Only in second grade, students in Maria Cottone’s class at Northwest Elementary School can already call themselves published authors. The class created a book, with each child receiving a copy, as a culminating activity in the personal narrative writing unit.

Each student wrote a small moment story, about a special memory in his or her life. Ms. Cottone said that children could write their stories in either English or Spanish, and also included an illustration. The stories were compiled together in a bound, hardcover book as a memento for every student.