After the World War II my great grandpa’s family got lost, everyone went to different places to run away from bombs and attacks. My Grandpa moved to Brazil with his wife, (my great grandma).  When the War was over my Great Grandparents were rich, their dream was to finally find the missing family members, they decided to travel the world looking for my great grandpa’s family. After a few days of traveling they found my great grandpa’s mom and sister in the streets asking for money in italy. As soon as they met they brought his mom and sister to Brazil, where they got great jobs and a house.

Later they found another of my Great grandpa’s sister, she moved to australia and had a great life and job there.

On 2009, my godmother (and cousin) found my great grandpa’s other sister which had moved to America during the world war II, her husband was in the U.S military and brought her to America for better chance of survival, she never left America and after almost 60 years she finally found her family.

The two sisters (from Australia and America) finally met, it was one of the most happy moments of their lives. Imagine, almost 60 years away from your own sister.

   Now my family is finally reunited.

Hello my name is Jannie, and yes I'm a girl, but I like adventures. I love writing about each of my adventures, but I'm writing now is definitely my favorite. I'm 10 years old but my greatest adventure happened half a year to bring when I was 9 ½, and my first adventure. Ok, enough about'll tell my story.
There once was a girl called Lulu she loved to read. This girl had a grandfather, a grandfather who was in all the stories she read, an adventurer, the entire month Roni Grandpa sent a story to it in letter form. And every month Lulu hoped the letter.
One day Grandpa Roni sent a letter, but a letter was not like the others, seemed an invitation! She read quietly, Roni Grandpa wanted her to go with him to the Amazon rainforest!!
The next day Lulu packed his bags with all the clothes adventure she never used, Roni Grandpa would come for her at any time, and she had to be prepared!
At 4:30 Roni Grandpa arrived, he was wearing a blue shirt and a pair of jeans. Half an hour later he and Lulu arrived at an airport. And Lulu had already seen almost everything he needed to feel adventurous. Finally boarded the plane, and Lulu did not want to sleep but the whole journey. When they finally chgaram the forest Lulu was upside down, and drooling with hunger. They ate some lulinhas and of course ice cream! The favorite lulu.
It was nearly midnight when lulu was sleeping, tomorrow would be a day of many adventures! The next day lulu Roni and Grandpa met an Indian woman named Mary, she was the age of lulu and the two became good friends! Every day Mary, LuLu and Roni were in a different place. Once were alligator hunt, but Lulu was very scared, especially when Maria made caring for an alligator. Another day they went to see birds, and Lulu loved, had birds of all colors, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow and Orange, lulu loved, her favorite was a beautiful, azulzinho with big wings. Grandpa Roni said that he was called Blue Arara, but was nearly extinct, and if we continue killing the Arara, would not have not one more!
When dinner was lulu she thought a lot about what she had done, and that tomorrow would be the day she would go away. She had greatly enjoyed the trip and would not go away. But what if she never had an adventure, she thought, really thought, and finally lulu had an idea she could write a book about his great adventure, and ask for help to the world, everyone had to help the Blue Macaws! Grandpa Roni loved the idea and helped lulu to write and edit a book.
After a month everyone was sending money to the Amazon forest, and nobody ever killed a macaw.

I could feel the breeze outside as I woke up in the early morning, the bed right next to me empty like always. There used to lie my big sister before she died on the 70th hunger game. Every time I hear about it a dreadful thought comes to mind.  I imagined myself in the arena. I had no talents but to sing.

I put on my jacket as I rushed through the door. Without anything to eat I did not last more than a hour at the crops. All my muscles were hurt and i could not move a thing.

Today was my first reaping day since I was only 12. I had already signed up for about two tessares.  My Family didn’t want me to but I could not let them die.

I tried as hard as I could but never forgot about the games. How my sister died and how I could be chosen too.  I went to the fence. The one that protected the woods from us and prevented criminals. I would always go there when nothing could make me happier. Mockingjays would sing and I would sing back. That was my favorite thing to do. Since the fence was hardly on, no bird would get shocked. However, every single one of District 11’s habitants was afraid of it.  Here the peacekeepers were very tough they could kill us with one bullet.

I got home late and my mom asked me what was wrong.

“I was by the fence, the Mockingjays were there you know.”

This scared mama to death. She didn’t mind me going to the fence before.

“What’s wrong?” I asked

But she was paralyzed.

“Today is the reaping day” whispered Linia, my youngest sister that was only four.

Then I knew why mama was worried, she knew that the peacekeepers were on our watch since a capitol representative was about to step foot on our home.

I went to my neighbors house, a old lady and her two grandchildren lived there. I never knew what had happened to their parents, maybe they had ran away. Or maybe they died.

Luna was one of the grandchildren. She was a little older then me.We always walked home together. She had bronzed skin and brown curls. Her eyes were green like grass and her lips were as red as blood.

Tresh was the other grandchild i had never seen him before but he was the number one crush at school. All the girls liked him. They always gossip about how tall and strong he is.

I went to the bathroom to take a bath, the water was cold because the electricity was hardly on in district eleven. When I was over I saw a white blouse and a blue skirt on my bed. They used to be my sister’s. As I got them on I looked in the mirror it felt wierd...i looked just like my sister.

I went to the front of the justice building.  Thousands of kids were already there. Some of the kids looked scared and others locked ready.   A thin lady came up the stage followed by the mayor and two very strong  men and a women.

I had never seen those people before. They were never at the crops. The mayor lived far away with his wife and two four year old kids who went to school with Linia.

The lady was Megan Shimer the capitol representative she was pretty tall and her face was covered in green makeup...I did not like her.  

The three adults were about twenty or thirty. I had never seen them at the crops or the market. But I did know who they were...They were district eleven’s only live victors.

I probably looked scared because luna looked at me with a calming smile.

 Megan Shimer started her speach. It was long but it callmed me a little. Then she showed a video.

Finally she said. “lady’s first”

She pulled a tessare from the bowl.

And there it was the one person who was either going to die or live in victory...

“Rue Rosemoon”.

Do you know how to keep a secret? if you don’t, you better close this book right now. Well my name is Kelly and i do have a secret that sometimes i even think that if people find out about it my life will be over forever.

My mom was looking sad that night, she wasn’t talking or bearly eating,her face was plane,whiter as the moon. As normal she went to her bedroom,and I heard her soft voice for the first time in the winter brake. She was talking to someone, I didn’t know who.

My dad was traveling for the week so she couldn’t be talking to him. The next day my mom woke up as she always does but i noticed something, she was happy, her lips were red as she had used tons of lipstick, she was wearing her best dress, at least my favorite. She made my favorite breakfast, when we set down her sad face was back and looked like she was about to tell what was so amiss. -”honey, your friend jackie died in a fire accident”.

Jackie was my best friend since forever,we meet at kindergarten we played joked and i am already in 7th grade. In that exact second i ran to my room and cried, my tears frost like snow and my eyes closed, a shadow passed by and i saw a face, a face that looked very familiar, it was jackie.

She talked to me, I heard her voice softest as wind blowing in my window. I Couldn’t  believe that i was talking to a ghost, a real ghost. -”Hi Kelly”- she said. -”Jakie? Is that really you?’’ I asked. -”Of course is me”-she answered. -”are, are you alive? I mean okay?”-I asked. Well if you mean dieing is okay? then i am okay.” I laughed, but Jakie wasn’t joking in fact she looked quite sad. “Well, I miss you Jakie, tomorrow we’ll talk again, i need to sleep.” In that moment Jakie disappeared and i slept.

March 29,1901

Dearest mother,

I am going to write a little bit of this letter every time I have news and feel like telling you, because I don’t know when or if I will get to mail it.

Pietro and I have just arrived on the boat which, by the way, is huge!  The room, though, is very small and we have to share a bed.  I already miss you and Papa, but I know how hard we worked to get these tickets.  Right now, I am playing with the doll you gave me for my birthday. There are about one thousand kids living in the same boat as me, but some of them are richer and have more toys and fancy dresses. I do not like them. They look at brother and I like we are two dirty mice.  Changing the subject, I had my first meal on the boat today. I had pasta and bread which reminded me of Italy and all the good food we have there.

April 29, 1901

It has been a month already since we got on the boat.  Pietro and I have seen so many different things, like dolphins, whales and many other creatures.  Today, a tall man came aboard.  He had a long beard and a funny hat.  He started examining all of the rich kids and their parents. Just like them, the tall man looked at Pietro and I like dirt. I wanted to punch him!

May 1st, 1901

We finally arrived in America! Brother and I are in some place called Ellis Island, or something like that. There are people from many different cultures, but they all look just like me: alone and poor, but happy.  I met a new friend on the inspection line.  Her name is Maria and she is about my age.  We and Pietro started playing. Can you believe she has a doll just like mine and that she is from Italy just like me?

After one whole hour, a short man with white hair and a long beard started examining me. He wore a white coat, whiter than his beard.  He looked into my eyes and flipped my eyelid with a tool like the one I use to put buttons in dolly’s hair.  It was like the man was looking for something in my eyelid, and had just found that something.  The man started  yelling words I could not understand, but I knew it was bad.   In seconds, about ten men came and took me away from my own brother.  They were talking to me and asking me questions. I could not understand, but I knew one word. It was a word I hated and did not want to hear: trachoma.  Is it really happening? Am I going back home? Am I sick, Mama?

May 2nd, 1901

Now, I am in a dirty hospital, but it seems like I am going to be fine and will be able to start a new life far away from this place.  It has been twenty-four hours since I got to the hospital and I had to drink a lot of medicine, but I finally got out.  It turns out that I didn’t have trachoma. It was just a zit close to my eyelid. These people make such a big deal over a little zit!  However, my journey is not over yet, Mother. I still have to go through a line and it will probably take about three hours until I get to the inspector.

I finally got to the inspector and he looked familiar. He was much taller than me, had a long beard and a funny hat.  He was the same one I saw on the boat and he was still looking at me like I was garbage. It is really not easy being a third class passenger.  Mr. Funny Hat, thats what I call him, started asking me several questions, like how old are you, what is your name,  who payed for your trip, have you ever been involved in a crime, where are you from, and several others. I was very tired when I finally heard the words that sounded like the most beautiful angels singing for me :“you can go now”. I looked forward and saw the gates shining brighter than the sunlight. Freedom surrounded me, opportunity was ahead , and Lady Liberty was smiling in my sparkling blue eyes. I had never felt happier in my whole life. Thanks Mama, so much, for the many chances, adventures and love you gave me.  I will get a job and bring you here.  I promise, Mama. I promise!

Truly, your dear daughter,

Ana

P.S.: I changed my name. You can call me Annie.

2

__________

Claire the Little Devil

If you don’t know who Claire is i’ll give you a clue....SHE IS MY SISTER! duh!  

Well she is my little sister and she is a devil.

She always follows me around and imitates me all the time.

“Hi!” said claire.

“Aww hii” answered Sophia and Mary at the same time.

There is another thing that bothers me. My friends love Claire they think she is so cute.

“Hey Claire...I thought you were supposed to be at Annie’s House” I said not sounding sooo happy.

“Hi Julie! Annie got sick but i’m going to her house next week.” She said sounding excited.

“Great...so just stay away from us ok” I yelled

“No! I need three more players to play pony princess with meh!” She yelled and started to cry.

I heard foot steps.  My mom was coming...

“Girls! What is happening?” Yelled my mom as she saw Claire crying.

“Julie pushed meh!” Claire sniffled.

“I did not!” I yelled.

“she didn’t Mrs.Andrews” said Sophia sounding like she was about to cry too.

“Really...”My mom said trying to remember Sophia’s name

“My name is Sophia Mrs.Andrews”

“Nice to meet you Sophia have fun girls!”-And mom walked away making Claire very confused.

Hello, my name is Julie. I live in California and now

I am in Fifth Grade! In case you don’t know today

is the first day of school! I am so excited! So I am

going to stop this introduction and start my story,

because even I am getting bored.

''Good morning students!''- said my new teacher as

I arrived at school.  ''My name is Ms. Heartfield".

Ms. Heartfield was a wierd type of teacher. Not bad wierd

good wierd, but wierd. She had a long curly gold hair tied

up in a braid. She wore a blue dress and her jacket was

white. She looked like the queen of the sky.  (mrs.HP)

''Good morning Ms. Heartfield!"-We all said at the

time. That really bothered me. The whole class being

forced to imitate me everyday.

“Students, today you are going to write a letter to the kindergartners!” said Mrs. Heartfield “You are going to tell them how is it like to be a East Elementary school student”.

 Great what am I supposed to write? I can’t remember what it was like being a kindergartner. Obviously that was a long time ago.  (kp)

 In my first day of school in fifth grade I was already mad. How am I supposed to write a detailed five paragraph letter to a six year old?

Just when I finished that thought a strange girl raised her hand her hair was long and brown, her eyes were a dirty yellow color. I couldn’t see her face since she was sitting far from me  but i could tell she was worried.  “Mrs. Heartfield.”- She mumbled with a strange accent- “I am new here and i don’t really know what is like to be a east student.”

Suddenly every single eye in the classroom focused on her and i could tell she got even more nervous than before.

 “Well...we could figure something out...Who would like to volunteer to show the school to...” Mrs. Hartfield said before she looked in her notebook to see the girl’s name “who would like to show the school around to Sophia?” Silence was established not a single soul dared to raise its hand.

 “Well I guess I have to pick random”-She announced-”Ms.Julie Andrews would you like to volunteer?”

That was me. What was I supposed to say? No? Of course I don’t want to show the school to a new girl but I can’t hurt her feelings.

“Yeah, Sure.” -I said.

“Good, now lets start those letters.”-said Mrs. Heartfield.

 I looked at the girl she was looking at me with those big thank you puppy eyes.

I wrote some of my letter before the bell rang. Maybe a paragraph or two. Well I was so excited I was finally going to see my friends.

I walked out the door but something felt weird. Someone was following me. I turned around and saw big brown eyes.

“Sophia! Hi! Why are you following me?”

“Hmm...I thought you were going to show me the school”-she said. I wasn’t sure. But it looked like she was about to cry.

“Yeah ok...Where do you want to go first?”

“Can you show me your friends?”

“My friends?ok”

Awesome I would get to do my “assignment” while I hung out with my friends!

I spotted Mary she was my best friend since forever. Her mom was my mom’s best friend so we knew each other since we were babys.

“Julie!”

“Mary!”

We both screamed while we hugged each other.

Sophia just stood there. Motionless

“Who is that?”-asked Mary pointing at Sophia.

“That is Sophia”-I answered-”She is new here”

“Awesome! Can I help you show her around?”

“Ye..” I tried to say but I was interrupted.

“Yessss!” said Sophia

“Greaty!” But the bell rang.

“Aww! I have to go to class but see you at lunch!”

“Bye!” Me and Sophia said As we walked back to Mrs.Heartfields class.

“Welcome back class!” announced Mrs. Heartfield “Lets continue those letters.”

I continued my letter. How boring was it? Lots of boring.

I kept staring at Sophia to check how she was doing.

I kept wondering where she was from. She wasn’t from the United States. Maybe she was Italian. Sophia is a Italian name right?

But what most bothered me was that I had no idea what to write to a kindergartner. I mean if I was a kindergartner I would like to read a letter from a fluffy bunny that has a collection of rainbows.

But I am pretty sure that is not what Mrs. Heartfield wants me to write to them.

  So I wrote my letter with the easiest and funnest words:

Dear Kindergartner,

Welcome to East Elementary School!

My name is Julie and I am a fifth grader.

But I was a Kindergartner before and I know what it feels like to try making new friends.

Its hard but I’m going to give you a tip:

Try meeting that like the same things as you do and don’t be afraid to talk.

And always remember to try new things.

-Julie

Ps: If you are a girl I can tell you stories about a fluffy bunny that has a collection of rainbows.

The bell rang and it was time to go home.

“Nice meeting you! Students I hoped you liked your first day of Fifth grade. See you Tomorrow. No homework today!”

I took Sophia and Mary home so we could have a playdate.

But as soon as I knocked on the door a Little Devil appeared.