r heros. Yur my hero becuz u reed to me and tell me stuf evin when yur bizy.Love yur dotter Alice (age 5)P.s. I drawed u a flowr.Dear mama,I know your always busy, so I wrote a letter to tell you about my day. You can read it at lunch. They let you not work at lunch, right? Mrs. Lenard is reading us a book called flat stanly. It is funny. I do not want to be flat becuz bad things happen to. I like being me.Love, Alice (age 7)Dear ...

14 likes 4 comments 4
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Dark

Shortlisted for Contest #43 ⭐️

You can’t just trip over a table every once in a while and convince people that you can’t see. So, I reach out to touch her hand and grab closer to the wrist then slowly move my hand down, so she notices.‘Don’t forget that table in the hall has moved a little bit, the rug is the same but its like six inches further out now’She doesn’t move things around much and when she does, she draws me a little mind map which is so sweet of her. Of course I can see every fucking thing as clearly as you would but from time to time I’ll give my toe a littl...

12 likes 4 comments 4
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This week's prompts

Write a story about transformation.

Nonfiction – 172 stories

Write a story about the relationship between a parent and a child that spans several years.

Adults – 122 stories

Write a story about someone who discovers a mysterious object in their home.

Kids – 118 stories

Write a story about an average day turned upside down by an unexpected visitor.

Kids – 111 stories

Write a story about an unlikely friendship.

Kids – 113 stories

Stories

Reunion

Winner of Contest #43 🏆

Here's something I can tell you: he never really knew how to talk to me. Sometimes I picture him, back when I was the kid he couldn’t muster the guts to comprehend. I would sit very focused and important, surrounded by an assortment of odd, lifeless objects, and I would proceed to talk to them about serious business. I was their professor, at five years old, and I was teaching them how to read a book, and eventually I would slap them with a plastic ruler and scold them for being such terrible students and tell them that they were giving me a...

166 likes 162 comments 162
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The Things We Don't Realize

Submitted to Contest #43

It was coolest on Mondays because that was when you had to leave for school again.I watched my daughter as she bounded up the steps of the school bus, the pompon of her red hat bobbed up and down as she moved down the bus. Then, it would suddenly dip and disappear and suddenly her face was pressed against the third last window of the bus, her stubby fingers would wiggle frantically. Her nose always made an oil stain on the glass. I laughed as I waved back. Although she was now in middle school, I often became teary-eyed as I watched the bus ...

117 likes 46 comments 46
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Song of the Storm

Submitted to Contest #43

 The storm engulfed the valley. It unsheathed its wrath on the Glen below; mercilessly. Arrochar, the valley of the two lochs, hidden among the Trossachs mountains. The village bared the angriest malice of the Scottish weather. The young boy stood at the bank of Loch Lomond, his gaze fixed on the towering mountain that pierced into the clouds. His breath held, listening to the melody of the storm. The roaring skies that bellowed thunder from its belly, the wind’s howl echoed through the Munros, and the waves crashed its jaw on...

108 likes 31 comments 31
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Talking to Death.

Submitted to Contest #43

I was playing hide and seek with Shane when I found it. I hid in that dark closet in the corner of the room. Crouching down on the floor, hiding under luggage. I saw something out of the corner of my eye, that sent shivers down my spine. I screamed, but no noise came out. There wasn’t the familiar sound of the echo of the scream. It is like I didn’t even make a sound. A huge dark cloud exploded out in front of my eyes, and darkness enveloped the room. A huge figure in dark robes appeared right in front of my eyes. It was a skeleton-like crea...

96 likes 62 comments 62
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Euthanasia

Submitted to Contest #43

 What felt worse, how normal things used to be, or how terrible they became?I laughed when they came. I did your job, I told them. Laughter was the best medicine, but it wouldn’t cure the gaping hole in their chests, which appeared to be true agony, from where blood oozed like the toothpastes they gave us. Just a little pressure, and it all came rushing out. How could you laugh when you might break at any moment?How could you laugh when you weren't human anymore?  Annalise was determined to talk to Aaron, despite the fact that...

94 likes 123 comments 123
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Olivia's secret.

Submitted to Contest #43

It was their 7th year anniversary living in 2 lake Chad crescent, Maitama, Abuja and obviously their last because they were moving to their new apartment around summer next year.It was the Winterbell family's big day and it was just like the whole city graced their occasion. The Winterbells were a little family of four, Andreo and Katie and their two kids Arianne and Dothan. The kids sure had a lot of fun that day especially with the games they played. Dothan, 11 was with the other boys organising a barbecue party. Arianne, 13 was eager to...

94 likes 116 comments 116
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Differences Among the Stars

Submitted to Contest #43

Like the azure sky, like the silver moon, like the small, glimmering stars; everyone has a place in this universe. Everyone can feel welcome, even if it is in some small way. But me...I'm not part of this world. I don't feel right here. My mother used to say to me, when I was little, that every person on this earth was like a little comet; apart from each other, yet drifting in the same sky. But I don't feel like I’m even there; though I have a family- though I have friends- I don't feel right, and I don’t feel like I am who I say to be.Jacq...

87 likes 29 comments 29
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Overtime Loss

Submitted to Contest #43

I'll always treasure the letter my Mom wrote me when I turned thirty, telling me how proud she was of me, the grown man who was still her perfect baby boy. She even credited me for why she brought Matthew into the world, so I'd have a younger brother to play with, since Aaron was several years older. To her, Aaron, Matt and I were her pride and joy. To everyone else we were the Bailey boys, who played and fought with each other like a pack of wild puppies, never knowing when to quit. In the open fields near our house, we shot arrows up in th...

77 likes 16 comments 16
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The Sapphire of Zellria

Submitted to Contest #43

I hold out my hands and shoot a beam of glowing, blue light at the monstrous creature in front of me; as I do, I remember the day- I remember her-Alani- vividly; I would know her face in the rain, in the sun, in the darkness- and I would always, always hate her for what she had done. She had been horrible to my friends, and even worse to me. And yet, now, I find her to be my only hope at survival. I remember what you did to us. I remember what you did to my friends, to my world, to me. I remember the words, thoughts, actions, that ...

76 likes 4 comments 4
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Change Starts In My Thoughts

Submitted to Contest #43

My hometown is Yamanouchi in Nagano Prefecture in Japan. As the site of the Shiga Highland UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, our town aims to be a place where human beings and nature can coexist in abundance. We also concentrate on achieving human rights, peace, and social welfare. Maybe for that reason, I felt that I wanted to do something for the good of my town. The year I entered junior high school, Yamanouchi Junior High was accepted into the UNESCO Associated Schools Network. In school we work on ESD (Education for Sustainable Development), an...

74 likes 31 comments 31
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Moving Day

Submitted to Contest #43

Moving Day There’s always something special for a child on moving day. A new house, new areas to explore, and being the oldest child getting to call dibs on the room of your choice.  “Moving day, moving day, moving day!” shouted Christopher as he ran through the house. There was an unspoken rule that on moving day a child had the first twenty minutes to run around the house and explore every room without question. Closet doors were flung open, lights were turned on, basements and attics were explored without fear. Christopher was twelve...

73 likes 35 comments 35
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Red Polish

Submitted to Contest #43

Imagine your worst enemy ringing your doorbell. Don't tell me you don’t have a worst enemy. We all do.  Have you ever been jealous of them? Have they ever made you feel small? Have they ever hurt you? Have you ever just gotten bad vibes from this person?  Yes, yes, yes, and yes. The pain and heartache she makes me feel is unbelievable. It feels as if a sword has been pushed into my heart. She makes me want to slide into a corner and stop trying.  So many thoughts run past my mind when I see Isabella through the ...

67 likes 29 comments 29
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Flight Crash

Submitted to Contest #43

Trees swayed and bounced happily between blasts of wind and leaves swept off pavements. Rain showers drenched the roads and dribbled down muddy and slippery doorsteps. Thunder knocked down in rage and strips of lighting could be witnessed. Droplets streaked down the windowsill of Number forty-four Cherry Lane. Harley stared at the droplets, before stretching and yawning. She sighed, at the driveway in front of the house porch. Her mother's flight was due to arrive in a few more hours from now. She leaned on her bed, closing her eye...

64 likes 28 comments 28
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Equals

Submitted to Contest #43

Hanna:I was in the school bathroom, sitting on the floor; crying. Curled up in a ball, sobbing quietly. I really hated being treated like a child; but I’m so much more than that. If only people could see who I am, beyond my age. I heard footsteps approaching. I could tell the footsteps, They were Kelly’s. She stood before me.“Hey, are you alright?” She asked softly. “(sniffs) Y-yeah, I’m fine.” Kelly was my mom. We'd known each other for 4 years now. Step-mom, technically. She came. I knew she would. She'd always been there fo...

62 likes 112 comments 112
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Years According to a Parent.

Submitted to Contest #43

YEAR THREE: YEAR OF THE PRINCESS. I looked down at my daughter Gale in affectionate. She was murmuring to herself while drawing a picture of a princess in a castle. She then jabbed the red crayon all over the princess. I gasped. “Gale baby, what are you doing.” She turned to face me, a mischievous grin forming on her face. She blinked up at me with large blue eyes. “Momma the dragon killed the princess! He tore her guts out!” I gasped. “Honey…that’s not appropriate!” She laughed, and clambered into my arms.  “Ap...

60 likes 51 comments 51
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