Illustration by Camilla Franklin
Rolo embarks on a spacewalk in a desperate attempt to retrieve a package from the space post office. Featuring two new stories: “The Raccoon’s Very Hard Choice,” a Latin-inspired song about choosing your favorite food, by Asa, a 7 year old from New York, and “Stepping Up,” the inspiring tale of a senator’s quest to become President of the United States, by a 10 year old from New York named Eliana.
Original Stories
The Raccoon’s Very Hard Choice
Asa, age 7, New York
There was a raccoon, and he loved eating garbage. He was very curious of what was in the house, so that night he climbed up the stairs to the door. “The door is locked” he said. So he walked up the stairs and he noticed the sliding door was unlocked so he walked right in the back door that could slide open and shut. He said, “It’s nice in here!” He saw the refrigerator and smelled something that he’d never smelled before. So, he slowly opened the door and what do you think he saw? Fruits and vegetables, that’s what he saw. “What do those good-smelling foods taste like?” and he ate a strawberry and he loved it, so one minute later he’d eaten four whole containers of them. Two hours later he’d eaten everything in the refrigerator! But then he realized that he also had another favorite food, trash! “What should be my favorite one. And if I choose one I don’t want it to be the wrong choice.” Well most raccoons are smart but this one was very, very smart. He thought about vegetables are good for your body and eating trash helps make not so much trash in the world so then he thought about which one is bigger. The world is bigger than the raccoon! So, to keep him alive you need fruits and vegetables and to keep animals safe anywhere, ALL the raccoons need to eat trash. And ALL raccoons need to eat a STEADY diet of trash and fruits and vegetables. When he got back to his home, he told his friends who told their parents and they let them eat that from now on. And that’s just what they did. The next night the raccoon set off to a new house (he had a hard time sleeping because in the morning, which is when all raccoons are sleeping, the humans were all screaming because they had nothing in their refrigerator, so he was half asleep half awake) he went straight to the back door and it was unlocked. He walked right in, but in this refrigerator it had junk food. The raccoon didn’t stand a chance. He scrambled right out of there. And went to a new house. And he went to the back door and ate everything in their refrigerator and then he left. Then he set off the next night and went close to a new house. He sniffed for good food like fruits and vegetables. He smelled a lot of vegetables and fruits. Then he forgot about going through the back door and instead he went in the front door. After that he noticed that the front door was open. So he realized it doesn’t have to go through the back door and he can try both doors. So he went inside and for two hours he ate. Two days later he found a trash can. He broke little holes in the garbage can with his claws and he climbed up, opened the top and cannon-balled in. And he ate for one hour because the sun was rising. No one really cared because no one really pays attention to garbage. In the future, he will eat trash and fruits and vegetables. And that is the raccoon that made the very hard choice, which was both.
Our adaptation of “The Raccoon’s Very Hard Choice” was written by Jack Mitchell and produced by Brendan O’Grady and Jack Mitchell, with vocal arrangements and direction by Jack Mitchell.
Stepping Up
Eliana, age 10, New York
It is the year 2023, on November the sixteenth. Everyone who wants to run for president is announcing it now, before it becomes too late.
On this day, in Chicago, a woman named Sienna Parker has just turned thirty-five. It is her lifelong dream to become President of the United States. She is a current senator of Illinois. This means that she is eligible to run for president. She pulls out her phone and makes an announcement on Twitter: “Heads up, everyone! Sienna Parker is running for president!”
It is the following year, 2024. Sienna has been called from her quiet house into big, bustling Washington D.C. She has been asked to make a few-minute speech about what she would do for her country as president. “You need to know what you’re going to do, and how you’re going to do it,” the caller had said.
Sienna is all set up, and about to begin her speech. She knows what she is going to do, and has memorized it. She begins with a resounding voice. “As president, I want to give equality to everyone in my country. I believe males and females are equal, and men should treat women equally, unlike the far past.” Everyone seems mesmerized, so Sienna continues her speech, talking about everything she wants to do. At the end, Sienna has never heard a louder applause.
She listens to the other candidates’ speeches. A few days later, people went to vote for the two candidates to run in the main election. Sienna can’t believe when one of the candidates is her!
Her opponent is named Bryan Smith. Sienna does not think that his ideas are good. In fact, his only idea is to keep America the same! BO-RING! Trying to beat Bryan, she writes books and makes even more speeches.
Finally, it is time for the main election results. At 8 pm, Sienna clicks on the TV and pops a piece of popcorn in her mouth. “Parker wins California, Texas, and New York.” the announcer on TV says. Sienna has won the other 37 biggest-voting states, too! Bryan has only won the ten smallest states. “And the President of the United States is…” Sienna leans forward eagerly. “SIENNA PARKER!” Sienna jumps off the couch and cheers really, REALLY loudly. The floor is completely littered in popcorn.
Playlist
Don’t forget! You can hear what we’re listening to each week on our Partyship Anthems Spotify playlist! This week, the songs that inspired Story Pirate Jack Mitchell, who composed our adaptation of “The Raccoon’s Very Hard Choice” and songs that Rolo’s mail journey reminds us of!
Season 2 Posters
Celebrate the new season of the Story Pirates podcast with some new decor for the kids’ rooms! Our season 2 poster features all of the art from all of last season’s episodes. Order yours in our store today!
