Linda Ulleseit

Today’s post is a little different.  Usually I offer valuable insight into the craft of writing, but today I’m going to brag like a proud momma.  After teaching my fifth graders how to write fabulous beginnings to Halloween stories (and wonderful middles and riveting endings), I was so impressed with their writing I decided to share it with you.

*  Monty the Ghost was no Caspar.  He loved to frighten people, especially when they least expected it.  Sometimes he’d use his old material, and sometimes he’d make new tricks.  Sometimes he’d scare the same people, and sometimes he scared new ones.             –Yush

* Gray trees stood bare.  Fall leaves lay in piles on wet lawns or were swept away by the autumn wind.  Jack-o-lanterns stood outside every house, exposing their terrifying faces.  This was the day that ghosts, witches, ghouls, vampires, werewolves, and giant spiders prowled every street corner.  This was the day that black cats decided to cross your path.  This was Halloween.    –Amrita

* Skelly Ton’s bones embarrass him.  They fall apart all the time.  He tries to shake hands with people who visit his house, but his arms come off.  When he hugs his mother for love, he falls apart.  Even worse, he can’t play with his friends at school.     –Isaac

*  “Pay attention, Allie!” Miss Benson, the teacher, warned me.  I’m the witch in the class that always seems to be daydreaming about something.  “Tell me what this means, please,” Miss Benson said, indicating the hastily drawn diagram on the board up front.  I just sat in my seat and stared at the ground.  –Lan

* Fiddelions Spooky School was a school especially for ghosts, skeletons, witches, goblins, and zombies.  There were many students of every kind, but there was only one ghost, Phil Nuzzlebuzz.  Phil came to school, but nobody could see him, so nobody knew he existed.  His name was on the attendance register, but the teacher always marked him absent even though he was always there.   –Firdose

* “Okay, boys and girls, please remember to practice scaring,” said Mr. Richards in his goody-goody voice.

“Aw man!” I said to myself.  I am really bad at scaring people.  I can hardly scare a fly and Halloween is tomorrow!    –Aleena

*  “Why do I hang out with you again?” I asked my friend, Yummy de Gummy.

“Vat do you mean?” he replied as I revved the engine of my Bugatti Veyron to avoid answering.  For awhile the only sound was the roar of the engine and the crackling of crisp autumn leaves crunching beneath the tires.    –Anshul

* “On the day of Halloween night, the holiday is full of fright.  A haunted mansion shall be on display.  You’ll run and scream by the end of the day.  But once you go in, you’ll surely regret it.  The scary part hasn’t begun yet.  When the vampires and monsters start to awake, their eyes and faces will be full of hate.  No one leaves until the end.  Good luck, you will need it, my friend. Mwahahahaha!”   –Sofia

* I, Herbert the ghost, lead a miserable life.  I’m too small to play sports.  Other ghosts can hover up to fifty feet in the air, while I can barely reach three feet.  Most of all, I can’t make myself invisible like all other ghosts can.  I try over and over, but I just can’t do it.  As I walk home from school, I can hear the fall leaves rustling.  I watch the other kids play baseball in the park.  I’m on the school team, but I’m benched most of the time.  The only reason I’m on the team is because they don’t have enough ghosts to play.  They didn’t pick me first because I can’t make myself invisible.  Invisibility is our advantage because when you’re invisible, it’s easier to fool the other team and win.  But no matter how hard I try, I just can’t do it.  –Tarryn

* Bock was not like other young ghosts.  He could not go through doors or walls, but he could carry things like a car, truck, and even a house with his amazing strength.  He could also eat various foods such as turkey for Thanksgiving and candy for Halloween, his favorite time of year.  Bock could not scare people, but he could scare other ghosts with his amazing strength.      –Eashant

Wow!  Don’t you want to read these terrific scary stories?  Good job, kids!

♥ Days until NaNoWriMo: 12