New library magazine features young writers, artists

The Lake Villa District Library features magazines often written by experts ranging from parenting to geography.

One new magazine to be unveiled at the library will feature authors familiar to some readers -- area youth.

The library will unveil its first edition of The Write Stuff literary magazine at an authors reception at 7 p.m. Jan. 30 at the library.

The cover design will be unveiled at the reception, which is open to the authors and their families.

The magazine is an outgrowth of a writing workshop that began last January, said youth services librarian Elisa Gueffier said.

Open to third- through sixth-graders, the workshop addresses new aspects of story writing each month. Students discuss characterization and plotting.

"My goal is to make it a creative environment rather than an instructional environment," she said.

The magazine includes 18 pieces from participants in The Write Stuff workshops. Gueffier said some submissions also were accepted by youth who have not attended the workshops.

Gueffier said the authors submitted various work including poetry, prose, short stories and artwork.

Among the submissions, Maddie Hendrickson, a third-grader from Thompson School in Lake Villa, submitted "The House," a short story about a rabbit. Breanna Klebba, a fourth-grader from Christian Life School in Kenosha, Wis., submitted a poem titled "Changing Seasons," as well as artwork.

Youth who have started to write their own novels submitted portions from their future works.

Lexi Hennelly, a sixth-grader from Frederick School in Grayslake, will publish an excerpt from her novel titled, "Zeethra."

Benjamin, Krapohl, a fifth-grader who is home schooled in Round Lake Beach, submitted to the magazine the prologue from his novel titled "The Rising" and two poems, including one titled "In Praise of Spaghetti."

While each author will receive a magazine, a copy also will be available for patrons to view. Gueffier said she hopes the workshop will continue to inspire youth and lead to more editions of the magazine.

"I hope to make it an outlet for them to creatively express themselves," she said.

Registration is required to join free creative writing workshops, which is offered the third Saturday of each month. To register, call the library at (847) 356-7711 or visit www.lvdl.org and click on the Write Stuff link.