Children authors write for their kids

MAT-SU -- A handful of new children's stories will be unveiled Nov. 4 at the Wasilla Public Library, when students from Burchell High School read from their newly finished books.

The illustrated works include stories about a dragon whose tail is too long, the adventures of a duck named Jerry, the lives of two little dogs named Reeses and Snickers and a child's adventure at the zoo.

Thirteen students at Burchell worked on the books as part of a parenting class the school offers. Many students in the class have young children who stay in day care while they attend classes and several of the books were written specifically for those kids.

The writing project was funded through Even Start, a federally funded program in the Mat-Su Borough that aims to increase children's literacy by promoting parental literacy.

According to Laurine Domke, director of federal programs for the Mat-Su Borough School District, Even Start encourages families to brainstorm family literacy goals.

"Promoting family literacy is important," said Domke, "because children tend to be more prepared for school when they grow up in literacy-rich environments."

Terry Dennison teaches the parenting class at Burchell and said the book project helped students develop reading and writing skills. Students had to research a number of children's books beforehand to understand what elements are needed to keep children interested. They also studied the importance of reading to infants.

"The books had to be 24 pages long and I graded on literacy and writing," Dennison said. "We started with the basic writing process and went through revisions and critiques."

Once the books were written, students worked on illustrating the stories through hand-drawn pictures, cutouts and other graphics.

Naomi DeMott, a senior at Burchell, wrote and illustrated "Danny the Dragon."

"At first I didn't think I could do it," DeMott said. "I was completely blank. I knew I wanted to use my boyfriend's name and then I came up with the title, 'Danny the Dragon.'"

DeMott said it took her about two weeks to complete her story and she said it was important that it have a moral. The finished story involves a school-age dragon whose tail is too long, and the other dragons pick on him.

"He's just different from all the others," she said, "but he's just as special."

Dennison said some students are interested in trying to professionally publish their work and may attend a clinic in Anchorage toward that end.

DeMott had never before written a book, but now is thinking more about a career in writing.

"Depending on how this publishing thing goes, I might actually pursue writing," she said.

The public is invited to attend when the students read their books at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 4, in the Wasilla Public Library.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.