Winner: Science Fiction

Of all the genres Jocelyn has read, science fiction has to be the least known to her and she is excited to start thinking about writing this type of story! 

First step is to read some age appropriate science fiction books to become more familiar. Of course, her brother has read and watched a lot of Star Wars, and she's an avid watcher of Phineas and Ferb, which has some sci fi elements, but beyond that she isn't really drawn toward books about aliens and outer space.  I've read some dystopian novels but I'm also not really into sci fi, as much as historical fiction or realistic fiction. 

Here are some Sci Fi books I found that might be worth checking out:

Pi in the Sky by Wendy Mass

Zita the Space Girl by Ben Hatke

Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Found (The Missing Book 1) by Margaret Peterson Haddix

There are some other classics I can think of, like A Wrinkle in Time and The Secret of NIHM (of which I've only seen the movies, can you believe it?!) 

What are some of YOUR favorite science fiction books/movies? Please share them in the comments! We'll let you know what we decide to read first. 

Book Genres

As part of her American Heritage Girls badge called "Book Adventurer", Jocelyn learned about different book genres. She thought it would be a cool idea to list the genres she learned about on her blog and have her readers vote on which genre she should try to write next! The list only includes genres that would be relatively new for her to write. 

Please put your vote in the comments!

1. Realistic Fiction
2. Historic Fiction
3. Traditional (retelling of a folk tale, fairy tale)
4. Science Fiction
5. Mystery
6. Informational (non-fiction)
7. Poetry

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 15

Back in the Cotton Candy Clouds, Collie and Mystery were still discussing how to rescue the princesses. 

“Mystery! We need more help... it’s only the two of us. Let’s ask Snowball to help! I’ll go in my secret meeting room, and you get Snowball. Fly him up here!” 

Mystery picked up Snowball with his claws, gently, and flew him up to the Cotton Candy Clouds. It was time to have a meeting. 

 

Still stuck in the prison of Lord Licorice, Charlotte thought Mystery had forgotten about them. 

“We have to get Avery or Marista or someone else to help!” said Charlotte.  

“Maybe we should just stay here and wait for Mystery,” said Kate. Kate was confident in her feathered friend.

Charlotte doubted this, but Lea patted her best friend Kate on the shoulder. 

Charlotte said, “I know my sister and she will find a way. I’ll try to call them!” 

Charlotte dug around in her pocket and found a whistle from school. She won the whistle blowing contest for being the loudest. Charlotte blew her whistle so hard it could be heard all around CandyLand!

“What is that sound!” said Collie, shutting her ears with her fingers. Mystery was startled as well. 

The Queen and the others could hear the whistle, too. They all lined up outside and marched with sweet drums to Lord Licorice. The army of Oreo-men led the way, marching to the palace. When they arrived, Avery used her imagination to build a treehouse to guard all the royals from Lord Licorice, with windows they could see out. 

Then Marista said, “We need a distraction and something to lure him out! Avery – make a giant!” 

Avery imagined a giant. The giant was huge and had a bald head and one eye, wearing ragged animal skin and carried a club. He was a cyclops! He swung his club at Lord Licorice’s fort and started to smash it! It was very wobbly. 

The four girls, stuck inside of the tower, wobbled back and forth. “Doesn’t it feel strange, like we are on a boat or something?”

They looked out of the window and were face to face with the one giant eye! Fearless Rachel said, “If we climb onto the giant’s nose, he can give us a lift down!” Rachel was so brave she climbed on his nose and held onto the nostril. When he breathed out, she felt like a tornado was hitting her. “I’m going to need a bath when I get home!” she said, as the giant tried to wiggle her off of his nose. Avery made him cooperate with her imagination and made him put her down on the ground. One at a time, they did the same. Finally, it was Kate’s turn. 

Collie saw what was happening from above and said, “Oh no, Mystery! A giant is grabbing your friend!” She flew down and punched it in the eyeball. Mystery and Snowball also attacked the giant. 

“No, don’t!” said Kate, who couldn’t stand to see anyone hurt. She fell off! Collie flew down, caught her and safely set her down. Then Avery imagined it snowing jellybeans! The cyclops faded away into dust that sparkled around into falling colorful jellybeans.

 

The princesses were saved! They all decided to celebrate at the fort! Suddenly, Lord Licorice came out of his hideout, despaired. “I will stop you all for good!” he yelled.

“No, you won’t!” said the Queen. The Queen took Rose’s hand, then Rose took Rachel’s hand and smiled up at her. Charlotte held Avery’s hand. Lea and Kate held hands with Mystery’s wing and Snowball’s paw. All the princesses, royals and leaders of CandyLand gathered too, and joined hands creating a big circle surrounding Lord Licorice and his minions. “No!” he cried, and disappeared in a burst of sparkles.

 

Back at the palace, the 5 friends were officially crowned princesses. 

The Queen crowned Rachel the Princess of Bravery. 

Kate was crowned Princess of Kindness, Charlotte the Princess of Power, Lea the Princess of Love and Avery was the Princess of Imagination. 

The crowns were big, beautiful and had special jewels at the top. 

Collie was crowned Princess of the Cotton Candy Clouds, officially, and was very excited to finally be noticed. They feasted and partied until Rachel began to feel homesick.

Rachel said, “I want to go home.” The Queen looked at her longingly, then winked at Avery and said, “Just wish for the jewels to take you here, or home, and they will take you anywhere you want to go!” 

So the girls wished for the jewels to take them home. From Candyland’s view, they disappeared into sparkly dust – each a different color! They were all finally home.

 

Since Avery was sworn to secrecy, Rachel didn’t know her true identity. But one year later, Avery told her the secret. Rachel knew she had to go back to Candyland to find out more... 

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 14

Mystery flew into the Cotton Candy Clouds and saw a little cottage in the clouds. Collie was flying at the front entrance. Collie was a beautiful fairy, roughly the same size as Avery, with delicate sugar wings with a cotton candy dress which looked like it was made out of cotton. Her pink and blue hair was in two buns. She had a broad smile and purple eyes. 

“Hello, Mystery!” She hugged him and they danced in the air. 

“My friends are stuck in a dungeon of Lord Licorice!” said Mystery. 

“We will be the fabulous two, Collie and Mystery, who save the day!” said Collie. 

“Collie, you’re bigger than me so you can probably carry them out!” said Mystery. 

 

Meanwhile, Avery had trouble coming her way. Cherriline, Lolli, and Rose were in a boat, with Avery paddling through milk to the Cookie Islands. The Cookie Islands were made of four different islands. The biggest one was the Island of Snickerdoodle. There were three other smaller islands: Sugar Cookie Island, Chocolate Chip Island, and Rainbow Sprinkles Island. 

Rose looked frightened. So did the others! 

“Why are you so frightened?” said Avery. 

“Chief Co-Keeta can make a mess,” said Cherriline. “Milk melts and runs down my Icecream Mountains into the Chocolate Milky Way on the west side and the White Sea on the east side. A Milky River connects them to the south. One time, Rainbow Sprinkles Island was floating away from the White Sea to the Milky Way down the river. It crashed into the side of one of my mountains and the icecream got runny and when it ran down, the palace fell and the cone looked a mess! It took us 8 years to redo the palace!”

“We’re here!” said Rose. There was a pretty beach on the giant Cookie Island of Snickerdoodle. The sand was made of snickerdoodle crumbs and there were candy seashells lining the sandy beach. A brown-skinned girl with black hair, who had feathers in her hair and a dress weaved out of grass, was standing there. She held a staff and wore a shark-tooth necklace and wasn’t wearing shoes.  She looked like a warrior. She was Chief Co-Keeta! 

“Why have you come to the Cookie Islands?” she said. “You know about the agreement.”

“No matter the agreement!” said Cherriline. 

“Princess Rose is my name, of the Candy Gardens! I am the Queen’s daughter and Lord Licorice has captured the lost princess, and three other princesses! Will you help us fight?” 

“Why should I have to help fight if I don’t even know these people?” said Co-Keeta. Co-Keeta only cared about the people of the Cookie Islands. Chief Co-Keeta only became chief of the Snickerdoodle Island recently after her father crashed his boat on his way to the Chocolate Chip Island. 

Rose had an idea. “Afterwards, we will work for you for one month.” 

“Alright, have it your way,” Chief Co-Keeta said. “First, let me show you my village!” 

“But we’re really in a rush!” said Avery. “When we come back to work for you for a month, then you can give us the big tour!” 

“Alright,” she frowned. “Let’s go.

They paddled back to the main land and went to the palace. Marista the mermaid was already there with the Lollipop Princess, Princess Gumdrop and Mayor Ginger. 

“Rose, darling,” said the Queen. “I’m glad you’re ok! We will all sit down and have a meeting to plan the rescue of the princesses.”

 

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 13

“I’m going to use my power to speak to animals so I can alert Mystery and Snowball to come save us!” exclaimed Kate. “I just need a way to an open place so they can hear me from outside.”

“I have an idea,” said Lea. “I can try to find another secret passageway, pick a lock and get to a window.” 

“But you don’t have your paperclip to pick the lock,” said Rachel. The bats glided over them, flapping their webby wings in their faces. “We need to find a passageway quick!” 

Rachel looked at the lock from the other secret passageway and told Lea to pick it. They would send the bats and bugs away from her while she worked. “Um, Charlotte? I could use that hairbrush right now!” said Rachel.

Charlotte brought out the hairbrush from her pocket and gave it to Rachel. Rachel was going to use it to whack the bats and squish the bugs down flat! 

But Kate yelled, “Stop! Let’s just compromise!” She began to talk to the bats. “My dear, sweet, non-blood-sucking bats... do you know some secret passageways? Could you go alert Mystery the Owl to come save us?” 

Then the bats flew up to the top of the jail cell. At the top of the tower, there was a small hole. It was too small for the friends to fit through but they knew the bats could! The bats squeezed through the hole. 

“I hope this works!” said Lea.

Rachel looked down and saw bugs climbing on her shoes. 

“Ok, little buggies... can you please go back to your homes and not climb on my friend’s shoes?” asked Kate. The bugs started to crawl off single file and climb into a nearby hole.

“Wow!” said Rachel. “Your power really does work, Kate!” 

Charlotte found a pink paperclip with a purple bow in her pocket and gave it to Lea. It reminded her of her sister Avery, who loved the color purple. Charlotte wondered where Avery was now. She kicked herself for not giving her the notebook paper to track her progress in this strange Candyland.

“Wait, we don’t have to pick the lock,” said Lea. She took off the bow. This bow was something special. On the end of the bow was a key and it fit the lock perfectly! 

“How was that in your pockets?” said Rachel. 

“I don’t know,” said Charlotte. “I pick up random things all the time!” 

They used the key and shut the door. Their hair was ratty, so they took turns brushing one another’s hair. 

“Time to pick another lock,” said Lea, “Or, just use the key?” 

She used the key and it worked! She opened the window in the next room and Kate called “Mystery, Mystery!” She kept calling him. “Snowball, are you there?” she called. 

 

The bats swarmed toward the passageway from outside. Mystery was following them. Then the friends saw the colorful owl fly into the building and fly toward them. 

“Mystery, you’re here! Get us out of here!” said Kate. Mystery was so glad to be reunited with his person.

He said, “I can fly you out of here one at a time. Kate first.” 

But they were too heavy. Mystery could not fly them out, and no matter how many bats that tried to help him, they couldn’t get them out.  

Mystery said, “I’ll get help,” and flew to tell his friend Collie of the Cotton Candy Clouds that the girls were in danger.

Queen of Candyland Theme Song

 

Jocelyn playing the theme song she wrote for the Queen of Candyland! 

If you'd like to play it, too, click here for the music!

Lord Licorice Theme Song

 

A character needs a theme song! 

Here is Jocelyn playing the theme song she wrote for Lord Licorice. 

If you'd like to give it a try, click here for a link to the music!

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 12

Back in Lord Licorice’s prison, Rachel was trying to think of a way out of the chamber that was really uncomfortable. There were bugs on every surface, and bats that tried to suck their blood! Rachel was hiding in a secret passageway she had found. It had a little door that kept them away from the bats and bugs.  She pulled Charlotte, Kate and Lea there with her. It was tiny, but it worked. It had a little lantern inside. Lea was picking the lock of another tiny door in the back of the passageway, trying to see if it was a way out! 

Lord Licorice sent his minion in to check on them. He looked around and didn’t see them anywhere! He told Lord Licorice they had escaped! Lord Licorice was mad! But they hadn’t really escaped; they were just hiding in the secret passage way! 

Lea had some exciting news; she managed to pick the lock! She crawled inside the door. There was a window. “We could climb out the window!” said Lea. 

Rachel said, “Charlotte, we need a rope!” 

Charlotte’s pockets had always been the black hole... she had lots of things in her pockets and if she just went in there, she could find just about anything. She pulled out a piece of gum and handed it to Kate to chew on. She found a hair brush. She also found a bright pink rope that Avery had spray-painted and covered with bows for a birthday present. Charlotte hoped Avery was ok. She handed the rope to Lea and Lea put it through the window and helped her friends get through so they could come down the tower with her. 

They all crawled out, Lea first, grabbing hold of the rope climbing downward. When she had gone about halfway down the rope, she called Rachel to climb down. When Rachel was halfway, and Lea was at the bottom, Charlotte climbed down. When Charlotte was in the middle, Rachel and Lea were at the bottom and Kate climbed down all the way. But they were not out yet... they were still in Lord Licorice’s fort. They just weren’t in the prison anymore!

They ran through the halls. Lea took out her pick to pick a lock that led outside of the fort, but it would not work! 

Lord Licorice creeped behind them. He grabbed a hold of all four of the girls’ capes and stared into their souls with his purple eyes. 

“Well, well, well,” he said in a crinkly voice. “You thought you were going to get out so easily!” 

His minions, pink and blue cotton candy robots with spears and jet-packs so they could fly, surrounded them. The minions took hold of their arms and trailed them back to their cell. They were so discouraged as they watched Lord Licorice relock the secret passageway and take away Lea’s paperclip. 

But, Kate had a plan.

A Character Deserves a Theme Song

These are the theme songs for Lord Licorice and the Queen of Candyland that I composed, and my mom transcribed for me onto manuscript paper. Can you play them? Tomorrow I'll publish a video of both songs being played on the piano.

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 11

Marista and Princess Gumdrop walked to Princess Strawberry and they took a seat at a table in front of Princess Strawberry. Princess Strawberry had a pink dress, that looked like a turned over cupcake wrapper, with a cupcake crown with a large strawberry on top. Her hair was short pink and her eyes were the color of vanilla cake. 

“Marista!” she growled. 

“We need you!” Marista said. 

“People are captured by Lord Licorice, including the lost Princess!” 

“Yes,” said the Gumdrop Princess. “You have to come with us!” 

“Alright,” she said. “But I won’t forget what you did. We’re still working on construction on that cupcake,” she said with a growl, “but I suppose we’ll need Mayor Ginger, too.” 

“What would be the fastest way to the Gingerbread village?” asked Marista.

“I think I have an idea,” said the Gumdrop Princess. She pulled three gumdrops out of her purse. They rode on the gumdrops and floated through the Cotton Candy Clouds all the way to Mayor Ginger’s tower. When they landed, the gumdrops turned to dust and floated down, settling in the frosting in the Gingerbread village.  

Princess Strawberry rung the doorbell of Mayor Ginger’s tall gingerbread tower. She came to the door and said, “Greetings, Marista, Gumdrop Princess and Princess Strawberry! So nice to see you all.” 

Mayor Gingerbread had light brown skin and was wearing a gingerbread crown. She was wearing a flowy brown dress with white frosting ruffles. 

“Our friends have been captured by Lord Licorice,” said Marista. “Even the lost princess has been captured.” 

Mayor Ginger rushed them out the door and they rode floating gumdrops to the palace.

 

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 10

Meanwhile, troubles were coming for Marista. Marista was on her way to Cupcake Caverns to meet Princess Strawberry. Marista wasn’t great friends with Princess Strawberry ever since she accidentally broke a cupcake when she was a little kid. 

Marista had always gotten into mischief in Cupcake Caverns. She bounced on one cupcake that was her favorite flavor, chocolate. It reminded her of the Milky Way which tasted like chocolate milk. One morning, Marista was bouncing on it and she accidently bounced too hard and made it break! The people who lived there complained to Princess Strawberry and Marista was banned from Cupcake Caverns for good! She was afraid to go back in because she wondered what Princess Strawberry would do to her. Marista needed some support from someone who was loved by Princess Strawberry, and that was the Gumdrop Princess.

So, Marista crossed the long way around Cupcake Caverns instead of going through them, into the Gumdrop Hills. She walked up the hill. The gumdrop wall towered over her. She said the magic words “Bring Princesses”. One of the gumdrops fell out, like she always did. Princess Gumdrop stuck her head through the wall and said “Greetings, Marista!”

Marista explained how the Queen wanted everyone to go to the palace to plan how to help the princesses from the prophecy, and that one of them was the lost princess. The Gumdrop Princess agreed to help Marista win over Princess Strawberry.

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 9

“We better go this way, if we’re going to see the Lollipop Princess!” said Rose. Avery followed her to a beautiful place. 

“Wow,” Avery said, looking at the most beautiful sight in the whole world. Lollipops in every color and shape were covering the ground. 

“This is Lollipop Valley,” said Rose. “I’m friends with the Lollipop Princess.” She called out, “Lolli!” and a girl came out of the bushes with a lollipop crown and a dress made out of lollipops. Everything was made out of lollipops.

“This is the Lollipop Princess but her real name is Lolli!” said Rose. “This is Avery,” Rose said to the Lollipop Princess. “The Queen is requesting you at the palace, immediately! People have been captured by Lord Licorice.” 

“Oh No!” said Lolli. “I will get Princess Cherriline,” she said, walking through the Lollipop forest. “You wait here.” 

Avery grabbed a lollipop and collapsed on the lollipop grass. 

“I’m going to take a snack break!” she said. “What about you, Rose?”

“Good idea!” said Rose. 

Rose grabbed a lollipop and they began licking. 

Princess Lolli came out of the woods. The two girls tried to hide their lollipop sticks because they didn’t known if Lolli would like them eating her grass. 

Princess Lolli just said, “Try the pina colada! That’s my favorite!” 

Out of the woods appeared the most beautiful princess Avery had ever seen. She wore a beautiful crown that looked like a large icecream cone and had flowing icy blue hair. At the top of her cone crown was a cherry jewel. Her gown was long and ruffly with icicles dripping down the ends. 

“This is Princess Cherriline!” said Princess Lolli. 

 

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 8

 “We must summon the Princesses of Candyland. But Lord Licorice will know if we use The Summoner,” said the Queen. 

“What’s The Summoner?” asked Avery.

“The Summoner can summon any princess, royal or leader in Candyland, such as Princess Gumdrop of Gumdrop Hills,” explained Marista. “She is one of many royals in Candyland. I’m one, too! Now you are as well!” 

“I have an idea,” said the Queen. “I will send my daughter, Rose, with Avery to one side of Candyland while you, Marista, go to the other side to gather all the princesses of Candyland. When you’ve found all the royals, bring them back here and we’ll prepare to fight against Lord Licorice. With the lost princess, we’ll be able to stop him for good!” 

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 7

Meanwhile, Kate tried to wiggle free from the licorice along with Charlotte, Rachel and Lea but their tails were stuck. 

Kate said, “That’s an idea! If I had feet, I could easily wiggle out!” 

“Charlotte, I have an idea!” said Rachel. “You need to turn big. If you’re big, with your power, you can get us out of here!” 

“But I don’t know how to become big,” said Charlotte. “Before it just happened!”

“Try wishing to be big!” said Lea.

Charlotte wished to be big, but nothing happened. 

Then they heard something. Footsteps were above them. The sewer lid lifted. A creepy old man was standing there. 

“What do we have here?” he said, in a creepy voice. 

“Um, we accidently got stuck here. Could you let us free?” said Kate, trying to be nice.

“No! You will now be my prisoners!” said the creepy man. Charlotte knew just who this person was. Lord Licorice!

 

Marista and Avery finally made it to the castle and were greeted by a pretty little girl in a beautiful Candy Garden with a statue in the very center. The statue was balanced on a fountain and looked royal. Avery thought it may be the queen. The unicorns scurried away as soon as they dismounted. 

“My name is Princess Rose!” said the little girl.

She had a rose crown and a pink little dress with roses on the sleeves. 

“More princesses!” said a talking weed. 

“You’re not supposed to be in my garden!” said Rose, trying to pull out the weed. “I’ll deal with you later. Right now, I have company!”

“We need to speak to the Queen!” said Marista.

Avery still stood in awe at the weed’s rudeness.

“There are prisoners being taken by Lord Licorice!” Marista continued.

The little princess opened the door to the gorgeous castle and Avery and Marista walked in. The Queen sat there on her throne. 

The Queen said, “Greetings Marista! Who have you brought here?” 

“This is Avery, Princess of Imagination,” said Marista.

Avery curtsied. There was a picture hanging on the wall. It looked just like Rachel! 

“We have found the lost princess,” Marista said. “She’s in Lord Licorice’s dungeon, along with 3 other princesses! We must help them before it’s too late!”

Avery was astonished. Rachel was some sort of lost princess!

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 6

 It was a beautiful chocolate milk river with a candy cane bridge.

“Wow!” Charlotte admired the pretty structure. The bridge was well-built. Then they saw a mermaid. The mermaid had beautiful aqua blue hair with streaks of yellow and was wearing blue scaly top with yellow ruffled sleeves and a seashell necklace. Her tail was blue with seaweed green accents. She was sitting on the shore of the river wearing a seashell crown with a starfish in the middle.

“Welcome to the Milky Way!” she said. 

“That’s what this is?” asked Avery.

“I’m Princess Marista and I live here,” said the mermaid. “Mystery! I haven’t seen you in ages!” Marista yelled.

“You know him?” asked Kate. 

“Yes,” said Marista. “We’re friends! What is that in the sling?” 

“This is another friend,” said Kate. She opened the sling and out came Snowball. Snowball hopped over. 

“I missed you, little buddy!” she said to Snowball. “Come with me! I have something to show you,” said Marista. 

They went near the water and dipped their feet into the chocolatey river. Then their feet started disappearing into the fog of the river and turning into mermaid tails! 

“Mystery, Snowball.. you two stay up here,” said Kate. 

They admired their tails for a few minutes. Rachel’s was a rainbow tail. Charlotte’s was pink. Kate had a green tail and Lea had a red tail. Avery had a pretty purple one. 

The girls jumped into the chocolate milk and sank down. Marista grabbed her shell necklace and pushed it. It lit up to guide them through the misty chocolate milk.

“Now just stay close to me and we won’t get lost,” she said. They swam through until they came to the most beautiful sight. It was a beautiful tower under water! “This is Mermainia! We live in the Milky Way. It’s the most peaceful place in all of Candyland. Lord Licorice doesn’t even know we exist!” 

“Who is Lord Licorice?” said Rachel.

“Lord Licorice is the biggest threat to all of Candyland. He used to be good friends with the Queen until he wanted all of the queen’s power for himself. Once she found out about it, she kicked him out and hoped he would never return to Candyland, but he did. Whoever goes into his place has never come out!”

“Where is his hideout?” said Kate.

“It’s right near us, but he thinks the Milky Way is just junk.”

“How could you think such a beautiful sight is junk!” said Avery.

“I known what you mean,” said Marista. “He’s next door to us. He doesn’t know we exist or we’d be gone by now! I think we should go back up,” continued Marista. “I’ll show you Lord Licorice’s fort. I’m the only one who has crossed through without being captured.”

They swam up and met with Mystery and Snowball. Charlotte wrote down Milky Way Mermaids on her notebook paper. 

“He always keeps his door open at 12:00,” said Marista, “for his sunbathing time. That’s when you have to get by. We only have 20 minutes to get in and out before he wakes up! Let’s go now. I know a shortcut!” 

She pulled Avery and the other girls straight back down under the milky water. She used a tool to crack a seal in a sewer. Marista swam through with them, but they ran into something they didn’t really want to run into. Sticky Licorice! 

Marista wriggled her tail free and grabbed Avery’s hand and managed to pull her out, but couldn’t get to the rest of them before an alarm went off that would warn Lord Licorice. He could catch them! 

“We’ll be back for you,” yelled Marista. 

She helped Avery through the sticky licorice to the outside. “We must warn the Queen!” Marista said. 

They came out of the water. Marista had the power to turn into a human, too, just like Avery! So they both grew legs and ran as fast as they could. Avery said, “Wait! I have a better idea.” Avery used her imagination to summon two unicorns to ride to the palace.

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 5

Avery’s gumdrop wasn’t listening. She floated up into the cotton candy clouds! She thought to herself, “If only I had a unicorn with wings to get me out of here.” 

All of a sudden, it appeared! It was a gorgeous, tall, creamy white unicorn with spread out creamy wings and a gold horn.  It had a blue and pink cotton candy mane and tail and was wearing a gold plated collar around its neck with a letter “S”. Avery jumped on its back and as she looked back, her gumdrop disappeared into sparkles! 

Cotton Candy clouds covered her while she was riding the unicorn, so her friends and big sister couldn’t see her. Avery joined them at the bottom of the mountain but when she was safely there, purple dust surrounded the unicorn and it disappeared from sight. Avery decided she didn’t want her friends or sister to know about her secret power to bring things to life from her imagination. She rejoined her friends.

“What is this?” Kate said to Mystery. 

“This is called Cupcake Caverns, where Princess Strawberry lives in the Strawberry Cupcake Palace,” said Mystery. “The houses here are little caves wrapped in cupcake wrappers with frosting and sprinkles on top! It’s the most fun place in all of Candyland. We’ll have some fun here before we go on. Here is the funnest part!” 

He picked up Snowball’s pouch with his beak and let her out onto the cupcake and she started to bounce. Snowball loved to bounce on springy frosting. 

“We should all try it!” said Mystery.

Charlotte wrote down “Cupcave Caverns” and grabbed the wrapper of the cupcake, climbing up into the frosting and bounced with Snowball. They all joined in! 

“I have an idea,” said Avery. “Let’s jump on the cupcakes across Cupcake Caverns!” 

They jumped from one to another, high up into the sky. It was easy and fun! When they arrived on the other side of Cupcake Caverns, they put Snowball back in her sling so she wouldn’t get lost. They were standing in front of the most beautiful sight.

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 4

“I have an idea!” said Charlotte. “Let’s write where we’ve been on this notebook paper.” She wrote at the top “Gingerbread Town”. This made Lea’s stomach grumble. 

“Let’s get rolling!” said Rachel. “Let’s get up this mountain quick! There must be something at the top!” Rachel was looking ahead at a large hill, which was as tall as Charlotte had been when she had grown big. 

“I know this mountain! This is Gumdrop Hill!” said Mystery.

“What’s Gumdrop Hill?” asked Avery.

“It’s where the King Gumdrop, Princess Gumdrop, and the Gumdrop people live.”

They climbed up. Then they saw a big Gumdrop Wall! 

Mystery said, “I know the way in here.” 

Mystery knocked on the wall with his claw foot. A pink gumdrop fell out of the wall and made a window. The Gumdrop Princess peeked her head out. Mystery said the magic words “Bring Princesses” and the Gumdrop Wall disappeared! Every gumdrop was gone and they could see the town! All of the Gumdrop people were there. 

The girls had human heads and were wearing little gumdrop dresses. The boys were wearing gumdrop pants. There were so many colors of gumdrops they were covering the whole town. Even the grass was made of gumdrops! Charlotte wrote down on her notebook paper “Gumdrop Hill”. 

“The Prophecy!” said Princess Gumdrop.

“What prophecy?” said Rachel. 

“There is a prophecy that says every 100 years 5 girls will come to Candyland and save us! But you’re not going to get anywhere on foot,” explained Princess Gumdrop.

The Princess gave them something. They were pink gumdrops. The Gumdrop Princess whispered “Just tell them where you want to go and they will take you there!” The five girls jumped onto the gumdrops and they all started to float up into the sky! 

“Goodbye!” they shouted as they waved to the people of Gumdrop Hill.

They whispered into the gumdrops, “To the Castle of the Queen of Candyland!”

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 3

 It was a little rabbit! A baby bunny! Mystery said he knew this bunny. Her name was Snowball and she was close with the Queen. 

“She can help you get back!” said Mystery. Mystery asked Snowball a favor, and the bunny said yes to come with them. 

“I must have buried you with my trail!” Lea said, feeling guilty. Charlotte fished through her pocket and found a little red blanket. She put the blanket down and wiped the frosting off of Snowball, then wrapped her up in a sling. 

Charlotte walked with the bunny. She found something on the ground. It was white! She picked it up and it had blue lines on it. It was notepaper! 

“I know where that came from,” said Mystery. “It must have dropped down from the Cotton Candy Clouds.” 

“Collie always finds the weirdest things, though I don’t know what this would be doing in Candyland,” Mystery said to himself.

 

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 2

            “I’m totally going to miss my friend Kylie’s birthday party,” Rachel said. “If we don’t start walking, we’ll never find our way out of here. Kate, ask Mystery if he knows any way to get out of here.” 

Kate asked Mystery. Mystery said, “The only way is to go to the Queen of Candyland. She can do everything.”

“Which way to her palace?” asked Kate. “Are we close?” 

Mystery said, “No. We’re very, very far away. It’s on the other side of Candyland.” 

“Oh no!” said Rachel. “That will take forever.”

“We better get going!” said Lea. 

“We need a faster way to get there,” said Avery. “Good thing I have an idea! Let’s make a sled out of gingerbread. We can slide down the frosting and get down the hill faster than walking!” 

            “Good idea,” said Rachel. 

Yum, gingerbread, thought Lea. "I'll get the gingerbread!"

“No, I’ll get it,” said Charlotte. “You get the frosting and pile it on the mountain.” 

Charlotte picked up the gingerbread with one hand without feeling weak. Charlotte was usually strongest, because she was the oldest, but she wasn’t normally this strong! 

Lea was making frosting snowballs and throwing them at Kate. 

“Come on, guys, we’re about to go down the hill!” said Charlotte. She brought the gingerbread down and they all sat down on it. 

The frosting was like a road. Then Rachel dug her hands in the frosting and they all started sliding. Mystery flew ahead of them down the mountain. 

Lea waved goodbye to the gingerbread town. “Too bad we have to leave so soon. I was so hungry,” Lea said. 

“You can’t eat their houses!” said Avery. 

Gingerbread was Lea’s favorite cookie. She started to eat their sleigh! It got smaller and smaller! Soon, Avery fell right off! Avery ran, trying to keep up with them but the sleigh was too fast and Avery was left behind. 

“Lea!” yelled Rachel. “You just ate the gingerbread sleigh! Now we can’t find a faster way to get to the Queen because Avery has all the good ideas! It will take us even longer to get home!”

“Avery!” yelled Charlotte, who was in charge of keeping her sister safe.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean for Avery to fall out!” said Lea. “I just love gingerbread and I did't want to leave the gingerbread village!” 

“With my power,” said Charlotte, “I might be able to carry you all there.” 

So Charlotte tried to pick up Rachel, Lea and Kate. All of a sudden, something weird happened. She started to grow big! Charlotte was huge! She was as big as the mountain itself! She was like a giant! Charlotte picked up her friends like tiny dolls from her sister’s doll house. She leaned down and picked up Avery and plopped her onto her hand with the other three.

“I didn’t know I could turn big!” said Charlotte, as she shrunk back to her normal size and set down her friends.

“Thanks for saving me!” said Avery, and she hugged her big sister. 

Kate looked down and saw two little black eyes peeking out of the white frosting.

 

The Candyland Big Adventure: Chapter 1

“I want strawberry!” said Charlotte, as she blew her dark brown hair out of her hazel eyes. 

The five girls were waiting in line at the ice cream shop in their town in New Jersey.

Rachel, who had blonde shoulder-length hair, asked, “Why strawberry? I like vanilla.” 

“I’ll take chocolate!” said Lea. Lea had beautiful brown skin with black curly hair that she wore in two buns.

“I’ll take the same!” said Kate, Lea’s best friend. Kate had freckled cheeks and long wavy red hair, worn it in two ponytails. Rachel, Lea and Kate were all 10 years old and had been friends since kindergarten. 

“What kind do you want, Avery?” asked 11 year old Charlotte. 

Charlotte’s little sister Avery was 9 years old, had shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes along with a big imagination. Avery replied, “I don’t know. I like birthday cake?”

As they ate their ice cream, something big and bright appeared. Kate asked Rachel what it might be. Rachel decided the only way to find out was to bravely jump right in it, so she did. The rest of them followed with fear. 

All of a sudden they were in a gingerbread village! The houses were built out of candy canes and gingerbread! 

“Where are we?” asked Kate, and she jinxed with Lea. 

“Jinx, you owe me a soda!” said Lea, before Kate could say it. 

“I think we have a bigger problem,” said Avery. “The bright light is gone!”

Then Kate saw a big owl in the sky. She started making animal calling sounds and it flew down and landed on her shoulder. It said, “I’m Mystery.” 

Kate gasped and said, “How did you talk to me?” 

“I can talk to anyone who is a princess, especially a Princess of Kindness.” 

Kate said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Then they looked down and they were wearing capes, masks and tiny crowns! They were princesses!

“I have a theory,” said Charlotte. “Pinch me really, really hard, Avery!” 

Avery pinched her big sister, but nothing happened. 

“Guess I’m not dreaming!” said Charlotte.