Young Readers League “What’s in a Name” Writing Contest
Category 2 (Age 12-14)
3rd place
BABY Kate
by Kaitlyn Chiu
12 years old (Grade 7)
Oak Avenue Intermediate School
“And I say, ‘Hey! Hey! What a wonderful kind of day…’” I sing along with Arthur and his friends as they all dance across the screen. This episode features Arthur’s little sister, “Baby Kate.”
Mommy walks into the room with a book and sits next to me. Over the past few months, her tummy has been getting bigger and bigger! So big, I can’t sit on her lap anymore during story time. She says that I’m going to be a big brother.
I start yawning and rubbing my eyes as the episode ends. I’m exhausted! Mommy places me on her lap and rocks me gently. I carefully pat her stomach and say, “Mommy, is there a baby in there?” She laughs and nods, “Yes Nathan, You’ll be a big brother in a few months.” She readjusts me on her lap. “If the baby was a girl,” she asks, “what would you call her?” I think hard. “Kate.” I answer firmly. “What if it was a boy?” “Kate.” I repeat. Mommy smiles, “I guess we’ll just hope for a girl.”
Mommy and Daddy talk a lot about baby names, but I can’t imagine a baby with a name other than Kate.
I wake up one morning and am surprised to see Grandma in the kitchen. “Grandma?” I mumble, “Where’s mommy and daddy?” She picks me up and places me in my highchair, “They’re in the hospital. You have a new baby sister! We’ll go visit after breakfast.”
The hospital is big with many long hallways. We finally stop at a door. I slowly push it open and see mommy sitting in a bed holding a pink bundle in her arms. She smiles at me and extends her hand, “Hi, Nathan! Come and meet your new sister, Baby Kate.”
Everyone’s name is special. In the spirit of this year’s Young Reader’s League selection, Rump by Liesl Shurtliff, we are holding a writing contest focusing on the meaning of names. In 300 words or less, tell us something about your name. This could be how you got your name, what it means to you, or what it means in general. Anything about your name is fine. Winners will receive a gift card to Vroman’s Bookstore and have their entry featured on the library’s blogs. Additionally, Category 2 (age 12-14) winners will have their stories printed in the next issue of the Teen Zine.
Special thanks to our judges: Allison Hill (Vromans), Catherine Hany (Pasadena Library), Dan Mclaughlin (Pasadena Library), Judy Melton (Friends of the Library), Nick Smith (Pasadena Library), Roy Park (Pasadena Library), Tiffany Duenas (Pasadena Library)