"Basketball Evaluations"

This story is an autobiography assignment

 for the last lesson of the

Polliwog Writing Lessons.

(Congratulations, Philip!)

BASKETBALL EVALUATIONS

by

Philip Cooper

(age 9)

In December, my brother Eric brought me to my basketball evaluations. He brought my siblings, Zachoia and Elias, for their evaluations too. The people there would test us on our basketball skills. I had been practicing beforehand. When we first got there, Eric had to get in line for some papers that each of us would need. I saw some of my teammates and friends from other years that I had played.

After Eric was done, the first thing we did was get measured. I was a little more than 4½ feet. The lady wrote that on my paper. Next we tried on jerseys. I was a youth medium. That also went on my paper. After that, we got in line to be evaluated. The line was something that I haven’t seen anywhere else, but I thought it was really cool. The line was made up of chairs. I sat down on the first chair, then moved down the line.  I like it better that way because your legs don’t get tired.

When it was our turn to go to our first test, I was excited. The first test was dribbling around cones. I was good at dribbling so I got a high score. The second test was passing, but you didn’t just pass. You slid sideways as you passed like you were guarding somebody. I dropped the ball once, but otherwise I did pretty well. The next test you tried to steal the ball from someone. Coincidentally, I was trying to steal the ball  from my teammate that I had the year before. I wasn’t so good at this, but I tried my best. The fourth test was layups. I was good at layups so I got a high score. The fifth test was shooting. I was also good at this. The last test was also shooting, but without the hoop. The reason for this test was so the person you were shooting to could see your form. I excelled at this one also.

When I went back to where Eric was, Zachoia and Elias were already there since they were ahead of me in the line. We walked back to the car and drove off. We were on our way home when Eric surprised us by pulling into Dairy Queen. Eric, Zachoia, and I got ice cream while Elias got chicken strips. It was a really fun night and I’m glad God let me have so much fun.

(original and unedited)

If you are between the ages of 4-14,
(or know someone who likes to write stories)
I would like to post your story here.
Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

"A Fun Month"

A Fun Month

by

Philip Cooper
(age 11)

I glanced out the window of my home in New Hampshire. It is so cold in New Hampshire…I love it. My name is Manuel and I am eight. I am from Guatemala. Guatemala is under Mexico. My father got a job here, because he is an expert architect, and is great at building with metal. We came here so Papa could get a job with a huge underwater expedition.

Can you keep a secret? Well Papa is helping to build a submarine to bring up huge amounts of TREASURE that was found near Portsmouth. It is a secret because some people want to steal the treasure so they will be rich.

We have been in New Hampshire four months, but I only started to go to school last month, because I needed to learn the English language. I had a head start, because my parents wanted me to learn English in Guatemala anyway.

It is December 3rd, my birthday! I am not having a party, but my friend Andrew is coming over! I can not wait to see him. He has been very nice to me since I came to school. Other than him, I’ll have my older brother Carlos, my younger brother Miguel, my other younger brother Jose, and and my baby sister Juanita. Carlos is ten, Miguel is five, Jose is three, and Juanita is five months old. Oh, I think Andrew is here!

“Hi Manuel”

“Hi Andrew, come in.”

Andrew had red hair and freckles. He said his grandparents were Irish. However, he said he didn’t have a bad temper just because he had red hair. 

“Andrew, I have stuffed animals! Want to play?”

Carlos talked to Andrew’s older brother James, Andrew, Miguel and I played, while Jose and Juanita took a nap. We had much fun. I think that if fun was food, I could live on just that hour of playing for a thousand years!

“Jim the Jaguar is coming!” says Andrew.

“OH NO. RUN Pablo the Rabbit!” I say.

“I’ll help you escape, because I’m Antonio the Elephant and I am big” says Miguel, and so we play.

After eating cake and ice cream, I open presents. Look, I got a stuffed snake from Carlos. I’ve also got a bat and ball from Mama and Papa. They say they will enroll me for spring ball next year. Andrew gave me a history book. History is my favorite subject. Then Andrew says they have one last present. They call it a sled. But Andrew has to go. Something happened to his uncle (we found out afterward he was okay). He must leave right away. Oh well. We had fun and I had a wonderful birthday.

At school their is a big poster for a sled race. Well I have a sled, don’t I? I don’t know what it does. I keep on meaning to ask Andrew, but I keep forgetting. Maybe you push it and whoever pushes it the farthest wins. Well Mama says I can sign up so I do.

Finally, the sled race. It is a Christmas sled race on Christmas Eve. I can’t wait! There is a prize for the winner. It is a secret prize. Well, I wake up on Christmas Eve, just to find out that my dreams had come true. There is vanilla ice cream everywhere on the ground. I sat there, astonished. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I kept on rubbing my eyes until Carlos (who came to wake me up) told me it was bad for me. I could tell he was looking at the vanilla ice cream, astonished too. Immediately, I ask to go outside. I go outside and take a bite of the vanilla ice cream. It tastes like water though, so I put sugar on it. 

After breakfast, it is time to go to the sled race. We arrive there early. It is taking place on a big hill. I look and everyone is sliding down the hill on their sleds. Well that looks fun and it was. I have never experienced anything so fun. Then Andrew (who was also in the sled race) told me that was what sleds were for and that the stuff on the hill was snow, a form of frozen water. I had never seen that before. I still wish we could sled on vanilla ice cream instead of snow though (that rhymes)!

“Ready, Set, Go” the principal said and we went down the hill. It was so fun! I clapped for the winner. Wait a second, the winner was… me! I got an electric jeep that was like an electric scooter in that you ride in it.I could drive in my driveway! The sled race was so fun even if you cut out the fact that I won. The electric jeep was awesome too. Of course, I let everybody else that wanted to, drive in it too.

When we went home Mama served enchiladas, my favorite food. Than on Christmas, I got even more presents including a net that I can hit my baseball into along with a glove. I also got a big remote control helicopter. Carlos got a remote control plane, so we do races. He always wins, but it is still fun. What a wonderful month of December! I have to go now though. It is almost the new year. Good bye! 

If you are between the ages of 4-14,
(or know someone who likes to write stories)
I would like to post your story here.
 Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

Happy as Could Be

Happy As Could Be

by

Phillip Cooper

In a big city,

There was a merry-go-round. 

On it snuck 

A mischievous hound.

This hound liked

To play on things

And if they were shiny

He liked to sing

This merry-go-round

Was a very shiny thing

It was so great

He wanted to sing

Except it was night

And people were asleep

So he couldn’t howl

He couldn’t make a peep

This merry-go-round

Was different from another

In fact, it was quite

Different from others

For the middle of the ride

Was clear so you could see

The controls, right there

 As clear as can be

The hound walked right in

The door was unlocked

(If the ride manager knew

He would’ve been shocked)

The ride was in 

A park you know

So people would hear 

If the ride started to go

But the hound wasn’t thinking 

As he clambered inside

Pressed a button 

And started the ride

The alarms gave the call 

that something was wrong

And it sure didn’t sound 

like a pretty song

The alarms produced 

A very irritating sound

Especially to the hound

it was simply LOUD

The security guards came

Along with the police

They came and shouted

“CRIMINALS CEASE!”

But then they saw

It was only a hound

Who was very irritated 

By such a horrible sound

But the hound thought

The police were mean

So he immediately thought

Of a plan that was keen

He decided to make 

the ride go faster then ever

he snickered and thought

"My plan is sure clever!"

The buttons he couldn’t

Figure out at first

He was so anxious

He thought he would burst

While he figured them out

The police were discussing

How they could get the hound out

Without him fussing

That was when

The hound figured out

Where the button was

He wanted to shout

Except someone remembered

That the ride would end

If it didn’t have power

They just needed a friend

The ride was powered

By electricity

Electricians work with that

That is their specialty

They got an electrician

Whose name was Ken

And he cut the power line

So the ride would end

“But the hound is afraid”

The policemen said

Let’s go away and have

Someone else here instead

That somebody was

An animal specialist

She gave him food

And gave him a kiss

That hound went back

Home to his family

And there he stayed

Happy as could be

(original and unedited)


If you are between the ages of 4-14,
(or know someone who likes to write stories)
I would like to post your story here.

Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

Gladys Aylward: An Ambassador for Christ

Gladys Aylward: An Ambassador for Christ 

By 

Philip Cooper

Gladys Aylward was a missionary whose story really inspires me. Since it will take a big book to tell you all of how God used her (I definitely don’t know everything), I will tell you one story that really shows God’s power.

Gladys was in Bei Chai Chuang. This was because there was a three-way war between the Japanese, Nationalist Chinese, and Communist Chinese. They were all trying to be the leaders of China. The Nationalists were good and the other two were bad. Gladys really lived in Yangcheng and Gladys with the rest of the people that had to leave were hoping that the Japanese would leave. The people of Yangcheng had scattered after the Japanese had dropped bombs on them and were sending more soldiers. The people of Bei Chai Chuang promised to take frequent spy trips to Yangcheng to see whether or not the Japanese had left. One farmer reported seeing the Japanese March through the east gate. A week later, another farmer reported seeing the Japanese March out the west gate. The Japanese had marched gone right through Yangcheng, just as everybody had hoped! Since everybody was anxious to see if their homes were all right, Gladys volunteered to go to Yangcheng to make sure that it was safe to go back. 

It took Gladys most of the day to reach Yangcheng. She didn’t see any soldiers. Gladys quickly made her way to  The Inn of Eight Happiness, the inn that she had started with an older woman and was a wonderful tool for sharing the gospel. The inn was a damaged from the airplane attack. Gladys thought of all the wonderful moments in the inn. Now there was no laughter or anything like it. Gladys picked up a card that she had given to Mrs. Lawson, the older woman, when she was in her last days. On it was “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Gladys put the card in her pocket.

Just then, she heard gunfire and yelling in Japanese! Either the Japanese had come back, or not all of them had left in the first place! Gladys immediately made her way to the east gate since that was closer to the inn and away from the yelling and gunfire, which was at the west gate. The only problem was that the east gate was bolted shut. The only way out of Yangcheng was through the west gate. Gladys decided against creeping along in the shadows. Instead, she ran down the streets of Yangcheng as fast as she could. She was out of breath when the west gate came in to view. Even though the gate was still open, Gladys knew she should stay in the shadows. Gunfire was exploding really close to her. To her surprise, Nationalist soldiers were on top of the wall. Gladys peered through the crack between the gate and the wall. To the left were  the Japanese soldiers. To the right was a field of wheat. All Gladys needed was a distraction so she could dash into the field of wheat. As soon as she saw a hand grenade flying toward the Japanese, she was off! She dashed into the field of wheat and pulled herself along by her elbows.

After she felt safe enough to stand up, she found the trail and followed it to a fork in the road. One way was steep and very dangerous to travel at night. It was getting dark since it had taken Gladys most of the day to get to Yangcheng. The other path was a dry stream bed. In the rainy season it would be overflowed with water, but it was spring and the stream bed was dry.Since it was safer, Gladys started to go on the stream bed path, but then a horrible thought occurred to her. If more Japanese soldiers were coming, this was the path they would take. Gladys knew that she would have to take the other path. She felt in her pocket and squeezed the card. Then, Gladys started to scramble up the steep path. After while, Gladys heard marching below her. She peeked over the ridge and saw soldiers marching on the safer path below. They were definitely Japanese. If she had gone on the safer path, she would of been killed. 

Gladys spent the night on the trail and completed her journey in the morning. Gladys told the people that they couldn’t go home for awhile. Regardless, this is one of the many stories of how God protected her so she could bring the gospel to the Chinese. 

.       

If you are between the ages of 4-14,(or know someone who likes to write stories)I would like to post your story here. Send me an email. I'd love to read your story! Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

Limerick Fun

Here is a collection of limericks,

written by the young people that participated in my writing lessons.

If you would like to know more about this writing course,

(CONTACT ME).

There was a man with a garden,

Before he could plant, the ground hardened

When he tried to dig

The job was too big

So fast to a farmstand he darted.

Zachoia Cooper

Mike stole money from Jerry;

Mike stole money from Perry,

He gasped as soon

As he saw the spanking spoon

And started to run in a hurry.

Phillip Cooper

There was a dog named Flog

He loved to find a log

That rolled around

But none were found

And so he flopped on the ground!

Hope Berkheiser

There once was a teacher who taught,

But never said what she thought.

Is it good or bad,

Happy or sad,

To be like this teacher who taught?

Grace Berkheiser

If you are between the ages of 4-14,(or know someone who likes to write stories)
I would like to post your story here. Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

I Am a . . . ?

I AM A  . . . ?

by Philip Cooper

(age 10)

Hi! My name is Jumpy. My family and I live in a forest called Biggy's Bountiful Backyard. It is named after a guy named Powerful Biggy. The “Backyard” is about as big as a small town.

When I was born, I was named Powerful Biggy too, which is not peculiar because all babies are named Powerful Biggy when they are born. It is because the person the forest's named after, Powerful Biggy, buried all of his nuts in this area so trees could grow. Up sprang the oak trees, down came the nuts. 

Of course, he wasn’t the only one, but he planted about a third of them. He and his buddies must have liked one particular spot because there are two acres of trees there, but that belongs to our “government” and I will explain why later. The adults name their kids Powerful Biggy, even girls! As their children grow, though, their parents look for a characteristic of their children. Then they name them that characteristic. I guess Powerful Biggy was REALLY BIG AND STRONG.

In the same way, I jump around a lot and once even jumped out of our tree so it is no surprise that my name is Jumpy.

 It is end of the harvest month (It is the beginning of November for humans) so we’ve been gathering food for a long time. 

After we gather enough food, an inspector will come and make sure we have enough food. Inspectors don’t like coming here because we have never failed inspection. They usually have twenty-five homes to go to so they never like it when a specific home keeps on passing inspection. One guy even simply placed his inspector sticker on the tree without setting a foot inside and thoroughly inspecting our food supply. Being an inspector is a tough job so the inspectors are paid with food for the winter. That is where those two acres of trees come in, supplying thousands and thousands of acorns to the “government”.    

 We fill our home with a ton of acorns along with a bit of seeds and conifer cones. Since we have a large home, we can fill it with more food than an average home can hold. All this food leaves little room to sleep, but we don't care. We have food so we are happy.

 There are a lot of blue jays. I do NOT like blue jays. They like to steal our acorns. It is a good thing I have many siblings, because now we can take turns guarding our home. I have eleven siblings to be exact. Even so, blue jays still get to our acorns. After all, they can fly and we can't. As a result, my big brother and I raid bluejay nests and take back acorns. Those pesky bluejays like to take more acorns then they need just to spite us. So we leave just enough for them. Then we take what we need and give the rest to poor people. Not all blue jays are bad though. I have a friend who is a blue jay, but that is a different story. Three blue jay families always try to steal from us, so that is who I am talking about.

I have to get back to work. A bluejay stole some acorns so I guess Wolverine (named for his small size, but ferociousness) and I will get back to work. See you around!  

If you are between the ages of 4-14, (or know someone who likes to write stories)
I would like to post your story here. Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

 Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

How to Make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

How to Make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich 
by Philip Cooper

(age 10)

(Assignment from  Lesson Ten - One, Two, Three)

 This is how to make a grilled cheese sandwich using sub bread . 


First, turn your oven broiler on high. 
Then get the sub bread and put it on a tray. 
Next, choose your cheese and grate it if needed. 
Be sure to choose your cheese BEFORE you put your bread in the oven because your bread bakes fast. 
After putting the bread in the oven, watch your bread and put the cheese on when the bread starts to turn a light brown. 
Broil your bread to your liking, and then take the bread out of the oven. 
You can eat it open faced or with another piece of bread depending on what you like. 

Enjoy! 

(original and unedited)
Assignment from  Lesson Ten - One, Two, Three


If you are between the ages of 4-14,(or know someone who likes to write stories)I would like to post your story here. Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

 Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

The Fat-Bellied Sidekick

The Fat-Bellied Sidekick

 by Philip Cooper 

(age 10 ) 

 There was a boy named Emmett who had super powers. He could fly and go through anything as long as it wasn’t alive. He had a brilliant mind too and almost always was working on an invention like his built-into-his-suit heater/air conditioner. Emmett could also shoot freeze rays and he had a secret headquarters where he could listen to the police scanner and work on inventions. Emmett had a side kick named James. James was a dog. He was a jolly puppy. Emmett had only had him for two weeks, but in those two weeks he had gotten into the refrigerator and had eaten food until he was SUPER FAT. But for some reason, James was still fast. Emmett figured out that he could pull his fat in and that made him lighter somehow.

 One day, Emmett heard about a robbery at the bank. Emmett grabbed James and zoomed to the bank. “Halt!” he said. But nobody was in his line of sight. Suddenly, Emmett heard a whistling sound, like something was moving through the air. Then, he passed out.

 When Emmett woke up, the criminal was grinning at him. “We finally got you Super Hero,”said the criminal.

 “Where’s James?” demanded Emmett.

 “Right there” the criminal pointed to a corner of the room where James was standing, tied to a door.

 Emmett was relieved. He still had his super suit on so he could not be recognized as Emmett. And James was fine.

 Another criminal came and cut the rope around James’s neck. “The dog is not going to do anything,” he said. “And he’ll just be a pest, so we might as well turn him out.”

 Just then, James bit him. In rage the criminal punched him in the belly, but the force of the hit knocked the criminal over. The first criminal threw a hammer at James, but when it hit James in the belly, the hammer bounced right back, smacking the criminal in the face. That criminal fell to the floor unconscious. The second criminal was going to react, but Emmett froze him. Then Emmett walked right through the ropes. “Come on James,” Emmett said. “Let’s go to the police.”

 Emmett still fights crime and still works on inventions and still is a best friend of the police. And he still has a jolly sidekick that is so fat that he can bounce things off his belly.


 (original and unedited)

 If you are between the ages of 4-14,(or know someone who likes to write stories)I would like to post your story here. Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

 Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

The Caracal

The Caracal

by Phillip Cooper

(age 10) 

“That caracal was so cool,” exclaimed Aaron. 


“Yeah,” agreed Mike. “And to think we saw it catch a bird.”


 “I love these night vision goggles. They helped us see the caracal so well.” 


“ I’m glad our parents let us see that super-jumping cat too,” added Mike. “I mean, its 9:45 pm!” 


“Animals like the caracal help us see that God really is the creator,” said Aaron. “I’m glad our parents are missionaries to Africa.”


 “There really are so many things to thank God for, wherever you are!” said Mike. 

(original and unedited)

This was written as a homework assignment for Polliwog Writing Lesson 13 "Let's Talk About It
If you are between the ages of 4-14,(or know someone who likes to write stories)I would like to post your story here. Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

 Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog

Belonging to Jesus

Belonging to Jesus

by

Philip Cooper

(age 10)

I belong to Jesus. I have been a christian for almost 4 years now. But I did not commit myself unto God until July 21, 2011.

Before that I had gone to camp. There was one message by the special speaker, Mr. Frazor, that really made me think. Mr. Frazor said that baptism is a symbol of your belief in God. Did I need to get baptized? I talked about it with Dad.

Then on that special day, I was baptized. I wore a baptismal robe. I went completely under water. There are few days that I had been happier. I belong to God.

(original and unedited)

If you are between the ages of 4-14,(or know someone who likes to write stories)I would like to post your story here. Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!

Signed,

Wiggles the Polliwog