Young authors donate work to Starship

Layla Lacey-Gillies, 12, with some of the class' illustrated stories. Photo / Stephen Parker

A class from Rotorua Intermediate School can add "published author" to their CVs after completing a "pay it forward" project.

The Year 7 class - Jackson 1 - have spent the last term writing, illustrating and laminating their own books to donate to Starship Hospital and Ronald McDonald House in Auckland.

Creating the books is the latest activity in a long line of community service-type projects the class has done this year.

The pupils are going to Auckland tomorrow to deliver the books and read to some of the children.

Teacher Amy Shing said the pupils responded well to the project and put a lot of time and effort into their books.

"A lot of the pupils in this class have been in Starship [hospital] themselves, or know of somebody who has, so a lot of their motivation stemmed from there.

"They [pupils] wanted to be able to give something physical to the children, rather than fundraise money for the charity."

Ms Shing said many of the stories had "quirky characteristics" and were shaped to incorporate kiwiana in their themes.

"The books are fractured stories which take traditional fairy tales and movies but give them Kiwi twists such as Snow White and the seven kapa haka girls rather than the seven dwarfs."

An example of one of the illustrated books.

Matthew Coffin, 11, said the project took a while but it had been rewarding to see the final product.

"There was a lot we had to do before the books were finished but it was worth it because now they are done and it is something the children at Starship Hospital can keep forever."

Matthew's story is called Kung Fu Kiwi and is based on the popular movies Kung Fu Panda and The Karate Kid.

"The story is about a kiwi who gets bullied and in the end stands up to his bullies during a tournament."

Matthew said he was excited about donating the books.

"It has been a long but exciting and fun project and it not only helped us improve our writing and drawing skills but showed us how fortunate we really are."