Weedflower

The Party

Her blue dress rustled as she stepped onto the street.

She breathed deeply of the scent from her beautiful bunch of peach stock.

The maid looked surprised to see Sumiko but took her present and flowers.

Something kind of rolled across the room,

Silence.

Marsha’s mother was staring right at Sumiko.

She put out her hand. “I’m Marsha’s mother,” she said.

Sumiko smiled with relief.

She gushed, “Your house is beautiful!”

Marsha’s mother put her arm around Sumiko and moved her onto the front porch.

She’d scarcely had a chance to see the house.

Her eyes were kind.

She smiled so warmly,

Sumiko couldn’t help smiling even harder than she already was.

“Marsha didn’t tell me you were in her class.”

“It’s not me, dear, but my husband…”

“I just want you to understand that if it were up to me…”

And Sumiko realized that she was being uninvited.

She understood,

Sumiko stood on the porch with the cake.

The ballerina,

The music,

The door.

She was Humiliated Sumiko.

This is what it felt like to be lonely.

Nicolette Lovell, Assignment.4

I remember when my fourth grade teacher handed me Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, she knew how much I adored reading and thought that I would enjoy the story. Little did Miss Long know that she would be the reason for an addiction to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the entire wizarding world that I am still happily afflicted with. I devoured each book multiple times and found that their lessons on morality and the reality of good and evil to be extremely valuable; for this reason I agree with the assertion that Rowling's enchanting books should not be banned from the classroom. Any book that attracts children and encourages them to read rather that play a video game or watch television should be treasured, not questioned and despised.

I would certainly use Harry in my classroom. The wonderful literature hidden inside of Rowling's books is too important and valuable for students to pass up. Young readers would be able to join Harry and his friends on all of their journeys and learn and grow as the main characters do. I also think that these books would be wonderful to get wary readers excited about literature. The subject matter and exciting plot of Rowling's stories would be excellent encouragement for students who don't enjoy reading.

I believe censorship is an important aspect of teaching and should be constantly observed. However, censorship has a tendency to be biased and unreasonable as in the case with the dispute over Harry Potter. If the subject matter is too steep or inappropriate for a certain age group, then a book should certainly be withheld. But if children can understand and learn from literature that excites them and makes them want to read, then why would we ever deny students that privilege?

Nicolette Lovell, Assignment 5

Eleanor

A generous, kind, strong, and special lady

Wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Lover of her family, the United States, and Human Rights

Who feels determined to improve the world in which she lives

Who finds happiness in helping others

Who needs the world to understand the importance of unity

Who gives to everyone in need with all of her heart

Who fears apathy, cruelty, and injustice

Who would like to see humanity improve itself

Who enjoys helping others

Who likes to wear many different hats when acting as the first lady

Resident of New York City and Washington DC

Roosevelt

Nicolette Lovell, Assignment 4

India Opal Buloni

I went to the grocery store
For a box of macaroni, rice, and tomatoes.
I went to the grocery store
And came back with a dog.
I called him Winn-Dixie.

Winn Dixie was big, ugly, and smelly.
He ran all over that store.
I loved him from the moment he smiled at me.
I had never met a dog that could smile
Until I met Winn-Dixie.

I brought him home to my daddy.
He said he could stay.
He fell in love with that dog the same way I did.
I don’t feel so alone now.
Now that I have Winn-Dixie.

I go all over town to visit my friends.
Winn-Dixie is at my side.
We visit Miss Franny Block and Gloria Dump,
And we work at the pet shop with Otis.
All my friends love Winn-Dixie.

I have learned a lot this summer.
I have made lots of new friends.
I have dealt with the demons my daddy and I share.
I have grown a lot this summer.
Because of Winn-Dixie.

Assignment 3, Nicolette Lovell

A Magical Sound

“There is no Santa”
I knew he was wrong.
On Christmas Eve,
I was listening,
Listening for a sound:
The ringing bells of Santa’s sleigh.

Silver sleigh bells,
A magical sound.

I breathed slowly and silently.
Sounds!
Not of ringing bells…
Hissing steam and squeaking metal.

Perfectly still, wrapped in steam:
A train,
Standing in front of my house,
Snowflakes fell lightly.
Slippers, robe, I tiptoed downstairs,
And out the door…

“All Aboard!” the conductor cried,
“Where?” I asked,
“Why to the North Pole of course,”
He pulled me aboard the Polar Express.

We travelled through cold,
Through the quiet wilderness,
We climbed mountains,
Faster and faster
We crossed the Polar Ice Cap.
Lights in the distance.

The North Pole,

A huge city at the top of the world.
Santa will give the first gift of Christmas,
“He will choose one of you.”

Silver sleigh bells,
A magical sound.

Santa Claus appeared,
He marched over to us,
“Let’s have this fellow here.”
I sat on Santa’s knee,
“Now what would you like for Christmas?”
When I asked, Santa smiled.

A silver sleigh bell,
The first gift of Christmas.

We were back inside the Polar Express,
I reached in my pocket,
I had last the silver bell.
We were on our way home.

It broke my heart to lose the bell.
The train reached my house,
I waved good-bye.
Christmas morning,
One last small box,
Inside was the silver bell!

I shook the bell,
The most beautiful sound.

“It’s broken,” said father,
“That’s too bad,” said mother.
My parents had not heard a sound.
It fell silent as the years passed.

I’ve grown old.
The bell still rings.
It does for all,
Who truly believe.

Assignment 2, Nicolette Lovell

As an elementary school student, I loved all types of books but was particulary drawn to science fiction novels. My personal favorite that I've read too many times to count is Madeleine L'Engle's Newbery Award winning work A Wrinkle In Time. I loved the idea of travelling through time and across the universe. I think that a good book draws one into the world it portrays, it offers an escape from life's complications and allows the reader to become the character that they identify with and come to know and love at the end of the story. For me, A Wrinkle In Time was a chance for me join Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace on their adventure to save Meg and Charles Wallace's father as they travelled by way of the tesseract away from earth and time. I also think that a good book stays with its reader, and is a story that they can carry with them for their entire life. A Wrinkle In Time is one of those special books for me and will remain on my bookshelf for the rest of my life.

Nicolette Lovell, Assignment 1

I have been the epitome of a bookworm since I was a young child. Rather than following along with the math lesson in elementary school, I preferred to hide one of my new chapter books behind the glossy cardboard and thin pages filled with numbers and problems to be solved. My earliest memory of reading was when I was four years old on Christmas eve. My main focus was Santa of course, and how he was going to manage fitting through our abnormally small chimney; but I soon forgot about that once my mom began to read Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express. I was immediately drawn in to the vivid and beautiful illustrations and entranced by the exciting story. I remember wondering if later that night my house would be visited by The Polar Express and my sisters and I would be taken to the North Pole. It was a secret wish of mine every Christmas thereafter. I come across the book each Christmas and read it to myself remembering the magic it held for me as a child, it it one of my personal favorites and reminds me of the little girl still within me that believes in magic, the impossible, and Santa Clause (who to my great surprise, made it down my chimney.)