MENTOR: Joy McCullough-Carranza
MENTEE: Laura Shovan
TITLE: THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY
CATEGORY/GENRE: MG Contemporary Verse Novel
WORD COUNT: 19,000
PITCH:
Miss Hill’s class is determined to rescue Emerson Elementary from demolition, but popular Ashlie Hawk has a secret: Her father’s behind the plans to raze their school. For this class of student poets, it’s a revolutionary year in fifth grade.
EXCERPT:
Notebook
By Edgar Lee Jones
Yo, Notebook.
I am your poet.
I will fill you with words.
I don’t mind writing a poem
for our teacher, some rhymes
Miss Hill will feature
in our class book.
Notebook, hope you don’t mind
waiting in my backpack.
I know you’re hating
the dark in there,
smells murky as old turkey.
But you got nothing to fear.
After school, I’ll take you out
in a sunny place, tell you
what life’s all about
for a fifth grade poet.
Fresh air, blue sky,
my notebook and I.
History
By George Furst
My name is George Washington Furst.
Don’t laugh. My parents are History teachers.
They met at George Washington’s house,
a museum called Mount Vernon.
Vernon is the name of our cat,
who lives with me and my mom.
My dad doesn’t live with us.
He moved out and took half the furniture,
so probably we won’t visit Mount Vernon
on my birthday like usual
because nothing’s like usual.
If Mount Vernon is standing after 250 years,
why do people want to demolish
Emerson Elementary?
School is the only place
I can count on to never change.
If I’m elected Class President,
I’ll explain to our principal
that buildings can last 250 years.
If I save our school,
maybe Dad will get it:
some things are worth saving.