First Place: Alanna, Blue Hill Consolidated School,
Blue Hill, ME

Second Place: Chanelle, Stoddert Elementary School, Washington, DC

Third Place: Eleanor, Blue Hill Consolidated School,
Blue Hill, ME

First Place: Laura, Pittsford, NY
 

Second Place: Molly, Blue Hill Consolidated School,
Blue Hill, ME

Third Place: Jessica, Denair Elementary School,
Merced, CA

First Place: Ousmane, Stoddert Elementary School, Washington, DC

Winning Entries

by Ousmane
Stoddert Elementary School
Washington, DC

Once a little dog liked to swim in the cold water.
He also likes to roll in the scratchy sand.
The dogs like to talk to each other.
He likes to run with the seagulls.
He likes to chase them too.
When he got to the house he found a cat.
He likes to drink out of puddles.
The dog met the gray cat.
He was happy because he met his own family.
He lived happily ever after.
But then he got old.
So he stayed at home.
Sometimes he went out. But not a lot.
He couldn't do much.
That dog was lucky because he lived for 15 years.

Copyright © 2000 by Ousmane.

by Valerie Evan's Kindergarten Class
Stoddert Elementary School
Washington, DC

Editor's Note: This was a class project; different children contributed to and composed this version of "Island Dog." Our judges were particularly impressed with how well this team writing effort worked!

Hi! My name is Sparky Dragon. One morning I was rolling in the sand, looking up at the sunshine. I shake my wetness off....

(Dream Phase Begins)

Sparky meets a friend. After he met his friend, he played with the birds. The dog chased the birds. Sparky rested on Turtle Rock. He swam to his home. Sparky drank water. It was kool-aid blue. Sparky met a cat named Arissa. Sparky sat up for his dad. Sparky sat on the rug. Sparky sniffs the laundry. Sparky went down to the river. Sparky slept down by the river. The End.

Copyright © 2000 by Valerie Evans' Kindergarten class.

I'm swimming and I'm rolling by the boats. I am shaking on the sea shore. I meet a friend by the lighthouse. I'm running to the sea gulls and I am playing with the sea gulls. Home is nowhere in sight. I can only see Turtle Island. Now I see home, but how do I get there? Well, I'll just swim back. I'm very close to home. I see the lighthouse ahead. I see a black cat by the lighthouse. I see my owner and the cat doesn't care. We sit together by the lighthouse and I am playing with the sheets, and I see people swimming in the water. I fall fast asleep.

Copyright © 2000 by Mike Dragnich and David Elmahdi.

by Alanna
Blue Hill Consolidated School
Blue Hill, ME

Editor's Note: Alanna retold the Island Dog Story by creating her own artist book with text and new illustrations!

Sam, an Island Dog, ran to the beach from the center of White Tipp Island. He started to roll in the sand to cool off. As he flopped over to take a rest, he saw two pretty boats, red and yellow, beached on the sand. Little islands speckled on the horizon and that made Sam bark happily as he rolled.

Sam was just starting to have fun, when he ran off course and fell in the water! He yelped and ran back out. The water was cold! He shook off and decided to do something else. Suddenly he saw a beautiful black dog! He ran to her and they touched noses in greeting. They played for a minute, but the black dog had an impatient owner and had to leave.

Sam saw a flock of seagulls in the distance and padded softly down the beach toward them. He crept up behind the gulls on his belly and prepared to pounce. There was a squawk and a bark as Sam leapt into the center of the flock! The birds flew away screeching to look for another quiet place to rest.

Sam felt sleepy and pulled himself onto a warm rock nearby. He rested his head on his paws and gazed across the water to a beautiful lighthouse.

Sam got so excited he decided to explore the lighthouse. He jumped in the water and began to swim across the small harbor.

When he got there, he lapped up the cool water of a puddle near the lighthouse.

Sam ran back to the platform and came face to face with a black cat!

The black cat walked to the edge of the platform and stared out at the sparkley water. Just as Sam was about to explore some more, a man's legs blocked his path.

The man spread out a beautiful red and white checkered picnic blanket. Sam and the cat sat next to the man as he read a story.

Sam decided to help a pretty woman hang laundry. He could not hang the clothes, but he sure could bark!

Sam and the nice man sat sleepily on a hill and enjoyed watching other people swim in the harbor. "What should I do tomorrow?" Sam thought. But that's another story.

Copyright © 2000 by Alanna.

by Chanelle
Stoddert Elementary School
Washington, DC

There was once a dog who lived on an island. So his owners called him Island Dog. Island Dog's home is a lighthouse. He loved to always play on the beach. He would roll around in the sand and then he would go for his daily swim. He then would go to the shore and shake his fur and head like he was "the King of the Jungle." He would lay on his belly and watch the beautiful ocean glisten.

One day, he saw a black dog and its owner and was curious what the dog was like. They met. Island Dog found out that the black dog's name was Pal. They talked and talked and became engaged in conversation.

When the sky turned dark blue, and the water was motionless, Island Dog said goodbye and went off to chase the birds. When he played with birds, he would dash here and run there until they were gonee. There were a lot of birds that he would chase, especially seagulls, so he would spend at least an hour chasing them.

The Island Dog thought that now he would fly with the birds. "I'm sure they'll welcome me," he said. But when he tried to fly, he scared them away. So he said, "Oh well, there's always tomorrow."

After he was done playing with the birds, he came across a rock. So he sat upon it and wondered how to get home. The water was now calming down and the tides were as low as valleys. The lighthouse was rising above everything and taller than anything in its path.

Then an idea came across Island Dog's mind. He thought to swim to get home. It only took him five minutes to get home. He paddled and paddled his legs until he was home. He then jumped up on the platform and went to a puddle that looked pretty pure. Island Dog lapped up the water with great pleasure. He then went to the back of the lighthouse and saw his friend Sally the cat. He said, "Howdy do, Sally. How was your day?"

"I eat, I sleep and play. It was fine."

So then Sally went to the side of the lighthouse and thought peaceful thoughts. Then Island Dog's owner came out. Island dog ran up to him and wagged his tail happily. Then his owner spread out a blanket and laid island food on it and they both sat down. The owner read a book in the cool breeze and Lindsey the other cat came and stretched out on the blanket. Island Dog was active and curious about what his other owner was doing and he went to see. She was hanging up clothes and Island Dog was sniffing the clothes.

The night sky was twinkling and it seemed like it was a thick blanket in the air. After he was done, Island Dog went for a silent good-night swim. He did the back stroke in the peaceful water and dreamed that he was a boat on a journey. While Island Dog was with his other owner, he got a neck rub.

Island Dog went back by the lighthouse and rested after a very busy day. Island Dog lay very still and thought of his life. The water was silent and the grass was still, and the moon was wishing him a good night.

Copyright © 2000 by Chanelle.

A dog named Spotty lay on a beach rolling in a bank of warm sand and enjoying himself. He was near the water, so as you may have guessed, he accidently rolled right into the water.

Startled, he jumped up and shook himself dry. After shaking and warming himself, he got up. He could smell another dog. He started walking and taking whiffs of the scent. Soon after passing a lighthouse, he came nose to nose with a female black dog.

He growled and the black dog growled back. Then the black dog barked and ran off. Spotty started chasing gulls, scattering them like ninepins.

He jumped and twitched his paw. The gulls were making such a racket, he could not hear himself think.

Much to his disappointment, the gulls were gone within five minutes. He lay on a rock looking out over the sea and watching the lighthouse light go on and off. A peaceful little breeze was now taking its place on his island. And as Spotty lay he knew he was now where he ought to be. So naturally he was content.

Then he did something he would never had guessed he would do; he sprang down from his rock and pounced head-first into the water. He came up spitting and sputtering. Then in the coolness of the water, he started to swim toward the lighthouse.

All this was caused by the dog's good sense of smell. He had sniffed the scent of a pool of water on the shore. So he came out of the sea and went straight to the puddle.

After refreshing and quenching his thirst, he started up to the lighthouse. There, much to his surprise, was a small black cat. He sniffed it curiously. The cat didn't seem to approve of this much, but he let Spotty sniff him once or twice.

Soon the cat got bored of this game and went to sit by the water. Spotty sat by the door to the lighthouse enjoying the sunshine when the door opened and a kind-faced woman appeared.

Spotty soon realized that this was nothing but his owner. He had come to his own home. He barked happily as his owner told him that she had gotten him a cat for a playmate. He barked happily again as all three of them settled outside in the sun.

Spotty watched his owner's daughter hang up the laundry.

And as the stars came out he stayed there with his family happy and contented. He was getting stroked as he watched the stars come out and watched some of his family swim.

Then as the moon came up he fell into a deep sleep and his family tiptoed inside and went to bed.

The End.

Copyright © 2000 by Eleanor.

by Laura
Pittsford, NY
 

I'm from another city, I just know I am. I look different from the rest of my family, and I'm the only one who rolls in the sand. I don't see why thought, because it's really very relaxing.

Oh look! Another dog! I shake myself dry, and run over, nearly tripping on the rocks. "Where are you from?" I simply have to ask this dog.

"I'm from here, on this island." the other dog answers.

Of course! This is a black dog, much taller than I am. I must be from a different state.

Maybe these birds can help me. I get up, and run over to them. Oh no! I'm scaring them all away!

"Wait!" I cry, jumping up and trying to reach them. "Where are you from?" I ask desperately.

"We're all from this island!" the birds call downward, as they begin their flight over the water.

Wow! They're bids, but they're from here too. I must be from another country.

Thoughtfully, I climb onto a rock, overlooking the water. In fact, I can see my home from here. Maybe my family can help me.

I jump off the rock, soaring through the air just like the birds. I plunge into the water, and start swimming across the shimmering blue waves.

I pull myself onto the dock. I want to look for my family right away, but my journey across the water has exhausted me. I decide to take a short break, and drink from a puddle in my yard.

Taking the shortcut across the docks, I run into Puss, the family cat. We don't get along too well, but I have to ask, "Where are you from?"

"I'm from here!" Puss answers as though my question is the silliest one she's ever heard. She skips off to bask in the sun at the edge of the dock.

Oh no! She's a cat, and she's from here! Another planet. That's where I must be from.

As I continue, the door of my home opens, and two feet appear. I follow the feet around the base of the lighthouse my family owns. I try to ask my father where he's from, but he can't even understand me. I speak a different language than him. Now I know I'm from another solar system.

I wander over to my mother, and try to help with the laundry.

"Such a silly dog! she exclaims. "Sometimes I think you're from another galaxy!"

Another galaxy! I can't believe I'm from another galaxy!

My brother and sister call from the water, "Right Mom, another galaxy!"

I join my father at the water's edge. He pets me and asks, "Are you from another galaxy, boy?"

I've had enough of this. I'm going to sleep now. It's time I start dreaming about what universe I'm from.

Copyright © 2000 by Laura.

by Molly
Blue Hill Consolidated School
Blue Hill, ME

One day a dog named Heidi lived in Hawaii. She swam in the blue ocean every single day and when she got out of the water she rolled in the sand to help dry off.

Then she would shake the sand off of her self and she would be all dry and clean.

One day she met another dog named Blackie. At first she was scared but soon she had found a new friend.

Blackie's owner called Blackie home for dinner. Heidi was alone again so she decided to go chase the seagulls.

Heidi scared the seagulls so much that they all flew away so she decided to go somewhere else.

Then she saw a lighthouse that had its lights on and got very excited. "Maybe the people there will adopt me," she thought.

She decided she would take the chance so she swam over to look.

Heidi was very thirsty from swimming so she took a drink from a puddle nearby the lighthouse.

Heidi jumped onto the porch and saw a black cat and started to bark at it so the cat ran away.

Heidi's barking caused a lot of commotion, so a young boy came to his front door to see what was happening. When he saw Heidi he called to his mother to come look. When she came the boy asked his mom if he could keep Heidi and she said yes.

Afterwards they all went swimming to celebrate their new family member.

Copyright © 2000 by Molly.

Once, when I was still stray, I was swimming across an ocean. I went past some islands, until I saw one with a white house and a lighthouse on it. I swam there to rest, hoping the person who lived there would maybe give me a friend to play with for a little while, maybe some food, and maybe, just maybe, a home! I noticed the person was on the other island across from where I was. I got back into the cold water, swam to the other island, and shook off to dry. The man had a dog! The man said, "Stay Sally," so the dog, named Sally stayed where she was. Her master walked over a big green hill. The dog followed anyway. So, I decided to follow the dog.

Then I saw the hugest building ever. Was it a house? Was it a hotel? I didn't know, so I went to ask Sally if she knew. She said it was a Chinese restaurant, and also her master's house.

Sally and I talked for a while, then I got a little bit hyper. I asked Sally if she wanted to come and play with me. She said she couldn't. So I swam to the other island again and chased some playful seagulls. I had a lot of fun! I found a good resting rock on the island across from where I was and rested for a while on it.

Then I started to miss that old house on the other island. So I swam over to it again, to maybe get some food, because I was quite hungry. But I couldn't get in the house. It was closed and nobody was outside. I saw a clear puddle, so I walked over slowly and took a drink, minding my own business, when I heard a weird noise over on the porch. I saw a black think. It was kind of shaped like me, except it wasn't my kind, because it made that weird sound, and it was a lot smaller than me. I wanted to find out more, so I went over to talk to her. She said her name was Molly. She said I could stay ONLY if I pretended to be her master's pet too. She also said she was a cat.

Then her master came out. I sat by the door and wagging my tail, while Molly sat at the end of the porch watching a jumping fish. Next, we had a good picnic. We had really good Chinese food! I was stuffed.

The shining stars were coming out. I wanted to explore more of the islands before I went to sleep. I looked to my left and saw a clothes line with cloths on it. I went over and saw a lady taking down clean towels of all colors and putting them neatly in a basket.

That was boring to watch, so I found my new master again. We sat under the stars for a while. Then we went into his house after saying, "Goodnight." I fell asleep under the full moon. I had a wonderful day.

Copyright © 2000 by Jessica.