We, the world, need to wake up and feel the warmth of           

                                                             the sun on our backs and the light up ahead (Emma Ross)

     Emma Ross is a kindred soul – an author and a skater. I first met her three years ago, at a competition in Pittsburgh. Back then, the sweet nine-year-old sent me her book. It was a little fairy tale describing bad kids who bullied a girl and a magical cloud throwing candy and cookies down from heaven. I enjoyed the book, and I felt drawn to the girl – probably, because we have so much in common.

     Emma first tried to write when she was six, and since then she has never stopped. Back in early childhood, Emma wrote stories and her friend illustrated them. Younger kids like to add illustrations to their books; for them, the combination of words and images is very important. In my childhood, I did the same.  This time, however, Emma gave me a much more mature piece – a story about World War II called One Light. With sincerity and excitement, Emma writes about a little girl, whose childhood unfolds during the perilous times of war.  I was impressed at how a twelve-year old could write about something that had ended decades before she was born. The story is written from the first person, and you can sense the presence of the author, as though she had been there herself. In my opinion, that is a sign of real talent. A successful story is a true event transformed by the power of imagination; it is a fantasy rooted in reality. 

     Well, I almost forgot about a very important part of Emma’s life, which, is, of course, skating. At the age of five, the little girl first stepped onto the ice. She liked it so much that her mother and she decided to try figure skating. What first was a random fun activity turned into a serious passion. Now Emma practices four times a week, and she is particularly fond of jumping. Her axel is already there: in fact, I saw it with my own eyes! Emma’s favorite jump is the loop, but she doesn’t care much about the salchow. Even so, she is working on her double salchow, and I have no doubt she will land it soon. Emma says she prefers jumping to spinning, but she still placed second at a spinning competition in Pittsburgh. Emma is also working on her novice moves. When Emma is on ice, she moves with confidence and determination. Her skating well under pressure can probably be attributed to the little author’s ability to concentrate on the assignment at hand. “I just forget where I am and focus on skating,” Emma says.

     Emma goes to school full time. Her favorite subject is English (can you guess what was my favorite subject when I was her age?), but she doesn’t like science that much. Emma is currently reading Gone with the Wind and Romeo and Juliet (very, very impressive!). With her busy schedule, Emma still finds time for clarinet lessons and ballroom dancing. She also enjoys hanging out with her skating friends. Emma also has a brother, who is four years younger.

    “We get along very well,” Emma says.

     Below is Emma’s poem from her book One Light.

The world turns dark,

I am alone,

They say goodbye,

I say hello,

To the darkest days,

In the shelter,

From the bombs,

And I hope you have a home,

For an hour,

The bombs will strike,

And death will beckon,

But I won’t budge,

The world itself,

Is plunging to its doom,

Yet I know it is to happen,

My mind won’t believe,

My doom could be,

Right behind me,

All of the world,

Will explode,

No one will be safe,

But all I want to do,

Is lie down and close my eyes,

And know that I am safe;

A week later,

I see the sun,

I walk upon the beaten trail,

Where so many others before me,

Have failed to continue on,

Then I see,

The light ahead,

And try to take,

Just one more step,

Yet I fall,

Plunging down,

And no more light,

Is seen from within. 

Well, all the best to you, sweet little author and skater! I hope to hear from you soon.