South Bend, Indiana: “Library Program Has Children Creating Their Own Books”

From the South Bend Tribune:

A group of 10 budding young authors is hard at work in a conference room at the St. Joseph County Public Library on this day in early December.
They’re participants in “Write YOUR Story,” a free children’s writing course taught each fall and spring by volunteer Julia Douthwaite, and sponsored in part by NaNoWriMo. During weekly sessions over the course of a semester, the participants read several books, discuss the plots, jointly write a book as a group, then each write and illustrate their own storybook.
“It’s pretty great,” says Amelia Zwart, 10, a LaSalle Intermediate Academy student, who has participated in two full semesters of the book course. Her latest book is about a modern-day girl who happens to love the old West. Amelia’s favorite part is drawing the illustrations.
[Clip]
The weekly sessions for youthful writers are the brainchild of Douthwaite, a professor of French at the University of Notre Dame. She and two other volunteers guide the youngsters, teach them about writing and help them place the artwork in their books.
“I just love to do this. You never regret the time you spend here,” Douthwaite said.

Read the Complete Article
See Also: [St. Joseph County] County Library Board Approves Strategic Plan (via South Bend Tribune)

Filed under: Libraries, News, Public Libraries