Have a Valentines Contest, I thought to myself. It'll be fun. People are pretty busy with all their various pursuits. You'll probably only get about 3 entries - if you're lucky to get that many - so say you'll pick 3 finalists and you're golden!
(Note to self - have you noticed that your brilliant ideas don't always work out as planned?)
Yes.
Well.
My plan seems to have gone awry.
Did I mention there were 30 entries??? That's THIRTY!
And they were SO GOOD!
So I have done the best I can. I have narrowed it to 6. And a couple honorable mentions. And a separate division for under 10. And now it's up to you, my dear readers, to read the 6 finalists and vote for your favorite by noon on Thursday. We will see who comes out on top!
But before I unveil the top 6, I just want to say that I'm thrilled we got so many entries, and I was so impressed by the quality of everyone's stories and poems! What a talented bunch you all are! I had so much fun hopping from blog to blog and reading your wonderful work! It was dreadful having to pluck you off, one by one! I had to get very nit-picky and really focus on the contest guidelines - appropriateness/appeal for children being the deciding factor in several cases of brilliant writing that didn't make the final cut. So you all deserve a huge pat on the back and many boxes of Valentine chocolates :) Give yourselves a round of applause!
Now. Here are our finalists, posted by entry only, no names. Please have a look and then vote for your favorite!
#1 Love Has No Point
Bill P. Porcupine had a love. Not just any love, mind you, it was the greatest love of all, but it was also a secret love.
“Oh, how I love her!” Bill sighed to himself.
Every day when Bill walked home from school he stopped by the gift shop where she worked. He tried to impress her by making his quills stand on end so he would look bigger, but she never noticed him. He’d then go home and cry.
“Boo hoo,” Bill sobbed.
“What’s the matter Bill?” asked his Mom.
“I’m in love mom, but she doesn’t know I exist,” said Bill.
“There, there, it’ll be OK,” his mom said gently.
“She is so beautifully round. Her skin is smooth and rosy. When she moves, she floats like her feet never touch the ground,” Bill whimpered.
“I think you should just tell her,” Bill’s mom suggested.
The next day, Bill marched to the gift shop with one thing on his mind. He shoved the shop door open, walked straight up to her, threw his arms open to hug her and said, “I love…”
POP!
She was gone, except for the bits of pink rubber stuck to Bill.
#2 Oops! Excuse Me!
On her way to school, Porcupine was certain nobody would be her Valentine. She waddled along, head down, when -- oomph!
“Yow!”
“Oops, excuse me,” said Porcupine. “Ugh! What smells?”
“Me. Sorry. Happens when I'm startled.”
“Oh no! You’re that stinky skunk! Now you’ve made me stinky.”
“You’re that prickly porcupine! You gave me an owie.”
Porcupine sighed. “Who would ever be our Valentines?”
As they dillydallied toward school, Skunk stopped to sniff flowers. Porcupine stuck a puffy one on a quill behind her ear.
They exchanged looks.
Porcupine grabbed one for each quill. Skunk scooted around on them, scenting his bottom.
Porcupine giggled. “You look funny!”
“So do you.” They both collapsed in laughter.
“ACHOO!” said Porcupine. Quills popped out. “ACHOO!” said Skunk. Stink squirted.
They exchanged glances, and then, started shoving flowers into their noses.
ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO!
“No more,” said Skunk, exhausted.
“Enough! “ agreed Porcupine. “You know, I like you just the way you are.”
Skunk said, “Same here. Will you be my valentine?”
“Will you be mine?” asked Porcupine.
The new friends scampered off to school.
Of course, it wasn’t perfect.
“Oops, excuse me!” Giggle.
“Oops, excuse me!” Giggle, giggle.
But it was close.
#3 Scully And Penny: Love Stinks!
“I’ll never find love,” worried Scully the Skunk.
He was a looker–but this skunk-hunk stunk!
Yet he was determined, that whiff-and-sniff guy
“I might as well ask the next girl who comes by…..”
So when Polly the Poodle wagged by looking fine,
He forced back some fumes and asked, “Will you be mine?!!”
“Oh Scully, my nose…it is sharp as a nail!
It just wouldn’t work with your stinky-stink tail.”
“You’re probably right” – Scully Skunk gave her that.
And as soon as he spoke, he spotted a cat.
It was Kitty LaPretty; she stretched out her spine.
He squeezed back some stench and asked, “Will you be mine?”
“Oh Scully, my nose…it is keen as my ears,
“I just couldn’t stand smelling skunk-funk for years.”
“You’re probably right” – not the first time he’d heard,
Then all of a sudden, down fluttered a bird.
It was Penny the Parrot, bird-beauty divine,
He sucked in his stink and asked, “Will you be mine?”
“Well, of course, handsome Scully—been hoping you’d ask.”
“I’ve searched for so long – finding love’s a real task.
“And please don’t you worry, this will work out well…
My peepers see more than my sniffer can smell.”
#4 Underwater Bliss
A shark saw his mark when he spied a wee fish,
‘I’ll have her for my dinner. She’ll make a tasty dish.’
But as the shark gave chase, the stronger his emotion
Changed from one of hunger, to love and pure devotion.
‘Look at how she swims. She darts with style and grace.’
Each swish of her tail, made his ol’ heart race.
‘Your eyes are round and beautiful, your scales are just divine.
I promise not to eat you, if you promise to be mine.’
The fish, who’d tired of swimming, succumbed to his charm.
And as the shark promised, she never came to harm.
But she’s ever so careful when she gives her love a kiss,
Lest those razor sharp teeth of his accidentally miss.
#5 Frankenstein Valentine
Won’t you be my Valentine?
And say, “I love you, Frankenstein?”
Love my ragged, jagged hair?
Love my bloodshot, frightening stare?
Won’t you be my Valentine?
And say, “I love you, Frankenstein?”
Love my grisly, garish grin?
Love my lumpy, warty skin?
Won’t you be my Valentine?
And say, “I love you, Frankenstein?”
Love my stitched-up, crooked scar?
Love my brain from Victor’s jar?
Won’t you be my Valentine?
And say, “I love you, Frankenstein?”
Love my garbled, boorish talk?
Love my lumbering, stilted walk?
Yes, it’s your chance, my Valentine
to be my Mrs. Frankenstein.
What???
G-r-r-r-r-r-r!!!!!
You say that you will NOT be my mine?
Will NOT love this Frankenstein?
Then…just forget this love-fest scene
I’m heading back to Halloween!
#6 Whom Do I Love?
Whom do I love?
Quizzed the cloud-covered moon.
I love the dish that ran off with the spoon.
Whom do I love?
Posed the run-away dish.
I love the silvery stream-swimming fish.
Whom do I love?
Slurped the shimmering trout.
I love the rock-hopping toad that jumped out.
Whom do I love?
Croaked the hip-hopping toad.
I love the waddling duck on the road.
Whom do I love?
Quacked the web-footed duck.
I love the pig on the rusty farm truck.
Whom do I love?
Oinked the curly-tailed pig.
I love the floppy-eared dog that can dig.
Whom do I love?
Barked the diggity-dog.
I love the bee in the hollowed-out log.
Whom do I love?
Buzzed the bumblely-bee.
I love the mouse that lives under the tree.
Whom do I love?
Squeaked the scurrying mouse.
I love the curly-haired boy in that house.
Whom do I love?
Asked the sweet little lad.
I love my momma and I love my dad.
The poll is below. Please vote for your choice of winner!
The poll closes at noon EST on Thursday February 16 so I can announce the winner Friday!
I'd also like to give Honorable Mention to Heather for Daisy Loves Fred, and Eric for Puffy Pancho and Pretty Paulita: The Perfect Penguin Pair.
And a tie in the (hastily added) junior division (under 10 years old) between Isabella for Puppy & Kitten Love and Gabby for How Miss Mouse Became A Door Mouse will result in a prize each which I have yet to determine :)
Congratulations to everyone for excellent entries! Now go ahead and vote! We will all be waiting anxiously for your choice of winner! Thank you all for sharing your wonderful writing!
