Introductory comments to the 2018 Kipling Awards, by Tim Weed, Kipling Awards Judge, 2016-2018

Let me start by reading three quotes from Rudyard Kipling:

• Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.
• If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.
• Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful!' and sitting in the shade.

2018 Kipling Award Grand Prize Winner-Kate LeVine, Halifax Elementary School, Loren Clews-Teacher

How The Alpine Ibex Got Its Horns

In a time and place long ago, Dearest Darling, there once lived Alpine Ibex. Alpine Ibex was the only one on the mountain without the horns that are gifted to the strongest of males. To cope with his saddening sadness, he made himself feel better by boasting and bickering.

2018 Kipling Award Fiction Winner-Desmond Grace, Academy School, Andrew Speno, Teacher

How the Sloth Got So Slow

A long time ago my best beloved, there was a sloth. This sloth was ruler of all the jungle. All the animals bowed down to this almighty sloth and nobody argued with him. The almighty sloth could order all the animals around like ants tending to their queen. For instants, the almighty sloth could order the monkey's to get him fruit from the trees or the pelican to get him water from the ocean. Oh my best beloved, the almighty sloth never got out of his throne. If it rained the giraffes would have to hold palm leaves above him. if it was quite hot the almighty sloth would order the elephants to spray him with cold water.

2018 Kipling Award Poetry Winner-Kaley Reckell, Dover Elementary School, Bridget Cole: Teacher

Everybody Else   

     

Everybody else is watching

Others are scared to make progress

In fear that they will be judged,

Some don't get involved with the process.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Beatrice Johnson, Academy School, Andrew Speno, Teacher

How thePeacock Got His Feathers

One day oh my best beloved, in African Rain Forest there lived a peacock named Nate. Back then the world was just new again like a new flower in the ground. All the animals were making changes the toucan got his beak, the elephant got her trunk. Even far away there were changes from moose to penguin and even fish. Nate was a nervous little bird, but very smart. He always tries to do good. When his parents said go get berries for dinner he did. When his friend Ella the elephant drops her fruit he would pick it up. One of his worst features was the color of his feathers oh my best beloved was a brown yucky color.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Maeve Bald, Academy School, Kate Rabideau, Teacher

How The Whale Got Its Tail

In the islands and water that nobody knew there was a whale,and on that particular day a whale swam by. Then the stingray said “that little stub is so ugly.”

“Is not”protested the whale. Then the fish swam by “Brook cant help it “said the fish.

“But it's so sooooooooo ugly. said the stingray  “well the don't look at it”said the fish “fine”said the stingray so the stingray swarm of.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist:Ella Baldacchino, Academy School, Kate Rabideau, Teacher

How The Cat Got Her Fur

Once upon a time deep in the woods of Pinefield Vermont there was a Cat named Enola . Enola the Cat, was what everyone called her. Enola the Cat was a shy cat, she was never bothered. One day Poppy the Deer, came up to Enola the Cat. Enola the Cat, she was very jumpy. “Hello.”said Enola the Cat, very quietly. “How are you, Enola the Cat?”said Poppy the Deer. “Good.”said Enola the Cat, very shyly. “well this was a good talk. “I BETTER BE GOING!”yelled Poppy the Deer. Poppy the Deer looked beyond the trees.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Edward James Oakley, Dover Elementary School,Bridget Cole, Teacher

A Slave's Life

My name is Otu which means the one in Igbo. I live on a plantation in Texas. I was born a slave, I was taken away from my parents at three. And the white men put me to labor farming, cutting wood, and digging wells. Then my master died and his son took the slaves over and the plantation. But I don't plan on staying long So the next night when the big house lights went off I waited an hour for everybody to fall asleep. Then I slipped out of bed and went outside and ran to the woods and didn't stop running till I didn't know where I was going. So, I looked at a tree for moss until I found one. I learned from my pa that moss usually grows on the north side of the tree. Then I started going north.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist:Bryanna Finnell, Guilford Central School, Jennifer Kramer, Teacher

How The Ermine Learned to Fish

 Long ago, even before you or I were here, an ermine family walked through a beautiful forest. Their names were Momma, Alister, and Dad. Alister was the youngest of the forest. Now, Alister didn't really listen all the time. He never experienced a punishment for his behaviors because no one ever knew. But enough about Alister. This beautiful wood they were walking in was greener than any other forest. Clear waters ran through while spring flowers dropped from the trees. A flower landed on the little one’s head.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist:Isabella May, Oak Grove Elementary School, Erek Tuma, Teacher

How the Rabbit Got its Twitchy Nose By 

 Long ago, when the world was very new and rabbits had still (not twitchy) noses there was a rabbit named Daisy. Daisy and her family and relations and best friends, friends, and acquaintances, lived in a beautiful green valley in the Swiss Alps, where no rabbit ever left. Daisy and her parents and her sisters (Daffodil, Daphne, Dandelion, Dahlia, and Diana) lived a happy life in their burrow in the beautiful green valley, with the white topped mountains in the distance.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Noah Gagne, Academy School, Kate Rabideau, Teacher

How the turtle got its shell

In the twisty, turney land lived a turtle, a very curious turtle that asked a lot of questions.

That turtle was very unique because of his sticky, gluey back. One day turtle went to the rocky beach to ask the old sailor a question about sailing. The turtle said to the old sailor “Are you a bad sailor.”  “No! said the old sailor.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Trevor Gray, Dover Elementary School, Sue Neumann, Teacher

My Own Little World

 I am Whimsical and Crazy

I wonder what would happen if more people were like this

I hear people laughing in the distance

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Lucas Majer, Academy School, Anne Moore Odell, Teacher

How The Zebra Got Its Stripes 

You must know that the Zebra didn't always live in the dry,dry areas it does today. They lived in cold, cold area of the Great Green Grimmy Lebombo River back then. So a Zebra was not black, or white, just a mustardy yellow color. So a Mustardy Yellow Zebra was walking through the forest that was frozen to the touch. And then he met a wolf just walking. You must know that this Zebra, came from a rude family so he was rude as a camel. So the Rude Mustardy Yellow Zebra said, “Get out of my way, wolf!” And in response the wolf said”No, I shall not move. For I am the wolf who walks alone at night. ”

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Addison DeVault, Dover Elementary School, Sue Neumann, Teacher

Our Home By: 

Where the cheetahs run free, and the whales swim deep. Where the eagles fly above the canyons and below the trees and where the elephants roam.

This is our home.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Vivian Elliott, Oak Grove Elementary School, Erek Tuma, Teacher

How the Lion Got His Courage

Once on the hot scarce blazing  savanna  of Mali, Africa , there was a lion that lived in a small beat up hut under a Socotra dragon tree. Back then lions had big beautiful feathery wings. And this lion, he was a very big coward. I mean he was scared of everything. He was scared of all the other animals. Like Flamingo, Rhino, most Elephants, Hippos, etc. That’s why his Best friend (and only Friend) Elie had to help him find beatles and bugs to eat. The only reason Elie had a nik-name was because nobody wants to be called Elephant.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist:: Taija Clark, Dummerston Elementary School, Molly Stoner, Teacher

Why Elephants are Afraid of Mice

 One hot summer day in the far south of the savannah, lived an elephant who was very very, wittiky and didn't like to do anything she was told , if her mother ever told her to take a bath she would say, “you can’t tell me what to do, I am the most free spirited elephant in the savannah and that's just the way I like it.” Any time she was told to clean up her leaves she left as a mess she said the same thing, “you can’t tell me what to do, I am the most free spirited elephant in the savannah and that's just the way I like it.”

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Cayden Gilson, Halifax School, Loren Clews,Teacher

How the King Cobra got its Venom

The Cobra was barreling toward the mouse, but soon the mouse sensed him. Cobra got a bite on him but the mouse was too fast. This had happened countless times to the Cobra before. He had prey basically in his hands, and then they just got away from him in seconds. He has had enough, so Cobra planned a journey to the sloth’s layer. With long thought for many hours, the Cobra decided will get Venom injected in an air pocket next to his brain. His parents had told to him when he was a little snake.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: William Miskovich, Green Street School, Diane Clouet, Teacher

Endangered

There had been tension in the jungle for many a year now, ever since the pale beasts came. The smaller our land became the harder it was to hide the little ones. With all this vegetation being lost, and more predators in less space, our jungle was becoming deadly for all those not bearing dagger like teeth, and a goal to kill. It was my job to protect the little ones.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Elijah Cummings, Academy School,Anne Moore-Odell, Teacher

How the Lizard Got His Scales

How the lizard got his scales A long time ago in the valley of Fongo and before zebra and giraffe, there lived a lizard. And I will tell you about him. This lizard I speak of is a greenish brown and very daft. And so, our story begins. One day lizard was crawling along looking for something to eat. Ever so often he would catch something but he soon got tired. He said to himself, “It is a very hot day out and I am very very hungry!” Well, on this very day Chip the chipmunk was digging a hole.

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Jesse Ackerman-Hovis, Green Street School, Mrs.Perkins, Teacher

How the Dragon Got Its Fire

A long, long time ago there was a Dragon that lived in a cave in a volcano. Every day the inhabitants of the volcano would meet in a cave called the Meeting Grounds to talk about the things that they heard and the things that happened to them.