Turning the Corner

By Ruozhen Ma

2022 Royal Dragonfly Award Winner

• 1st Place in "Children's Chapter Books", "New Author: Fiction" and "Young Author Fiction"
• 2nd Place in "Middle Grade Fiction"

Turning the Corner is a boo

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skylight Valley Creative Publishing
• Release date: Sep 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781088067703

Ruozhen Ma

Ruozhen Ma lives in Austin, Texas, with her parents and little brother, Hanson. Born in China, she moved to the US when she was 3 years old. She is now eleven and a half years old. This is the first book she has ever written. Outside of her time writing, she also enjoys playing the piano, playing soccer, and swimming.

Book preview

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© 2022 by Ruozhen Ma

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

ISBN:  979-8-9869136-0-5 (paperback)

Imprint: Independently published

Skylight Valley Creative Publishing

My first book ever is dedicated to all the kids out there in the world who are teetering on the brink of middle school, just like me, working hard to reach their own stars.

To my family who make up so many of my memories: my dad and my brother, Hanson.

And to my mom, who accompanied me on my writing journey, encouraged me all the way, inspired me, and made this book possible.

Chapter 1

A Plastic Bird in a Flock of Peacocks

Hi, everyone. My name is Ruozhen Ma. I am a ­perfectly normal girl living a perfectly normal life in a perfectly normal house with a perfectly normal family. I have a cute but annoying brother named Hanson and two loving parents who support me in everything.

My parents are pretty strict toward my brother and me. But we are simply a happy family, and that’s all that matters. I am going into fifth grade now! Time goes by so fast! Hanson’s going into first grade. It’s my last year of elementary school, and I hope it will be a great year!

COVID-19 has impacted us all. Everyone can agree to that. Mom can only work at home now, and it’s changed our daily lives. Shopping online and wearing masks have become the new normal. Hanson and I have been remote-learning since March 2020, and it’s January 2022 now. So, I’ve been remote-learning for two whole years, and I can finally go back to in-person.

Just as I’m dreaming about meeting my friends again, I hear Mom calling me for breakfast. Ruozhen, are you ready? Mom hollers. It’s seven fifteen already.

Coming! I shout. I run down the staircase and land next to Mom with a big smile. Although we eat breakfast in silence, we feel cheerful. The sunny weather lifts our mood.

Hanson is also ready, wearing his lucky blue shirt and rocket backpack. His skin is a dark tan. Some of his friends think Hanson is Mexican. But no, he’s Chinese. Hanson has big, watery eyes, a large nose, a large mouth, and a large head; and everything on him is large except his body. He has a skinny body and a large head. Hanson does look like a clown sometimes.

As soon as we leave the house, Mom jumps into the car and starts making announcements: At school today, be sure to wear your mask; sanitize and wash your hands. COVID-19 is still around here, and I do not want any of us to get infected. Understood?

Yes, Hanson and I say with a groan. Mom specializes in making announcements.

I looked outside the car window and notice a bunch of kids in orange traffic suits that say Safety Patrol. They’re opening car doors to let people out. They wave and thank the parents.

Two years ago, before COVID happened, I would take the school bus to school with Olive, and Hanson would go to preschool at nine o’clock. The bus would park in the giant space outside the school, and students all filed into the school. Now, either everyone walks to school or car riders get picked up by Safety Patrol fifth graders.

As Hanson and I get out of the car, Mom grabs two masks and shoves them into our hands. Be careful, okay? Try not to talk to too many people and keep your distance. We nod eagerly, trying to get into the building as fast as possible. Mom drives away.

Hanson and I part ways. I go to the fifth-grade hallway. The walls have changed. They have new book fair signs and recycling bins, and even the hallways look different! Wow, I whisper to myself, much more interesting!

On my way to the classroom, Olive catches up with me.

Boo! Olive says. I turn around.

It’s you! Olive and I shout in unison.

I jump up and down with excitement. I haven’t seen you in two years! How are you?

I’m very good! It’s so nice to see you too! Olive exclaims.

Olive has gotten taller. Now she’s taller than me. Olive is a girl who gives the impression of being a quiet, shy person. She has thin eyes, a long nose, acne, and a narrow face. Olive is skinny. Except her head isn’t so big, not as big as Hanson’s. You’d probably think that Hanson’s head is a melon. Other than their heads, Olive’s body ratio is probably about the same as Hanson.

I lace my hands through Olive’s. Let’s go find our classroom! We run off.

After Olive and I turn a corner, more and more of our friends show up. Everyone is much taller than before, and most people are taller than me.

Soon after, Olive spots Lavender walking sassily down the hallway. In grand style and fashion, she has dyed her hair and put on some makeup, and she wears some very fashionable clothing. Lavender’s hair is light pink, with chocolate-brown highlights on the bottom. The moment I see Lavender’s blue, sparkly dress, I have a surge of jealousy. Sure, I don’t need that kind of clothing. I mean, it’s a little off. But I still find myself looking down at my clothes. Compared to her, my style is old Grandma. And we’re the same age.

When she walks past, I look around me. Girls with tank tops, girls with crop tops…yikes! Won’t they get dress-coded? But since there are no teachers around, apparently, they will not get dress-coded. As I look at them, I notice how big their feet look. My feet are still pretty small compared to my friends at school. I’m still a size three!

I’m beginning to feel like a plastic bird in a flock of peacocks.

My height hasn’t changed either. I wonder what else has changed inside of me.

After she has gone by, I look at Olive. What was that?

I don’t know, but she usually does look sassy. Plus, she’s getting tall. Olive chewed her bottom lip. The looks she gives you are pretty annoying. Probably because she’s already five feet three inches, and we’re only four feet ten inches. Olive gestured between us. I don’t know about you, but I’m jealous, Olive admits.

I sigh. Okay, I admit, I’m also pretty jealous. But probably not as jealous as you. I give Olive a little nudge.

Hey! Olive complains. We complete the last part of the walk in silence. When we reach my part of the hallway, Olive waves goodbye, and we part ways.

On the way to the classroom, I feel really sad. Why am I still so short? Everyone else grew so much during the past few years, and I am still shorter than almost everyone.

One thing that I am excited about is meeting Mrs. Quill, my homeroom teacher. I’ve heard that she is a super-friendly teacher! I come into the classroom ten minutes before the bell, because I don’t want to be late. As I set my backpack down, I glance across the room. I see a lot of old students, but a few people I haven’t seen before.

Mrs. Quill walks into the room, carrying big stacks of paper. She sits down in the chair at the far corner of the room and instructs us, You guys can first fill out the quilt square on your desk. Later, we will share them, and tomorrow I will tape them together to make a classroom quilt.

Mrs. Quill has brown hair, the color of milk chocolate, and hazel-brown, almond-shaped eyes. She seems nice.

Finally, when the bell rings, everyone sits in their seats. Mrs. Quill first lets us introduce ourselves. I introduce myself to this girl sitting next to me.

I’ve been here since kindergarten. Are you new? I ask her. I don’t think I remember seeing this person in school.

No. I’ve been here since kindergarten, she says, surprised. I don’t remember you though.

My name is Ruozhen, I say.

My name is Orange, she says, smiling.

I look at Orange. She has wavy, shoulder-length, dirty-brown hair and a long nose. Her eyes are almond shaped, like mine. She wears a sweater and a plain T-shirt, the same style as my clothes, and she also looks a little shy.