Speaking Stories > Introduction to “Packed Up”

PACKED UP is a short story written by Georgie Rae Jasso, an eleventh grade student in San Antonio, Texas.

“Packed Up” tells about an evening when a daughter discovers a painful truth that affects her family. The story describes a family issue that some youth may have experienced. This is an excellent story to engage readers in a subject that matters to them.

This story is suitable for 5th grade through adult readers. The readability level is approximately 3rd grade, making it accessible to struggling readers.

“Packed Up"” is from Sad Moon and Other Works of Flash Fiction (© 2010 Gemini Ink), and is used with permission by Gemini Ink, San Antonio, Texas.

If you are new to Speaking Stories, please read How to Play a Speaking Story below.

About This Speaking Story

“Packed Up” was written as part of the Writers in Communities project of Gemini Ink, a nonprofit organization in San Antonio, Texas. Gemini Ink provides creative writing workshops led by published writers year round. The Writers in Communities (WIC) program sends professional writers into schools, institutions, and other community settings to work alongside students of all ages and abilities. We are indebted to Gemini Ink for permission to adapt “Packed Up” as a Speaking Story.

Creative contributors to this Speaking Story include:

  • Pictures—Serena Wu
  • Narration—Dominique Salvacion
  • Audio definitions—Elizabeth Kimball

How to Play a Speaking Story

To play the story, all you need to do is mouse click or, for touchscreen devices, touch the screen:

  • Click or tap the speaker icon to hear a paragraph speak.
  • Click or tap a word to hear the word speak.
  • Double click or tap twice on an underlined word to hear the definition of the word.

To navigate through the story:

  • Click or tap the > (next) arrow to go to the next page.
  • Click or tap the < (previous) arrow to go to the previous page.
  • Click or tap the >> (end) arrows to go to the last page of the story.
  • Click or tap the << (start) arrows to go to the first page of the story.
  • Click or tap the Story Intro tab to return to this page.