Category: Story Time

Story-Time: Our Second Pond-mas with the Pond Friends!

CW @ The Quiet PondLeave a comment

Story Time at the Quiet Pond. All the Pond friends gathered around, with a Christmas tree in the background.

Today’s the day! Today is Pond-mas!

The Pond looks festive today. Every single plant and rock in the Pond have been decorated with tinsel and magical sparkling lights. You can hear the faint sound of jingling bells and Bao the corgi howling along to a song.

Xiaolong the axolotl waving excitedly to you“Friend!”

By the water, Xiaolong is jumping up and down, calling you to come over. The Pond friends are crowded around in a tight circle by the water. When all of them see you – Gen, Varian, Cuddle, and Sprout – they join Xiaolong in waving you over as well. They look so excited to see you!

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Story Time: Happy Pond-O-Ween!

CW @ The Quiet Pond10 Comments

story time at the quiet pond

It’s the last day of October – and you know what that means? It’s Halloween!

Illustration of pumpkins with kawaii faces carved on it.

You remember Xiaolong telling you to visit the Pond on Halloween in your last visit. You could tell that she was trying really hard not to smile the last time you spoke. Knowing her, she’s probably hiding something, just like the time she and the others pranked you on April Fools.

The Pond feels especially warm and inviting today, the air thick and alive with magic. You can see that your Pond friends have decorated their home with glowing pumpkins with faces carved. Read More »

Meet Sprout, Your Newest & Smallest Pond Friend! [Introducing Our New Co-Blogger]

CW @ The Quiet Pond13 Comments

Text: Meet Your Newest Friend, say hello to the pond's new co-blogger! Image: a silhouette of a pond character, with question marks around them.

Xiaolong the pink axolotl, pointing ahead and gesturing for you to follow.Gentle starlight envelops the world in a soft glow as you make your way over to Xiaolong and your friends tonight. On your way to the Pond though, a soft chirping reaches your ears. You know instinctively that this isn’t a sound that you’ve heard before in your many visits to the Pond. You glance up, and within the blooming shrubbery that extends before you, you notice a faint rustle in one of the nearby bushes.

Xiaolong tugs your hand gently, her head tilting to the side in curiosity, before a moment of realisation dawns on her. “Oh, friend, follow me!” She says, and waddles in the direction of the bushes.

Friends, I have been waiting for this day for weeks and I am so excited that today is finally here! It is with excitement and pleasure that I get to finally announce my newest co-blogger, and I am so thrilled for you to meet her and your newest Pond friend.

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Year of the Asian Reading Challenge – Book Recommendations for September’s Prompt: Mental Illness Awareness!

CW @ The Quiet Pond9 Comments

book recommendations: asian books about mental illness

Hello friends, and welcome back to the Pond! It is the beginning of September, which means that we are now in our ninth month of the Year of the Asian Reading Challenge! (Where does time go?)

In case you haven’t heard, myself and three brilliant book bloggers (Lily, Shealea, and Vicky) are hosting the Year of the Asian Reading Challenge (or YARC!), a year-long reading challenge dedicated to reading Asian literature by Asian authors.

Our September prompt is one that is both exciting and important: mental health awareness.

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Meet the Pond’s Favourite Aunty [Introducing The Pond’s Newest Character!]

CW @ The Quiet Pond19 Comments

Meet Your Newest Friend: Say Hello to the pond's favourite aunty

You heard that there was some commotion in the Pond recently. Maybe today’s a good day to check up on your friends and see how they are doing.

When you enter the Pond, you notice Xiaolong kneeling by the water and peering into it. You can’t quite hear what she’s saying in the distance, but you can hear that she sounds a little worried, perhaps a little scared. When you approach, you realise that Xiaolong is talking to… a large piece of driftwood? How odd!

An illustration of Xiaolong, by the Pond, with a green prickly 'driftwood' in the water.

“Xiaolong!” you call out, waving to her.

Xiaolong turns to the sound of your voice, and gives you her big goofy smile. “Hi friend!”

But before you can take another step, a sudden explosion from the Pond shatters the quiet.

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