Family Storybook Project

A family storybook brings all the writers in a family together — each person contributes one page, and together they make a book that everyone can read and keep forever. Your page must be your very best writing. It will be read by friends, family, and anyone who opens the book!

What Your Storybook Page Must Include

• A scene — one moment in a story: a magical place, a character meeting, an exciting event, or a funny moment.
• 3–5 sentences — use vivid adjectives, at least one action verb, and one piece of dialogue if possible.
• Correct punctuation — capitals at the start, punctuation at the end, quotation marks for dialogue.
• A full-page illustration — color, detail, and labels. The picture must extend the words.
• Your name — as the author and illustrator at the bottom.

The Best-of-the-Year Checklist

• Vivid adjectives (not plain words like nice, big, good).
• Strong action verb (not just "walked" — try "sprinted," "crept," "leaped").
• At least one piece of dialogue with correct quotation marks.
• Capital letter at the start of every sentence.
• Punctuation (. ? !) at the end of every sentence.
• Illustration that adds color and detail not in the words.

Tips for a Polished Page

• Plan your scene before you write — what happens? who is there? what do they say?
• Draft on scratch paper first, then copy neatly onto the storybook page template.
• Read your page aloud — does it sound like a real book?
• Ask a parent to listen — would they want to hear what happens next?