Art and Writing from Summer Reading Club 2022

VPL’s Summer Reading Club Kids gathered for a fantastic workshop with the amazing local author Caroline Adderson.  Inspired by her hilarious collection of COVID-lockdown short stories, Sunny Days Inside, kids started on short stories based on their own lives during these extraordinary and unusual times. 

Enjoy some of these wonderful samples from the workshop below!  Thanks to Julia, Charli, Stella and Anna for sharing their talents.

Forest Fires 

By Julia D.

Rring! As I wake up from my noisy alarm clock, I remembered that today was a very special day.  I grasped the handle of my sparkling suitcase and sneaked up to my parents’ bedroom.  Wake up!! I shouted.  When my dad was waking up my brothers, I dashed downstairs and got ready.  I could not wait.  I jumped in the car beside my brother.  I was so excited to go to Kelowna!  I was half way there when I looked out the window and saw smoke.  It smelt like my dad’s old shoes but even worse!  I glared at the mountains and hills.  They looked like they had fallen apart!  The trees had dropped to the ground with glowing red fires around it.  I looked up and saw helicopters dumping buckets of water on the fire!  Oh my!  It was super sad to look at.

The Cats who saved my Sanity

By Charli

Some people might hate cats, dislike them or despise them but in my case they saved my sanity.  Covid-19, you might have heard of it.  If not, it’s a virus that caused almost complete lockdown on most of the world.  Lots of people probably have stories about how they lived almost a normal life, just stayed inside, for some they might be like: “I almost DIED during Covid!” I didn’t die but I was losing my sanity.  What saved my life are my cats.  If I got bored they were there, if I was hungry they were there!  Although they kind of had to be so there was no sympathy from them.  But through it all they have been there for me.  When I was sad or lonely they gave me hugs (only because I made them but the details are not important).  I love to paint but I was worried that they would like the paint.  They sniffed it but didn’t seem very interested in it so they let it be and went on their way.  It’s funny how you might worry about something then it happens and it’s not bad at all.

THE WORST PANDEMIC

By Stella

I was watching TV and suddenly I found this weird video called “NEW VIRUS?” I was curious so I watched it and it said “China discovered a new virus called Covid 19 and everybody is starting to panic, so be safe!” “What?” I thought for a second, and I said to my mom “what’s covid?” She said “It is a new virus.” “Oh no” I said.  After, we went to Costco; my mum and dad were rushing and buying all kinds of stuff, then we went home, holding a lot of stuff.  At home I heard the news about home schooling!  “What’s happening? I hate home schooling, even though I’ve never done it before” I said.  So I went on Teams – everybody was texting!  And turns out one of my class mates got Covid.  “Oh no”, what if I have Covid.  I was scared after there was another message about staying home for 12 days!  And after a few days I started fun things, so I guess Covid wasn’t really bad!  I hope it doesn’t go on forever.

My Very Own Griffapuff

By Anna

!BRRRING!

Finally! The end of school, I thought that meant that it was time to meet up with my best (ok, my only) friend Kam.  As soon as I packed up my things I was out the door heading to our meeting spot.
I went to our tree but Kam wasn’t there!  I was in a panic until I just saw the top of her sunhat, making its way toward me.
KAM” I yell – but she doesn’t hear.
But, soon enough I see her whole body now, not just her hat.
We start making our way over to my house – which was thankfully just across the street from our school.

As soon as we reach my door I notice a metal crate, a bit bigger than a shoebox.  I slip my key through the handle and we’re in!  And believe it or not, waiting for me to come home was nothing but a creature the size of a bowling ball.  It was magnificent!  It was a caramel brown with big black eyes!  It had a tail that looked like it would belong to a demon, and it had wings to fit a cloud.  I couldn’t believe my eyes!  I ran upstairs and asked my mom:

“What is that beautiful creature downstairs?”

And she simply said: “A Griffapuff”

I realized he must be mine and I spent the whole afternoon playing with him.
Only, then, when I walked into my room, I saw Kam sitting on my bed, totally unimpressed.
Oh well, I now have a Griffapuff!

Local illustrator and this year's Summer Reading Club Artist Elaine Chen led kids in a workshop for drawing and animation.

Here are some of the works created, by Isana and Isabella

Image