Creating a Community Through Literacy
Are you a retailer looking to expand your in-store product offering and events? Do you carry IlluStory and My Comic Book kits on your shelves? Lulu Junior provides a unique opportunity to create a community of aspiring writers and artists by hosting literary events.
There are several ways to encourage your customers and their families to participate and share their literary and creative experiences. You can host a story time event, sponsor a writing workshop, or create a contest. Here are some guides and examples to inspire you and your community.
Story Time with Lulu Junior Books
Story time never gets old. Everyone loves to hear a good story, and what is better than helping kids share their stories? Author readings and signings are always popular events; building literacy and bringing people together (even remotely). Help kids in your community share their stories by hosting an event featuring Lulu Junior authors sharing their stories.
Kids do love to share their stories. For example, here is a news article about an 8-year-old boy who slipped a hand-written book into his local library that became part of the library’s circulation.
Using Lulu Junior Kits
Writing workshops are valuable to promote literacy, bring people together, and create foot traffic for your store or library. Workshops engage kids by letting them write, read, interact, express themselves creatively, and find joy in the process.
You can host a writing workshop that includes a supervisor or instructor to help develop and craft the outline of a story. Here is a simple 60 minute program outline using Lulu Junior’s IlluStory and My Comic Book kits.
- 15 minutes - Introductions and ice breaker questions.
- 5 minutes - Pick the right kit!
- Is the story about action heroes? Use My Comic Book kit to make a custom comic.
- Is the story more traditional? Use IlluStory to make a custom hardcover book.
- 10 minutes - Read the Welcome and Chapter 1 of the guidebook.
- 20 minutes - Allow the kids to brainstorm individually and share their ideas together for feedback and encouragement. Use the guide book outlines to draft their stories.
- 10 minutes - Get them started on the kits and encourage them to complete and mail-in the kit.
After the workshop, invite the kids back to share their stories. It’s great to share the pride and joy of a personalized book or comic, boosting the author’s self-esteem and allowing them to share their unique stories.
We’d love to see photos from your next workshop or reading event! Find us on social media and share at @lulujrdotcom.
Do you know an author who is interested in sharing their story with us? Please complete this form for a chance to be featured as Lulu Junior’s Author of the Month!
Lulu Junior Kits In The Community
Here are a few ways our partners used IlluStory and My Comic Book kits in their own communities:
Rainbow Resource Center's Summer Book Contest
- Rainbow Resource Center provides educational products to homeschoolers, parents, and educators and partners with Lulu Junior to host an annual summer writing contest.
- Young writers ages 7-18 use Lulu Junior’s IlluStory to complete their themed story.
- Winners from three age groups are selected and the overall winner’s book is sold at the Rainbow Resource Center.
Lodi Public Library Writer’s Workshop
- Lodi Public Library in Wisconsin used IlluStory book-making kits for their 2021 Writer's Workshop for grades 2 through 8.
- Young writers practiced their storytelling skills and worked on completing their books during multiple workshops.
- Once the books were received, a reception was held to showcase all the authors!
Creating Your Own Communities
To get started, think about partnering with a school or local author to encourage the love of literature. Invite them to participate and assist in your own event as a guest speaker and leader.
Writing communities are strong, and by encouraging the kids in your community to come together as aspiring authors, you can, in-turn create a nurturing and flourishing environment of creators.
However you create your community, harboring a passion and love of reading and literature is uplifting for everyone.
Lulu Junior Book-Making Kits
Our book-making kits include everything kids need to create and publish their very own book. Using IlluStory or My Comic Book kits, kids write and illustrate their stories while practicing literacy skills and building self-esteem. They are perfect companions for hosting community writing and literacy events. Plan your own event, or use one of the ideas above to host a story time or writing workshop.
Email us at sales@lulujr.com to learn how to collaborate with us as you create your own Lulu Junior writing community.
