Ruby Weissbart, Year 5
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! A deer joyfully galloped among the fresh, crisp autumn leaves. It was a chilly day in November but the sun was shining through the trees. The birds were tweeting tunefully on the uppermost branches of the ancient oak. Even though it was only the early morning, there were still dozens of children in their wellies throwing leaves at each other and having loads of fun. The forest, which was one of the most beautiful in the country, had tons of hidden places, so it was great for playing squashed sardines! One of the children, named Joanne, came to the forest every single day and enjoyed playing with the tame deer. She had a very special talent of hypnotizing animals, which made them calm and friendly, and made sure that everybody could stroke them.
Aron Toubian, Year 6
Ever since the age of 3, Joanne had always been an avid animal hypnotist. She loved everything about animals. She read books and watched TV programmes on animals and even dreamt of them. Joanne adores the forest; and whenever she goes it gives her a huge, broad smile like no other. As ever, Joanne was happily walking across the muddy but very fun forest and sweeping her dirty wellies across the scrunched green grass. Suddenly, she noticed Danny Dog and Franky Fox (Joanne’s favourite), weren’t around. A tear went down her pale, confused face and into her parched lips. A gush of worry swept through. Her beloved animals have always turned up and she couldn’t work out why they didn’t. She carried on thinking but still didn’t manage to figure out what the mysterious problem was.
Ayelet Polak, Year 5
“Franky Fox! Danny Dog!” Joanne cried as she sighed in despair. Charming animals were sprinkled all over the forest like confetti, yet somehow, her two favourites were nowhere to be found. The forest, which always used to smile at her, was now glaring at her, making her feel more and more lost and intimidated. A chill went down her spine just at thought of never finding her beloved animals again-she couldn’t let that happen. However, just when Joanne thought she could just make out Franky’s delicate, silky tail, she burst into reluctant tears. She tried to use her incredible hypnotism skills on herself, but it was no use. As an especially sizable tear rolled down the helpless girl’s plump cheek, she heard a howl-a howl she would recognize anywhere-however loathed to hear. It was Danny Dog-and he was in trouble! She had to save him; he was on of her best friends and was probably with Franky Fox, too. Curiously, Joanne tried to track down that howl she knew so well. After what seemed like forever, although it was probably only about two minutes, she found the culprit- a hunter who was carrying both (her suspicions were correct) of her friends into a colossal van. Before Joanne could stop herself, although she knew she shouldn’t, she was shrieking “LEAVE THEM ALONE!”
Rachel Abratt, Year 6
“LEAVE THEM ALONE!” Joanne repeated, choking back tears. “YOU CAN’T DO THIS! I JUST WON’T LET YOU!” She thrust her arms out in front of her mightily, tearing a hole in her purple sweater, but she barely noticed. She didn’t even care. The only thing that mattered to her at that very moment was Franky Fox and Danny Dog. Their fate was in her very hands. Joanne filed through her entire repertoire of rescue plans; shouting “LET THEM GO!” and that sort all the while. A warm, salty lake of tears was flowing down her face, forming a small body of water on the marshy ground. The wind rustled through the trees blowing her knotty hair into her face. She brushed the tangles out of the way hurriedly, with utter frustration, scratching her blotchy red face in the process. But that didn’t hurt at all. Nothing could compare to the throbbing pain in her heart as she realised that every second Franky Fox and Danny Dog were slipping away, maybe to become just a far off dream in a few years. Joanne’s eyes fogged up as she screamed: “NOOOOOO!!!”- Then everything went black…
Mischa Haffner, Year 5
“Joanne, Joanne, wake up sweetie, wake up!” Joanne’s foster mum, Amy, whispered hesitantly as she realised her princess Joanne may never wake up from her unfortunate accident. “Doctor, isn’t there a way to wake her up or something?” Amy repeatedly asked. Suddenly Joanne’s dancing dreams stopped and she slowly opened her magical eyes. Her wonderful dream was about her home-like forest and hypnotising her delightful creatures. She looked very confused when she saw Amy and the Doctor. “Where am I?” Joanne asked curiously, looking around.
“You’re in a hospital wing as you got knocked over by that nasty van driver!” Amy answered stubbornly and annoyed.
“Wait, but what about Franky Fox and Danny Dog, we can’t just leave them to die!” Joanne shouted whilst waiting for an answer which she never got.
The next day, Joanne was released from the hospital (she had stayed there for three whole days!). Joanne’s black eye was swollen and very painful. She told her mum that the only thing that would help is a walk in the forest ALONE! Once finally there, Joanne shuffled along the soft and lightly trodden forest path waiting to get to the field with the lonely deer when she noticed it had been emptied! I can’t believe he came back again, Joanne thought angrily! Although it was a crucial matter of time, she still felt the need to put more creatures into a trance, so she carried on walking forward. Soon Joanne came to a halt when she found a squirrel hopping along not so far from her. She quickly started the trancing method process but swiftly saw that none of it was working. What could be wrong she wondered to herself? Suddenly she realised it was her eye- her swollen, black eye- the part of her body which did the hypnotizing!
Sara Golding, Year 6
Trying to run whilst protecting your bruised eye is surprisingly harder than Joanne expected. As she finally arrived at the hotel (Where Amy and Joanne were staying), she scrambled into bed; a shiver shot down her back. A tear came running down her eye and another and another; a small puddle of tears began to form on her bedding than dried in. She fell asleep. Suddenly, her eyes shot open. Joanne stood up, her hands in front of her dragging her out of bed. She walked slowly towards the door. Then thud! She dropped. Fainted. Amy woke up; she ran to the door. Gradually Joanne woke up. Amy led her to bed and Joanne whispered in a husky voice “thank you”. She seemed very grateful. “Goodnight my little Joanne.” And then she left.
Benjamin Woodward, Year 5
TAP, TAP……TAP, TAP, TAP
Joanne awoke with a start several hours later to the sound of nails tapping on glass…..or could it be claws??
The tapping noise was coming from the window to the right of her bed. She cautiously sat up in the darkness and listened carefully.
TAP, TAP, TAP went the noise again. Joanne blinked and gently reached up to touch her swollen eye. Remarkably, the swelling had gone and her eye felt completely normal. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her heart was pounding so hard it sounded like a mighty army marching inside her chest. Cautiously, she lowered her feet onto the cold, hard floor. Barely breathing, she crept over to the window to investigate the noise. To Joanne’s amazement, sitting on the window ledge were her friends, Danny Dog and Frankie Fox but they were not alone. Tucked behind Frankie was a rather curious looking miniature elephant, wearing a black bowler hat and carrying an old leather briefcase.
“Good evening Joanne, I am Edward the Elephant and I’m delighted to meet you”
Joanne’s jaw dropped open, she was speechless. “I wonder if I may ask for your help” continued Edward shyly. Edward started to explain his problem.
“You see the thing is I am shrinking. Every day I get a little smaller and at this rate I will have disappeared completely by Friday! I don’t know what to do but Danny and Frankie said you might be able to help me, Oh I do hope you can.” Edward began to sob and blew his trunk loudly on Frankie’s coat.
Joanne rubbed her head and thought for a minute and then said “Edward don’t worry, I know exactly what to do.”
Leah Lipman, Year 6
In the vast forest filled with acres of magical wonders, stood a peculiar little girl with a red bow sitting gently on top of her head covered with her silky blonde hair. From her hands a strong blue light beamed out, causing her big sky blue eyes to twinkle in the light. Suddenly, a shy little boy walked up behind her and shouted “hey, what’s your name,” with a trembling voice. The girl turns around to face him and replied quietly and gently “Clarissa is my name.” He then said “nice to meet you, my name is Olly.” Clarissa smiled at him weakly; her teeth were still hidden behind her bright red lips. As they went to shake hands, Clarissa’s hand started to light up like someone pulled a string on a light bulb. Olly quickly pulled his hand away looking at her with a frightened look plastered on his face.
Sofia Rose, Year 5:
As frightened as Olly felt, he plucked up the courage to bravely ask, “What is that strong, blue light beaming from your hands?” Clarissa was nervous to trust Olly with her powerful secret but she could see in his kind eyes that she could rely on him. “I was born with special powers to control the weather with my mood” confided Clarissa in a hushed voice. “If I’m angry, a red light glows from my hands and piercing lightning will be heard for miles around.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Olly. “What happens if you’re feeling happy?”
“You’ve seen it with your own eyes! I was so happy that you were bold enough to speak to me, that a blue light glowed from my hands and the sun came out” Clarissa explained.
“Oh I get it! Does raining mean that you’re crying and upset?” Olly guessed.
“Yes, I think you understand me now. I bet you think it’s amazing to have this superpower, however I wish I was just a normal girl. It terrifies me to think what might happen if …” Clarissa was visibly shaking and too scared to continue on with her thoughts.