The Ryans lived in a small cottage with a thatched roof. The family had lived on Maidin Bay on the west coast of Ireland for generations. Nory was twelve, and she lived with her grandfather, her fourteen-year-old sister, and a little brother. Her mother had died in childbirth when her little brother was born. Da, her father, a fisherman, had gone to sea to earn enough money to pay the rent. The Ryans, just like their neighbors, depended on the potato crop to have enough to eat and earn a little bit of extra money.

A member of the English nobility, Lord Cunningham, owned the land and collected rent from each of the families. He made no secret of the fact that he wished all of the families would lose their land, so he could tear down their little cottages and graze flocks of sheep on what had been their small homesteads. Those families that could raise enough money were gradually paying the fare for sons and daughters to sail overseas. Once in America, there was a chance to make a better life.

When Nory's story begins, a terrible disease, called potato blight, is attacking the potato crop. The potatoes turn black and smelly and become too rotten to eat. Not only do the Irish farmers no longer have enough to eat, but they have no money to pay rent to Lord Cunningham's rent collector. For Nory's family, their only hope is for Nory's Da to return from sea with enough money to pay the rent. Even then, they will be desperate to find food enough to get through the winter. But Da has not made it home by his usual time. How can Nory help herself and her family survive?

"Nory Ryan's Song" by Patricia Riley Giff helps a young reader understand why so many families in America are descended from Irish immigrants. Thousands of us have ancestors that came here to escape the terrible conditions in Ireland in generations past.

A girl, who wishes for an adventure,
gets more than she bargained for

Kaci, a beginning seventh grader, lived with her dad, a school principal, her mom, an office manager at a health clinic, and three other kids. Her mom wanted to move the family to a bigger house in a better neighborhood. The father resisted at first, but finally was convinced, when the mom said she was getting frightened to live where they did because crime was on the increase in this older neighborhood. So they bought a house in Lofty Cedars Estates with five bedrooms and three bathrooms - just what a family with four kids needed. The neighborhood was good and supposed to be a safe one.

Kaci liked to hear stories and to make up stories of her own. She especially liked scary stories and movies. Her complaint much of the time was that her life was boring and without any adventure. At least she now was going to have a room of her own. She could decorate it herself and pick the furniture she wanted in it. Things would be more interesting, at least for awhile.

Before they moved from their old house, Kaci and her older brother, Jeff, noticed what appeared to be light from a flashlight in the house across the street. They knew those neighbors had won a trip out of town and were not at home. The local newspaper had a story about their winning the contest. So burglars would know the house was empty. Besides, there was an old van parked in the driveway. Foolishly, Jeff ran across the street to see what was going on. The burglars were scared off but not before Jeff was hit on the head. Jeff turned out to be okay, and was able to report the number on the old van's license plate.

The old house sold quickly, but it took longer than expected for the new house to be ready. The family was gradually moving their things into the new home. One day, after school started, Kaci needed her asthma medicine. With the permission of the school nurse, she walked the short distance to her new house, to pick up her meds. While she was getting the medication, she heard noises in the big new house. There were burglars starting to load the family's valuables into a van parked in front. In fact it was the same group of crooks she and Jeff had seen earlier in their old neighborhood.

A very scared Kaci failed in her effort to slip out undetected. The burglars grabbed her, and, later tied her up and took her with them as a hostage. Now, she was having a real-life scary adventure. How would she escape and save the family's valuables?

A boy from Cuba wants to play baseball
in the shadow of Yankee Stadium

Michael Arroyo is only twelve, but he can pitch a baseball with serious heat. He and his older brother, Carlos, had been brought out of Cuba by their father. Unfortunately, their father had died of a heart attack not long after arriving in New York. Carlos was only seventeen, so the boys no longer could report that they had a parent or legal guardian. Michael had become a star on his Little League team. A coach of a rival team, though, had challenged Michael's age, and Michael had no way to prove that he was only twelve.

Michael had wanted to play baseball all his life. Now, when he had a chance to play, he couldn't pitch for his team, the Clippers, until he found some way to obtain a birth certificate - from Cuba! In the meantime, all he was allowed to do was be a base coach, not a player.

There had been a mysterious girl who had watched Michael when he still had been allowed to pitch. Finally, he met her and found out her name was Elly. His team mates kidded Michael and called Elly his girlfriend. Surprisingly, the girl could play baseball herself, and could pitch almost as well as Michael could. Only later did he find that Elly was the daughter of his favorite Yankee player, the Cuban pitcher the fans called "El Grande."

Although adults who knew him tried to get a birth certificate from Cuba for Michael, they were not having any success. Would Michael have to give up on his dream, just because of jealousy on the part of a rival team? Who could get the attention of the Cuban officials so that they would send a copy of Michael's birth certificate to New York?

You need to read the book "Heat" by Mike Lupica to find out. While reading it, be ready to read a lot of baseball action as well.

Thirteen-year-old Kelci Davis of Cottleville said the St. Charles Pet Adoption Agency building "looks like a bunch of jail cells." She and other kids from Saeger Middle School want to change that.

The kids offered their remodeling plan, complete with a computer-generated design, to St. Charles County officials late last month. They had compiled the plan during the last 3½ months of the second semester.

Their project was part of the Citizenship Education Clearing House (CECH) program from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. In the program, middle school students are encouraged to get involved in local governmental improvement projects.

The kids in Dr. Mary Eckert's class decided to work on the pet center project because all of them have pets, including some they got from the local pet agency. The agency takes in lost or stranded animals and then put them up for adoption.

Twelve-year-old Ann Bowler of Cottleville said she's planning to adopt a cat from the agency as soon as the school year ends.

Thirteen-year-old Nathan Banks of St. Peters said his family got a dog from the center about five years ago.

The kids' planning for the remodeling of the pet center started last February. That's when St. Charles County planning officials gave the kids some details of the proposed remodeling.

However, the planners didn't tell the kids what sort of a budget was set. The kids said the planners also didn't give them very complete information about the dimensions of the building either.

Kelci said, "One of the planners told us they couldn't give exact dimensions over an unsecured phone line."

But, a number of the kids went there individually to look at the condition of the facility.

They also toured a new facility of the Alberici Group, a major construction firm in St. Louis. The company did extensive design to make its new facility energy-efficient and "green."

Improving the pet center's energy-efficiency was a major goal of their remodeling plan, the kids said.

But, they wanted to add to the size of the building and make it "more functional."

The kids all gathered ideas on what they wanted to include.

Getting the various ideas together in one comprehensive plan turned out to be one of the most frustrating parts of the project. Thirteen-year-old Josh Morrison of St. Peters said, "The team divided into two groups. One liked the pets and the other liked the government.

"But, we finally pulled the parts together into a single plan."

The plan calls for expanding the current building to allow for added capacity to handle more pets. There are even some outdoor "runs" to give the pets more exercise and fresh air.

Nathan Banks designed a small "pet garden" where the animals could walk through beds of flowers along special trails. The "pet garden" is behind the main building and additional housing.

Thirteen-year-old Chris Crank of Cottleville said his favorite part of the whole planning process was when the team made a presentation at a CECH "fair" last month.

The two-day fair gave teams from throughout the St. Louis area a chance to show other teams what they'd planned.

Chris said, "It was fun to show to other kids what our plan looked like."

One of the goals of the CECH projects is to give the kids a taste of what it takes to make a local government work. The kids on the Saeger team had some pretty good examples within their own families.

Kelci Davis' mother was a member of the Cottleville City Board. Josh Morrison's father was a county counsel in St. Charles and an alderman in St. Peters.

Nathan Banks' father is the vice president of the local community college.

All of the kids said the pet center project increased their interest in government. Josh said his interest in government is "huge."

Ann Bowler said she likes computers and politics. "Maybe I can find a way to merge them together into a career," she said.

All of the kids had pets at home and some of the combinations were different.

For instance, Kelci has a boxer dog and a cat. She said the two get along pretty well.

When Ann gets her cat from the pet center, she'll also have a dog and a cat together.

Josh said he has a dog and then also babysits his grandmother's dog from time to time.

But, Chris Crank's pet combination seems to offer the biggest chance for conflict. He said, "I have a 14-year-old Alaskan husky and then we recent got a fat rabbit."

So far, they've avoided trouble. "But, we certainly don't put both of them on the floor at the same time," he said.

(For information on how you and your school can get involved in CECH, call the UMSL College of Education at (314) 516-6853.)

Ten-year-old Keenan Peel is just getting serious about long-distance running. But, he's already planned an ambitious project--a solo half-marathon which he's turning into a cancer fund-raiser.

Keenan is a 5th grader at North Glendale Elementary School in Kirkwood. His first lengthy run earlier this year was an 80-mile relay race in Illinois. He completed three relay legs for a total of 10.2 miles.

He and his mother are members of the Belleville (Ill.) Running Club, which competed in the River to River Relay Race across the southern tip of Illinois April 19.

The race got its name from a route that started near the Mississippi River in the Shawnee National Forest and ended at Golconda, Ill., near the Ohio River. The route had varying terrain with some rather steep hills.

Keenan also has competed in some 5K races. The latest was at Maryville, Ill.

This month, he'll start 12 weeks of training leading up to the Lewis and Clark Half-Marathon on Sept. 13 in St. Charles. That's a total of 13.1 miles all in one stretch.

That half-marathon is also a fund-raiser for St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis.

Keenan said one of his classmates at North Glendale had cancer and was treated at St. Jude's. "He's back in school now and I'm running for him," he said.

In the April relay race, Keenan and his mother, Jen, were members of one of two teams from the Belleville club. The usual number of members on the relay team was eight.

But, race officials added Ms. Peel as a ninth, or alternate, member in case Kennan got tired. Keenan said, "But, she wasn't needed and I ran faster than she did."

His mother has been running for some time and, last month, completed the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Asked about the choice of her first marathon, she said, "It fit into my training schedule and was close enough." She trained 15 weeks for the marathon, using the Grant Hiking Trail which is close to their home.

In training for the marathon, Ms. Peel said she ran four days a week and then lifted weights the other three.

One of the reasons for interrupting the running was to make sure she didn't overstrain her feet. "I've broken the same foot in the same location a couple times," she said.

She also decided the weight training would help build her body to offer more cushioning while running.

She said she first started running about 10 years ago. Then, her longest training sessions were about two miles. She started her training for the half-marathon three years ago.

When she broke her foot two years ago, she started mixing lifting with the running. "I thought the lifting might help keep me whole." She said.

Keenan's training will start in mid-June with two days of running at the first of the week. His distance will start at three miles each time and move up to eight miles as the race nears.

The third day of running will be on Saturday, starting with four miles and moving up to 12 near the end.

Keenan is already starting to lobby for longer distances. He'd like to have run the whole 13.1 miles of the half-marathon before the actual race.

But, his mother said he needs to factor in the other exercise he gets in sports.

Keenan said he's a goalie for his PeeWee ice hockey team at the Kirkwood Rink.

He also plays lacrosse and soccer.

But, Keenan also has to set aside some times for fund-raising.

"I'm going to go door to door in our neighborhood and ask for money. Then, we'll also ask friends and relatives," he said.

He's already recruited his grandmother in Carson City, Nev., to put on a spaghetti dinner fund-raiser this summer. Keenan will be there for a time in the summer.

"She'll do all the work and I'll get to collect all the money," he said.

Keenan has set a rather ambitious goal for the fund-raising efforts. "I want to raise $1,310. That's because the race is 13.1 miles," he said.

To help fund-raising, St. Jude's has established a St. Jude Heroes website. Once someone has signed up to run, the hospital lets them use a part of it to establish a personalized site. Keenan's is www.stjudeheroes.org/users/keenan.

Ms. Peel said each runner can then develop his or her own personalized donation pitch to relatives and friends.

When asked what he finds most enjoyable about distance running, he said, "I like to beat my mother's time and also pass other runners." He added, "I had six 'road kill' (his term for runners he passes) on the first leg of the relay race."

Asked about his chances of completing the half-marathon, he thought he would be able to do it. "My mother will help me train and she'll help get me through," he added.

Thirteen-year-old Olivia Threlkeld of Belleville will be spending nearly half of this month in New York looking for a part in a Broadway musical. For her, there is a slight sense of urgency.

Although she's only five feet tall and just entering her teen years, she said she's already been eliminated in auditions because she's too old and too tall.

It's hard to believe the slender middle-schooler could be too old or too tall for any kid's part. But, that's show business.

Olivia said she and her mother, Lisa Willard, are going to be in New York for two weeks in June. In addition to auditioning for kids' musicals, Olivia will be looking for a Broadway agent.

The sense of urgency comes because Olivia soon will enter what her mother calls the "dead years" for young actresses.

"The years 14 through 18 are often called the 'dead years' because the girls are too old for kids' parts and not old enough for adult roles," Ms. Willard said.

Olivia started dancing lessons when she was three. She had her first part in a Muny production in Forest Park when she was eight.

She's appeared in a movie, "Alice Upside Down." Although starring Penny Marshall of TV fame, the film didn't have much commercial success.

This year, she'll perform in a Stages St. Louis production and is a member of that group's traveling promotional troupe. The group publicizes Stages' productions and puts on shows at schools and hospitals.

She has appeared in eight Muny shows and was in the Muny Kids promotional group for five years. Two of the Muny roles were "equity" roles; that's short for meaning she got paid.

Olivia said she saves her acting pay and uses it to help finance out-of-town auditions.

This month, she's scheduled to take part in a joint Disney audition in New York. It will seek new actors to replace kids now in four shows already on Broadway.

Re-casting usually means getting younger kids to replace those who have been in the Broadway shows for some time and have out-grown their parts.

The four shows already on Broadway are "Little Mermaid," "High School, The Musical," "Lion King" and "Mary Poppins."

She said she's also looking forward to auditioning next November for a new musical, "Thirteen."

"Most of the kids trying out then will be 14. The whole cast is kids," she said.

She said, "I had my best chance for a musical role when I tried out for the national touring company of 'Annie.' I got a call back and was one of 16 kids trying out for seven roles. But, the last call back was seven months after the first.

"By that time, I had grown to 4'10½". They had a maximum height requirement of 4"10". I was considered too tall and too old."

She described the audition process for "Annie."

"First, we learned a dance and performed in a group. Then, each of us danced solo. We also sang the show tune, 'Tomorrow,' as a group and as a soloist," she said.

And her last New York audition was last November for a part in "Billy Elliot."

Olivia isn't discouraged. She's planning for college by checking out performing arts schools in the New York area.

She said isn't considering any California film schools. "I like to sing and dance on the stage," she said.

Asked about a "Plan B" career plan, she said, "I'm pretty smart in school and would probably want to become a doctor."

Asked about her best experience so far in the acting field, Olivia said, "The auditions for 'Gritch.'"

She said, "I was called back six times for that part."

However, she said her favorite musical was "Sound of Music." She performed in that at the Muny.

She played Marta von Trapp and it was an equity role, with singing and speaking.

Another equity role at the Muny was as Bielke in "Fiddler on the Roof."

Olivia has taken dance lessons since 1998. Her lessons in St. Louis are at the Midwest Dance Academy. But, for the last couple years, she also has taken lessons at the Broadway Dance Center whenever she's in New York.

She takes private voice lessons and also has lessons in gymnastics and tumbling. She's already qualified as a cheerleader at Belleville East High School, where she will attend next year.

She has been a featured dancer in the Modern American Dance Company. That's a group headed by her dance instructor Todd Weeks. The company has performed at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus.

About the arduous auditioning process, Olivia said, "You're trying for a part. But, I also want to stand out and make the judges remember me for something later."

On the trip to New York, she and her mother also want to know if having a New York agent helps. So far, they've handled all audition arrangements from St. Louis.

How many kids get paid big bucks for doing an English class assignment? Sixth grader Devon Sample did this year.

Twelve-year-old Devon Sample of South St. Louis got an English assignment to write an essay on the subject, "Your Favorite Day of the Week?"

Teacher Julie O'Brien took all of the completed essays from her 5th and 6th grade students and entered them into a national contest. The competition was sponsored by the BIC Co., the makers of ink pens and shaving instruments.

Devon's entry was selected by the contest judges as the 1st prize winner in the company's Mountain Region. The prize was $500 and it was in cash.

And, his winning didn't hurt his relations with his teacher. As the teacher of the winning student, Ms. O'Brien got a $100 American Express gift card.

Principal Megan Bohac of St. Stephen Protomartyr Catholic School said the contest judges said Devon's approach to the essay was "unique." The uniqueness wasn't so much in the writing as in the presentation.

Devon said he decided to write as if Saturday was a person accepting an award before an audience. He said, "I was thinking about an awards ceremony like they have when they give out the Grammys."

He said, "Saturday is my own favorite day of the week. That's when I'm off school, can play with my friends and go out with the whole family."

Saturday is often a busy day at Devon's house. One of the regular features is taking his grandmother out with the family.

Asked what the family usually does on Saturdays, he said, "Go to Bob Evans and to Wal-Mart." That's so his grandmother can have a meal out with the family and can do her shopping, he said.

Devon's parents are Steve and Christine Sample and he has one brother, Bruce, 15, and one sister, Victoria, 10.

Devon said his teacher didn't make any comment when his favorite day was one when he wasn't attending school.

Asked what class grade he got on the winning essay, he said, "I got an A minus."

Devon's teacher, Ms. O'Brien, said she likes to make a contest out of writing in her English class.

She said Devon's winning prize will make it easier to get the students' attention for future assignments.

Devon said English and vocabulary are his favorite subjects at St. Stephens. And that's not just because of his prize-winning essay or the cash. (For the complete text of Devon's winning essay, see sidebar below.)

Devon said his first version of the essay was longer, about 250 words. But, it was edited down to 100 words to fit the contest requirements.

He said, "In the first version, the award ceremony involved giving awards for both a favorite day of the year as well as the favorite day of the week. In the editing process, the ceremony ended up with only one prize-the favorite day of the week.

The deadline for the contest was in January. Then, Devon got notice of his winning toward the end of April.

He said this is his first year at St. Stephens. Last year, he went to the larger Woerner Elementary School. That school is part of the St. Louis Public Schools.

Devon said he considered the move from the public to the Catholic school as the best event in his life so far.