My eight-year-old daughter is a voracious reader. I think she may prove to be an even bigger book nerd than I am, and I am a pretty big book nerd. Her bed is constantly covered in books that she is reading, and I frequently have to check on her to make sure she hasn’t snuck her reading light on at 10 PM when she should be sleeping.
She has also decided that she would like to be an author when she grows up. She knows that I write for a living, and really loves reading the stories from my blog. She even has her own blog. It is password-protected and she and I are the only people who can read it, but it’s a great hobby for her. She loves writing stories and I love watching her literary voice emerge. Even if it is a bit heavily influenced by Dork Diaries at this time. There is time for growth, right?
India enjoys writing, but she also enjoys drawing. So she is often making books at home in which she is both the author and illustrator. This year, she became obsessed with getting one of her books “published.” Apparently another student in her class had a book that she had written bound, and India desperately wanted to have her own real book published. I just needed to find a way to do this for her, and I was a little stumped.
In perfect timing, a company called Lulu Jr. reached out to me. They have a really cute DIY kit that allows kids to write and illustrate their own book, which you can then send in to have bound as a real book. The kit is easy-to-use and allows children to express their unique creativity.
India took this very seriously. She made a rough draft, and then she spent days perfecting both the drawings and her writing. My Awesome Book
We sent her packet off in the mail, and she anxiously awaited her book to arrive. When it came, she opened the box and let out a bloodcurdling scream of excitement. She then ran around the neighborhood to show all of her friends her real book, and the next day she took it to school and read it to the class. She is so proud.
Here is the back of the book, and to the bio that she wrote for herself. Love it.
If you would like to try Lulu Jr.’s My Awesome Book, they are offering my readers 30% off any book-making kit (My Awesome Book, My Comic Book, IlluStory or IlluStory Junior) with the code Minivan4. Offer expires May 31, 2015.
