Third Place - TWR Creative Writing Contest

Walking

I guess I kept hoping some kind of miracle would happen. I expected him to turn around, remember my face, remember those days long ago when we used to play together. I wanted him to feel the same longing that I had felt for years, even though he hardly noticed me now. He was so mysterious, overworked, and yet there was something about him that made you want to smile and start laughing every time he talked. It was a good feeling.

I was walking down the hallway, staring down at my Converse-clad feet. Shuffling along, choosing to notice the dust and pieces of jewelry that were scattered across the floor, instead of the bodies that pressed around me, walked ahead of me, moved through me. It was a safe existence. I didn't concern myself with anyone else and they paid no attention to me.

I looked up; he turned the corner. His appearance registered so pleasantly in my brain that it made me smile. We were walking toward each other, like it had all been planned out for us. The shouting and laughter around me faded out and all I was aware of was him. Our eyes met for one infinite second, but his looked contained no recognition. We were getting closer; within seconds I would be in front of him. He simply could not ignore me now.

He walked right through me. Like everybody else. There was no special connection that we held. He was just a boy. I was just a ghost.

written by Stefanie, Indian Hills High School

Second Place - TRW Creative Writing Contest

The sky above was that of a television, tuned to a dead channel. Luckily, like my TV, I have a remote that controls the sky. If I require fresh water, I simply make it rain. If I desire a nice warm day, so be it. I was given this responsibility, this power, this gift, yet at the same time, this curse, by the creator. To make it easier, I established an organized system of charts that have general weather patterns depending on the time of year and where in the world you are. On my island, every geographical feature on Earth resides somewhere. The power seems quite corrupting at times; in the past, I have conjured a great storm of rain, snow, or ice to watch the reaction of those in the area from my TV. I have knowledge of Earth's diverse cultures and languages from watching them. When it seems uninteresting, I simply change the channel to watch another. Some, I believe, would think me crazy; however, isolation can do that to the mind. Yet still I go on every day, to a responsibility I must uphold each day, never to know true joy.

Who, I wonder, is this mysterious avatar that identifies himself as 'Creator'? I have heard those on the mainlands of Earth speak nonsense of there being no greater deity to craft the world as we know it. All have free will, so I grant them their beliefs without question, but in my heart I know that any such evidence they would offer as a solution is irrelevant.

written by Tim, Ramapo High School

First Place - TRW Creative Writing Contest

It was a bright, cold day in April

and the clocks were striking thirteen

a cat was howling at the lazy sun

while the children waded into the warm arctic water

as their mothers watched and sipped warm coca-cola

the fathers were off at their normal jobs

fishing for pandas

the sun goes down quickly

as the iceberg community goes back to their homes

made of Lego's

as they greet their pet grizzly bears

and feed him walrus tongue and birds feet

then they settle in for their meal of fried worms

outside a flying seal pecks at the house

and the family laughs

and goes into their comfortable beds

made of marshmallows

while they count penguins

as they fall into a deep sleep

written by Eric, Ramapo High School

TRW Contest Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of the Franklin Lakes Public Library's Teen Creative Writing Contest!

Eric, a freshman at Ramapo High School, received First Prize: a $50 American Express Gift Card.

Tim, a freshman at Ramapo High School, received Second Prize: a collection of funny movies.

Stefanie, a senior at Indian Hills High School, received Third Prize: a collection of funny books.

The Teen Creative Writing Contest was part of the celebration of Teen Read Week 2007. Teen Read Week is the national adolescent literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association. This year’s theme , "LOL @ your library," encourages teens to laugh out loud while reading humorous books and graphic novels just 'for the fun of it'. Teen Read Week is held annually during the third week of October. An updated sponsors and supporting organizations list can be found at the Web site, http://www.ala.org/teenread/.

At Franklin Lakes Public Library and area schools, teens were given a contest entry form with a variety of first lines of teen novels. Using these first lines, they were instructed to create their own short story, poem, screenplay, etc. We received 40 amazing stories, and three winners were chosen. Copies of the winning entries can also be found in the library. Thank you so much to all the teens who submitted entries for this contest - It made the job of choosing just three winners very difficult (but really very enjoyable!) for the judges! Thank you for your participation.

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien

I thought at the beginning that Ann was a person who was happy and really wanted to see who Mr. Loomis was. She knew how to farm and use a tractor. This is surprising because after the war, schools were probably destroyed, so she probably didn't get an education or driving lessons. Ann is a good plan-maker and she tries to do really good things in order to be safe and to be not hurt. How she had to live alone for a year was incredible. I think that if you're 16, you would stay with your parents until college, but she didn't have parents and she would have starved if she didn't learn how to farm and use a tractor. When Mr. Loomis came, she was very polite, nice to him and gave him hospitality. When he was sick, she made the meals without any germs so that he wouldn't get even sicker. This means that she knows how to be a really good mother. Soon after, when Mr. Loomis became overpowering, she ran away, and that showed that she was brave, and she was intelligent for her age. The last scene in the book showed Ann's courage when Mr. Loomis had the gun pointed at her. For her age, this is a huge sacrifice. However, she got him to not fire at her, and as a conclusion, Ann's bravery won the day.

Reviewed by Anthony.

Peter and the Starcatchers by David Barry & Ridley Pearson

This is an amazing book that explains the magic behindthe well-known tale of Peter Pan. Peter, an orphan,along with his friends from the orphanage discover thepower of an amazing substance called starstuff thatocassionally falls from the sky in the form of of acomet. Along with a friend who is an apprenticeStarcatcher named Molly, the friends work to foil theplans of both Pirates and the maliciousstarstuff-seeking "Others" who are against theStarcatchers in every way. This is a really good bookthat shows how Peter became the boy who would nevergrow up.

Reviewed by Marielle, age 14.

Rataouille

Ratatouille was such a cute movie. It was a movie of comedy and perseverance. A rat named Remmi wants to be a cook. This movie has a good plot and animation. The people look real! When you're watching, you feel sympathy for Remmi and you're so excited that you're on the edge of your seat. It's so funny! I give this movie 4 stars!

Reviewed by Alex, grade 9.

Freak the Mighty by W. Rodman Philbrick

Freak the Mighty was a great book - one of my favorites. A book of adventures, comedy, sarcasm, and finding self-confidence. My favorite character is Kevin, a character of brilliance, and with a disability. He showed another character to have self-confidence. I give this book 4 stars!

Reviewed by Alex, grade 9.