As I recently dug through an old box of school stuff that my mom had saved over the years, I found many fun treasures, including a handful of picture books that I created throughout elementary school. Some of these books were created for school assignments (Young Authors mostly). But others were created simply because I enjoyed writing, drawing, and creating.
Reading back through them has been hysterical. But what's been really fun is sharing them with my kids. My boys and I spent a few days reading through them during bedtime story time, and they couldn't get enough of them. I guess they don't have very discerning taste in literature yet. But really I think what they enjoyed was that they knew the author of these books! Reading them gave them a deeper peek into who their mom was/is. And of course, they just enjoyed laughing at me too!
Using books like these is a great way to start some meaningful discussions about authors and illustrators and what their motivations are for writing their stories, what kind of person they might be, and how a passion for creating can start early. It also sets a good example to kids that anybody can be a writer. Even if you aren't published, you can still share your writing with others. Even if you aren't a perfect writer, or artist, you can still create books that others can appreciate and enjoy.
Share some of your stories with your children and/or students. Even if you don't have any creations from your childhood, create a story or book today! Create a story about your children! Then, once you've provided that inspiration, provide them with the supplies and opportunity to create a story themselves!
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