COOL KIDS CLUB

MARKER FINGERS
a handmade map of a big, wide, colorful world that is mine
twirling mini tridents and eating spaghetti that is secretly mermaid hair
pop! pop! pop! through bubble wrap
blowing bubbles through the soap in between my hands

GLITTER KID
gold glitter and colored beads in bob cuts
tippy-toe to be tall enough to ride roller coasters
eating Happy Meals for the coolest Pokémon toys
real tears when the last Hey Arnold! movie got cancelled

LI’L BUDS
fairy seeds from the dollar store
daily care and love for six Nintendogs
Animal Crossing: an introduction to economics and life itself
height marks on a doorway

PLAYER 1, PLAYER 2, PLAYER 3
imaginary friends and older siblings with chocolate fingers from eating Wonder Balls
green army men on a balloon parachute at the top of the staircase
growing long hair like Rapunzel’s to reach the floor from the top bunk bed
a mountain of tater tots and dinosaur nuggets after swimming and tennis lessons


glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling
a nightlight in the corner that dims from overuse
bedtime stories that explore the nooks and crannies of the entire solar system
starry neverland kisses and sleepy doe eyes

—By Jelena B., 16, California