LANGUAGE ARTS

The Stories - Printing a Booklet

So you have a story idea ... the next step is to write it. It's a good idea to use "Word".

You want to end up with a book that looks like a book (with print on both sides of the page) - so how do you work out the order of the pages as you write them?

Don't worry. Just write your story. Here are some layout pointers:

• It's a good idea to insert page numbers as you go, just to make sure you eventually staple it together properly.
• When you print your booklet, it will be A5 size. That is half of the normal A4 size.so you will need to use quite a large font size (about 20, depending on which font you are using).
• Type your story in "portrait" layout - in the booklet the paper will be "landscape" with two (portrait) pages next to each other.
• Leave reasonable margins - the default margins setting is fine, do NOT change to 'narrow'.
• You can insert a header and/or footer with the title of your story and/or your name as author, or any other useful information.
• You can insert a 'cover page' from the selection offered in 'Word', and then change the picture for one of your own. (Right mouse on the picture, click 'change picture'). Or just design your own.

When your story is done, and hopefully you have been able to add some pictures / photos / illustrations ... here is how to print your document as a booklet:

1. Save your document as a pdf.

Click on 'file' (top left) and select 'Save As'.

When you see the dialogue box asking for the name of your new file, click the arrow underneath this space where it says 'save as type:' and select your file type as 'pdf'.

Now you just need to click the 'publish' button. Your document will appear in pdf format.

2. Print your document as a booklet

Click on the 'print' icon.

In the 'print' dialogue box look for the 'booklet' option. It will be in the middle under 'page size and handling'.

Also make sure you have selected the 'both sides' printing option.

And then click 'Print'.

After printing one side of the pages, your printer will send instructions about turning over your pages and re-inserting them into your printer. How this works will depend on your particular printer.

If you have a big enough stapler, you can now put a staple or two right into the middle fold of your booklet. If you only have a small stapler, then you will need to fold the booklet and put a couple of staples along the back edge. 

The Pictures

Honestly, for a lot of children the most important part of a story is the pictures. If they like the pictures then they will want to read the words.

So - where do you get the pictures from?

• If you are printing one or two stories / booklets for just your class to use, then there is really no harm in searching Google Images and using whatever you like.

• If you are self-publishing a story / booklet that may be made generally available in print and/or on the Internet, then you need to be careful about copyright. Do not steal pictures or ideas from someone else.

So - where are we getting the pictures from?


1.    Photos we have taken - we have copyright on them.
2.    Drawings and pictures the children have created.
3.    Pictures we have drawn / created.

Creating Your Own Pictures

Most adults tell me they can't draw.
And yet kids rarely say that. If you ask a kid to draw something, they just give it a go.

So - think like a kid. (Or you can just ask a kid to draw your pictures.)
Kids don't really mind what your pictures are like, they will be fascinated regardless. here are some ideas:

• Use the tools that kids like to use - get yourself some crayons / pencils / paints. I usually draw the picture and then scan it and insert it into the story.
• Keep it simple - you don't have to draw the whole panorama. There are many ways to draw a picture without drawing faces - if that is the part you have difficulty with. Just draw the important part.
• Use lots of colour. Or do it in black and white and let the children colour it in. (Black and white is better for print / photocopy. It depends how you are going to use the book.)
• Adapt and practise. Find a picture or photo that has all or part of what you want to depict, and try copying it ... but don't worry if yours doesn't look the same! The original is just a starting point. And you don't want to break copyright by making it exactly the same.
• Use an App. This is my favourite. Rather than drawing and then scanning pictures, I like to draw / create pictures on my iPad. Maybe you have access to something similar.

With each of the stories included on this website, we have included information about where the pictures came from.

Here is an example of making an illustration

This is how I have been creating illustrations.

1. Enter a search word into Google Images search - in this case I wanted a picture of someone "window shopping".

I selected this picture.

2. Trace the picture, and adapt it to suit my story. (I use the app "Tracing Paper" on my iPad.)

I changed it into a picture of two women in headscarves window shopping.

3. Colour the picture. I use that old program that comes on most computers - "Paint". If you have never used it, you should check whether you have it on your computer (you probably do) and try it, because it is a lot of fun. You can use it for drawing as well.

Why don't we just use the original picture? Because it's not mine, the copyright belongs to someone. But this is MY picture, my drawing and my colouring