Original Stories and Poems from Mikie Metric

Original Stories and Poems from Mikie Metric

For Big and Small, For Short and Tall, For Kids and anyone at all

Reading to your children is one of the best ways to instill in them an appreciation of the written word. If children enjoy reading when they are young, as they grow older, this skill can increase their chances of being successful in school, and later in the career of their choice. Reading doesn't have to be limited to bedtime stories, either. You can read the cereal box while eating breakfast; you can read the comics to your kids in the Sunday morning newspaper; you can read billboards while riding in the car; you can read the signs and posters in store windows as you walk through town. There are endless opportunities to expose your kids to the wonders of the written word. This site is one small example.

Click on the links below to see samples of stories and materials available through this site.

When their planet's sun began growing hotter, most of the insect-like residents began taking steps to protect themselves from the rising temperature. One group built a rocket ship and prepared to send the ship into space to find a new home just in case life became impossible on their own planet. A large green caterpillar named Greeple was chosen to pilot the rocket. The ideal planet that Greeple finally landed on was already occupied, so the caterpillar had to adjust his plans

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Harold Hare began playing practical jokes on his friends in Petunia Park. They soon decided they had to do something about it. Find out what the other animals did to keep Harold from playing more jokes.
22 illustrated pages. Story can be reviewed here.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"Busy Lizzie learned to rhyme
Before she learned to tell the time."
And so begins the book about Lizzie Sue and how she learned to make rhymes while going for rides in the car with her father.

18 illustrated pages. Story can be reviewed here.

A few of the books I remember reading to my children include "The Pokey Little Puppy" , "Rocks in my Socks" , "The Little Engine that Could" , the one about the chicken saying "The sky is falling". I have included a link here to listings of many of the country's favorite kids stories:

History of the Grafius Family - Selected stories by Joseph Grafius

Creating A Time Machine: (1999, Joseph Grafius)
After fifteen years of sifting through dusty papers in libraries and romping through a myriad of cemeteries, I've gathered a plethora of tidbits regarding the Grafius family. When I put these puzzle pieces together, side by side and end to end, a clear picture soon emerged. It wasn't a flat, gray, two-dimensional picture, but one that had depth, vibrant colors and aromas. All five senses were activated. Just as H. G. Wells fictionalized the invention of a time machine to transport man back into the past, I realized I had, in my own way, concocted a form of time machine that made it possible for me to peer into the past. I was able to see what life was like in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. I was like a fly on the wall who was able to spy on my ancestors without their knowing it. I rode the ship that brought them to the New World. I invited myself to their weddings. I rejoiced in the births of their children. I wept at their funerals. I fought alongside them in 1776 when our nation was born and again in 1861, when our nation was divided. I paddled up the Susquehanna River from the civilized town of York to the frontier village of what was to be Williamsport. Log cabins, dirt streets, oil lamps, potbelly stoves, livestock in the back yard, diseases, fires, floods, hardwork
, good friends, strong faith and a dream of better days were all brought before my mind's eye. I thought, "if only I had my video camera, then all could see what I've seen." 'Tis folly, mere folly, you may say. But I say, "No, we all have the ability to create our own time machine. For you see, I've only passed on what my ancestors have passed on to me."

Ambush at Indian Park: The Wychoffs and the Covenhovens settled near the place where the Loyalsock Creek emptied into the Susquehanna River, in an area that became Montoursville. This story tells of an encounter they had with an Indian raiding party.

No Place to Hide for the 143rd in Gettysburg: Thomas Lyon Grafius, a many-times great uncle of mine, survived active duty fighting for the Union in the Civil War and moved to Nebraska. Some of his grandchildren moved to California and founded a western branch of the Grafius family.

One Came Back: A Civil War Saga: Daniel and Ellis Herlacher joined the Union Army and joined the march to Fredericksburg, Virginia. Ellis was killed in battle, but Daniel survived the war. He came back to Montoursville, PA, where he married and had a family. His one daughter married Vanderbelt Grafius and became my great grandmother.

One of Williamsport's Great Hotels: Hotel Updegraff: This story has no direct connection to the Grafius family, but one never knows. I found it interesting to learn about the beginnings of one of the landmark buildings in downtown Williamsport.

Greeple the Space Caterpillar illustrated children's story	Busy Lizzie's Rhyming Book illustrated story-in-verse	The Lonely Christmas Tree a poem	No More Jokes, Please illustrated children's story
The Midnight Ride a scary poem	The Face of Death a scary poem	Parody of "She Walks in Beauty" by Tennyson poetry	Lost in Wolf Creek Valley a short story with pictures
My First Motorcycle Hill Climb a short story	The Glass Factory A story of childhood friendship and loss.	The Hume Hunters A hunting expedition after special big game

Absolutely Ridiculous English Spelling	Basic English the Mikie Metric Way
Intermediate English Grammar Lessons	English for Everyday Living