More excerpts from our first drafts:

"The first thunderstorm I saw was when I was a baby.  I don't know how old I was.  It was night and I was sleeping in my crib.  I started crying because there was flashing lightning and loud noises.  It sounded like a big boom - almost like a car with a loud stereo.  My mom came into my room and asked if I was alright.  I was too young to talk, so I reached up my arms and she picked me up.  I felt happy and safe."  - Kyle

"My mom left for Texas because my granddad is there.  My dad and I packed up to go camping.  We got a HUGE STEAK!  It was as big as my face."  - Emerson

"We parked and I leapt out of the car and gave a huge hug to Mason, a close friend.  His yard was huge and next to his yard was a large, wood biome.  We ran in the forest.  I took a sniper rifle Nerf gun.  We pretended we were clones on Corusaunt, a distant planet in the Kahiki forest and we were blowing up Echo Base.  We ran through the forest and shot targets on trees and then escaped in a log space ship."  - Aidan

"One day when I was little, my mom and dad told me we were going to Story Land!  I was so excited that I ran upstairs to my room, found my suitcase and dragged it to my room.  I opened my drawers and started packing all my clothes.  When I finished, I tried to close it.  It wouldn't close.  I yelled to my dogs.  They came and sat on my suitcase and then I sat on it."  - Maddy