Judith Otibho Atambi

Children’s Writing Sample (500 words) Title: The Little Cloud Who Wanted to Travel Once upon a time, in a bright blue sky, there was a small, fluffy cloud named Puff. Puff was not like the other clouds, who loved staying in one spot and drifting lazily in the breeze. No Puff wanted to see the world. “Why stay here when there are mountains, oceans, and forests to explore?” Puff wondered. So one morning, Puff gathered all their courage and let a strong wind carry them away. First, Puff floated over a wide, green forest. The trees stretched their branches up as if waving hello. A family of birds nested below, and their little chicks chirped, “Look! A cloud is saying hi!” Puff giggled and sprinkled a tiny rain shower just for them. The birds flapped their wings in delight. Next, Puff drifted over a sparkling ocean. The waves crashed and roared, and a pod of dolphins leaped out of the water. “Come play with us!” they squeaked. Puff tried to bounce on the waves like the dolphins, but clouds can’t jump—so instead, Puff made a rainbow appear over the water. The dolphins cheered! Then, Puff reached a tall, snowy mountain. The wind here was chilly, and Puff shivered, turning a little gray. A wise old eagle perched on a cliff looked up and said, “Little cloud, are you lost?” “Oh no,” Puff replied. “I’m exploring! But… I do miss my home.” The eagle smiled. “The sky is big, but it always leads back to where you belong.” Puff thought about this. The adventures had been wonderful, but now Puff felt a little lonely. Maybe home wasn’t so boring after all. So Puff let the wind carry them back to their own patch of sky. The other clouds gasped as Puff returned. “You’re back!” they cried. “Tell us everything!” Puff swirled happily, sharing stories of forests, oceans, and mountains. And from that day on, Puff still loved to travel—but always returned home to rest, knowing the best adventures are even better when you have friends to share them with. The End. Why This Works for Children: 1. I used simple and engaging Language. Short sentences and playful words such as "Puff," "giggled," "sprinkled”, keep young readers hooked. 2. I employed the use of Vivid Imagery. Describing forests, oceans, and mountains to help spark imagination. 3. The Gentle Lesson. The story subtly teaches about curiosity, bravery, and the comfort of home.