Lola Learns to Write

Lola skipped through the park in her maroon hoodie that says SUNDAY CLUB, her hair in a small bun and pink leggings and sandals on her feet. She spotted a thin, gangly boy with messy brown hair sitting on a bench in a long dark coat. He had a little notebook and a pencil.

Lola waved and asked, “What are you doing?” The boy smiled and showed her the notebook full of words and pictures. His name was Tom, and sometimes he felt a little sad because his dad was working far away.

Tom said he wrote in the notebook to remember things and to feel close to home. He asked Lola if she wanted to try writing about the park.

Lola looked around and pointed: “Tree! Dog! Kite! Puddle!” Tom drew a tree and showed her how to make simple letters next to the picture. Lola giggled when she traced the letters with her finger.

Tom gently helped Lola make big bubble letters and small straight letters, too. Lola was kind and funny and she made a funny squiggle like a smile. Tom pushed his messy hair back and read each letter with her.

Lola wrote her first sentence: “I see a red kite.” She read it out loud and clapped when the words sounded right. Tom’s smile grew a little, like sun coming through clouds.

They added drawings and words to make a tiny story about the park and about a silly kite. Lola gave Tom a picture of the kite tugging on a puddle, and Tom wrote a line about Lola’s laugh. Tom felt less lonely because he had a friend and a notebook full of new things.

As the sun began to dip, Lola and Tom promised to meet and write again tomorrow. Tom tucked his notebook into his long dark coat and waved goodbye. Lola skipped home happy, already thinking of more words to write.