#SpringFlingKidLIt: MYSTERY CAT

 Such fun to begin spring with a #SpringFlingKidLit Challenge. The rules are as follows: a story geared for kids 12 and younger, a gif that inspires your story, no illustrations and a word count of 150 or less words. (Mine is 94 words.) Good luck to all who entered. Also, kudos to contest creators Kaitlyn Sanchez and Ciara O'Neal.

Note: This is my first attempt at creating a GIF, so bear with me. I can animate the print but not my main characters. 

MYSTERY CAT

by Kathy Halsey

(Normal text = tabby cat; Italic  = mystery cat)

So, you're a cat?

You might say that. 

I have sharp claws.

I have soft paws.

You live inside?

My world is wide.

I tuck my tail in human laps. 

My tail tells my family's past. 

Catnapping is my favorite thing.

I rise at dawn and greet the spring.

Do you purr, meow, and prey?

I dance on the breeze then fly away.

Count my lives. They say I have nine.

Put me in water to extend my bloodline.

I'm pussycat. What are you?

 

I'm pussy willow . . . the cat that grew!

 

 

 

BOOKDROPPED ( contest piece for #50PRECIOUSWORDS 2021)

Time again for wonderful author and friend Vivian Kirkfield's #50 Precious Words Contest.  It's a fun challenge to tell a story in 50 or less word. My recent library visit and an overdue book fiasco got me thinking about how a book feels in a bookdrop. Voila, it became the inspiration of this very short tale taken from the POV of the book.

The guidelines state our story must be 50 words or less and appropriate for kids ages 12 or under. It may be prose, free verse, silly or serious. You can enjoy all the entries in this post.

I hope you enjoy my entry. (P.S. Always turn your books on time so you aren't hit with a $400+ overdue fine! I finally found all my run-away books and am out of library jail.)

WC: 48 words

BOOKDROPPED

by Kathy Halsey

Plopped

in a box.

Sardined

between novels,

textbooks,

and tomes.

Me?

A used-to-be

happy-go-lucky picture book

on a warm lap,

little fingers wrapped 

'round me,

rhythmic voices

telling my tale.

Set me free

so I can be

propped atop

my bookshelf,

ready 

for you

to take me home.