Eagleside 4th Graders Publish a Book

Twenty-one fourth-grade students at Eagleside Elementary have hit a major milestone at such a young age: becoming published authors. Their book, "Animal Adaptations," showcases the unique capabilities of various animals, each chapter written, researched and illustrated by a different student. 

The book was published on April 10 by Studentreasures Publishing. The student publishing program has helped create more than 16 million young authors. 

This project was brought to life through the efforts of their teacher Ms. Candace King. The idea for the book originated when a colleague discovered Studentreasures on social media and suggested Ms. Candace use their publishing kit. 

“The students enjoyed it very much. One of my goals was creating a passion for writing, which fit right in,” said Ms. King. 

Previously, the class had compared and contrasted the adaptations of two different animals, which perfectly segued into the book project. Students were encouraged to select one of the animals they had studied and delve deeper into its life and adaptations.

The writing process began in late October and stretched over five months, during which students drafted, revised, and finally illustrated their chapters.

“What I learned is that anybody can be an author or even someone who makes their own books. Would I want to do it again? Yes, but bigger and longer,” said Kimo.   

Families showed support, ordering copies of "Animal Adaptations" and celebrating the young authors' achievements at a tea party to commemorate the publication. During the party, students reflected on their accomplishments and the challenges they overcame. 

“The most difficult part was writing the drafts and the most enjoyable part was drawing our animals. What I learned is that I tried my best. I would do this again,” said Ahlana. 

"The most difficult part for me was writing the multiple drafts I did. I learned that I have the potential of being an author.  If I was to write another book, it’d be a small one," said Isaac-Thomas. 

This project not only taught students about animal biology but also about perseverance, collaboration, and the gratification of seeing their hard work transform into a published work.