The Poetry of the Dust by Angelina H. (2023)

In Karen Hesse’s novel, Out of the Dust, Hesse uses imagery, personification, and similes to emphasize the hope and loss of the Dust Bowl to weave a dynamic and compelling historical fiction. For instance, in her poem Apple Blossoms, she uses imagery to portray how Billie Jo stands under the two apple trees while “...delicate and/pinky-white,”(pg.43) petals are dropping “...a blizzard/of sweet-smelling flowers”(pg.43). These descriptions of Ma’s apple blossoms assist the reader in painting an image in their mind. Without the detailed imagery utilized by Hesse, it would be hard to imagine and understand that Billie Joe gains hope when standing under the apple trees which are thriving even in the harshest of environments. Likewise, Hesse also applies similes regularly to her poems to augment them. In her poem Devoured, she uses a simile to describe how a cloud of grasshoppers “...whirred like a thousand engines…”(pg.68). Hesse’s use of this simile helps a reader feel as though they are truly listening to the grasshoppers as they are devouring Ma’s precious apples and feel the tremendous loss of the Dust Bowl, everything the farmers worked for being obliterated by dust. Also, the verb “whirr” make it seem like the grasshoppers are efficient machines made by nature to ravage crops. Another poetic device used by Hesse is personification, such as in her poem Night Bloomer. She is illustrating how Mrs. Brown’s cereus cactus flower wilts and dies as it was “...touched by the first finger of morning light…” (pg.81)when the sun is hiking up the sky at dawn. This aids the reader depicting the scene when the flower dies and establishes an even deeper feeling of loss after Ma’s death. The personification also lets us better imagine the sad moment as the cereus flower wilts. In conclusion, the figurative language Hesse uses aids us in feeling and depicting scenes of beautiful hope and desperate loss is the Dust Bowl.

Harry Potter Book Review by Shruti S.

The Quidditch World Cup

By Shruti

The game is played between Bulgaria and Ireland. Britain is hosting the cup after 30 years! This match is played in a gigantic stadium on the other side of the forest. The playing field is surrounded by immense gold walls. There were hundred thousand seats. The stairs have rich purple carpets. The game is played on a long oval field. There are three gold hoops on either side of the field. There was an enormous blackboard on which gold letters kept flashing advertisements. Also, the Irish wear green robes, while the Bulgarians wear red robes.

Harry Potter is not playing but watching for the first time.  He is excited and eager to watch this game. Ron Weasley and his family invite Harry and Hermione to the match. Viktor Krum is the seeker for Bulgaria, and Aiden Lynch is the Seeker for Ireland. Draco Malfoy, a mean student at Hogwarts, is also at the game.

When the match begins, the Chasers throw the Quaffle so fast that Harry has to use the Omnioculars to see it slowly. Ireland scores first, and gets 10 points. In about ten minutes, Ireland scores 20 more points. Then, the match gets faster and more brutal. After that, Bulgaria scores the first goal. Next, the seekers , Krum and Lynch, plummet to the ground, but Krum pulls out just in time, while Lynch hits the ground.

After fifteen more minutes, Ireland leads by 130 points to 10. Then, Ireland gets two penalties, and the match gets more violent. Krum gets hit by one of the Irish Beaters with a Bludger, and there is blood on his nose because it is broken. Finally, Viktor Krum catches the Snitch, but Ireland beats Bulgaria by 10 points. The final score is 170 - 160.

This scene is important because right after the Quidditch World Cup, a riot begins. Death Eaters (Voldemort’s servants) try to kill Muggles (people who are not wizards). Ron and Harry try to keep Hermione away from the Death Eaters, because she’s a muggle. Then, someone suddenly conjures the Dark Mark, and that drives the Death Eaters away. This is about the Quidditch World Cup from the book Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire  by J.K. Rowling. This story is adventurous because of the magical wizards like the famous Harry Potter and their fight with the most powerful dark wizard, Lord Voldemort.

The Missing Character-JGP by Theodore K

The Missing Character

By Theodore K

Splooooshh!!!!!!! A Gigantic chocolate wave splashed out of a chocolate factory! The peach was almost soaked with a mix of milk chocolate, dark chocolate candy bars, butterscotch chocolate chips, chocolate pudding,  sweet chocolate syrup, and chocolate ice cream. The peach sprinted a little more forward and then CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!! They burst through a building.      

“Ouch!!!!!!”

Screamed Centipede as glass pierced him! Then,  PLOOOSHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! “

We are bobbing up and down cried everyone at once!’’  James and his friends climbed to the top of the peach. James looked down they saw sharks!!

, then out of the blue……

”LOOOOOOOOOOK OOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUT BEEEELLLLLLOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW !!!!!!!!!!!!                                                              

Screeched a voice from nowhere! Then

“OoFf!!”  There stood a boy on the peach.

The boy was dressed with golden, winged shoes, A ripped, light-blue shirt, and some green pants with polka dots.The boy had curly hair and looked fierce but friendly at the same time. Everybody including James quickly but steadily scuttled down in the peach.A few seconds elapsed and a voice came from the little boy echoing through the peach”Hello anybody home?”The lad went to the side of the peach and slowly James came to the top of the peach and asked

”h-hh-hh- who are you?”

“Oh I forgot to introduce myself.”

“I am Oskar. I am looking for a boy named James.”

“James?”

“Yes.   James.”

“Speaking”, replied James looking flattered”

“Really?”

“Yep”

“Wow In just five seconds I actually found him!”

“I never knew you were looking for me” stated James; At this point about all the creatures climbed to the top of the peach.

“I never had any friends for many years.”

“Really?’’

“I am not kidding.”

“Poor you.”

“Can you be my friend?”

“OF COURSE!!!”

“THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!”

So at that point Oskar has shaked everyone's hands (Including all of  the centipedes forty-two legs.

“Now look at all those sharks!”

“Oh yeah! I forgot all about the sharks! We are going to DIE!!!!!!!!!”

“Now don’t say any nonsense. I will get rid of them.” James and his friends watched Oskar pull out a wand and say some words.Then a smoke cloud blew over everyone.Soon, Oskar pointed his hands at the sharks and then ZAP!! They were GONE!!!!!!

“H-HH-HH-How did you do that?”

“Nothing”, replied Oskar.

“Just a little magic.”

Everyone was astonished.

“Now let’s get far, far away from england.”said Oskar.

“Who knows a place?”

“Hmmm………”

“Hmmm………”

“I got it!” cried LADYBUG.”Let’s go to New York!!!!”

“SURE.” replied Oskar.

Oskar broke off a piece of the peach’s stem. He drew two rockets on the side of the peach.Oskar zapped it and it came REAL!!!! Silkworm and Ms. Spider fastened the rockets to the peach. Oskar pressed a button on the rockets.And then, FOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In a few seconds the peach and everyone were landed on the top of the Empire State Building.