Cheryl Durso’s sixth grade class crafted personalized picture books for their kindergarten and first grade buddies during a months-long storytelling project. Through interviews and research, middle schoolers collaborated with the younger students, to refine and bring their original stories to life, with attention to plot structure and character development. Students then got to work writing, illustrating and seeking feedback before publishing their books. The dedication of the sixth graders was rewarded with the smiles of their buddies seeing their ideas come to life on the page.
Photos by Kathleen Connelly