Students at Horizons-on-the-Hudson (HOH) Elementary in Newburgh, NY, are "leveling up" their curiosity, creativity, skills and civic-mindedness by embracing Book Creator in their library.

The Horizons-on-the-Hudson (HOH) library (a Newburgh Enlarged City School District school) is bursting at its seams with students of all identities, curiosities, and personalities, and one major reason is a transformation destination, Book Creator!

Many students, for the first time, are developing and honing their poetry-writing skills and showcasing their original work in classrooms, on bulletin boards, willingly participating in State-level and international poetry calls and contests, and even initiating their own contest. Through it all they are making discoveries about their storied community.

Notably, for most, if not all, the ultimate goal is actually to "level-up" to Book Creator.

For my students, Book Creator is many things. It is a safe, kid-friendly space where they can experiment with popular, new and emerging technology like gifs, removing backgrounds, use of a pen tool to illustrate and AI. It is a space where after the best version of a written piece is vetted by me (the teacher), or their peers, it gets the green light to be transformed from "still life" to virtual and interactive and it is that final step in their poetry-writing journey. It is also an opportunity to inform peers in our local audience and engage a global audience as content creators!

For me, Book Creator is many things. Besides circulating materials, librarians can accumulate tons of physical “stuff” (resources) over time and, therefore, need efficient methods of “spring cleaning”. Motivating my students to aspire to higher standards or “level up” with exemplars from their peers has been quite effective. Many of my students are thrilled and honored to see that they have become a resource when they recognize their work (sometimes from earlier years) on display, but that requires an awful amount of curation to preserve, store, display, and rotate samples. I have begun to “level up” myself to Book Creator by creating Student Exemplar eBooks.

Book Creator can be many things to you whether you are a fellow librarian, educator and lifelong learner. Here are 10 ways that you can replicate the successes I have had, in your own library, classroom or educational environment.

1. Spark curiosity and pride in community:

Our local library, the Newburgh Free Library (part of the school district and the Ramapo Catskill Library System) is an extraordinary place, engaging patrons of every identity and interest in three localities with innovative programming. They issued a call for poetry submission for their program, Where We Live Poetry Walk, as part of the 2024-25 Big Read grant from the National Endowment of the Arts.

Over 200 students are creating poetry that explores the places and things that illuminate Newburgh‘s historic significance to our country, as well as its picturesque, dynamic and resilient past, present and promising future.

What started as a call has resulted in genuine curiosity and pride and use of many authentic primary and secondary sources. Best of all, having my 4th grader Yadiel BR ask for additional help finding more facts about The Hudson River for his poem, reinforced for me, that Book Creator has continued to help HOH as a whole, plant the seed of lifelong learning and facilitates for our students, self-reflection about their place and role as valued members of the Newburgh community.

15 Science Projects for Book Creator classrooms

Book Creator for the High School Classroom

2. Make Book Creator one of your key milestones to achieve.

Fernanda recognized that by carefully crafting her message to the world, she could take the next step to share it far and wide, motivating her to “level up” to Book Creator. What was a lovely paper collage, was transformed into a book with animated GIFs bringing the poem to life:

A colorful artwork featuring a poem titled "Our Savannah" written on lined paper at the top. Below the poem is a vibrant collage depicting a savannah landscape. The collage includes a smiling orange sun with googly eyes, a blue pond made of tissue paper, and cutout animals—a lion and a giraffe—set against a grassy background with trees.

Fernanda's Handwritten Our Savannah Poem (2023-24)

A digital composition showcasing a poem titled "Here's Our Savanna" written in free verse on a textured background. To the top right, there's an illustrated smiling sun with "Free Verse Poem" labeled nearby. The lower half features two wildlife photographs: one of playful lion cubs and another of an elephant in its natural habitat. The author's name, "Fernanda C," is displayed centrally, with the title "Our Earth's Savanna" in bold at the bottom, accompanied by the page number "PG 8."

3. Collaborate to provide safe spaces and multiple opportunities for your students to create

True to the 1966 Sorche Nic Leodhas Caldecott Award-Winning Picture Book, there is, in our library, Always Room for One More.

Thanks to Book Creator, not only is our physical library bursting at the seams, but my Book Creator library has also reached capacity multiple times. This has earned our library the distinction of having the highest use in our entire enlarged district. Today, there are over 1000 books and counting!

In response to the overwhelming enthusiasm and requests from students and teachers to visit during breakfast, recess, lunch, and dismissal, I have been collaborating with my administration and colleagues to accommodate more and more students. Then came validation in the form of a note of gratitude from Payton R and Xiley L. I knew we had to cease upon this opportunity to support their initiative and sense of ownership of their own learning.

Classroom teachers have started creating schedules and rotating students to ensure that everyone who is interested gets a chance. My administrators throughout the years, have also been supportive, adding dedicated periods to my schedule for students to come in, write poetry, and “level up” to Book Creator.

Lunch Bunch, the most recent initiative by current administrators, has been a huge success. These sessions are filled with students who either choose to work independently, work with peers, or seek one-on-one time with me, creating a vibrant and collaborative space for learning and creativity.

4. Build a network of support for students who take the initiative to “level-up”

In May 2023, HOH students entered the Book Creator Poetry Contest, and we were pleased to learn that our Fantastic, Fun, Funny, For-You Poetry book was among the top 10 finalists in the Book Creator world. Students could not contain their enthusiasm as they waited for the contest the following year. However, Book Creator had another focus, and there was no contest the following year.

Though our students were disappointed, they were resilient. Inspired by what Book Creator had done, a group of students (inaugural poets) came to the library and proposed that we run our own “Book Creator-style” contest. It was a major undertaking that had the inaugural poets working to create rules and the unique categories seen below, a recruited team of teacher-colleagues and administrators turned reviewers and judges, the creation of several Book Creator libraries, months of conferencing with students and editing to turn the contest into a major success!

In all, 208 students grades 1 - 5 took the initiative, worked diligently to create original poetry, eventually being able to “level-up” to Book Creator for the 1st HOH Poetry Contest. Thirty five (35) students who were able to “level-up” the most, were awarded, Special Mention, Poetry Star, Poetry Superstar and Poet Laureate.

4. Know how to validate “cool” boys and they will choose writing

Since 2010, I have used different strategies to draw students in during open library, but then came Book Creator, a perfect tool to meet them where they are, and while they are there, plant that seed. Many for years resisted poetry-writing for different reasons–" It's boring," "It's writing about love or feelings," and that is, of course, just "not cool" or, as one boy put it, is "wack." Now, students recognize that they can write about any topic of interest and then BRING IT TO LIFE!

One of the most significant student epiphanies involved Ameer and his 3 friends (2023-24). Ameer was mesmerized when African American Classical Pianist Joe Bush performed at our school, and he wanted to pay homage. Like his close friends, Nathan, Adrian & Ayden, Ameer lives and loves music–especially rap music and basketball but initially would not have chosen poetry, that is, until he saw how they could apply their knowledge and skills in Book Creator. A natural leader, Ameer assumed the role of MVP, collaborating in lunchtime meetings, all the while I assumed the role of coach-cheerleader from the sidelines of the library. They managed to weave rap and basketball moves into their poems, ending with "level-up" slam dunk pieces in Book Creator.

Jayden, our resident baseball maven, just recites facts daily. When he learned that he could memorialize in writing information about his baseball stars, he got to work, all the while anticipating his chance to “level up” to Book Creator, where he could embed historical records in the form of video footage of his idols. Last school year, Jayden had just completed his poem about baseball great Willie Mays when Mays passed away. He proudly read his poem during morning announcements and directed the entire school to Book Creator where they could access his eBook to read about this hero and learn about other baseball greats.

Since Kindergarten, Lincoln (now a 5th grader) has always been proud of his Italian heritage. Over the years, he has asked me to find him Italian language books, which I have done. In 4th grade, he chose one of his favorite Book Creator features and did a “level-up” by translating several of his poems into Italian and by using the pen tool to create some of his images. As Lincoln approaches the time to delve into his final research project, he knows that his focus will be local history. Since he has mastered so many Book Creator features, he will use it as part of his final presentation as some of his peers before who won State recognition with their Book Creator presentation.

A bright red book page titled "Book of Poems" by Lincoln T. The page features a variety of images: a black-and-white photo of someone playing the piano, a slice of watermelon, a Christmas stocking, a colorful pumpkin drawing, and a child smiling in a classroom. A white outlined heart is near the top right. A red and black graphic on the right side says: "Congratulations! 4th Grade Poetry Superstar (HOH Poetry Contest 23–24)."

6. Facilitate leadership roles for tech-savvy girls

Nadia, (2023-24) an inaugural poet, was one of our first Poet Laureates and our unofficial student-in-residence in the back of the HOH library, often snuggling up on an ottoman, especially on wintery or rainy shut-in days. Nadia was so motivated she worked to "level-up" to Book Creator after she had mastered six genres of poetry in the library, created her own genre, included audio recordings of many pieces in her eBook, and even created a biographical poem inspired by a library lesson about Phillis Wheatley, a slave and published American poet from the 1700s.

She was the first to discover new features in Book Creator, apprising peers of the features and assisting them. As one of the first to translate her early poems to French, the first in our school to use the gif feature, she would show me how to give access to all students. She eventually created 19 original poems, the most by any student at the time (2023-24). Nadia's story and eBook have become teaching tools in all the Grades 3-5 Poetry eLibraries, and even after graduating, she remains a true inspiration for the entire school.

A pink and purple themed book page titled "Nadia M's Poem Book." A small photo of Nadia smiling in a library is in the top left corner. The page features decorative hearts, flowers, and a colorful ribbon graphic. A red and black badge on the right says: "Inaugural Poet! Congratulations! 5th Grade Poet Laureate (HOH Poetry Contest 23–24)."

7. Nurture aspiration and appreciation and it will evolve into achievement

Fernanda, another inaugural poet and one of our Poet Laureates, was inspired by poetry maven and 5th grader Nadia who had mastered many features of Book Creator. She was determined to create more poems in her eBook than Nadia who had all of 19. Proud of her Hispanic heritage, Fernanda created 27 poems in 5 different genres (many translated into Spanish), which is the most of any student in our school during the 2023-24 school year, to date, and she never took her computer home once.

She too has become a wonderful exemplar for the rest of students at HOH on how to “level-up” to Book Creator. When they learn that Fernanda worked on her book at breakfast, at indoor recess during inclement weather, and at dismissal, other students are also aspiring to be like her. Her story and eBook have also become teaching tools in all the Grades 3-5 Poetry eLibraries. She continues to create original poetry for a new eBook.

8. Illuminate Extreme Examples of Collaboration, Perseverance and Resilience

Olivia has topped Nadia’s and Fernanda’s records for the most poems in an eBook during this school year. Her current book has 46 poems and she says she is not finished! A true example of grit, Olivia, yet another inaugural poet, and Poet Laureate (2023-24) just never gives up, no matter the obstacles. Despite taking the initiative to work tirelessly on a poem for submission to the 2022-23 Book Creator Poetry Contest, she narrowly missed the deadline. There was no commiseration on her part, instead she celebrated our “Top 10” win, including submitted poems that she had co-authored and co-animated, holding the distinction of having the greatest number of poetry collaborations.

Determined to make the 2023-24 Book Creator Poetry Contest, she would “level-up” to Book Creator, becoming one of the few students who created shape poetry by manipulating text boxes, and even creating her own genre. When Olivia learned there would be no contest, she persevered and resiliently became one of the loudest voices suggesting and advocating for our own contest. She even created rules and categories independently before we met to have the discussion. Olivia’s story and eBook too have become teaching tools.

A colorful book page titled "Fernanda C's Poems!!" decorated with confetti, popcorn graphics, and a bright pink background. A red and black badge on the right reads: "Inaugural Poet! Congratulations! 4th Grade Poet Laureate (HOH Poetry Contest 23–24)." At the bottom right, there is a colorful "Everyone is Welcome Here" graphic. A white label says "4th grade, Newburgh NY."

9. Give Voice and Value to Students with One-on-One Peer Support

Hagar, whose first language is Arabic, spoke English quite well, and though reserved, she had begun to settle in our school community when her sister Sarah joined us. Sarah who only spoke Arabic would gingerly navigate our teaching and learning spaces with computer-aided translations, or with the help of her sister. Gradually, both girls began to develop a more confident demeanor, a greater sense of belonging and a noticeable spark in their eyes.

This, I learned from them, was partly thanks to their nurturing peers, Eliana and Jonathan, who increased their own voice and value when assigned one-on-one time in library to support both girls in poetry-writing, including helping them “level-up” to Book Creator. The sisters also increased their voice and value, Hagar taking ownership of her role as English to Arabic translator and Sarah offering us the experience of an authentic Arabic rendition of their poem.

A project page with a purple polka dot background titled "School is..." in both English and Arabic. In the center is a speaker icon, indicating audio. The page lists school-related words in English and Arabic, including Friendship, Creativity, Opportunity, Acquiring Knowledge, Custodians, Cafeteria, Nurse's Office, Recess, and Safety. A purple banner at the top credits Eliana C. and Jonathan Q. for English words and siblings Hagar and Sarah A. for Arabic contributions and audio.

10. Use Book Creator to unite different groups/classes with a common cause

When Staff Sgt. Chrissy Rivers of West Point, New York, reached out; I was happy to mentor her, especially when she explained that she had seen me on the Today Show with Jenna Bush Hager during National Read Across America Day on March 2, 2022, and she knew then exactly what she would do after retiring. She registered in librarianship school almost immediately and requested to work with me on one of her first assignments, which focused on the Heroes in Our Hometown (honoring local veterans and those currently serving in the US Armed Services).

I knew immediately what tool would guarantee the best results, because once an HOH library student was given the green light to “level-up” to Book Creator, it meant that they had given of their best, they had met the set standards of the assignment, and in this case, members of the US military would have easy access to an outpouring of student appreciation–99 to be exact! Staff Sgt. Rivers would share the outcome with her librarianship class and the West Point community.

View the Honoring Our US Military library.

Fostering excellence in poetry writing: next steps and collaborative opportunities

The expectation in the library is that students maintain high standards, and for them, this means meeting all the set objectives in their written poetry before transitioning to an online piece. With an established culture of using Book Creator to “level up” poetry writing in our library, here are our next steps:

My students and I will work to build a poetry-writing checklist or rubric that incorporates the “level-up” steps. If you have a poetry-writing checklist or rubric that incorporates the use of Book Creator features, please share.
Adopt Book Creator as the standard “level-up” practice in more areas of study
We hope to inspire any school in the US, in North America or another continent to create a world-wide poetry-writing contest on Book Creator with us or have a collaborative poetry time/poetry period when we can brainstorm poetry ideas, write together and/or present our original creations.