Posted in Young Writers in Action

Young writers in action: Mandy and the idea

by Joshua, 8, NSW

Once there lived three children who always helped out. One was called Molly, one was called Mandy, and one was called James.

One day, Mandy looked in the store room for food. She saw a dog, but no food! At once she knew what had happened. She rushed downstairs to the fireplace where her mother was making the fire to cook the food.

When Mother heard the news she ran to the storeroom and brought the dog to the pet shop. When Mother got home there was still a big problem. There was no food!

“Mother, maybe you can see how much money you have,” Mandy said.

Mother looked in her purse.

“Ten dollars,” answered her mother.

“Great! May I have the ten dollars?” asked Mandy.

“What do you have to say?”


“Yes, you may,” said Mother.

“I can give you twice as much back,” said Mandy, grabbing a basket.

Now Mother knew that Mandy had an idea.

Mandy ran to the grocery shop and asked for two lemons and a bag of sugar. When she got them, she ran to the carpenter’s shop and borrowed a table.

After that, she ran back home and borrowed Mother’s scarf. Then she called the family together and said, “Let’s start a lemonade stand.”

Everyone agreed. Mother found a board and her paints. Then she wrote, “Lemonade” and the other side, “Closed.” James helped Mandy set the stand and make the lemonade. Molly found her ribbon to hang up the sign. Mandy went to buy paper cups with the last dollars.

Honey (photo from by one, people came.

“One dollar, two dollars, three dollars, four dollars…. 50 dollars!” exclaimed Molly at the end of the day (when the store was closed).

“I’ll go buy some oats,” said Mother, “and for a treat, honey and milk.”

“Thanks,” said the children.

That afternoon, Mother fed them. It was Mandy’s first time she had ever had honey. Everyone, including Mandy, loved the treats.


