Ally and the Krakens
What happens when you're a 17-year-old mermaid princess with water powers and mind reading, and Krakens attack your kingdom? In this episode, Ali introduces herself: dark brown hair, dark hazel eyes, two brothers who are small and strong. She's got special powers including water manipulation and mind reading. But the real power? She can be reborn 10 times. So can her brothers. When Krakens attack her kingdom, Ali doesn't wait. The next day, she and her brothers go on the offensive. Their plan: give the Kraken a sleeping poison. When it falls asleep, travel to the Kraken Kingdom and demand an apology. If they refuse? Kill the Kraken. But Ali adds something brilliant to the plan: 'I think we should take with us some sticky stuff so that we can drag the Kraken to my castle and they can see the damage they've done.' Strategic, emotionally intelligent, and featuring a protagonist who understands that sometimes making someone witness consequences matters more than revenge, this is a story about protecting your kingdom, family teamwork, and the power of forcing accountability. This story proves what one Year 6 student told us: "The only superpower you need is imagination." About the Story Story Type: Fantasy action with conflict resolution strategy Themes: Protecting home, family loyalty, strategic thinking, accountability vs revenge, restorative justice Setting: Underwater kingdom (Ali's castle), Kraken Kingdom Why This Story Matters This author has created something emotionally sophisticated disguised as straightforward fantasy action. Notice the strategic thinking: Ali doesn't just want to kill the Kraken in revenge. She wants accountability first. Go to their kingdom. Demand apology. Give them a chance to make it right. But here's the brilliant addition: drag the Kraken back to her castle using sticky stuff so they can see the damage they've done. That's restorative justice. That's understanding that sometimes people (or Krakens) attack because they don't understand consequences. Make them witness what they destroyed. Give them a chance to feel remorse. The detail about being able to be reborn 10 times adds fascinating stakes. Ali and her brothers can't truly die (they have 10 lives each), which means they can take risks others couldn't. But it also means they've thought about mortality, about what's worth fighting for even when you have backup lives. When children are given complete creative autonomy, they write stories where: Protagonists offer chances for apology before violence Strategic thinking includes emotional intelligence (make them see the damage) Family teams work together (brothers are small but strong) Power isn't just about destruction (water powers, mind reading, rebirth) Justice means accountability, not just revenge That addition to the plan, the sticky stuff to drag them back to witness consequences, is the moral centre of the story. Ali could just kill them. She has the power. But she wants them to understand what they did first. That's wisdom beyond years. About StoryQuest⢠StoryQuest is a validated methodology that achieves 100% engagement across all learners, including reluctant writers, boys, and students with SEND. The approach is simple but profound: give children complete creative autonomy over something that truly matters to them. Resources & Links Bring StoryQuest to Your School: Visit my-storyquest.com to download the curriculum guide and discover how your students can become published authors. Start Friday Night Storytelling at Home: Download Gabriel's StoryQuest Family Kit at theadventuresofgabriel.com Read Gabriel's Adventures: The international #1 bestselling series that started it all, co-authored by Kate Markland and her son Gabriel Khan. Available at theadventuresofgabriel.com Connect with Kate: Website: katemarkland.com Share This Episode Know a teacher struggling with reluctant writers? A parent whose child says 'writing is boring'? A school leader looking for proven literacy solutions? Share this episode with them. Because every child has a story. And when we give them the freedom to tell it, extraordinary things happen. Keywords Child authors, creative writing for children, literacy education, reluctant writers, StoryQuest, student engagement, children's storytelling, authentic writing, educational innovation, child-led learning, mermaid princess, Kraken attack, underwater fantasy, restorative justice, water powers, mind reading, Bradford UK, UK education, December Story Celebration Next Episode Subscribe to Stories Without Borders to hear more incredible stories from children around the world who discovered their voices through StoryQuest. Tomorrow: Another story from our December Story Celebration, 31 stories over 31 days. Production: StoryQuest "When given complete creative control, children don't just create great stories, they discover their voice. And that voice deserves to be heard." - Kate Markland