Spring has arrived here in the South. Blustery breezes, terrific tornadoes, and bursting blossoms. And with the change in season comes another #kidlit opportunity – the Spring Fling KidLit Contest – sponsored by the indefatigable Kaitlyn Sanchez and Ciara O’Neal! Thank you both so much for all you do to inspire, challenge, and encourage the kidlit community. You can find all the details for their contest at the official website here or on Ciara’s blog here.
The basic premise of the contest is to write a story that would appeal to ages 12 and under in 150 words or less. And, get this, the story has to be based on a spring-themed gif. Fun!
I hope that you like my contribution, and that you fall in love with Martha (I have!) – so much so that you’re cheering her on at the end. “Sleep till spring! Sleep till spring! Sleep till spring! You can do it, Martha!”
This is for everyone out there who has ever struggled to go to sleep or struggled with someone who can’t sleep. For all the nighttime ceiling-watchers, sleep-walkers, and midnight-snackers – this one’s for you!
Martha’s Snoozing Blues – 150 words
By Heather C. Morris
Martha could not sleep. She was simply not tired.
All the other bears were snoring. Winter winds blew while the whole forest snoozed.
But not Martha.
She tried counting honeybees.
“One, two, three…
seventy, seventy-one…
one hundred twenty-four…now I’m just hungry!”
She searched the woods for a midnight snack.
“Ack! Everything’s frozen and frosty!”
Maybe a cool sip of water would help?
“Even the water is sleeping,” she grumbled. SMASH! CRACK! And…SLURP…icy cold!
Now she was definitely wide awake.
She crept to a nearby cave. “Pssst, Boris, you awake?”
SNORE!
Poke, poke. “You awake?”
ROAR!
Martha shouted into the still woods – “I CAN’T GO TO SLEEP!”
A lonesome bear trudged back to her lair, and what did she find there?
A fluffy, purring ball.
“So soft, so furry, and, oh, so purry…” Martha snuggled in tight.
Finally! ZZZZZzzzzzz
And together, the bear and the kitten snoozed soundly until spring.
Copyright © 2021 by H.C. Morris
Heather C. Morris 
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