Sudbury elementary school students become first-time authors

If you're in the market for some page-turning summer reads, look no further than a few elementary schools in Sudbury. 

Students at three Catholic elementary schools are newly-published authors, thanks to a collaboration between the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and Laurentian University professors Jan and David Buley.

Grade 1 teacher Karen Healy said the kids at St. Andrew started the imaginative process with the Buleys in November. 

"[Jan and David] basically took over the classroom and became partners with all of us," she said.

"[They] really put their heart and soul into creating something with the children."

Healy said the kids at her school, as well as St. Bernadette and Immaculate Conception, came up with their own stories, which feature titles like "Lost in the Shavings", "Where's Rufus?" and "Don't Eat the Puck". 

In "The Day the Pipe Broke", grade 1 students imagine that "Sledge", a hammerhead shark, accidentally breaks an underwater pipe. But, a magical sea shell plugs the oil leak and saves all of the creatures in the ocean. 

"We kind of learned that oil can actually get into the ocean and it could cause stuff to be killed," said Mason Walker, one of the co-authors of the book. 

"We did our book, and we tried our best," he said. "And we worked as a team... it really made me happy." 

His team member, Jayda Hartley, said she loved helping with the illustrations. 

"I thought that the magic shell with the octopus was really good to draw, so I drawed it!" 

To hear more of the interview with teacher Karen Healy and students Mason Walker and Jayda Hartley, listen here. 

Morning North6:57Young kids in Sudbury publish their first book

Some rather young authors were celebrated at a publishing party in Sudbury. The CBC's Markus Schwabe spoke with Grade 1 students Jayda Harley and Mason Walker, who helped write the book "The Day The Pipe Broke". He also spoke with teacher Karen Healy.