Earlier this week, nine students in Grades 6 through 8 made the short walk over to Toll Gate Grammar School to share their original stories with the elementary school’s youngest members. The project was the culminating effort of the DEAR Art elective, which focuses on the craft of writing children’s books. 

The students—Anna B. ’31, Jules B. ’30, Bobby C. ’31, Wyatt D. ’30, Peyton E. ’31, Emma J. ’31, Nelly S. ’31, Emma T. ’32, and Olivia W. ’31—spent three weeks creating their books, while also building confidence with exercises that developed skills in reading aloud with expression and clarity. On Monday, the young authors finally had the opportunity to present their original tales to the excited children in Toll Gate’s kindergarten, first, and second grade classrooms. Following the readings, Pennington’s middle schoolers also answered questions from the audience about the writing process.

Among the many imaginative stories was the narrative of a girl who loses her beloved stuffed unicorn, a fable about a rabbit who wishes to be someone else, and a tale wherein some animals open a lemonade stand to spread “cups of kindness” to their community. 

The title of the quarter-long elective—DEAR: Drop Everything And Read—borrows its name from an activity which provides dedicated reading time for students within the school day. Teacher Kate Kehoe marveled over her students’ “ability to engage and connect with a room full of five to seven year olds,” and praised the quality and creativity behind each of the finished books. “For me,” said Kehoe, “the entire visit embodied what education is all about."