Ready to Spring On In?

3/15/2023

That's right!!! It is our favorite time of year, Spring!

Kaitlyn and I are so excited to host Springflingkidlit 2023.

It's time get to typing, scribbling, daydreaming, and celebrating a gorgeous time of year.

Below you will find our rules. You can also find more information, examples, prizes, and more by clicking here.

Spring Fling Rules
1. Your story should be geared towards kids ages 12 or under.

2. Choose a gif to inspire your story. be sure to share where you found your wonderful gif. (The website or if you created it yourself!)

3. All gifs should be child appropriate and in no way be derogatory towards any faith, race, etc.

4. Now for the dreaded word count! You have 150 words. That’s it! No more but less is always welcome.
(Your title is not included in the word count.)

5. No illustration notes pretty please.

6. Your gif should be the only visual with your story.

7. The Spring Fling contest officially begins on Saturday April 1st and closes April 3rd, post your gif and story on your blog.

8. on April 1st, we will post a google for on this blog. Fill out the form, paste your blog website and story, and you my friend, will be entered!

9. Deadline for posting your story or the link to your story is April 3rd at 11:59pm CST.

10. Only one entry per contestant is permitted.

****If you don't have a blog, no worries, you can put your whole story on the google form. The form will open on April 1st. If you want others to read it too, feel free to post your story in the comments with the link to your gif.***

23 Comments

Author

Ciara O'Neal is a librarian, a a donut fanatic, and a twin.

She is also the author of Flamingo Hugs Aren't For Everyone, The Story of Leonardo Da Vinci and several more titles.

When Ciara grows up, she wants to be a professional pun provider or picture book personal shopper.

If neither of those professions pan out, she will always love being a librarian.

Look for more books to come soon!

Joyce Patricia Uglow

3/19/2023 09:13:47 am

Bring in the spring!

Lauri Meyers

3/20/2023 07:38:51 am

What a great way to celebrate the Spring Equinox:)

Katie Snyder

3/20/2023 11:33:00 am

If I make my own GIF, and it lives on my desktop, then how do provide a link to it?

Ciara

4/1/2023 01:36:12 pm

You can just state that you created the gif, Katie.

Jessica Clark

4/1/2023 08:36:55 pm

I don't have a blog but wanted to share my story, Tulip's Rainy Day!

Here's the link to the gif: https://giphy.com/gifs/animation-cute-cartoon-3o7btTAQFs9ISfF2U0

Tulip's smile faded, her petals slowly drooped.
Winter came and left a melty, muddy goop.

"I don't like the way I feel," Tulip shouted to the sky.
Sky heard Tulip's sadness and he, too, began to cry.

Tulip felt the teardrops falling; her petals opened wide.
As the rain soaked to her roots, she felt beautiful inside!

Sky whispered to Sun, "Is there something you can do?"
So Sun shined their brightest light down on Tulip and her crew.

🎶April showers bring May flowers🎶 the crew began to sing.
And with Sun and Sky together, Winter melted into Spring.

Soon, Spring will turn to Summer, and Summer into Fall,
But through all the seasons, there is beauty in us all.

If we can grow like Tulip, care like Sky, and shine like Sun,
Then our beauty will shine through and bring light to everyone!

Pippa Chorley link

4/2/2023 11:42:27 pm

This is such a gorgeous entry - lyrical, thoughtful and beautifully rhymed. Well done!

A.D. Kemp

4/2/2023 10:33:23 am

Here's my entry!

GILBERT TAKES THE LEAD
By A.D. Kemp
GIF: https://tenor.com/w2F2.gif

HONK!

Gilbert proudly flapped his feathers. Lead goose!

I’ll be the first goose to fly his gaggle all the way home this spring!

Hours passed. Gilbert sassed.

“Are you tired, Gilbert? I can take your place,” offered Bob.

“No siree, Bob. I can do it.”

HONK!

Hours dragged. Gilbert bragged.
Why do we always fly in a V? G is better! G for Gilbert!

“Forget the V, fly in a G!”

Honk?

“But Gilbert…”

“No excus-ies, goos-ies. Make a G!”

So the geese did.

Hours jumbled. Gilbert…TUMBLED!

HONK!

OUCH!

Gilbert smacked into Bob.

My wings…feel like…boulders!

“Know why we take turns, Gilbert? The lead goose flies against the wind to make it easier for the others. Flying in a V saves our energy.”

Gilbert pondered. Flying was easier now near the back.

Gilbert proudly flapped his feathers. Maybe he wasn’t the lead goose, but he was a team goose!

HONK!

Karyn Curtis

4/2/2023 12:48:03 pm

Larry the llama bounced around the field. The fresh grass smelled luscious and the soft breeze tickled his wool.

“What are you doing?” asked Lorraine.

“It's Boing!” said Larry. “I'm boinging!”

“It's ... what?”

“Boing! I love Boing!”

Larry bounded around her. “C'mon!” he said. “It's fun!”

Lorraine looked puzzled. “But ...”

Larry boinged around her again.

“...there's no ...”

And again.

“...such thing...”

And again.

“...as Boing!”

Larry skidded to a stop. “Wait, what?”

“There's no such thing as Boing.”

Larry blinked. “There's not?”

“No.”

“What about Bounce?”

“Nope.”

“Leap?”

“Uh-uh.”

“Jump?”

“Sorry.”

Larry's ears drooped. “Oh.”

“But you know what there is?” Lorraine said.

“What?”

“Spring!” Lorraine took off springing.

“Spring!” Larry sprang after her. “I love Spring!”

Then, quietly: “Almost as much as Boing!”

Mary Ann Cortez

4/7/2023 01:12:14 pm

This cute! It made me want to jump around and celebrate Spring.

4/2/2023 11:44:30 pm

Very fun play on the word Spring!

4/11/2023 11:49:22 am

Thank you!

Leah Dean Thomas link

4/3/2023 10:09:45 pm

Sorry! My link on the form above takes me to the back end of my blog when I click it. Here is the proper link for my story: https://leahdeanthomas.com/2023/04/03/spring-fling-kid-lit-contest/. Thank you both for hosting this fun and challenging contest!

4/4/2023 01:58:25 pm

And here it is in full:

What Jada Found on the Nature Walk

Lane found a perfect L-shaped stick,
Randall a heart-shaped rock.
Jada picked up a grocery sack
and a lonely baby sock.

Eva arranged a neat bouquet,
Greer grabbed a sweetgum ball,
Jada picked up a coffee cup
and a dirty plastic doll.

Reyna retrieved a roly-poly,
Ace a piece of moss.
Jada picked up a scrunchie
and an empty tube of gloss.

Simon spied a shiny beetle, perfectly preserved,
Belle saw broken robin eggs and tiny baby birds.
Jada picked up a can, two straws,
and a crumpled paper bag,
three bottle caps, a piece of string,
and a ratty, tattered rag.

The class returned with leaves and stones
and a newfound love for spring,
but Jada threw her finds away,
and didn’t keep a thing.

She tossed her stash,
but Jada gained a lasting souvenir:
a passion to clear the trash away
from the nature she holds so dear.

Denise Seidman

4/18/2023 11:37:31 am

Leah, you give new meaning to Spring Cleaning and way to keep the Earth unpolluted. Children will learn that they can help!

4/4/2023 09:37:49 am

I submitted my entry on time but didn't put my gif and story, so here it is:

https://giphy.com/gifs/oliviawhen-spring-sneeze-allergies-5xtDarGEhQ7lnLx7bLW

TREES MAKE HER SNEEZE
By Denise Seidman WC=115

There was a girl named Mallory
Suffering from an allergy.
When the tree flowers bloom
It would predict her gloom
Poor miserable Mallory.

Springtime is the season
Allergens were the reason
Tree flowers made her sneeze
It worsened with each breeze
Not her favorite season.

Pollen flew everywhere
Some got in her hair
Snot ran down her face
Getting all over the place
Stripped the tissue box bare.

Her eyes would swell
That girl felt unwell
Making her body itch
The mirror showed a witch
She wanted to yell!

Little miserable Mallory
Suffering from her allergy
Tree flowers make her wheeze
Will someone help her, PLEASE!
Or will she always suffer from her malady?

4/7/2023 01:22:13 pm

Good job!, Boy I really do feel for poor Mallory. I have terrible springtime allergies as well. Good luck, on this relatable story.

4/18/2023 11:35:01 am

Thanks so much Mary Ann!

Diane Davis

4/4/2023 01:07:06 pm

just wanted to share my spring fling story. 150 words.

DO YOU LIKE BUTTER?

A tear fell from Mary’s eye, right onto her toast.
“What’s wrong?” Mom asked.
“I can’t eat it, Mary said. “I don’t like butter.”
That’s odd, Mom thought,
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll make you toast without butter.”

Dad grilled juicy corn on the cob. Everyone slathered their corn with butter, except Mary.
“Don’t you want butter?” Dad asked.
“No thank you,” Mary whispered.

“What’s wrong, Mary?” Mom asked.
“I don’t like butter, but I want to,”she said.
“Why don’t you like butter?”
Mary picked up a flower from her dresser. “When you hold a buttercup under your chin, you find out if you like butter.” Mary sniffed. “I don’t.”

“Let’s check in the sunlight,” Mom said.
Mary held the buttercup to her chin. Mom held up a mirror.
Mary’s chin reflected bright yellow.
“Hurrah, I like butter again!”
“Me too,” Mom said, holding the buttercup high..

Diane Davis link

4/4/2023 01:16:20 pm

Thought I'd post my story here as I have no website at this time.

<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/3o84TRv6yJ9DEGeRrO" width="480" height="480" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/flower-3o84TRv6yJ9DEGeRrO">via GIPHY</a></p>

DO YOU LIKE BUTTER?

A tear fell from Mary’s eye, right onto her toast.
“What’s wrong?” Mom asked.
“I can’t eat it, Mary said. “I don’t like butter.”
That’s odd, Mom thought,
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll make you toast without butter.”

Dad grilled juicy corn on the cob. Everyone slathered their corn with butter, except Mary.
“Don’t you want butter?” Dad asked.
“No thank you,” Mary whispered.

“What’s wrong, Mary?” Mom asked.
“I don’t like butter, but I want to,”she said.
“Why don’t you like butter?”
Mary picked up a flower from her dresser. “When you hold a buttercup under your chin, you find out if you like butter.” Mary sniffed. “I don’t.”

“Let’s check in the sunlight,” Mom said.
Mary held the buttercup to her chin. Mom held up a mirror.
Mary’s chin reflected bright yellow.
“Hurrah, I like butter again!”
“Me too,” Mom said, holding the buttercup high..

4/7/2023 01:18:04 pm

Late to the party but here's mine

https://media.giphy.com/media/tdVcdLY2VYLOU/giphy-downsized-large.gif

SNAIL’S PACE RACE word count 141
By MaryAnn Cortez

The picnic grounds were crowded. The racers came prepared.
The big event was starting, but Stanley wasn’t scared.

Perhaps a little anxious. A tiny bit unnerved.
He’d trained to be a champion. To win what he deserved.

A trophy for his mantel. A medal for his chest.
The whistle blew. The race was on. Stan would do his best.

The obstacles were tricky. Deflecting mice and toads.
Deadly salt mines lay across the dry and dusty roads.

A fellow racer struggled. The salt had grazed his tail.
Stanley had to make a choice that could cause him to fail.

He made a muddy poultice, to wash away the pain.
Back on course. In the lead. Stan found hope again.

Third to cross felt like loss, but better than a zero.
Stan still got what he deserved. A medal for a hero.

4/11/2023 11:50:44 am

Way to go, Stanley!

Susan Elizabeth Schipper link

4/8/2023 09:23:14 pm

Yay for snail! :)

Delano Brown

4/3/2024 08:54:35 pm

Rubber Boots
By Delano Brown

Rubber boots, rubber boots.
I love me my rubber boots.
Mama says,
“Rainin’ cats and dogs, that ain’t cute!”
I love me my rubber boots.
Splashing puddles, splashing puddles.
Some are deep.
Some are wide.
Splashing puddles is better than staying inside.
Rubber boots, rubber boots.
OH, NO!
There’s a hole in my boot!
Splashing puddles has just gone moot!
One wet sock, one dry sock.
Squash. Squoosh. Squish.
The puddle has taken up a whole block.
Rubber boots, rubber boots.
Splashing puddles, splashing puddles.
Hole in a boot, hole in a boot.
One dry sock, one soaked through and through.
I don’t want to go in, but the sky is a darker blue.
Rubber boots, rubber boots.
Sit waiting for another rain.
Splashing puddles for those rubber boots to claim.

Welcome to Spring Fling Kidlit

Ready to Spring On In?

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