The Missile and the Citizens by Jason & Tommy, both age 10

This “cycle story” is part of a series of Room 2 stories inspired by the Argentinian folktale “The Sun and the Snow.”


Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
I am not evil.
The launcher is evil who controls me.

Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
I am not evil.
The war is evil who puts me to work.

War who puts the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
I am not evil.
The countries are evil who fight.

Countries who fight,
War who puts the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
We are not evil,
The politicians are evil who argue.

Politicians who argue,
Countries who fight,
War who put the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our houses,
Why are you evil?
We are not evil.
The citizens are evil who vote for us.

Citizens who vote for the politicians,
Politicians who argue,
Countries who fight,
War who puts the launcher to work,
Launcher who controls the missile,
Missile who blew up our house,
Why are you evil?
We are not evil,
The missile is evil who blew up our houses.

About the Authors

Hi! My name is Tommy. I live in San Francisco with my mom, dad, and my brother. I am ten years old. I like to play my XBox360 and I also like to play Runescape. I am good at opening stuff and Mario Kart. When I grow up I wanted to be a scientist because they can do experiments. I like this game called Ninety-Knights. I like to play Ninety-Knights because in the game I am a boy character with a stick that can blast people away like a gun and I also like to play the game call Metal Slug 7. I am also the author of The X Army and many poems.

Hi! My name is Jason. I like to play on my Wii and DSI. I am good at many war games such as Halo, Metal Slug and Call of Duty. When I grow up, I want to be a pharmacist. If I were a machine I would be computer because they are very useful. I am also the author of Curses, Goshi and the Dragon, and Dimension Problem and many poems.

If Eyes Were Lightning by Lisa, age 9


If eyes were lightning,
then fingers would be snow
If marbles were paper,
then oranges would be cardboard
If bombs were tornados,
then glitter would be rain
If Kentucky were fried chicken,
then Maryland would be Candyland
If Alaska were tulips,
then China would be bamboo
If anger were roses,
then calmness would be daisies
And I would pick them
and their petals
would move
like waves

My Name by Lisa, age 9


I was born on February 7, 2000. My mom named me Lisa and it means “god’s promise,” and I imagine the promise was about being good. After I was born, my mom asked the doctor what she should name me and the doctor asked my mom if she liked the name Lisa and she said yes. I like the name Lisa because it represents God and I trust in God. Before I knew the meaning of my name, I liked it because it’s short to say and it’s on all the important papers about me like my birth certificate. It’s my official name. My Chinese name is Hong May Yee. My mom chose this name and it means “beautiful son” even though I’m a daughter. This is a name in China that people name their daughters if they want to have a son next, but that wasn’t the reason my mom chose this name. My mom chose it because she thought it was a simple, cute name and has the word beautiful in it in Chinese. The name Hong May Yee is special to me because it’s similar to my sister’s name.

How to Fry Eggs by Tommy & Jason, both age 10


Step 1: Wash the pan (optional)

Step 2: Put the pan on the stove

Step 3: Open the flame

Step 4: Put olive oil in the pan

Step 5: Spread the oil around by moving the pan

Step 6: Crack as many eggs you want into the pan

Step 7: Shake the pan back and forth a couple of times

Step 8: Add anything little (such as salt, pepper or small peas) and shake again
(optional)

Step 9: Using a spatula, flip the egg or eggs (After 3 minutes for each side)

Step 8: Close the fire and place the egg or eggs in a dish

Step 9: Enjoy your eggs!

Name by Mimi, age 10


My American Name

My American name is Mimi. It means “star of the sea.” My dad gave me this name beause when I was living in Singapore, my aunt called me “mei mei,” which means younger sister in Chinese. I am younger than my cousins, that’s why my aunt called me “little sister.” But my dad couldn’t say mei mei, he kept on saying Mimi. So my name became Mimi. My name doesn’t fit me because I’m not the younger sister anymore.

My Vietnamese Name

My Vietnamese name is Vu Minh Hanh. It means happiness and kindness. My mom chose that name for me because she liked the meaning and she wants me to be happy and kind. I kind of like my name because I want to be happy and kind.

Name by Stanley, age 9

My American name is Stanley. It means “stony meadow.” My dad named me. He chose this name because he liked it. He didn’t tell me why. My Chinese name is Wu Jian Hua. It means a lot of things. It means “healthy, grow up strong, prosperous and rich.” My grandma chose this name because she likes the meaning of it. All these meanings make me think about what I’m going to do when I grow up because I want prosperity and money and strength when I grow up. The “stony meadow” meaning fits too because rocks are hard and strong, and meadows make me think of growing up.

Short Life by Kimberly, age 10

This “cycle story” is part of a series of Room 2 stories inspired by the Argentinian folktale “The Sun and the Snow.”


Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The blood is mean that vanishes.

Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The veins are mean that are weakening.

Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The heart is mean that stops pumping.

Heart that stops pumping,
Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
I am not mean.
The diseases are mean that destroy me.

Diseases that destroy the heart,
Heart that stops pumping,
Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are mean?
I am not mean.
The people are mean who eat too much junk food.

People who eat too much junk food,
Diseases that destroy the heart,
Heart that stops pumping,
Veins that weaken,
Blood that vanishes,
Life that is so short,
Why are you mean?
We are not mean.
Life is mean that is so short.

About the Author

My name is Kimberly. I live in San Francisco, California. I am ten years old. I like to watch television. My goal this year is to publish one more book so I can finally beat Sandy’s record for publishing books in Room 2. This is my eighth published book. I am also the author of Muni Disaster and Other Stories, Spy Twins, Spy Maser’s Death, Quan who Buys us Dim Sum, Hypnotized, Stink and Ink vs. Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Jasion, and the blog post about our class mural I wrote with Holly. Sometimes I wonder why people are different from each other.

I’m Named after San Francisco by San, age 8

My name is San Ngoc. San means Saint in Spanish. Ngoc is my middle name and Ngoc means pearl. My mom named me San because I was born in San Francisco right after she moved here from Vietnam. She named me after the city. I don’t like my name because it is too short. My Vietnamese nickname is Tit. Tit means “I close my eyes and laugh.” My mom named me Tit because whenever I laugh it looks like I close my eyes, but I am not closing my eyes. I like my Vietnamese nickname because you have to raise your voice at the end of the word when you say it. It sounds strong to me when you raise your voice at the end of the word.

Ezra Lux by Ezra Lux, age 8

Ezra is my name. It means “strong” in Hebrew. When my parents chose my name the way it worked was my mom and dad each wrote a list of names and whatever names were on both lists would be in consideration for my name, but the only name on both lists was Ezra. My mom wanted to name me Lazlo or Fenris and my dad did not because Fenris is a mythological creature that brought on the apocalypse and he said that wasn’t a kid’s name. I like my name because it’s very unusual and it has a “z” in it. Lux is my last name. My parents didn’t like their own last names (Carter or Hantman) but they did like Lux. My dad found Lux in a Latin dictionary and Lux is Latin for light.