Extract A: from A Very Special Superpower by Pedro Pablo Sacristan
The neighbouring galaxy needed the very best to help fight the dastardly bad guys. But they
couldn’t decide whom to send. “We have to be able to see the bad guys through walls if we want
to finish them off. That way we can catch them when they least expect it” said the kids with
X-ray vision.
“Don’t listen to them. The only way they won’t escape is if we can go faster than them”
responded the super-speed kids.
“They always fly away. If you can’t fly you can’t be the best superkid” said the kids who could fly.
“None of this works without our power”, responded the kids with super strength. The arguing
carried on for a while until the super-smart kid arrived with another, rather ordinary kid, who was
small, skinny, and didn’t even have a special suit.
“This superkid will solve our problem”, he said confidently.
“Really?” Nobody could believe it. “What powers does he have? Is he strong? Quick? Does he
have secret weapons? How is he going to fight the bad guys?” they asked, getting annoyed and
feeling inferior.
“Well I don’t know what he’s got”, responded the super-smart kid. “But it works.” Everyone
harshly complained, thinking it was a joke, and they all started to shout over each other.
When the kid arrived at the other galaxy, they were very surprised: nobody had ever seen a
Superkid without any powers!
The leaders decided to investigate. They called the prisons and were told they were almost
empty. The police explained that there had been almost no crimes, and nobody had been
arrested. There were so few baddies left that the League of Incorrigible Villains kidnapped the
youngster. “I don’t have any superpowers,” said the kid. “I’m just trying to make people feel
better – I help out when I can, I share my things, I’m quick to forgive, I always smile.”
Extract B: from The Sweet Witch by Pedro Pablo Sacristan
One day the little witch heard that the lousy, old witches were planning to cast a spell on a big
mountain and turn it into a volcano, which would destroy a small town. The little witch thought
about how she could prevent this, but she didn’t really know how to. When she went to speak to
the townsfolk to warn them, they threw her out and pelted her with stones, shouting “Get away
from here, witch!”
The little witch ran off, and sat crying at the side of the road. Soon a few children came by and,
seeing her crying, tried to console her. She told them that she was a good witch, but she didn’t
know how to put her goodness into practice, and that everyone treated her badly. The children
told her that being good was very easy. All you had to do was help others, do good deeds for
them.
“And what can I do for you guys?” asked the witch.
“You could give us some sweets!” they told her, happily. The witch was very embarrassed; she
had no sweets on her, and she knew no spell for making them.
Feeling somewhat encouraged with the trust the kids gave her, the little witch set off for her cave
ready to help everyone. However, on her way, she came across the old witches casting their
spell on the mountain. The mountain had already turned into a volcano and was beginning to
spit fire. The little witch wanted to prevent this from happening, but she didn’t know how. Then a
whole load of magic words came into her head. She said them and, before she knew it, the fire
on the mountain had turned into a stream of sweets. The mountain launched thousands of
sweets into the air and they fell onto the town below.