It’s not every day that someone becomes a published writer — and that’s especially true of second-graders.
So, staff members at Land O’ Lakes Christian School weren’t about to let the moment pass by without a good bit of fanfare.
The children in Christy Hoynoski’s class were celebrated in a big way at a party in the school’s lunchroom on the day their book, “If I Were An Animal,” arrived at the school at 5105 School Road in Land O’ Lakes.
There were balloons and a red carpet that was bedazzled by stars — each bearing the name of a child author.
Each of the 7- and 8-year-olds stood at a podium, reading their stories and showing off their illustrations.
Parents and grandparents came to the school to honor the children’s accomplishment, and the party featured a book-shaped cake and snacks with literary themes.
It was a big day for the second-graders, and the glow was still showing weeks later, when they talked about the stories they wrote, with a visiting reporter.
Mrs. Hoynoski, as the children call her, came up with the idea of creating the book after hearing about a free publishing kit offered by Studentreasures Publishing.
The idea was to make writing more fun, the teacher said.
The children considered a variety of possible books they could do, such as “Second Grade Inventions,” “If I were a President” and “When I Grow Up.”
In the end, they voted to create a book about animals.
Besides allowing the second-graders to practice their handwriting skills and showcase their artistic abilities, the project also gave them a chance to exercise their lively imaginations, too.
For instance, in this book, there’s a zebra with rainbow-colored stripes and a white bunny with black polka dots.
The animals have interesting diets, too. There’s a pig that eats candy, a whale that eats broccoli, a horse that eats grapes and an owl that eats ice cream.
The kids also thought outside of the box when naming their animals. There’s a wolf named Snowflake, a bird named Jewel, a bobcat named Rosie and a cobra named Cutey.
The students said they enjoyed writing their stories and drawing their pictures, and, of course, they were pleased to see their work in print.
It’s a project the second-grade teacher said she’d recommend to other teachers.
“It really got them excited about writing,” she said.
Writing is an important skill, the teacher added, because it’s a skill her students will need throughout their lives.
Published May 23, 2018
