Author of the Month - McKenna B.
We’ve got a great author for our October feature! McKenna wrote the story “The Snail That Won The Race” which is all about Sammy the snail trying to achieve his dream. McKenna wanted to write a story about characters helping others to succeed. Let’s meet Sammy!
Sammy the snail has the dream of being the fastest runner in the world. He always supports his friends by cheering at every one of their races.
But sadly, Sammy realizes he isn’t able to run because he has no legs because he is a snail.
Sammy has bad dreams where he comes in 8th place in the races every single time. In his dream, the pink cat and slithering snake always come in 1st place.
In a different dream, the mini mouse wins first place against the pink cat and wonky donkey, even with her being so small.
Sammy made the decision that he would work hard to achieve his dream of being able to race. Sammy joins “Snail-Robies Gym” and lifts weights to get stronger. Nothing is going to stop him!
To prepare, he eats nutritious foods to give him energy and strength. Sammy’s favorite food is ant stew. He goes to the spa to relax. He gets a face mask and a muscle massage.
And it was finally race day! All the animals began to stretch to get ready. They get ready at the start line and hear “Ready, set, go!” Sammy has a rough start but Speedy Cheetah sees him and carries him on his back.
In the middle of the race, the sky turns gray and it starts to rain. Speedy and Sammy start to fall behind when a huge gust of wind blew them right into first place! They were going to win this race, and work together until the end!
Sammy and Speedy win the race! They worked as a great team to win.
What’s the lesson here? Speedy and Sammy learned, “that if you work hard, you can achieve your dreams, no matter how big or small.”
McKenna wrote a great story about teamwork! Helping others succeed is always important. McKenna may only be 6 years old, but she is passionate about helping others succeed. McKenna not only published with Lulu Junior, but also published through Lulu. All the proceeds made from her story on Lulu will be donated to help local children's organizations in her state.
Continue reading to see what McKenna shared with us in her interview!
Read the Full Interview:
Where did you get your Lulu Junior kit? Who gave it to you?
I received my Lulu Jr kit from my mom when she saw an ad online.
Where did you get your idea for your story?
The idea of something that couldn't walk winning a race was something I thought of. So, after a lot of thought, a Snail popped up in my head!
How does it feel to be a published author?
I still can't believe that I published a book at 5 years old. It's like a dream come true.
What's the one piece of advice you'd share with another young writer?
Be creative! Read the different ideas Lulu Jr posts online with the word of the day. Look at the kit you received and read through it. There were some great ideas they got me thinking what to write about!
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love do do pageants, dance, sing, draw, and volunteer!
Do you prefer writing or illustrating? Why?
I can't choose. I love them both. They kind of go with each other and so it's hard to do one over the other.
What's one of your favorite books?
I love the book, "There's A Bird On Your Head," by Mo Willems. The Gerald and Piggie book series are my favorite because of how funny they are.
How do you like to set up your writing/drawing space?
I like to have everything set up at once so I know what I have to work with. I usually draw and write at my kitchen table.
What inspires you to write or draw?
I love animals. My whole book is about animals and their dreams.
What do you want people to remember about your book?
I want people to know that I could write and publish a book at 5 years old. I also want people to know that any money made from my book will go to kids in need.
