By Shabeeha Raushad (13 years), Ilma International Girls' School

Once, my parents had to go out of town for a business meeting, so I was allowed to stay at my friend Tara's house. Tara and I decided to invite more friends and have a slumber party.

My parents dropped me off at Tara's place in the evening. We had tea and then we prepared for the party. We took five sleeping bags because our friends Mellany, Stacey and Lila were also coming. We made pop-corn and got some orange juice. By 8 o'clock all our friends came. We went out to the backyard to toast marshmallows.

After that we went to Tara's room and played 'Truth or Dare.' Then we got into our sleeping bags in a circle and lit a candle in the middle. All of us said scary stories in turn.

After that we were too scared to sleep because it was raining heavily outside. So we planned to scare Tara's older sister, Natasha. We painted a spooky face on my sleeping bag with glow-in-the-dark paints. Then we all yelled and dashed into her room with our 'Monster.' Natasha was scared out of her wits. All of us were tired, so we went to bed I wish we can have a jolly sleep-over like that again. I can still remember Lila screaming in her sleep.

The weirdest house pets

9 – 11 years

By Thyaga Weraniyagoda (10 years), Leeds International School

While most of the people keep harmless and useful animals as pets, some people like to keep weird house pets such as snakes, crocodiles, elephants, porcupines etc.

Though these weird house pets are very dangerous and harmful, observing their behaviour and
features may be very interesting. Not like harmless pets such as rabbits, squirrels, cats and ducks, it is not an easy job to look after such animals.

Their masters should be very careful when handling them. Snakes are poisonous. Crocodiles are fierce carnivores with sharp canines.

Though elephants are herbivores, it is very difficult to control these huge animals if they are fierce. Porcupines have sharp quills. So if you are a weird house pet lover, be careful of not only yourself but also the others around you.

If toys could talk

8 years and below

By Zeenath Rameez (8 years), Ilma International School

If toys could talk it will be great fun. Whenever I read books like Amelia Jane and Noddy, I wonder what it's like to have toys that could really talk.

It would be wonderful if my favourite toys could play with me! Oh, how nice it would be if I could have tea parties, picnics and play games with them all day long. I will be able to tell them all my secrets and hear about their adventures in toyland. I will take them to bed and tell them stories everyday.