Magical experience: South Fayette students publish book
Vedika Jani has read her share of books, but the South Fayette sophomore recently had a fascinating experience. Along with several of her classmates, she published a novel.
“It was truly a magical experience watching it all come together and getting to experience such a different perspective of a book,” she said.
“The Lions Who Love Literature” was created by the high school students during the Children’s Literature course. The new class is a half-credit elective offered by the English department.
It is designed to introduce students to a variety of children’s literature titles including classic texts, Caldecott and Newbery winners and other new publications. Students evaluate and integrate literature into learning and explore motivation for children to read.
“The Lions Who Love Literature” is modeled after the district’s mascot. Since the beginning of the school year, the students met daily to develop the project.
“I loved creating these new lion characters that came to life on the page and being able to enjoy myself while also truly thinking about how children would read this,” said junior Riyah Hajdarwish.
Navya Paluri said she enjoyed the process of creating and imagining different illustrations to complement the words chosen for the pages. “We had a whole unit on picture books and illustrations so we could all incorporate unique ideas into our images,” added the sophomore.
Paluri’s twin sister, Divya, noted the students were involved in choosing every detail of the word choice as well as the illustrations. She said that she enjoyed being able to collaborate with everyone.
“It was so much fun to make (the book) and I learned so much about working together,” she added.
Camdyn Johnson also enthused about the creative process. She agreed that having the ability to pick and choose what to write as well as draw were benefits but the process involved experimentation and cooperation.
“To bring the book together required trial and error but more importantly, teamwork,” she said. “Overall, I learned that writing and illustrating a book is not as easy as it seems, but it was so much fun.”
The project took approximately three months. The class received completed hardcover printed copies late last year.
“We knew we were taking on a big challenge at the start of the year,” said Jacqueline Mannina, who is the children’s literature teacher at the high school. “The students were motivated and we maintained our focus on completing the book. I am so proud of my students for their hard work and diligence as well as their creativity.”
Copies of the book have been placed in the district libraries. Each student-author received a printed edition. While a few parents have requested autographed copies, there are no plans to produce more books for sale at this time.
The semester-long class was added to the high school curriculum. It offers not just knowledge and skill but a tangible product that students can show as they complete their college admission forms or interview for potential jobs.
The course is not just about publishing a book. It also assures career-ready skills as well as college preparation. It is of particular value for students considering a career in education.
According to Mannina, the students have been studying famous works from children’s authors. They also study how child readers create meaning through literary texts.
“And the great value in motivating children to read,” she added.
“It was a successful initial semester for this class, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next group of students accomplishes in the spring.”