Here are the winning stories for the Cranbrook Public Library’s Summer Reading Club Story-Writing Contest.

The Mermaid Vacation

By Kate Bowers, age 7

This is the story of the two friends.

One day the two friends named Kate and Sophia went on a vacation to the ocean. They decided to go for a walk by the ocean as they were walking they fell into a hole and into a sparkling clean turquoise pool filled with pearls. Kate and Sophia were looking for something to get them out. Sophia found a button, she pushed it. Nothing happened but Kate found a potion. Kate said, “I am going to drink it.” Sophia said “No you don’t know where it’s been.”

Kate drank it. She left a drop for Sophia. Kate went into the pool and picked up a pearl. All of a sudden Sophia screamed “Kate you have a mermaid tail.” Kate said “Cool!” Sophia loved the idea and she drank the rest of the potion. Sophia swam a bit and she turned into a mermaid too. They loved it so mush they stayed mermaids forever. The end.

Miracle Horse

By Abby Lalach, Age 11

Once there was a girl, she was beautiful, talented and smart. Now this girl was not like other little six-year-olds. And that is the story I’m going to tell you about. I call it Miracle Horse.

It was a beautiful morning when Hope woke up. She lived in a cottage by herself. Well not completely. She did have a horse named Starlight. Starlight was a rare gray Lipizzaner. Hope rode her every morning to pick up the newspaper from this house that nobody lived in. So Hope got dressed and they set off.

When they got to the house, Hope got off the horse, picked up the newspaper and saw something that caught her eye. There was a horse race in two months. It would be held in Kingsfall City. It would be a two-day trip there and two days back. So she decided to prepare until that point.

Every day Hope would gather more food for the trip. Hope and Starlight had been practicing and practicing now they were ready.

It looked like a storm was coming but this was everything they prepared for, they had to go! Hope decided they would take the path by the river. But half way there was a bear, they had to cross the river. The water was running very fast. Starlight began to swim across. The waves were huge! One washed right over them and boom!

Hope saw nothing but a white surrounding, she was in there searching for Starlight when a picture came up. It was like at the movie theater but the screen was all around her. A woman and a man appeared on the screen. The woman was holding a baby. The baby was wrapped in a blanket that said ‘Hope’ on it. That was the same blanket Hope has now. The woman and the man were very happy. Then out of nowhere gunshots and breaking glass. “They’re here!” The woman cried. “Go, run, now!” the man replied frantically. The woman took Hope and ran to the river. She placed Hope in a basket and put her in the river. That river was the same one that led to Hope’s cottage. And the house was the beautiful house for sale! It all made sense! It all went together!

In a flash Hope opened her eyes and saw Starlight standing over her with a scared look on her face, they were safe on the shore. Hope sat up and hugged Starlight, “You’re a miracle!’ When Hope sat up she saw Starlight’s leg all bruised. She must have bashed it into a rock! But Starlight was eager to succeed Hope’s dream, so on they went. That night they stopped and set up camp. Hope made a fire and they ate dinner. Hope let the fire burn out as they went to sleep.

The voice was back again. “Hope, come on! Hope please come!” Hope woke up and they headed to Kingsfall. All the way there, Hope kept hearing the voices but nothing could distract Hope now, because they had just arrived in Kingsfall.

“It’s so beautiful!” Hope said. The race would begin in two hours. Hope grabbed a map and they walked around for a while when Hope heard Starlight scream. “Starlight what’s wrong?” Starlight’s leg had been bit by a dog. An ambulance came and took Starlight to the vet. Starlight came out an hour later with a cast on her leg and could only limp. Hope ran over to her. “You poor girl!” she cried. “Well, let’s go watch the race and camp at Kingsfall until you feel better.”

Once they got to the race stadium the announcer said: “All racers please make your way to the race track.”

Starlight began to limp over to the track. Many people looked and whispered about her. “Look at that poor horse! How is she going to race?” But Starlight was determined!

Then two men began to laugh. “Ha ha. Hey kid, this is for real horses so take your pony home!” he laughed. This only made Starlight more determined. “Starlight, I can’t let you do this!” but Hope could see from the look in her eyes there was no changing her mind, so Hope got on Starlight’s back and three, two, one, go. The race had started. Hope had her eyes shut when she opened them everyone was clapping and cheering they won! But Starlight collapsed.

“Starlight!” Hope screamed. But it was too late, Starlight was done. Hope began to cry. “It’s okay.” A voice said assuring her. “No, it’s not, my horse is gone now all I gave left is my… parents!” Hope turned around and saw the man and the woman. And that is the story of miracle horse.

Submitted by the Cranbrook Public Library

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