Cows Eating Hamburgers

Six of us stand there, poised and prepared for mayhem. We are told that it is 30 Fourth Graders from PS 29. Okay, that means rowdy, somewhat privileged, almost at the point where they are "too cool" but not quite. We hear them walk in the front door, their snow boots squeaking on the floor, their coats rustling as they squish in, shoulder to shoulder. Chris says hello, talks to them about the process, I take their "author photos" and Jamie and Kristin write their names on white tags. They file in, cheeks pink and eyes wandering around the back room of 826.

The Superhero Supply Store is only a front. The back room, were we will work our magic, is the real deal. Bookshelves line each brick wall with thousands of books that kids of all ages (even 35, 41, etc) will take in like oxygen, four computers sit ready for action, wooden tables and chairs wait to be vessels on which creativity will spawn. There is not only an aquarium but also a terrarium, not only a cubby for crayons, pencils, erasers, markers, buttons, string, paper... but there is one for invisible things like ideas, inklings, and dreams.

The kids settle into their chairs around a big projector where Chris now stands, his crazy hair curling upwards like a mad scientist. Laura types on a laptop that projects onto the screen, so the class can see their story unfold before their eyes.

"Okay, what's the first thing a story needs?" A beginning! A middle! An end! Emotion! Plot! Climax! Candy! Potatoes! War! Peace! Ideas flow from their mouths like drool, and Laura has a hard time keeping up. They begin to weave their story.

"Who will be our main character?" A flying cow! Bigfoot! Pig Man! Nacho Face!

"Okay, it's a flying cow. What is her name?" Bob! Violet! Laryngitis! Hamburger! Football! Bobette!

They decided on Bobette, and after much consideration, Bobette the flying cow, with the world's greatest superpower, (she could poop candy), wanted desperately to be on American Idol. The story has twists and turns with Chris conducting, the children (and the rest of us) laughing hysterically, and Nancy in the corner, illustrating.

Eventually the story becomes a book, the children solemnly writing their own endings and sketching covers. One kid raises his hand and asks, "can I draw a picture of Bobette the cow eating a hamburger for lunch?" Sure buddy, sure.

Their author photos get pasted to the back, their collective ideas stuffed within 10 pages, their chests puffed up because they have finished something great... together.