Lucky's Broken Paw by Aliyana, age 8

A cute puppy named Lucky, scared and stranded, lasted 10 days outside in 10 degrees below zero. He was half buried in snow when a worker found him covered in cold, freezing snow. He brought the dog to the vet and then adopted him. I like the dog because he's cute and looks like a really good animal to take care. I can't believe how he lasted 10 days below zero. He was such a brave dog and he was only a puppy!

The ordinary animals we know often touch us more fundamentally than the extraordinary ones we read about. This was clear to me this week in the Lilja students' work. Two children chose to write about ordinary family pets.

The Lilja students are a group of 1st and 2nd graders from the Natick Lilja Elementary School. A few months back I visited with them in their classroom. For the past few weeks I've been posting their artworks and stories on Monday's Beast.

More great stories and paintings from the Lilja students today and a post about a smart heron named Hank.

At a pond on a golf course in Hawaii, a black crowned night heron watches bread floating on the water. He watches intently. Then with a motion so fast it is almost imperceptible, he lunges at the bread. Bingo! Down his gullet goes a duped fish. The fish, not suspecting the set-up, had risen to eat the bread. The heron then picks another scrap of bread from the bank and places it on the water. Again he watches the bread intently for an underwater nibble. Bang! He scores another fish.

Again I am joined by first and second graders at the Lilja Elementary School, in bringing you paintings and tales of real individual animals. The tale I bring you this week is of an enduring bond between two storks. The kids bring you an array of stories and some exquisite paintings. Enjoy them.

I like to tell the stories of real individual animals. To capture their personalities rather than their traits. To chronicle real animals' personalities with my paints and words. I find my stories everywhere. My favorite stories I experience. Others, people tell me. Some come from the internet and some I read. Like the one about the ram and the llama who escaped their pasture and spent a Vermont winter living in the woods.

For more on this story and to see the first fantastic selection of artwork and stories by the first and second graders at the Lilja Elementary School click here.