Johnson County Library is pleased to announce that Anna Grace V. has won third place in the early age group for the Sci-Fi Spring 2021 Youth Writing Contest with her piece "Turkey and Della"
My name is Anna Grace. I am 10 years old and I live with my 2 brothers, my 2 dogs, and my mom and dad. I like reading, especially Greek Mythology and fantasy books. I also like drawing and creating fantasy stories. I hope you like “Turkey and Della.”
The Spectacular Journey of Turkey and Della
This book is dedicated to my teacher; Ms.Westerman, for being an awesome teacher and on awesome scientist, like Magnolia.
This story begins with two dogs named Turkey and Della walking along the beach. They see people jumping into the water with odd swimming gear. "What are they doing?" Turkey asks Della. "They are going to explore what is under the waves," Della says. "We should do that!" Turkey says, inspired. ''Yes, we should!" Della agrees. "Let's ask Magnolia to make us some of those suits!"
They take a picture of the suits with Della's camera and head for Magnolia's house. When they arrive at Magnolia's house, Della knocks on the door and they are greeted by Magnolia, their friend. "Hello!" Magnolia says cheerfully. "Is there something you want?" ''Yes, there is," Turkey says. "Can you make us some of these suits?" Della holds up the picture. "Sure thing!" Magnolia says. "I can do that right now! Come on in!"
While Magnolia works on the suits, Turkey and Della watch a show about the ocean. After a while, Della hears the narrator say that all the coral reefs are destroyed! "WHAT!" Della shrieks. 'What's wrong?" Turkey and Magnolia say nervously. They both know that if Della shrieks like that, it is usually not a good thing. “A-all the coral reefs are destroyed." Della says shakily.
'We could go save them," Magnolia suggests. "We have all the equipment we need. We just need to find the Time and Space Portal, and...:” "What's the Time and Space Portal?" Tukey interrupts. "It's a portal that allows you to travel forward or backward in time!" Magnolia says.
"You're saying that we could fix this problem before it started?" Della asks, catching on. ''Yeah!" Magnolia says. "I've been calculating its locations and it is going to pop up here in about 30 minutes!" "Okay, but when, WHERE is it going to?" "It's going back 2,788 years ago! Certainly the reefs would have been fine back then," Magnolia says. ''Yeah!" Turkey says. "Let's get ready to go!"
When they are totally prepared, they go searching for the portal. After 20 long minutes of searching, Turkey finds what they are looking for. "Guys, come here! I found the portal!" Turkey shouts. Della and Magnolia rush over. "You did it!" Magnolia shouts. "Now time to go through it!”
They all step into the portal. It is a bumpy ride. After a while, Turkey, Magnolia, and Della tumble out of the Time and Space Portal. “Are we there yet?" Della moons. "Yes, we are here all right," Magnolia says. "Let's get in the water then!"
Turkey says. 'We have a problem to solve!" They put on their gear and plunged into the water. After a couple minutes of swimming, they spy a dolphin swimming alongside a beautiful reef. "Hey!" Turkey says. "We could use that dolphins' help!" ''Yeah!" Della says. "I'll go talk to her.
"Hello!" Della shouts to the dolphin. "Hello," it says. ''I'm Squeaks. I'm a girl. Who might you be?"" We are Turkey, Della, and Magnolia," Della says. "It is nice to meet you."
"It is nice to meet you too!" Squeaks says. "Okay, good, but we need your help. The coral reefs will be destroyed if we don't do something!'1 Della says. 'Will?" Squeaks asks. "Did you take the Time-and-Space Portal?" "Yes," Magnolia says. "How did you know?" 'Al of the ocean animals know about it. We even use it sometimes," Squeaks replies. "Oh," Della says. 'You'll help us though, right?" "Of course," Squeaks says. "I won't be much help, but I know someone who will! Follow me!"
Turkey, Della, and Magnolia follow Squeaks to a grass bed. "Rob!" Squeaks calls. "Robt 'Yes?" Rob asks. "Come meet Turkey, Della, and Magnolia! They need your help! They traveled through the Time-and-Space Portal!
They've come to save the coral reefs!" "Oh yeah?1 Rob asks. "My school and I can help with that. We are Bumphead Parrotfish! We eat the dead coral and the algae that is eating it to give the coral a chance to regrow1.1
"Excellent! You can help us!'1 Magnolia says. "Um, also, where is your school? We'll need them for our plan." ''They're right here!” Rob says. 'Andrew, Kiki, Carla, Linh, meet Squeaks, Della, Magnolia, and Turkey. They need our help to save the coral reefs! They came from the Time-and-Space Portal and apparently, in the future all the coral reefs are destroyed! "We will most certainly help," Kiki says. 'We sure will!” Andrew says.
''Good!" Squeaks says. "Now I want you to meet my dolphin pod! Meet Scarlet, Dash, Luna, Shori, Sophie, and Flash. Everyone welcomes them. They catch the others up on the adventure. 'We will deFINitely help!" Flash says. "See what I did there?" Everyone groans. "That was a terrible joke," Della says. "Con we get started now?" 'Yes," Magnolia says.
"Rob, Squeaks, and your friends, your job comes later, so can you help us make the Pollution Protectors?" Della holds up the design. Everyone says yes. Squeaks' pod finds the equipment, Squeaks helps Magnolia work out the science, Turkey and Della put the ports that the dolphins find together, and Rob and his school eat all the coral and plants that ore in the way of the design.
After they are finished making all the Pollution Protectors, Shari's friends swim off to deliver the Pollution Protectors to all the reefs - ALL of the reefs. "We did it!" Magnolia shouts. "Woohoo!" Della says.
'Then what are we waiting for?" Turkey asks. "Let's go to the future!" Magnolia calculates the next appearance of the Time-and-Space Portal where they are, and when the portal is going to. The timing is just right. "It will pop up somewhere in this lagoon in about 10 minutes!" Magnolia says. "I love our plan!" Della says.
"Me too!" Turkey says. "We should be proud!" Magnolia says just as the Time-and-Space Portal pops up. "It's here! Let's go!" Squeaks says. Everyone rushes through the portal. They pop out in the ocean of Turkey, Della, and Magnolia's time.
"Look! Look!" Della says. 'The coral reef is in great shape!" 'We need to keep it that way," Rob says. "Come on Kiki, Andrew, Linh, and Carla! We have a meeting to call!" "So do we," Squeaks says. "We'll meet back right here," Turkey says. "Cool," Squeaks says. "Okay, Della, Magnolia, go with the dolphins. I'll go with the Parrotfish. Turkey says. "Check," Magnolia says.
They split up to go with each group. Rob's school calls a Parrotfish-wide meeting. That is where all the parrot fish in the world meet up to discuss their agenda. Rob asks about a daily eating of the dead coral and the plants that are killing it to allow the coral to regrow. The vote is unanimous! Everyone agrees to help!
Meanwhile, at the World Dolphin meeting, a meeting with all the dolphins in the world, Squeaks asks about eating all the fish that are killing the coral to keep it in good shape. Everyone wanted to save the coral reefs! It was also a guaranteed meal! What dolphin could say no to that?
Turkey, Della, Squeaks and her pod, Magnolia, and Rob and his school came back to the meeting spot very happy. They told each other all the good news. "But... I guess this is goodbye," Della says sadly. "No it's not!" Squeaks says cheerfully. 'We've decided to stay here!" "Yep!" Rob says. "Life will be more fun and less complicated here." 'Yeah!" Squeaks says. "Plus, we would never won’t to leave you guys!" So they all live happily ever after, and of course, have on ocean dance party.