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Phase: Open Submission

Shopping at Reading Terminal market

Every Sunday, a family shops at Reading Terminal Market. One Sunday, as they make their way, collecting their wares, one of them gets lost.

Photo of Sudha Yadav
15 1

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On Sunday mornings, we shop at Reading Terminal market: Mom, me, my little sister and Portia Piggy-Smith III. My sister carries Portia everywhere. 


We buy fruits, first. 

I look for worms in red apples. 

Mom picks yellow bananas. 

Portia and sister smell orange oranges. 


Mom buys chicken. It weighs one pound. 

Sister weighs Portia.  She is much less. 


Mom tries smelly gooey cheese! Yuck! 

Sister holds Portia’s nose. A delicate nose, Mom explains to the lady. 


Mom takes a jar of slurpy syrupy honey! Yum! 

She loves honey with her tea. 

I am a bumblebee.  I chase Sister and Portia. 

Mom says No buzzing around! 


There is so much food. I’m hungry. 


We watch the pretzel twist. 

Mom gets one. 

I take a bite. Sister takes a bite. Portia doesn’t like pretzels. 


Little sister says Potshaa needs the restroom. Mom says she does smell funny.

 We got to the family restroom.


 I WANT a whoopie pie! 

Mum says we have to share.

As we sit, sister cries and points at Philbert. 

Portia is gone. Portia is lost. 


We go back to the restroom. 

Portia is not there. 

Mom says not to worry; Portia knows how to be found. 


We go to ‘Lost and Found’ in security. 

Portia is there, waiting for us. 


We celebrate Portia’s return. 

Mom gets a salad. 

I get bao buns. 

Sister gets mac–n-cheese balls. 

Portia gets her favourite: falafel.

And we feed Philbert too!

Describe the intended vision for your early childhood book manuscript in 1-2 sentences

This book is to nurture the love of reading with an engaging story. Using simple prose, relatable characters in the familial ritual of shopping and setting it against the bustling, diverse and quintessential Philadelphian Reading Terminal Market, will inspire caregivers, young and early readers to read.

Share your suggested book title

Shopping at Reading Terminal market

PLEASE USE THE VERSION OF THIS QUESTION AT THE TOP OF THE SUBMISSION FORM: Share a draft of your manuscript (250 word limit, not including title).

On Sunday mornings, we shop at Reading Terminal market: Mom, me, my little sister and Portia Piggy-Smith III. My sister carries Portia everywhere. We buy fruits, first. I look for worms in red apples. Mom picks yellow bananas. Portia and sister smell orange oranges. Mom buys chicken. It weighs one pound. Sister weighs Portia. She is much less. Mom tries smelly gooey cheese! Yuck! Sister holds Portia’s nose. A delicate nose, Mom explains to the lady. Mom takes a jar of slurpy syrupy honey! Yum! She loves honey with her tea. I am a bumblebee. I chase Sister and Portia. Mom says No buzzing around! There is so much food. I’m hungry. We watch the pretzel twist. Mom gets one. I take a bite. Sister takes a bite. Portia doesn’t like pretzels. Little sister says Potshaa needs the restroom. Mom says she does smell funny. We got to the family restroom. I WANT a whoopie pie! Mum says we have to share.As we sit, sister cries and points at Philbert. Portia is gone. Portia is lost. We go back to the restroom. Portia is not there. Mom says not to worry; Portia knows how to be found. We go to ‘Lost and Found’ in security. Portia is there, waiting for us. We celebrate Portia’s return. Mom gets a salad. I get bao buns. Sister gets mac–n-cheese balls. Portia gets her favourite: falafel. And we feed Philbert too!

How has this book been informed by early childhood language development research and evidence? (response minimum 250 Characters)

The young characters in the book have been crafted keeping in mind the early learning and development of babies and children. Tier One vocabulary has been predominately used for them to engage in language and reading. The book also introduces diversity and non-traditional families to support their social and cultural development.

How have you crafted this manuscript to resonate with and/or reflect the experiences of those living in urban contexts? (optional question)

The setting of the book : Reading Terminal Market, has been carefully selected to endow the urban context. The shopping experience in such a market with its culturally rich smells, sights, sounds, tastes and the mingling of people is relevant and treasured by those who inhabit this urban world. By rooting this tale, here, not in any shop or supermarket but a historic, living market place run by families and entrepreneurs of Philadelphia brings the story home to the Philadelphian.

Location: Country

India

Location: State or Department

Tamil Nadu

Location: City

Chennai

Tell us more about you / your team

I am a creative writer. When I am not wielding the pen, I am wrestling a feisty, precocious 6 year old at home and in the world at large. I am a firm believer in literacy and its inevitable consequence education. The earlier the better; A tenet I followed raising my daughter. As a writer, as a parent, I know its the stories that you tell them, that stay. The rest fades.

Multiple Choice - Have you been previously published (online, self-published, and print included)?

  • Yes

If yes, please list titles and publications.

The Lipstick Syndrome; Weekend; 27 June 2003 Colourblind; Weekend; 13 June 2003 The Queue; Weekend; 30 May 2003 The Perfect Sunset; Weekend; 21 March 2003 Heat; Young Times; 24 August 1999

Do you have an agent?

  • No

How did you hear about the Challenge? (optional question)

  • Someone in my network (word of mouth)

What best describes you? (optional question)

  • I am/we are creatives, writers, or artists

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Photo of Sudha Yadav
Team

@Melissa Dodd @Dawnnbooks .  I am hoping the illustrator will give Philbert his due and saving the word count for me :-)

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