Something Different: WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?

I received a book in the mail the other day called WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?, and I’ve never really read a book like it. It’s published by 826michigan, a non-profit “dedicated to supporting students (ages 6 to 18) with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.”

It contains twelve stories, twelve funny, strange, absurd, and joyous stories. It’s illustrated in black Sharpie by Dave Eggers (founder of the 826 National program).

But here’s the best part: all the stories are written by kids between the ages of six and ten – students of the Boggs School in Detroit.

We often talk about authors who are able to see the world from the perspective of a child. What first struck me about these stories is how they so clearly sprung from the minds of kids. In the notes at the beginning of the book, Eggers says “almost no words were altered” from the original student stories. It doesn’t come off like children’s writing filtered through adults, it’s straight from the source.

I think kids will love reading it. It speaks their language.

Note: kids’ language sometimes includes sharks named Jerry getting punched:

It contains stories about:

• The pride that comes from a dad who doesn’t need to stop the car for a bathroom break.
• The weird smell of grownup zebras.
• A fireman who is literally a fire man.
• A very self-aware snowman.

The book costs $17.99 and all proceeds go directly to Boggs School and 826michigan. It’s the sort of book that should be all over the place, but I can see it finding a nice home in school and classroom libraries.

Click the image below to order a copy.

Filed under: Articles