Resources for ages 9-11 in Language & Literature

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Painting by Zekaria Aken Deng, aged 15, Sudanese, Kakuma refugee camp.

© UNHCR/Zekaria Aken Deng

The Party

in Sybella Wilkes, One day we had to run!, (London, Evans Brothers, 1994)

Once upon a time, the animals decided that they would live in one group and the birds would live in another group. So, one day, the animals decided to have a party. The Zebra was the watchman. All the animals came to the party to have a happy time. Then the Bat arrived and said, "Let me into the party, for I am an animal." But the Zebra said, "No! We are animals because we don't have wings." So the Bat left without going to the party. The next day, the birds decided to have a party. The Vulture was the watchman of the bird party. The Bat heard the party from a long way away and decided he would go. When he arrived at the party he said, "Let me into the party, for I am a bird." But the Vulture said, "No! We are birds because we don't have teeth; you are an animal because you have teeth." So the Bat had to leave without going to the party. The poor Bat was not an animal and not a bird, so he could never go to a party. I say: tell the children of the world, we don't want to be bats. We want to find our place, to be either an animal or a bird so that we can be happy.

By Abraham Marial Kiol, aged 14, Sudanese, Dinka Bor tribe.