Our third grade writers are learning to write realistic fiction stories. Authors create a character that has struggles or challenges to overcome. Read how their characters triumph over their troubles. Notice the hooks that pull you into their stories and how authors have attempts to solve the problem before it is resolved. Cheers to our third grade writers! (Please be patient as we work out a few kinks in formatting.)

Joe Wants Puppies

by Shalyn

        One sunny morning Joe woke up in his wonderful house.  He opened the door of his house and started to walk down Napa.  Joe walked into Northwest Seed and Pet.  Joe asked the lady at the front desk “Where are the puppies?”  “Take a left down the hall” answered the lady.  Joe walked down the hall.  He saw a sign.  The sign said “Puppies 4 sale.”  So Joe ran in.  “This is not a sale,” Joe thought.  A minute later Joe was staring at the puppies.  There were four left.  “I can’t leave them here.  They’re just so cute “thought Joe.  Joe ran back to the counter.

        “Did you forget to put the prices for the puppies that are for sale up?” asked Joe.  “No” said the lady at the counter.  Joe’s jaw dropped to the floor.  “Is there something wrong?” the lady asked Joe.  “No” answered Joe.  “Can I just have the puppies now and I will give you the money later?”  “NO!” the lady answered.  Joe sat down in a chair he thought of something.  Joe went up to the lady at the counter.  “Can I have a job here to earn the money?”  Joe asked.  But all the lady said was “NO!” “Come on” Joe cried “NO!” yelled the lady.

        Joe stomped his feet out of the store and walked home.  “I’m back” Joe told his mom.  Joe’s mom didn’t listen so she didn’t know he was bummed out.  Joe went into his room.  “What can I do to get $500?”  Joe wondered.  Joe kept on thinking.  He went downstairs and got apple juice and a Canadian sandwich.  Joe got food because he thought food would help but it didn’t so he went back up to his room.

        An hour later, Joe’s mom came up to his room.   “Why do you looked bummed out?” she asked.  “I don’t have any idea what I could do to earn $500.  So I’m really mad.”  Joe stared angrily out the window.  He saw a sign.  It said McDonalds.  “Mom” said Joe “What?” she repeated.  “Can I work at a restaurant?” “Sure” Joe’s mom answered.  “Yes! Mom I’m going to work at McDonalds!” “Ok” his mom said, surprised.

        Joe got a job at McDonalds and he was the person who worked at the front counter.  Joe was happy with his job.  The first month of work, Joe got $100.  The next day Joe went to work and it was buy one milkshake, get one free month.  So it was busy at McDonalds.  The last 3 months, Joe got $200 every month.  Joe was happy that buy one milkshake, get one free month was gone because people were scattered everywhere.  It was Joe’s last month because he just signed up for 4 months so before he left for good he got paid $200.

        Joe said good bye to his friends at McDonalds and ran out the door.  The door to Northwest Seed and Pet flew open when Joe ran in he asked the lady “Are the puppies still here?”  “Yes” the lady answered.  Joe shot off like a rocket over to the supplies he grabbed 5 leashes, 5 bones, and 5 collars.  Joe grabbed 5 of everything.  He put the stuff in a little basket and headed for the room with the puppies and grabbed all of them and sense he had some money left, he bought a fifth puppy.  Joe bought the stuff and ran home with five kennels with puppies in them.  Joe went to his best friend Fred’s house.  He gave Fred a puppy and raced home on his skateboard.  When Joe got home he gave his mom, dad and his baby sister a puppy and he got one, too.   Night fell on the land and the Moroone family drifted off to sleep. 

Amber’s Black Poodle

By: Cierra

It was Amber’s birthday and she was setting up while her dad was cooking food.  Her friends started to arrive.  Amber and her friends go swimming in her 8 foot built in under ground pool.  They made cheesey nachos for lunch and cheese pizza for dinner.  Amber opened her presents and her dad got her a puppy.  Her dad said “it was a $200.00 puppy!”  Amber’s mom got her a hamster and a new outfit.  It was pink with a flower on it and she got brown boots with it.

Amber’s mom lit the cake and her mom and dad and friends sang happy birthday.  Her dad cuts the cake and mom hands out the cake the cake was chocolate with chocolate filling.  Amber wished she had a horse when she wished her wish it did not come true.

Amber and her friends go inside to play with her new dog Sasspat it was 5:00 and her dad yelled “dinner time” Amber said “coming.” She raced down stairs she asked, “what’s for dinner?” Her dad said “pizza!”  Amber said “again?” “Yep!” said dad.  During dinner Amber asked her mom “where are you going to put my hamster?” Mom said, “in the cage I got.”  When we finished dinner we laid down on the couch somewhere on the floor we had are own bowl of butter toffee popcorn.

Amber watched a movie about teenagers going to high school it was 11:00 pm and everybody was asleep including Princess the hamster and Sassypat the poodle at 8:00 am everybody was up except mom and dad.  When Amber woke up she was on the ground she screamed “AAAhhhhh.”  The couch was torn and ripped the stuffing was all over the ground.  Mom and dad came downstairs and said what did you do to the couch.  Amber said “I didn’t do it!” Her dad yelled and yelled.

Amber said “I didn’t do it I swear.”  Finally she said “Sassypat did it.”  Her mom and dad finally believed Amber.  Amber said, “What’s for breakfast?” Mom said, “chowfood!” “Sick!” said Amber and her friends.  We had pancakes for breakfast.  “Amber said yummy!”  When Amber’s friends left they trained Sassypat to never tear anything up again.  Even though the dog Sassypat tour the couch up we kept her!

Mike the Cop

By: Brandyn 

        Cars zooming.  Lights flashing.  Kids swimming at the beach.  Ring! Ring! Ring!  Phones ringing at the cop station.  Mike got the phone and there was a robber robbing a bank.  Mike hopped on his motorcycle and Mike zoomed to the bank.

    Mike looked around and everybody was tied up even the security.  Mike started asking questions.  “Security, what did the robber look like?”  “Well, he looked 25, he had a mustache, black shirt and black pants.”  “Did you see his car?” “No but I know where he lives.”  “I do to.”  Mike hopped on his motorcycle and went to the robbers house.  On the way Mike got a call that there was a speeder.  Mike said “can you?”  “No sorry.”  Mike got the speeder and gave him a ticket.  Right away Mike drove to the house.

Mike found the house. Mike got his gun.  Mike broke the door down.  Mike said “freeze.” Mike heard noise upstairs.  Mike called for backup, his friend Jake came in.  They went upstairs and broke the door down again and said “freeze” again.  Mike handcuffed the robber.  Mike said “what’s your name?” “Nick.” “You are under arrest” said Jake.

More police offers came, Mike put Nick in the cop car and Mike said “Jake, do you want to use my motorcycle?”  “Yes!” “Can I use your cop car” said Mike.  “Yeah sure.”  Mike got in the cop car and drove to the cop station and put Mike in the jail cell.  Mike said “time for me to go home.”  When Mike got home he got ready for bed.  He hopped in bed and fell asleep.  2 hours later ring! Ring! Ring!  “Hello.”  “Nick has escaped.”  “Oh no!.”

The Broken Skateboard

By Rashawn

 It was 1:10 in the afternoon; Rocky and Kurt were having a Natas Spin competition. They’ve been going for 30 minutes.

“I’m going to win. I’m well balanced,” bragged Rocky.

“Oh yeah, I can do better” said Kurt.CRACK.

“Oh No” Kurt cried as his skateboard broke.“What am I going to do now? I don’t have any money,” complained Kurt.

“I’ll give you more money” said Rocky sarcastically. Rocky was the skate park bully. So, Kurt gripped the sloped rail and climbed sadly out of the empty pool.

When Kurt arrived at his new job, an elderly man greeted him. The man walked up and told Kurt what to do.

“My garage is right over there”, said Old man Brady as he pointed to his garage. “I want you to take care of my pictures, my antiques which are my pictures and my basketball things,” added Old man Brady.

While Kurt was cleaning he noticed a plaque. Thurgood Brady and Larry Bird FRIENDS, Kurt read. Old man Brady is friends with legendary Larry Bird? Kurt asked himself.After he was done cleaning he walked up to Thurgood (Old Man Brady’s) den.

“YOUR FRIENDS WITH LARRY BIRD!” yelled Kurt.

“Now, no need to yell he’s just and old man basketball player,” said Thurgood.

“You’re right. Who is he anyway?” asked Kurt.

Thurgood took out his wallet and handed a 10 dollar bill to Kurt.

“MOM, can I have 10 dollars?” asked Kurt as he walked through the door.

“I thought Mr. Brady gave you money?” asked Mom.

“It wasn’t enough,” answered Kurt.

“Go clean the bathroom that’s worth 5 dollars and the kitchens worth 3 and the den is worth 2” Mom told Kurt.

“OK” said Kurt in a whiney voice.

An hour later, Kurt was finished. “I only accept cash” said Kurt.

“Here you go” said Mom.

Kurt ran and got his coat and ran to the skate shop. Around noon Kurt was thinking how it was just a board on wheels but it gives him something to do.

“What’s up Joe?” asked Kurt.

“Nothing, need a new board?” asked Joe as he answered Kurt’s question.

“The word is Rocky stared you down and made you break your board,” added Joe.

“I don’t like to talk about it,” said Kurt.“Do you have any DC or Big Black?” asked Kurt.

“No, were out of stock on both,” said Joe. “But we do have DGK,” said Joe.

“I’ll take it,” said Kurt.

A smile appeared on his face as he walked out of the skate shop. On Kurt’s way home he saw “The King of Skaters”. He also saw 10 broken skateboards! He thought to challenge Rocky.

“Hey “King of” what’s that word oh yeah, BULLIES,” said Kurt.

“Oh just another sissy wanting to challenge the WINNER” said Rocky.

“Natas Spin competition NOW,” ordered Kurt.

“Ok,” said Rocky. Rocky tried to jump up and spin in the air.(30 minutes later) CRACK.

“Oh no, how’d you do that?” asked Rocky.

“Ok, I knew you’ve been Natas spinning for a while and um I knew your board would BREAK,” said Kurt.

As he jumped off of the medium sized stake.

“That’s no FAIR” yelled Rocky. As he got up off of the cement ground.

“Yes it is” said Kurt in a funny voice.

See it was not Kurt’s tricks that made him king, it was his brain. And that’s how he became the King of Skaters.

Bullied

By: Cassandra

“Wake up Zoura.”

“No!” She did not want to go to school because she’d been bullied since first grade. The bully’s name was Kate. So in 6th grade she knew she was going to get bullied. But Zoura got up and she put on an orange dress combed her hair and went downstairs her mom put pancakes on her plate. “Can I have syrup please?” she asked in a mad voice. Then she got on her shoes and her socks.

After breakfast Zoura went outside. She remembered last year. Soon she got the movie in her mind that the bully was at the waterfall waiting for her. After that she got on the bus slowly. Meanwhile she was sitting on the bus with a girl named Elizabeth they were friends since first grade. They got off the school bus and walked inside the big school. Then Kate came she said “Give me my lunch money.” Then Kate threw Zoura against a wall “I want lunch money” said Kate.

 After Kate left Zoura got up and went to class. “Mr. M., Kate is bullying me,” said Zoura.

“No I’m not, Zoura is bullying me,” said Kate.

Then Mr. M clapped his hands “I don’t believe you Zoura you keep on telling me this stuff no one wants to hear and that is called lying.” Then he told Zoura to “sit” Zoura sat then Kate had a mean look on her face. But Mr. M kept on teaching. The bell rang and they left class. She went to the next class and Zoura told every teacher the same thing but every teacher said the same thing back. Kate did the same thing to Zoura over and over again.

At lunch Kate started to bully her again. She punched her in the face. “That was for telling on me.” But Kate kept punching her in the face. While Zoura was getting punched her face got tears and her nose got bloody. Then Kate punched her again and Zahra’s face got really bloody. When Kate left Zoura got up and saw a camera.

“When did they put cameras in the halls?” Zoura asked and went to the office.Right away Zoura said, “Can I see the principal?” They said yes, so she went to his office sure enough he was there.

“What do you want?” said Mr. N.

“I want to see the cameras” said Zoura.

“Okay.” Mr. N took Zoura to the camera. Mr. N took out the tape and went to the office and put the disc in the computer then it showed Zoura getting bullied and Kate hitting her. Then he said, “I am going to find Kate and tell her she is expelled.”

“I told Mr. M and all my other teachers but they only believed Kate,” said Zoura. Then Mr. N went to the microphone and announced Kate come to the office. Kate came and she got expelled. Zoura met new people and became friends. Zoura met girls named Crystal and Charlotte, and a boy named Dana. Zoura went home. She walked in the door mom said, “How was your day?”

“Good because I met new people and because the bully is expelled, but not good because I got bullied 2 times.”

“I’m sorry,” then they ate dinner and went to bed.“I’m going to make more friends tomorrow” said Zoura.

Molly’s Struggle

By Becca

One afternoon in winter Molly’s mother was coming home from the store.  “When is mom coming home?” asked Molly.

  “Be patient” answered her older sister. “I hope she doesn’t bring that stinky terrible horrible broccoli,” Molly groaned softly.

  “I’m home” said Molly’s mother.  Please don’t say who wants broccoli for dinner and don’t even think about cooking a it for dinner, Molly thought.  She held her breath as long as she could.  “Who wants broccoli for dinner?” Molly’s mother asked.  All of the kids raced their hands up high except Molly.  “Okay” she said “Broccoli it is.”

Molly stomped her feet.  “I don’t want broccoli for dinner!!!” shouted Molly.

Frowning, Molly’s mother grabbed Molly by the arms. “Molly” screamed her mother.  “You don’t ever shout in my house again!  Is that clear!  Answer me right no or else I’ll take you to your room!” Molly didn’t answer.  “Fine!” her mother yelled.  Is that the way you want to be? Be that way,” her mother shouted.

   “Okay mom I want broccoli for dinner” Molly cried.  But it was to late.  Her mother tossed Molly into her bedroom and locked the door.

   “You make up our mind little girl!!!! You understand !!!! I will come back into this room and I should expect you will make up your mind!!!!!” her mother shouted the loudest shout in her life.  She stomped down stairs and plopped herself down on to the couch.

   “What’s the matter mom?” asked the kids.  Looking more red in the face than ever, she told the kids her story.  After 15 minutes gone by, Molly’s mother walked as slow as a turtle just about to get some bugs.  “So did you make up your mind?” asked her mother.

   “I don’t know” Molly answered.   “Molly I know you know lots of things honey.” said her mother.  “So answer me like a big girl would.” Molly was frightened.  “Well” Molly said.   “Spit it out!” her mother interrupted. “Are we having broccoli for dinner?” she asked.

“Yes mom” Molly answered.

  “Sorry I think I didn’t hear you.” her mother said. “I said yes mom!!” she answered rudely.

“Okay” her mother said. After the broccoli was done cooking, Molly tried a taste of it.

“Yuck this broccoli tastes icky!”  Molly groaned. I think cheese is good on broccoli. Molly thought.  So she put cheese on it, but she spat it out of her mouth. She left the table.

   “Molly where are you going” asked her mother.

   “I’m going to get the salt and vinegar chips,” she answered back.   “Wait Molly what do you need them for?” her mother asked.

  “You’ll see,” she answered.  She came back with the chips and dumped some in a bowl.  Molly crumbled them and sprinkled them on her plate like snowflakes falling on the ground.  She tasted the broccoli again and this time she spat it across the room.  “It’s to salty for me” moaned Molly. Just then the salsa fell from a shelf above the table and Molly caught it. She pealed all of the chips off the broccoli and squirted some of the salsa on the broccoli.  She tasted it one more time and darted to the trashcan with a mouth full of broccoli with salsa.

   “Molly come back to the table right now or else I’ll chase you!” her younger sister shouted after Molly.

  “Sarah don’t shout in this house again do you understand?” her mother asked. “Yes mom I understand very clear” answered Sarah. “Good,” her mother said.  Molly came back to the dining room and just sat in her chair as still as a stone.

After dinner was over, Molly plopped herself on to the very, very, very old bench near the couch.  “What’s wrong?” Molly?” asked her older brother.  “ I saw you plopping down on to the bench we’ve had 100 years ago” he said.

“Yes your right” Molly said with a sigh.

“So what’s wrong?” asked her brother.

   “It’s kind of hard to tell you.” She answered.  “But I’ll whisper what’s wrong with me in your ear. If you let me.” said Molly.

   “I will let you if it’s short.” answered her brother.

   “Okay” said Molly and she whispered the problem into his ear.  Her brother whispered something back.  Molly looked at the clock.

   “Molly where are you going? Asked her mother? I’m going up to bed mom.” she answered. The next time they had broccoli for dinner, Molly chugged it down her throat. From that day on Molly learned to chug the broccoli down her throat so she wouldn’t have to taste the broccoli’s horrible taste.

   How My Sister Flies Away

by Noah

One smiling, bright but terrifying day, Sara Neako, my sister, was lying down very ill.  Mom, Dad and me took her to the emergency room.  It felt like it had been pouring for ages through two dark rain clouds covering my face.  I was breaking down.

Sara begged, “Please, I am pleading you not to cry because..no matter what happens to me or you…I will always be there.”  Sara closed her gleaming blue river eyes.  I kissed her head and held her hand.  “Okay,” I whispered. 

I listened and kept what Sara said.  The next day she had passed.  I took deep breaths.  I couldn’t do anything but to cry.  But, I remembered what she explained to me.  How could I forget?

Four days later, I was tripping across the sidewalk.  I was staring at the dark navy blue trees.  The moon shined down on me, staring at my face.  It was glowing bright making the night shine.  A few minutes I heard a rustle in the trees.  I flinched.  I also took a few steps back.  I could hear the rocks crumbling behind me when I took another step.  As the animal stepped out of the branches, I shook with fear until I discovered…a yellow squeaking puff of fur and feathers waddling toward me like a flippy, floppy penguin?   A duckling?  My heart slowly stopped pounding from my chest and I took a long deep blow.  Whew!

Wait a minute, for some reason the duckling would not fly away as if it knew me or wanted to be with me??  The duckling all of a sudden reminded me of some one.  Huh!  I gasped, to you the duckling was wild.  But, to me the duckling was Sara and from somewhere I could of sworn I heard, “Please you don’t have to cry when you know I’m with you.”  So with that the duckling turned and flew far above the sun!

Ballet Disaster

by Destiny

     One icy cold morning I was in the backyard on the pavement pretending to be a princess walking on a small crack and that the other side of the crack was colder than ice water the gravel side was blazing hot lava and the car in the lava was safe.  I could touch it or hold it firmly. 

     All of a sudden, 2 evil dogs came over because I had a marshmallow peep in my hand.  The 2 evil dogs tried to push me into the lava.  I was scared so I pushed the evil dogs away, but they came right back.  So I said “sit”.  Only one dog listened so I just kept on balancing on the puny fracture but then suddenly the most evil dog, the one who never listens, came over and barked.  So I tossed it and picked up 2 toys and gave them to her and ran on the slit splits.  I finally got done with balancing.  Now I’m onto jumping and spinning on the tiny line.  It was hard, but I did it and so I defeated the evil dogs and my lesson on balance.  It seemed as it started out to be a ballet disaster!!

Dylan’s Story

Zack lives by the ocean. One day he walked there by himself, just Zack.  He knows where a special place is no one else knows about it.  He heard a “moh”.  What is it?  He looked down the hill.  It’s a dolphin.  He ran down the hill.  The dolphin is on the beach dying in the wet, soggy, mushy sand.  So he put the dolphin on the surf board and pushed the board through the soggy sand into the beautiful clear water, but outside of the safety net there was a shark.  When he looked at the dolphin, he was gone and he said I will never forget you. 

Two years later, he saw him again.  I didn’t forget you.  “Goodbye” and he never saw him again..

Blacky

by Eric

I was all alone on a dark spooky night when suddenly…THUNK!  The sound made the windows rattle.  Me and my cat, Runtell, jumped at the sound.  So I went out onto the porch (that’s where the sound came from) and looked down, and to my surprise an injured bird was whimpering.  There was blood gushing out his wing, splattering the ground.  It was as though he was moaning on the ground and he had a broken wing, trying as hard as he could to fly away.  So I put on some gloves and put him in a shoebox.  I nursed him at home and he started to look a littler better.  I let him rest he looked even better!  So I encouraged him to stay calm, eventually he got better….but first he hopped out the doggy door so I guess if you think you you can do it, you can.

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Little Bird

by Jason

One sunny day I hear chirping and suddenly it stopped.  I saw my dog trotting across the yard with a grappled bird in his mouth with dug in jagged razor sharp teeth in his sides, helplessly lying there.  Buddy dropped him with “pu.”  He was bleeding like a violet water fall.  Me and Aiden rushed over.  He was suffering and wanting to die over the pain.  We got some gloves (birds carry diseases).  We tried to grab him but we couldn’t.  The damaged shocked and scared little bird was running around in a circle (freaky), so desperate, calls for desperate measures.  There was stick and we tripped him, knocked him out for a few minutes.  We picked up with a shovel and put him in a shoe box with toilet paper in it.  The next time we looked HE WAS GONE.  I asked my mom – WHERE IS HE?  Who, who, who?  MY BIRDY!.  Oh he flew away.  I cried why, why, why, why, WHY!  A few hours later (after I was done crying) I thought besides my mom said “What if he didn’t fly away, or did Buddy get to him?  And the mystery lives on.   

Categories: Writing